This article reflects on different models of professional qualification for teaching, based on a comparison between initial teacher education (ITE) in Scotland and a narrower and more pragmatic view of "teacher training" in England. It includes an analysis of the official requirements in both countries (the Standards), which exemplify different discourses; a comparison of quality assurance systems in both countries; and some illustrations of initiatives based on the principle of problem-based learning (PBL) as used in teacher education at the University of Edinburgh.