Promoting lifelong learning: certification and accreditation of skills acquired in formal and informal contexts

C.A.P. is a service of the University of Bari to promote lifelong learning, certification and accreditation of skills acquired in formal and informal contexts. It is open to all EU and non-EU citizens and its mission is the enhancement of the " cultural capital " as a fundamental and strategic asset for humanity. Main goals: the recognition and certification of soft skills; the recognition of prior learning " on the job " and their translation into professional qualifications and/or CFU expendable in university course; the promotion of equivalence or recognition of training credits for EU and non-EU citizens. It offers financial support for refugees students and operates through networking with institutional and University representatives involved on the issues in question. By this, the Cap enhances lifelong learning, including skills developed both during structured and legally recognized educational, learning and training activities (prior learning) or through informal and often unintentional learning experiences (experiential learning). Specifically, the certification of the skills acquired in non-formal and informal learning contexts gives every citizen the opportunity to provide proof of the skills acquired throughout his life, regardless of the context where they were developed. There are many potential beneficiaries of the proposed services: not only refugees students and researchers but also the University of Bari and the social system in general: the recognition and enhancement of the skills acquired in different contexts, constitute an important point of reference for social integration policies and a bridge between education/training systems and the labor market.