Universities and RPL
The Canadian Association for Prior Learning Assessment (CAPLA) is inviting you to the 2025 spring semester of the free online program hosted by the Universities and RPL Working Group.
The purpose of these meetings is to share activities, research, innovative approaches, and challenges associated with supporting non-traditional adult learners looking for recognition by the academy, to facilitate their degree completion. These individuals may have older degrees, partial university credits, a combination of work experience and international credentials, or advanced knowledge, skills, and abilities in specialty fields relevant to university courses and programs.
As Canada’s only national organization dedicated to voluntary quality RPL standards, policies and practices across sectors, the following RPL definition has been endorsed by stakeholders across the country:
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is a set of processes that allow individuals to identify, document, be assessed, and gain recognition for their prior learning. The focus is on the learning, rather than context of the learning. Knowledge, skills, and abilities gained from life experiences may be formal, informal, or non-formal. RPL processes may serve several purposes, including: licensure, credit or advanced standing at an academic institution, employment, career planning, recruitment or self-knowledge. (Quality Assurance for the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) in Canada: THE MANUAL - 2015).
Register for these free sessions:
Monday, June 2, 2025 | 12 noon – 1:30 pm (ET)
Last year, Brock University in St. Catharines, ON shared information with CAPLA’s Universities and RPL Working Group about their ONCAT grant, which focused on exploring Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition opportunities in Admissions. In February 2025, Brock’s Senate approved motions to adopt PLAR policy language, marking a significant milestone. This approval means that PLAR for Admissions and Advanced Standing can officially commence at Brock! The Brock team, including Pauline Dawson, Director of Admissions, and Jackie Crawford, PLAR Manager, are eager to return and share insights and updates on these exciting developments.
Tuesday, June 10, 2025 | 12 noon – 1:30 pm (ET)
Recognition of Prior Learning in Irish Higher Education: A Qualitative Study
Dr Deirdre Goggin, Munster Technological University, Ireland
This paper explores why, despite inclusion in national strategy and position papers, the practice of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) remains at low levels in Irish higher education.
The study focuses on the recognition of informal and non-formal learning and seeks to elucidate the elements which have the most influence on practice. In Irish higher education, the recognition process seeks to validate the learning in the context of a specified destination award from level one to 10 on the national framework of qualifications (European Commission; Cedefop; ICF International, 2014, p. 3). The research conducted focused on exploring academics’ understanding of RPL, its position within their institutional context, and identifying opportunities and perceived challenges to practice and implementation.
The research study adopts a constructivist grounded theory (Charmaz, 2006) and an interpretative approach to examine the reasons for limited practice of RPL.
The findings demonstrate the diversity of the views of academic staff regarding RPL in practice in higher education. There are a number of barriers in current national and institutional settings that have an impact on practice. A framework to address these factors is proposed as a mechanism to ensure greater engagement with RPL at three levels: national, institutional, and individual staff.
This study of the practice and implementation of RPL in Irish higher education is significant, as it makes a unique contribution to identifying the factors influencing the implementation of RPL; its findings have implications for policy, practice, and future research of RPL.
Register for these free sessions:
To register for these free sessions, click on the Eventbrite links above. If you would prefer not to use Eventbrite to register, here is the Zoom link for both meetings: Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 845 6435 4418
To join by phone:
+1 780 666 0144
+1 204 272 7920
+1 438 809 7799
+1 587 328 1099
+1 647 374 4685
+1 647 558 0588
+1 778 907 2071
For more information, please contact CAPLA at or email or by phone at 613-820-7962.