Latvian Maritime academy

Levels of education are also used to refer to the provision of education, for example, in UNESCO’s
International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED), which is primarily a tool for statistical
classification [6]. The ISCED has nine reference levels of qualification from 0 to 8 (Table 1).
Table 1. Hierarchy between qualifications granted by tertiary education programmes specified in ISCED [6]
Level of HE Cycle of HE Duration of studies
Level 5 Short-cycle tertiary programmes At least 2 years
Level 6 Bachelor or equivalent first degree programmes 3-4 years
Level 6 Bachelor or equivalent long first degree programmes More than 4 years
Level 7 Master or equivalent long first degree programmes At least 5 years
Level 8 Doctoral or equivalent ISCED n/a
Levels and content of competence in context of European Qualifications Framework
The European Qualifications Framework (EQF) [7] was formally adopted by the European
Parliament and the Council on 23 April 2008 as a recommendation, which assists in comparing the
national qualifications systems [8]. The objective of this Recommendation is to create a common
reference framework which should serve as a translation device between different qualifications systems
and their levels, whether for general and higher education or for vocational education and training. The
EQF has eight reference levels of qualification, including general education, vocational training and
higher education. Four of them (from 5 to 8) correspond to higher education system (Annex).
In accordance with EQF competence is the proven ability to use knowledge, skills and personal,
social and/or methodological abilities in work or study situations and in professional and personal
development (Figure 4). In the context of the European Qualifications Framework, competence is
described in terms of responsibility and autonomy.
Competence
Ability to use
knowledge
Ability to use
skills
Personal
abilities
Social
abilities
Methodological
abilities
Figure 4.Competence elements in the context of European Qualifications Framework
Correspondence between levels of seafarers’ competence and levels of education
Analysis and comparison of European Qualifications Framework levels of competence and
comparison with levels of competence (responsibility) specified by STCW 78 reveals clear
correspondence between levels of competence of seafarers and adequate levels of education (Table 2).
Table 2. Correspondence between levels of seafarers’ competence and adequate levels of education
Levels of competence
specified by EQF
Corresponded levels of education Levels of responsibility (competence)
specified by STCW 78
Level 4 Abitur, vocational school diploma Support level (rating)
Level 5 Short cycle diploma Operational level officer
Level 6 Bachelor Degree Management level officer, chief engineer,
master
Level 7 Master of Science Degree Lecturer, researcher*
Level 8 Doctor of Science Degree Lecturer, researcher*
* This positions in the table are not a matter of STCW 78
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