APEL: Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning

The Success of the European VAE, Work Experience Degrees (APEL)

In 2002 the European Council created the VAE (Validation des Acquis de l’Experience) that mandated (article L 613-3) European Universities to grant partly or totally regular degrees based on work experience through a jury of University professors. Many were doubtful of the reality or acceptance of the European VAE. Today’s Universities, Institutes of Higher education , & Foreign governments accept the VAE and its equivalency as part of their own National degrees.

AUOL also evaluates and awards academic credits for prior experiential learning based on guidelines recommended by the American Council on Education ( ACE) , New York Board of Regents Program on Non-collegiate Sponsored Instruction (PONSI), Council for Advancement of Experiential Learning (CAEL), Defence Activity for Nom-Traditional Education (DANTE), American College Testing ( ACT), Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and all recognized credit sources.

Based on the above ,the University’s Evaluation and Admissions Council may grant higher degrees to suitably qualified applicants with relevant professional experience that conforms to the European “Bologna Declaration” adopted by the totality (Except Belarus) of European Countries. APEL and VAE based degrees are awarded to individuals of merit who have a distinguished record in their field of endeavor. They are extremely rare; the university receives no more than one or two applications per year. APEL applicants, normally honourable and distinguished members of their community, will be required to submit a detailed CV with supporting documents. Unlike other professional degrees where students have to pursue a full program of study, the APEL- based degree , is not meant as a “working” degree, but as an “acknowledgment of achievement” degree .This will be clearly stated in the graduate’s transcript. For an APEL-based degree, there are no courses or grades listed. In a number of cases the applicant’s work experience and credits attained elsewhere are sufficient to earn the required number of credits for the immediate award of a degree. In other instances it may be necessary either to submit a dissertation of 5-10.000 words on a topic related to the applicant’s area of expertise or to take a number of courses by Directed Coursework Study under the guidance of a university accredited supervisor.

If you wish to be considered for said degree the following documents are required :

A completed, signed and dated application form
Notarized Copy/ies of your certificate/s
A detailed and up to date current CV (to include Names & Contact details of two professional referees)
Two passport size photographs.
Application Fee of £50 GBP

(No application will be considered until all above documents are received at the Registry. Please send by registered/recorded/ courier mail)

Procedures For The Award Of APEL Degrees

Application for APEL-based degree is received, together with a detailed CV .
If, prima facie, the CV conforms to the university’s minimum entry requirements – in accordance with the 2002 European Council VAE (Validation des Acquis de l’Experience) article L 613-3 of the European union – a provisional offer is made.
If the applicant wishes to accept the offer, he/she will sign , date and return the provisional offer together with the prescribed fee.
Upon receipt of above the APEL Board will convene the Evaluation and Examination council (three accredited professors members of the APEL Board) to evaluate, examine , check the information provided and communicate with the referees named in the CV
Upon completion ( this process normally takes one month) the degree will be confirmed and awarded.
In the event there are problems/issues with the CV , the application will be declined and the fees paid will be returned to the applicant minus £ 300.00 to cover administration expenses.