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system of equivalency and recognition of qualifications of
professionals and skilled workers through what is now dubbed

as the “ASEAN Qualifications Reference Framework” or AQRF.
The idea is to harmonise the regulatory arrangements, quality

assurance and system of recognition of professional/skilled
workers’ qualifications in terms of education and training
obtaining among participating ASEAN countries. As such, the

AQFR looks into the comparability of national qualifications
frameworks (NQFs) and for ASEAN to have a common reference

framework on qualifications. With an ASEAN system of
equivalency for skills, expertise and knowhow, it will be much
easier for professionals and skilled workers to circulate within

the ASEAN. An IT engineer in Hanoi who meets the AQRF
standards can be an IT engineer in all the ASEAN countries.

On the other hand, the AQRF puts pressure on ASEAN
member countries to assess their national educational and
training system (from basic education to tertiary and technical-

vocational schools) and align their curricular offerings,
processes, licensure examinations and so on with the ASEAN

and global standards. In short, the National Qualifications
Reference Framework or NQRF of a member country should be
aligned with the rest of the ASEAN. This, obviously, will be a

long drawn-out process given the diverse history, culture and
traditions in the different member countries.

Policy Forum 77

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