Eight tips from Derbyshire

A regional credit framework and a credit accumulation and transfer system should do the following: * Recognise small steps of learning from basic skills to postgraduate through the award of credits, thereby building learner confidence * Enable learners to build their own programmes within a national quality assurance framework across all types of provision * Ensure that the credit awarded is fully transferable both across further and into higher education * Enable learners to accumulate credit towards national qualifications * Offer clear progression routes expressed in terms of credits and levels * Enable prior learning to be accredited * Facilitate flexible delivery in a range of modes * Offer a collaborative approach to information, guidance and advice and share best practice in curriculum design and delivery and in responding to the needs of adult learners.

Beverly Sand Dean of lifelong learning at the University of Derby.