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Cedefop is the European Union's (EU's) agency to support the development of vocational education and training (VET) policies. Cedefop's work programme for 2011 is grouped around the following priorities: (1) informing European VET policies; (2) interpreting European trends in and challenges for skills, competences and learning; (3) assesing VET's benefits; and (4) raising the profile of VET. Show less

This journal caters for the interests of academics, decision-makers and practitioners in the field of initial and continuing training and is published three times a year in several official languages: German, English, Spanish and French.

Articles in this issue include: d'Iribarne traces trends in European education and vocational training policy from the Treaty of Rome to the present day; Ruberti looks at the Union's vocational training policy; Clemenceau cites the aims of vocational training policy in relation to the Treaty on European Union and the main orientations of the Leonardo programme; Kastrissianakis outlines the achievements of the European Social Fund (ESF); Petrella addresses the four snares within which an ever more liberalised, deregulated, privatised and competition-driven market economy has imprisoned vocational training policy; Planas and Casal evaluate the European Social Fund (ESF) projects and programmes; Seyfried examines the significance of the Community initiatives 'Human resource' of the European Social Fund; Lorenzen reports on the development of two projects which were devised by young people and their trainers in training centres in Germany, Spain, Italy and Denmark from 1991 to 1994; Lenske comments on the organisation of binational pilot projects for the vocational training of young foreigners; Freitas looks at programmes to promote cooperation and mutual exchange of knowhow among local authority officers of cities in Europe dealing with ethnic minority policies; Sorge analyses the way international comparative research is conducted.

For individual entries see TD/INT 55.224 to TD/INT 55.234. Show less

This Cedefop national qualifications framework (NQF) monitoring report confirms that NQFs play a key role in the European qualifications framework (EQF) implementation and in improving transparency and comparability of qualifications nationally and internationally. The 39 countries monitored (28 EU Member States, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Kosovo, Montenegro, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland and Turkey) are developing and implementing 43 national qualifications frameworks. Most NQFs are comprehensive - covering all levels and types of formal education and training qualifications and promoting learning outcomes perspectives and triggering reform. They have contributed to reinforced and more consistent use of learning outcomes in qualifications, made higher VET (EQF levels 5 to 8) more visible, and supported more systematic implementation of validation of non-formal and informal learning. However, their visibility and use by the labour market is still limited. Sustainability, visibility to end-users, stakeholder involvement, ownership of the process, and consensus-building are among the conditions critical to successful NQF use and impact.

Edited published abstract. Show less

This paper describes the VET system which exists in Finland, outlining the structure of its courses and programs. Using graphs and charts, it indicates the level of participation in post-secondary courses at all levels in Finland, and compares VET outcomes with other European countries. Show less

Level descriptors are essential elements of national qualifications frameworks (NQF) established and implemented across Europe. They define what is meant by learning outcomes, describing what an individual is expected to know, be able to do and understand, having acquired a qualification at a particular level. This publication provides an updated overview of NQF level descriptors of 39 countries participating in [European Qualifications Framework] EQF implementation [an overview published in 2013 is available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 114.77]. It shows that all 39 countries taking part have now defined - and for a large part adopted - their levels of learning outcomes. The analysis illustrates the influence of the EQF on national level descriptors, and demonstrates how countries have adjusted and further developed the learning outcomes approach according to national needs and priorities. National level descriptors have mostly been developed through extensive dialogue between different stakeholders. This report celebrates the 10th anniversary of the EQF in 2018 and its further implementation, as anchored in the revised EQF recommendation (2017).

Abstract from publisher's website. Show less

Improving the quality of European education and training systems is one of the pillars of Europe's strategy to become a smart, sustainable and inclusive economy by 2020. This publication aims to provide policy and decision-makers with recommendations to help them develop a culture of evaluation and continuous improvement in schools and training institutions in Europe. It highlights a number of key messages to promote external evaluation and self-assessment and ensure the quality of education and training provision. Recommendations in this publication are based on the discussions of two peer learning study visits for high level policy and decision-makers organised in Vilnius and Hamburg in 2010 and a workshop Cedefop organised in Bonn in February 2011 on enhancing quality on schools and [vocational education and training] VET institutions. The study visits programme organises approximately 20 visits each year allowing decision-makers and practitioners to identify practical examples of good practice and explore issues related to quality in education and vocational training with their peers from other European countries.

Abstract from CEDEFOP website. Show less

The European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop), established in 1975, provides information on vocational education and training (VET), promotes and interprets research and identifies innovation, supports the specific needs of Cedefop's partners and provides forums for debate and links between policy makers, social partners, researchers and practitioners. Its objectives are to develop and disseminate new knowledge, to improve understandings of systems and processes associated with learning and training, and to clarify the implications of research results for decision making in policy and practice. This document sets out Cedefop's activities for 2002 based on the services it provides and the thematic medium-term priorities upon which it will focus. These priority themes are: (1) promoting competence and lifelong learning; (2) facilitating new ways of learning for a changing society; (3) supporting employment and competitiveness; and (4) improving European understanding and transparencies. Show less

This publication aims to contribute to better understanding of vocational education and training (VET) in Slovakia, providing an insight into its main features and highlighting recent VET policy developments. The Slovak economy is largely driven by manufacturing and could benefit from more diversification to make it less sensitive to economic shocks and more skill-intensive jobs, encouraging innovation. VET has traditionally played a strong role, responsible for around two-thirds of graduates at upper secondary level. But qualifications do not always match labour market needs. A 'dual' VET scheme was introduced in 2015-16 as one way to address mismatch. First results show greater involvement of employers in VET: it is now in their interest to attract learners and to deliver job-relevant training. The government also intends to promote VET at higher levels to make it more attractive.

Published abstract. Show less

Learning outcomes are a multifaceted phenomenon, expanding across systems and borders. Countries around the globe employ learning outcomes when defining, reviewing, and refining the content and profile of their education, training and skills provisions and strategic practices. Common terminology, based on learning outcomes is needed to facilitate mutual understanding among stakeholders. Learning outcomes provide a common language allowing different stakeholders in education and training, as well as the labour market and society at large, to clarify skills needs and to respond to these in a relevant way. In vocational education and training (VET), learning outcomes are perceived as a means to strengthen not only the systematic dialogue between stakeholders inside and outside schools, but also the relevance and quality of the programmes and qualifications on offer.

This policy brief discusses developments in using the learning outcomes approach and the links with qualification frameworks. It builds on Cedefop, European Training Foundation (ETF) and UNESCO research on the topic.

Edited excerpts from publication. Show less

This volume gathers the contributions of the first day of the first international conference on the history of VET [vocational education and training] in Europe in a comparative perspective, held in Florence 11-12 October 2002. The overall theme of the conference was the different ways in which European VET has developed over the years and how this development is linked to various approaches to social policy. The contributions cover structural aspects such as the three main types of VET systems in Europe, the differences between apprenticeship systems in England and in Germany, the development of schools for technical and vocational education in France, a comparison between VET in the Netherlands and in Germany and the dynamics of VET in Switzerland. This volume also features specific historical instances such as the apprenticeship strikes in British metalworking, the production school concept, Lehrgangsausbildung or the ‘sequential method’, a systematic industry-based training method, the link between continuing education and VET in Finland and the development of VET in Russia. The contents are: Executive summary; Introduction / Georg Hanf; European vocational training systems: the theoretical context of historical development / Wolf-Dietrich Greinert; Apprenticeship systems in England and Germany: the decline and survival / Thomas Deissinger; Apprentice strikes in British metalworking, 1919-69: attributes and interpretation / Paul Ryan; Vocational training in French schools: the fragile state-employer alliance / Vincent Troger; Development of disparate structures of Dutch and German vocational education / Dietmar Frommberger, Holger Reinisch; The dynamics of vocational training in innovation in Switzerland / Philipp Gonon; Can European policy draw on models of vocational education? / Anja Heikkinen; The production school concept as Europe’s first didactically guided vocational training model / Johannes Meyser; Lehrgangsausbildung: a European prototype of a universal industry-based training method / Gunter Wiemann; Three hundred years of vocational education in Russia / Irina Stanislawowna Derivianko.

Published abstract with additional information reprinted by permission of the copyright owner.

Volume two is indexed at TD/IRD 88.398. Individual papers from volume one are indexed from TD/TNC 82.236 to TD/TNC 82.245. Show less