Both Ireland and the European Union use a framework of qualifications as a means of charting and describing the level of ability demonstrated by individuals in specific domains.Europes frameworks are outcome based,identifying individuals by the level of ability they have demonstrated to assessors,and as such provide a useful means of mapping pathways through education for students,across a whole career or lifetime.Additionally,the framework serves as a communication tool,whereby institutions,students,employers or indeed countries can use a common vocabulary to discuss the achievements and abilities of individuals.We describe in brief the qualifications frameworks used in both China and Europe,and ask whether the European Qualifications Framework could serve as a communication tool between China and Europe.