Qualifications with a dual orientation towards employment and higher education: a comparative investigation of innovative schemes in seven European countries: INTEQUAL Report I

This is an interim report of results achieved in the project (1996-1997) 'The acquisition of integrated qualifications for professional work and study - an assessment of innovative approaches in seven European countries (INTEQUAL)'. The project is being co-ordinated by WIFO (Research Forum Education and Society), Berlin, and is supported by the European Commission within the framework of the Leonardo program.

This report focuses on one of the basic issues in vocational education and training in European Union (EU) countries, how to improve the status of initial vocational education and training (VET). The approach initiated in a number of countries aims at providing the option for trainees or students of vocational courses to acquire qualifications for university access alongside their vocational qualifications. The resulting qualification has a dual orientation towards both skilled work and employment and studies at higher education (dual qualification). This project analysed the potential impact of schemes of dual qualifications offered in seven European countries. These schemes include: vocational programs or streams within the comprehensive school systems of Norway and Sweden; individual qualifications, e.g. the Vocational Baccalaureat (Bac Pro) in France, the General National Vocational Qualification (GNVQ) in England, the long courses in senior secondary vocational education (MBO) in the Netherlands and the WIFI Academy courses in Austria; and pilot projects within the established systems of vocational education and training in Germany (Bavaria and Brandenburg). The first phase of the project consisted of a comparative analysis based on national case studies. This focused on major areas including the national framework of economic, social and educational change, the major features of the scheme, the educational concepts underlying the scheme, the organisational implications of the scheme and the impact of the scheme. In order to identify the degree of integration of general and vocational education within the schemes, two dimensions are distinguished, the relationship of education and training to skilled work, and the relationship of general education to vocational training. The evidence implies that the various ways of combining general and vocational education are fairly independent of categories of courses or easily adaptable to the different options. The authors conclude that there is considerable opportunity for the exchange and transfer of experience across schemes and national systems.

The second report is indexed at TD/TNC 62.757.

This is an interim report of results achieved in the project (1996-1997) 'The acquisition of integrated qualifications for professional work and study - an assessment of innovative approaches in seven European countries (INTEQUAL)'. The project is being co-ordinated by WIFO (Research Forum Education and Society), Berlin, and is supported by the European Commission within the framework of the Leonardo program.

This report focuses on one of the basic issues in vocational education and training in European Union (EU) countries, how to improve the status of initial ...  [+] Show more