Northern Ireland has embarked on a three-year project to set up a pioneering credit accumulation and transfer scheme for all post-18 education and training. The Northern Ireland Credit Accumulation and Transfer System has won funding from the Department of Education in Northern Ireland to have the radical scheme in place by September 2002. Almost 40 per cent of adults in Northern Ireland have no recognised qualification, and the NICATS team believes a single credit framework will help improve the province's poor educational record.