Napoleon Hill, author of A Lifetime of Riches, ridiculed educators who narrowly defined education as the “imparting of knowledge.” Hill said, “Education, does not stop with the passive accumulation of knowledge. To have value, education must also include learning to organize knowledge, classify it and put it into action.” ‘Competency-based education’ is about acquiring and providing evidence of abilities, skills, talent, accomplishments, and achievements. Action is evidenced through outcomes for recognized success. Everyone has ‘competencies’ that can be formally assessed and evaluated. Learning is life-long to those who aspire to succeed and excel in their chosen field.
‘Competency-based degrees’ are now at the forefront of many forward-thinking colleges and universities offering mature learners an opportunity to be competencies-assessed taking into consideration Recognized Prior Learnin (RPL) and Lifelong Learning. Warnborough College stands out from the rest because it has focused on this niche market, allowing assessment in any language at any time. Dr Brenden and his team (www.drbrenden.co.uk) of competency-based assessors have been approved by Warnborough to officially evaluate candidates. Using the European Qualifications Framework(EQF) candidates are rigorously assessed and benchmarked against 8 levels, all recognised by the European Union (EU) and beyond.
After sixty years in university education as a lecturer, head of department, and academic quality assessor, I can recommend this fast-track option for mature learners seeking a positive outcome for their competencies. A graduate degree, whether a masters or a doctorate can be obtained, and this pathway should not be ignored. Action NOW! (2018, Dr Ray Morland. Educator, Newcastle, NSW, Australia).