What are EUSCCCIP, CSP & PANCECS?

These 3 projects have been funded by the European Commission under the Leonardo da Vinci programme. The 2 year EUSCCCIP was successfully completed in November 1997, and is immediately followed by the 3 year CSP. Both projects are using standards of competence to improve CPD (continuing professional development): EUSCCCIP developed a Framework for CPD Systems, which will be implemented on a pilot basis under CSP. The 18-month PANCECS project is introducing the EUSCCCIP Framework into 6 additional countries.

What has EUSCCCIP achieved?

EUSCCCIP brought together bodies from UK, Finland, Ireland and Portugal.  Its principal product has been a framework for CPD systems, with sufficient flexibility to be suitable for each partner country, based on standards of occupational competence. The Framework:

• is suitable for recording CPD for widely varying occupations and national circumstances;

• acts as an aid to personal development, helping professionals to make best use of their CPD (guiding the activities of: identifying needs, selecting appropriate learning opportunities, planning and implementing, assessment, reviewing experience, revising goals, evaluating, becoming better at personal development and managing own development);

• is suitable for all the appropriate bodies (including Professional Institutions and employers) to use to set up CPD systems for their members, by promoting best practice and enabling mutual recognition;

• is based on the outputs of CPD (the learning achieved) rather than the inputs (time spent).

The EUSCCCIP Framework for CPD Systems is summarised in the diagram as follows and available on the EUSCCCIP website:

So what remains for CSP & PANCECS to do?

CSP has expanded the partnership to include France and Germany. CSP is running pilot trials of the EUSCCCIP Framework amongst both construction and engineering practitioners. It is striving to make the Framework an international standard of good practice for CPD, a hallmark that an organisation can display to demonstrate the quality of its members’ CPD. In the year 2001 there will be an international conference to bring together the experience of CSP and other projects.

The CSP outputs are freely available on the CSP webpage. The CSP partnership is working with other national and EU bodies with similar interests in the development of vocational standards for initial professional development, qualification and CPD for construction industry/engineering professionals. The EUSCCCIP Framework is directly applicable to any sector, for example the medical professions are implementing the CoProDIME.(Continuing Professional Development in Medicine in Europe) which is piloting the EUSCCCIP Framework amongst doctors in UK, Germany, Ireland, Italy and Sweden.

The PANCECS project disseminates the CSP in 6 new countries.  It is developing international co-operation – both in construction/engineering CPD and in the application of standards of competence – by developing a CPD record ‘passport’ and an international group to manage it.  The EUSCCCIP Framework will be translated into new languages and it will be available through partners’ websites.

The EUSCCCIP framework can be ordered online

To get involved the CSP trials, contact the project co-ordinator