SAQA Bulletin: Volume 9 Number 2: September 2006

The papers in this Bulletin are based on a SAQA initiated investigation into the use of Credit Accumulation and Transfer (CAT) systems. The purpose of the investigation is developing a resource document for the development of a national CAT system in South Africa. The papers are arranged in three sections that explore the interconnection between CAT systems and National Qualifications Frameworks (NQFs). The first section presents various interpretations to the elements that make up a CAT system to establish a more common understanding of the system. The second section investigates CAT within NQFs and CAT alongside NQFs in five different NQFs and two emerging regional qualifications frameworks. The third section explores the extent to which the South African NQF may be developed to include a fully functioning CAT system.

Contents of this Bulletin

1. Acronyms and abbreviations
2. Definition of key terms
3. Editorial comment
4. Chairperson’s foreword
5. Credit Accumulation and Transfer in the context of the South African National Qualifications Framework
   1. An exploratory investigation
   2. Background
   3. Purpose of this investigation
   4. Overview of investigation
6. Section 1: Towards a common understanding of a credit accumulation and transfer system
   1. Introduction
   2. Credit
   3. Credit accumulation
   4. Credit transfer
   5. Credit accumulation and transfer system
   6. Potential benefits of a credit accumulation and transfer system
   7. Summary
7. Section 2: Credit accumulation and transfer within the context of existing and emerging qualifications frameworks
   1. Introduction
   2. Victoria’s Credit Matrix
   3. New Zealand
   4. United Kingdom (Higher Education)
   5. Credit transfer and accumulation in the emerging regional qualifications frameworks
   6. Summary
8. Section 3: A credit accumulation and transfer system within the South African NQF
   1. Introduction
   2. Current state of credit accumulation and transfer in South Africa
   3. Possible stumbling blocks for improved credit accumulation and transfer
   4. Recommendations for the implementation of credit accumulation and transfer in the context of the South African NQF
9. Summary
10. Acknowledgements
11. References