The French Centre for Research on Qualifications is a public body under the aegis of both the Ministry of Education and Research and the Ministry for Work, Employment, and Health. As a public centre of expertise at the service of the key players in education, training and employment, Céreq provides advice and proposals intended to clarify choices in the area of education and training policies at regional, national or international level.
Céreq carries out large scale national statistical surveys on individuals and companies, it is the French operator and analyst of longitudinal data on youth transition between education and the labour market (the so-called Generation surveys) and is data provider of large-scale linked employer-employee surveys.
Besides its long experience in the application of a wide array of quantitative and qualitative research methods, Céreq has competence in relation to the identification of emerging skills needs. For instance, the agency led or concurred to French skills needs analysis projects on occupations and professions related to: aeronautics, space, and their supply chains (report published in 2006), manufacturing (2008), construction sector (2008), aerospace SMEs (2008), auto repair sector (2010), transport sector (2012), chemical sector (2014).
The centre worked and published during the last ten years on European tools like EQF and ECVET, and it is involved in national working groups on EQF national implementation of and NQF reform (coordinated by the French Ministry for Employment and CNCP).
Céreq participates in the main programmes of the European Union and its role also extends to support missions for EU authorities like Cedefop or European Training Foundation and at the same time, Céreq intervenes at the request of institutions such as the OECD or the International Labour Organization.
Céreq analyses from different angles the relationship between training, employment and work, as such. It provides expertise on the state of the art of the French certifications systems also playing an important role in the State’s committees of experts dealing with the evolution of French systems of initial vocational training (especially the professional advisory committees managed by the French Ministries of National Education, Labour, Agriculture, Health, Youth and Sports). Céreq is also member of the National Pedagogical Commissions for Higher Education Institutes awarding technological and vocational degrees (Instituts Universitaires Technologiques).
Since the 80s Céreq works closely with the institutions in charge of developing European reference frameworks in the field of certification and credits systems, in the recent past Céreq joined national commissions in charge of the implementation of EQF in the France and the consultative commission on ECVET (European Credit Transfer System in Vocational Education) providing relevant expertise inputs.
Céreq also collaborate with economic sectors (branches’ tripartite governance bodies) for the definition of vocational certificates (Certificats de Qualification Professionelle). It is in this framework that several studies has been carried out on non-formal and informal competences certification and recognition, mainly characterized in France by the VAE approach (Validation des Acquis de Competences).
Contact details:
The French Centre for Research on Qualifications
Address: Place de la Joliette 10, 13567 Marseille, France
Phone number: (+33) 4 91132888
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web site: www.cereq.fr