The National qualification framework (NQF) rates not the duration of the study but the acquired competences.
The NQF is one of the most important achievements in promoting educational transparency. Actually a product of Europe, but more and more in use worldwide. For EurEta, an important support in the task of promoting practice-oriented higher education, increasing transparency and awareness. The penetration of the benefits of the NQF in the economy will take several years. No system changes are happening fast.
http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/events-and-projects/projects/european-qualifications-framework-eqf
The European Qualifications Framework (EQF) is a common European reference framework whose purpose is to make qualifications more readable and understandable across different countries and systems. Covering qualifications at all levels and in all sub-systems of education and training, the EQF provides a comprehensive overview over qualifications in the 39 European countries currently involved in its implementation. In close cooperation with the European Commission, Cedefop provides analytical and coordination support for the implementation of the EQF and carries out a number of comparative studies and analysis on issues related to the implementation of the framework at EU, national and sectoral level.
European Qualifications Framework – a bridge between national qualifications systems
The core of the EQF is its eight reference levels defined in terms of learning outcomes, i.e. knowledge, skills and autonomy-responsibility. Learning outcomes express what individuals know, understand and are able to do at the end of a learning process. Countries develop national qualifications frameworks (NQFs) to implement the EQF. Read more