The paper looks at the key issues of vocational education modernization in Russia in the context of the Vocational Training and Applied Qualifications Development Strategy valid up to 2020. The author considers the need for training quality assurance, its relevance for the state, individuals, and labor markets; both the external and internal factors of vocational training quality assurance being analyzed.

The main emphasis is on developing the qualifications framework, regarded as a multi-dimensional matrix, including various specializations, labor forms and qualification levels. The system in question can be used for finding the flexible learning routes and optimizing the time resources and training costs.

In conclusion, the author outlines a complex of procedures which allow different categories of people to achieve and approve necessary qualifications; the main emphasis is given to the specialized vocational qualifications centers, operating with the transparent and relevant criteria of learning outcomes and training quality assessment.

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