THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH WEST EUROPE

What is APEL?

APEL is the process of identifying, assessing and accrediting an individual’s competencies, knowledge and skills, no matter how these have been acquired. APEL stands for Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning, i.e. the un-certificated learning made by the individual, and basically refers to all previously acquired learning. In the words of McKelvey & Peters:

“...APEL addresses the needs of adult learners and is part of a strategy to widen access to education for all learners. It can provide a structure that will attract adults who would otherwise remain outside the life of an educational establishment."

APEL means flexibility. It gives the institution the flexibility to consider all aspects of an individual’s background in the search for exemptions against pre-determined requirements. Combined with the flexibility inherent in the distance learning, never-ending academic year format offered by the University, acquiring a degree qualification could be much less of a problem than could be feared. It means that you can start on a programme at the most appropriate point, and achieve completion by the most direct route.

• In addition to the ‘standard issue University candidate’, the opportunities offered by APEL have implications for a whole host of other people:
• Immigrants in an educational system unknown to them may be highly qualified in their country of origin, but unable to prove this where they are now.
• Those in part-time employment, who generally suffer reduced training and development benefits, will be able to capitalise fully on a APEL/distance learning programme.
• This also means that people with disabilities, who tend to work part-time, if at all, will be able to enrol on a programme without having to first find the physically most suitable institution relative to their needs.
• The self-employed, who certainly cannot take the time off to undertake residential studies, and even if they consider part-time studies would not want to repeat what they have already covered as a matter of course in running their business.
• The unemployed, for whom the flexibility of APEL/distance learning means that they would still be able to pursue a career whilst working towards a degree qualification.