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With Montenegro’s transition to a market-based, open and globalised economy, there is an explicit need for regular dialogue and partnership between education and the business sector. While the national policy papers and legal framework recognise this need and have already laid down the foundations of an enabling environment for it, the most feasible and beneficial modes for establishing intensive cooperation between the two remain to be found. The education and business partnership in Montenegro is a developing area, with a toolkit that is still ‘under construction’. The institutional landscape of education and business cooperation reveals a high level of involvement on the part of social partners in the consultation and decision-making mechanisms, as well as in the process of designing changes and innovations in the education system (new curricula, qualifications). This holds particularly true for [vocational education and training] VET, and to a much lesser extent for [higher education] HE. In spite of the lack of explicit incentives and of a tradition of cooperation, Montenegro has launched a wide range of topics and modes for education and business partnerships in the last decade. A great many of them have been inspired by [European Union] EU policy developments and EU Member States’ experiences, and have been backed with EU funds, and therefore represent pilot interventions rather than systemic measures. Yet the country has also demonstrated a capacity for critical assessment of imported patterns and for embarking on home-grown initiatives. The involvement of the civil society sector as a mediator in the dialogue between education and business is a remarkable finding of the current stocktaking exercise that not only resonates with the latest recommendations and guidelines at the EU level, but also brings hope with regard to the role of bottom-up innovations in this field in Montenegro. Finally, the report makes an assessment of the major challenges for education and business cooperation in VET and higher education, and formulates corresponding recommendations related to enhancing the capacities of education and business actors to engage in strategic partnerships while fine-tuning their modalities at both the governance and implementation levels.

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This report belongs to a series of country analyses developed by the European Training Foundation (ETF). It covers: Socioeconomic background; Key policy issues and strategies in human resource development (HRD); EU (European Union) and other donor policies and interventions; Mid-term perspective ETF intervention strategies; Human Resource Development Council (IPA 07-01); Education and Training 2010: NQF (National Qualifications Framework) development; Social inclusion; Entrepreneurship learning; Work Programme 2007: objectives and indicators. The ETF objective for Montenegro in 2007 is: Enhanced EU support for employment and HRD by way of partnership, capacity building and regional cooperation.

Apart from drawing on EU developments in vocational education and training (VET), Montenegro has not yet addressed the issue on how the wider education system, curriculum reforms, teacher training and the contribution of university-based research and development should be shaped to meet the demands of key areas of the economy and of an evolving knowledge and entrepreneurship society. These issues need to be addressed if Montenegro is to participate in mainstream EU developments and benefit from its own human capital potential. ETF assistance to Montenegro will support the EC (European Commission) and a range of Montenegrin partners in implementing labour market reforms consequent to economic transition, focusing particularly on employment concerns and education and training.

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The series of reports is indexed from TD/TNC 90.820 to TD/TNC 90.844. Show less

Evidence-based policy making is widely discussed in many countries as a way of ensuring more transparent and robust policies, and making policy-makers more accountable for meeting the needs and expectations of the constituencies they serve. In 2010, the [European Training Foundation] ETF launched the Torino Process with a view to offering interested partner countries a framework and technical support aimed at supporting progress in the [vocational education and training] VET area. The exercise, which will be repeated every two years, is ultimately intended to respond to the interest in robust assessment and in resources for VET policy making. This report presents the main findings of the Torino Process 2010, consolidating the findings of the individual country reports along the different dimensions deemed relevant to assessing VET systems and measuring VET policy progress.

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The European Training Foundation (ETF) Peer Review is an initiative that was launched in the South Eastern European countries in 2002. It combines policy advice to individual countries with a regional dimension. The key objectives for the peer reviews are to: provide an external assessment of vocational education and training (VET) reform policy initiatives for national policymakers; improve mutual knowledge and understanding of VET systems, issues and developments in the South Eastern European countries; promote regional networking, the exchange of experience, and cooperation among VET experts, stakeholders and policymakers; increase awareness and facilitate transfer of VET reform experience from European Union (EU) Member States and future member states; contribute to the CARDS and Phare programming cycle; and intensify cooperation between the ETF and national authorities/experts from the region. The peer review model developed by the ETF for 2005 is a cross-country approach with a regional focus on VET reform implementation in four South Eastern European countries - Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and Serbia. This report presents a synthesis of the outcomes of VET specialists from these countries reviewing curriculum, policy and actual practice across their own region. It synthesises analyses, findings and recommendations and has been formulated on the basis of individual country reviews. Show less

This paper provides an analytical review of the current state of vocational education and training (VET) in the candidate countries in Eastern and Central Europe and the MEDA region (Cyprus and Malta). It is intended to form the basis for further discussion between representatives of the candidate countries and the European Training Foundation’s Governing Board, to support the accession process of the candidate countries through the definition of their human resource needs, and to support strategic planning of future work by the ETF in these countries. The paper is based on in-depth discussion with representatives from the countries and the experience and expertise gained by the ETF in the last five years.

The paper consists of two parts. The first part presents a cross-country overview based on the analysis of the development of VET in each individual country. This section draws together common key areas where further improvement is required. The second part contains the study of the current state of development of VET in Lithuania. The country study begins with an overall assessment and then examines initial vocational training and continuing vocational training. Elements such as the legal and conceptual framework, the administrative and institutional system, financing, human resources in VET administration and the key features of VET delivery, are described. The study concludes with an overview of key employment issues and identifies priority areas for future development assistance. The range of candidate country reports are indexed from TD/INT 60.291 to TD/INT 60.300 and from TD/INT 61.101 to TD/INT 61.102. Show less

This report presents vocational education and training (VET) policy developments in the Montenegro between 2015 and 2019. It covers all five Europe-wide priority areas or medium-term deliverables (MTDs) agreed at Riga in June 2015. The five MTDs are: (1) MTD 1 - Work-based learning with special focus on apprenticeships; (2) MTD 2 - Quality assurance mechanisms in line with European Quality Assurance in Vocational Education and Training (EQAVET) and continuous information and feedback loops to initial and continuing VET; (3) MTD 3 - Access to vocational education and training (VET) and qualifications for all through more flexible and permeable systems, guidance and validation of non-formal and informal learning; (4) MTD 4 – Key competences in both initial VET (IVET) and continuing VET (CVET); and (5) MTD 5 – Systematic initial and continuing professional development of VET teachers, trainers and mentors. The report has been drafted within the terms of the mandate given to the European Training Foundation (ETF) by the Riga Conclusions to monitor and analyse progress made by the EU candidate countries towards the MTDs. This document is based on the annual monitoring reports submitted by Montenegro to the ETF.

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This study is one of a series of background studies on the employment and labour market situation in Central and Eastern European countries seeking accession to the European Union. The studies are indexed from TD/INT 61.293 to TD/INT 61.298.

The study is part of the preparations by Hungary for accession to the European Union and was prepared according to the guidelines provided by The Employment and Social Affairs Directorate-General (DG) of the European Commission, the European Training Foundation and European Union experts. Its major objective is to provide a description of the employment and labour market in Hungary as a basis for the employment policy reviews prepared by The Employment and Social Affairs DG of the European Commission on the accession countries. The study draws on official data sources to describe the current circumstances in Hungary in relation to the employment situation, the employment policy institutions, employment policy delivery mechanisms and the relationship between vocational education and the labour market. The study identifies key issues which emerge from the analysis and may be addressed prior to accession. Several tables containing statistical data are included in support of the text. Show less

This European Training Foundation (ETF) study of the Ukrainian vocational education and training (VET) system outlines the socioeconomic situation and labour market trends, describes the system and recent developments associated with it and analyses various aspects of the system including: recent reform efforts; specialisations and curricula in initial VET; continuing vocational training policy and programs; vocational teachers and instructors at vocational schools; VET planning, management and finance; and the legal framework governing VET. Although the education system in Ukraine has produced outstanding results including high literacy and a substantial core of skilled workers, after years of neglect, the VET system is unable to maintain previous quality levels. The government recently began an education reform process that includes redefined underlying education principles and priorities for the whole sector. The Parliament has made a resolution on VET and the Cabinet of Ministers (COM) is reviewing a draft law amending the legal framework for VET. The Ministry of Education and Science (MOES) has, with the support of the ETF, undertaken the development of a new concept of VET, which will provide the foundation for future reforms. This ETF study confirms that the VET system is unable to sufficiently meet the needs of an emerging labour market. It suggests that successful reform of the VET system relies on a new understanding of VET and its role in Ukrainian society. This concept will guide the reform process forward both in terms of system-wide and system-deep reform initiatives. In light of this, this study makes recommendations under three main headings: (1) VET quality; (2) VET governance, planning and finance; and (3) the relevance of VET in terms of its initial curriculum, continuing vocational training, and training facilities. Show less

The manual has been deliberately designed as a guide that offers options and alternatives for the development of standards. The goal of the guide is to inform and support interested parties when it comes to taking the right decisions on formulating or preparing occupational standards for their countries. The manual will contribute to solving the problems of efficient country-specific standard development in vocational education and training. Sections cover the goal of the manual, standards as the main element in the transformation process, aids for the shaping of occupational standards, alternative models for the shaping of standards, experts involved in standard development, the procedure for the elaboration of occupational standards, information on implementation, evaluation and compliance with standards, and examples from the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Latvia and the Ukraine. The entry for volume 2 of this series can be found at TD/TNC 62.624 and volume 3 can be found at TD/TNC 63.412. Show less

This Green Paper is an initiative of the European Training Foundation (ETF) on decentralising vocational education and training (VET) in Ukraine. It is a milestone towards action developed in close cooperation with stakeholders across the entire VET system, involving both regional and national actors as well as experts from the ETF. It draws on evidence and consultations from the ETF's Torino Process analysis in the whole country, in depth focus groups in five pilot regions and the results of two working groups led by the Ministry of Education and Science. The Green Paper lays out the challenges facing VET decentralisation in Ukraine. It provides options for improving the draft VET law and outlines the main tasks ahead requiring leadership at state, regional or school level. These are prerequisites for successful transition to an effective and relevant decentralised VET system in the country. A quality VET system is relevant to the success of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union. Cooperation in the field of VET is specifically encouraged under the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement.

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