The field of intercultural competencies has changed significantly in recent years. Due to an increasing differentiation of the definition(s) of the research object itself as well as the diversification of facilitating activities such as training, coaching, counselling, etc., the cognitive aspect is no longer the sole focus of the competencies of intercultural professionals; aspects of experience, behaviour, practical skills and self-reflection etc. are also taught. Consequently, professionals in the intercultural context should have competencies that go beyond the cognitive approach of comparing countries, which was successfully taught for a long time. This applies even more to those who teach and impart intercultural competencies.
To ensure these requirements at the European level and to make them visible, the ECILP (European Certificate for Intercultural Learning Professionals) project, funded by the European Union, aims to create a Europe-wide certificate for professionals working in an intercultural context). It will enable especially trainers, coaches, mediators, etc., to assess their intercultural competencies to meet today's requirements in the international economy, administration, social work and other fields.

The project's core aim is to enable recognition, transparency, and comparability of qualifications and learning outcomes of IC (intercultural)service providers (i.e., trainers, advisors and coaches) by developing and establishing a framework of binding professional standards and regulations for the accreditation process as well as a self-assessment tool for IC providers.

Such a framework will offer evidence-based, understandable, and reliable selection criteria to clients, learners, IC service providers, and institutions offering intercultural training qualifications. The regulations and self-assessment tool will provide information about the current qualification level and guidance for achieving accreditation.

TARGET GROUP: The main target groups are VET trainers and VET providers already providing or aiming to provide professional intercultural services.

RESULTS:

• ECILP - Set of Standards for European Certificate for Intercultural Learning Professionals
• GRR - Governance, Regulations and other Requirements for the ECILP Accreditation Process
• ECILP online self-assessment and validation centre

ECILP - Set of Standards for European Certificate for Intercultural Learning Professionals - a document, available online in pdf format, explaining the professional standards and how to meet them. It contains empirical evidence of what makes intercultural training effective, why such evidence is important, and how measures are justified otherwise. The ECILP Set of Standards explains the different levels of qualification that can be reached, the quality standards to be met to qualify for a given level, justification of these standards in terms of their theoretical basis and proven effectiveness, how an individual can be eligible for a given level, with due consideration for their existing education and professional experience and what an individual needs to maintain a given level (Continuous Professional Development CDP).

GRR - Governance, Regulations and other Requirements for the ECILP Accreditation Process – a document available online in pdf format specifying the governance system and processes (regulations) for accrediting persons in line with the ECILP Set of Standards. It explains how such governance can be structured, how key stakeholders should be represented, and which processes must be installed for certifications to proceed in a competent, impartial, and independent manner. 

Results are available in 5 languages – English, Polish, Dutch, German, and Italian. Direct link https://ecilp.erasmus.site/