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The report examines the French system for quality control in vocational training and highlights its complexity, due both to the large number of uncoordinated stakeholders (administrative and financial auditors, certifying bodies accredited by Cofrac, labeling entities, funding organizations, or training purchasers) and to the multiple definitions of the very concept of quality: external (training content and impact), internal (compliance of processes with a reference framework), and legal (compliance with legal and regulatory obligations).

Key Findings

• Administrative controls do not directly assess the quality of training, but are generally well structured despite limited resources;

• The certification of professional qualifications does not, in itself, address training quality, although the RNCP registration process acts as a filter; 

• Qualiopi certification has established a shared framework, but suffers from several limitations: certifying bodies are not supervised, external quality is not assessed, and subcontractors are not included;

• Quality controls carried out by funders are inadequate and, like Qualiopi, focus primarily on internal quality;

• Impact analysis of training programs—an aspect of external quality—is underdeveloped;

• Coordination of quality controls is still in its infancy, especially regarding information systems.

Recommendations

• Update the Qualiopi certification framework;

• Harmonize procedures for the evaluation and registration of qualifications and degrees;

• Strengthen administrative and budgetary controls;

• Establish a centralized reporting and inspection mechanism;

• Harmonize and strengthen quality controls carried out by training purchasers;

• Improve consideration of training impact assessments and learner feedback within a new framework focused on external quality;

• Encourage information-sharing between oversight bodies.

Access to the entire report in French

• La qualité de la formation professionnelle