VAE

The system of validation of acquired experience (VAE) allows employees to validate their professional and or voluntary experience, with a view to obtaining a qualification, a title with a professional utility or a certificate of qualification appearing on a list established by the national commission for employment in the specific professional field, appearing in the national directory of professional qualifications (RNCP).

The VAE thus constitutes a fourth path to the acquisition of a qualification on the same level as those of school and university, apprenticeship and ongoing professional training. It produces the same effects as the other methods of evaluation of skills, aptitude and knowledge. The VAE is equivalent to initial and ongoing training. The VAE was set up by the Minister for Culture – the Delegation for visual arts within higher cultural education, in 2005-2006, in the form of pilot schools – centers for validation. Panels from each school, made up of professionals (a minimum of 25%), using a personal dossier provided by each candidate, combined with an interview, examine, evaluate and validate the acquired skills with a view to obtaining a national qualification – DNA, DNSEP – as well as the specific qualifications delivered by the National Higher School for the Decorative Arts and the National Higher School of Photography.

In addition to the awarding of qualifications, certain schools are in a position to propose training modules for applicants who have obtained a partial validation of their skills.

Beneficiaries

Any member of the workforce (currently employed or not) can avail of this process. The VAE is a right available to all, with no conditions of age, nationality, status or level of training or qualifications.

Those potentially concerned by a VAE:

Employees (with short or long term contracts, temporary workers…)
Non-employees, independent workers, members of liberal professions, merchants, craftsmen, agricultural workers
Unemployed people, receiving social security or not
Volunteers with an experience in associations or other organizations
Local and state employees regardless of their status

Only one condition must be met: the applicant wishing to have their skills validated must be able to justify at least three years of activity with a direct connection to the desired qualification. The activities taken into account may be exercised in a continuous or discontinuous fashion, on a full or part time basis.
The activities concerned by the validation process are the whole of the professional skills acquired in the exercise of a salaried, non-salaried or voluntary activity having a direct relationship with the content of the qualification, the title or the professional certification. A voluntary activity is understood to be a situation where someone is freely involved in the field of a registered association or a public service in an unpaid activity, under the direction of a third party, outside of their professional and family spheres. The exercise of a voluntary activity encompasses the amateur practice of an art when it corresponds to the conditions outlined above. However, art practiced in an amateur capacity or within the context of family is not considered when calculating the period of time necessary.
The decree which pertains to higher education doesn’t, a priori, exclude, when evaluating the amount of experience required, internships and training periods in a professional milieu done in the preparation of a qualification or title.

Ecole européenne supérieure d’art de Bretagne | Lorient

DNAP option Art
DNAP option Communication
DNAP option Design
DNSEP option Art
DNSEP option Communication
DNSEP option Design

Ecole nationale supérieure d’arts Paris-Cergy

DNSEP option Art

École nationale supérieure de la photographie

The École nationale supérieure de la photographie has been able to offer the acquisition of the school diploma, a Master’s degree award, through a process of validation of prior experience (VAE) since 2007 when it established its own examination and validation centre.

The VAE validates the achievements of salaried, self-employed and/or voluntary professional experience with a view to acquiring a diploma, a professional certificate or a qualification from a list drawn up by the national joint employment commission of a professional branch, registered in the national directory of professional certifications (RNCP).

The VAE is thus a means of acquiring a certification in the same way as school and university paths, apprenticeships and further professional training. It has the same status as other methods of testing knowledge, skills and competences.

› More : www.ensp-arles.fr/studying/vae

Ecole nationale supérieure des beaux-arts de Lyon

DNAP Art
DNAP Design d’espace
DNAT Design graphique
DNAT Design Textile
DNSEP Art
DNSEP Design – mention espace
DNSEP Design – mention graphique

École supérieure d’art d’Aix-en-Provence

DNAP option Art
DNSEP option Art

Ecole supérieure d’art de La Reunion, Le Port

DNAP option Art
DNAP option Communication
DNAP option Design
DNAT option Design

Ecole supérieure d’art du Nord-Pas de Calais | Tourcoing

VAE DNSEP-art

Ecole supérieure d’art du Nord-Pas de Calais Dunkerque-Tourcoing | Dunkerque

Centre VAE DNSEP-art

Ecole supérieure d’art et design | Rouen