The practice of identifying, evaluating and recognising informally acquired skills involvesnumerous methodological challenges, which are generally given scant consideration.Nonetheless, experience shows that they play an important role for both providers andcustomers, be they individual participants or institutional recipients. The very disparatelevels of development in Europe are not an obstacle to development here; on thecontrary, they offer huge potential for solutions and innovation at the methodologicallevel.The project makes systematic use of the experience and evaluations of professionals inadult education from regional through national to European level on tools and processesfor identifying, evaluating and recognising skills. This investigation and developmentprocess is reflected in three major products (an international method workshop and itsdocumentation, an international compendium and a web-based ‘virtual toolbox’database), which will provide sustained momentum for improving the standard ofgeneral and vocational education.The international print products are prepared in English. The virtual toolbox contains thetool sheets in the original language although, as an additional aid, each tool can also befound under English keywords.