Validation and certification of non-formal and informal learning is a crucial challenge of lifelong learning and a priority for national and European vocational education and training policies in all sectors, including HoReCa industry. A huge impact should be put on the development of the validation and certification model of qualifications. The HoReCa industry is a
sector in which there is a particularly urgent need for sectoral qualification framework in the light of current developments towards European market.

There is a need for transparency of qualifications and diplomas in the HoReCa sector, regardless of the country or vocational training and educational system in which they were acquired. To support national strategies for lifelong learning, some countries developed mechanisms for continuing training and upgrading workforce skills. To ensure the relevance and quality of training is to ensure that it is delivered by qualified VET trainers. That is so important to develop mechanisms to assess and certify trainer competences in the HoReCa sector.

Prepared comparative studies have been compiled in order prepared analysis of national policies and practices on recognition, validation and certification of non-formal and informal learning, regarding the models of certification and validation systems/ models for Horeca sector in all partners’ countries.

Certification is the process whereby a learner receives from an authorized institution a formal d ocument stating that he has achieved a certain qualification. The award of qualifications will be understood as the result of validation and certification.

The developed Validation and Certification Model responds to the need to provide the opportunity to confirm the professional competence of a significant number of people working for many years in the HoReCa industry.

Certification of persons in European Union certification bodies is usually based on the requirements of the international standard of persons certification bodies. . Pursuant to these requirements, the body confirming the competences of persons and certifying their qualifications should establish the criteria to be met by the candidate applying for the certificate and other requirements ensuring the objectivity of the results of validation and certification.

The basic document specifying the requirements is a certification program containing the criteria for assessing competence and certification of qualifications, as well as the procedures that make up this process. Therefore, the HoReCa4VET project will describe the requirements for certification, i.e. the certification program, program board definition, appeal committee, examination board, certification body, examiners and validation stages, as well as passing criteria and other necessary tools.

The use of the certification procedure as an element of development and improvement of quality will provide the target group with an asset in the form of a certificate recognized in accordance with accepted European standards of quality and at the same time consistent with the requirements of the EuropeanQualifications Framework.

In the presented model, validation and certification of professional competences is a process independent of the learning process. It checks whether the required learning outcomes have been achieved in accordance with the qualifications adopted by the partnrs for the 3 industries.The developed validation and certification model will be used in pilot studies, after prior specification of this model, taking into account the specificity, legislation and institutional forms specific to the partner country in which the pilot will be conducted.