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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 contributing to added value in national, EU and donor reform-support policies; Social dialogue; Modernised VET (vocational education and training) governance; Labor market intelligence and the qualifications system; Work Programme 2007: objectives and indicators.

The Syrian government has identified HRD as a national priority: ‘Human Development First, and nothing less’. The five-year plan (2006-2010) of May 2006, which followed a wide consultation process, proposes as a strategic priority the reform of the labour market and the education system to reduce the mismatch between available skills and the needs of the labour market. This includes the development and expansion of general, vocational and technical public education.

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

This is the first transnational analysis of vocational education and training (VET) reforms in Central and Eastern Europe after 1990 that has been undertaken by the European Training Foundation (ETF). This report is the product of a team of country managers and vocational education and training specialists within and, to a lesser extent, outside the Foundation. The report draws attention to the main trends and future challenges of VET reform and particularly assesses the VET situation in the European Union (EU) candidate countries of Central and Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia). The report is primarily based on EU Phare VET Reform programs undertaken in the region and the network of National Observatories established by the ETF. Chapter 1 examines the socio-economic context of vocational education and training reforms; chapter 2 describes the vocational education and training systems of the region at the start of reforms in 1989/90; chapter 3 details the current change process including EU Phare support to VET reform during the period 1990/98, changes in VET legislation, policy, system administration, financing, social partner involvement, curriculum, teacher and trainer education, higher vocational/professional education and continuing training; chapter 4 outlines challenges for training in the context of transition from state controlled to market driven economies and democratic societies, exploring issues such as management training, improving initial VET, continuing training, and training to combat social exclusion; chapter 5 presents concluding remarks related to policy recommendations. Show less

This report is one in a series prepared as part of an international research project on ‘The assessment of management training needs at the achieved level of transition’ in various Central and Eastern European countries. The project was implemented by the Central and East European Management Development Association (CEEMAN) and was sponsored by the European Training Foundation (ETF). This report covers selected enterprises in the Poland and concentrates on the issue of management training needs in manufacturing and service sector industries. The study was carried out during 1998. The research was based on questionnaires, which were sent out to 20 industrial and service companies. The aim was to understand training processes, approaches and practice in order to evaluate how training has been used as a response to evolving business needs and how it can be further developed in the future. Show less

This report belongs to a series of country analyses developed by the European Training Foundation (ETF) at the end of 2005 for all countries in the Mediterranean region, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. It contains an overview of the country's social and economical contexts, an analysis of the educational system and a short review of the main initiatives in education and training carried out by international donors in the country. Assistance in Moldova should be given to strengthening the good results achieved so far in the ongoing reforms in the labour market system, keeping them in line with European standards in order to extend and better promote active labour market policies through active social partnership.

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The series of reports is indexed from TD/TNC 84.362 to TD/TNC 84.375. Show less

This paper is part of a European Training Foundation (ETF) project that aims to increase the knowledge and awareness of obstacles and opportunities for women's employment in two potential growth sectors of the economy (information and communication technology (ICT), and tourism) and to provide recommendations and advice to both the national authorities and the European Commission for strengthening the role of women in the labour market. The research focuses on the labour force participation of young females (15-29 years old) in these two potential growth sectors in Egypt, Jordan and Tunisia. The paper analyses the general conditions for women in Jordan, with a primary focus on education and employment issues linked to the two sectors identified. Tourism and ICT are expanding modern sectors with good potential to generate jobs in Jordan. They require a skilled labour force and benefit from donors who are sensitive to the issues of gender equality. Women employed in the tourism sector currently account for 10% of the sector's work force.

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This is the third statistical publication on vocational education and training systems and the labour market in the Central and Eastern European countries produced by the European Training Foundation. As in the first two publications, data have been collected from the Statistical Offices and Statistical Services of the Ministries of Education and by the National Observatories. In order to ensure cross-country comparability across the Central and Eastern European countries and between them and EU Member States, international definitions and classification systems have been applied. Data on education, training and educational attainment have been gathered and presented on the basis of the categories of the [International Standard Classification of Education] ISCED classification. Data on labour market activity rates and unemployment rates have been gathered on the basis of definitions set out by the International Labour Organisation. All data concerning labour markets have been extracted from the national Labour Force Surveys.

The publication has two parts. Part A presents the labour market context in which vocational education and training is functioning. It provides information on the development of the employment opportunities by economic sectors, information on the educational attainment levels, activity rates and unemployment rates of the population. Part B of the report presents the demographic situation which influences the development of education systems. It also describes developments as far as the participation of young people in education and training is concerned. The analysis of the activities of young people outside the education system is made on the basis of the information available. In contrast with earlier publications, this report also includes data on employment by economic activity, and shows developments by economic sector and employment perspectives for young people.

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This document presents selected papers from the European Training Foundation's experience in supporting the Human Resource Development in South-Eastern Europe / Peter de Rooij; Transition, reconstruction and stability in South-Eastern Europe: the role of vocational education and training / Cesar Birzea, Peter Grootings, Tzako Panteelev, Carsten Schmidt, Marija Taseva; Local curriculum and cross-curricular themes / Madlen Serban; Curriculum for democratic society / Simka Delevska; Vocational education and training against social exclusion: the general picture and some experiences from Slovenia / Martina Trbanc; Creating islands of integrity: SMEs as agents of community building in Central Europe / Allan D. Bussard; 'Corporate responsibility' and 'business ethics': a case-study of the experience of the United Kingdom and its relevance to South-Eastern Europe (vocational education and training) / Rosamund Thomas; Transforming vocational education and training institutions into community resource centres / Edmond Hoxha; Civic education within the EU Phare vocational education and training programme in Bosnia and Herzegovina / Hajrudin Cirkic, Ilija Rajlic, Mustafa Sahinovic; and Development of democratic schools in Bulgaria / Krasimira Kraus.

Selected papers are indexed from TD/INT 61.21 to TD/INT 61.25. Show less

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 contributing to added value in national, EU and donor reform-support policies; Work Programme 2007: objectives and indicators. The ETF mid-term objectives are: To contribute to the development of HR (human resources) in WBGS (West Bank and Gaza Strip), in line with EU assistance and in particular fostering the regional cooperation dimension.

Unemployment, poverty, and the decline in all health and educational indicators have made humanitarian and emergency programming the priorities, rather than long-term developmental programming in which HRD plays the pivotal role. Reform of the TVET (technical and vocational education and training) system started in 1996 with the development of the National Strategy for TVET by all the various stakeholders and social partners. The aim of the strategy was to create a TVET system that is relevant, flexible, effective, efficient, accessible and sustainable, and that fulfils its general obligations towards Palestinian society. A detailed implementation plan was developed in October 1999, and was formally adopted, along with the National Strategy, by the Palestinian president and cabinet. The implementation plan was revised and updated in 2003, the main features being the establishment of a Higher Council on TVET, an Executive Board and a TVET Planning and Development Centre. During 2005 many of the reform elements proposed in 2003 took on a new dynamic. The Higher Council on VET was empowered and is functioning, and the TVET Planning and Development Centre is in the process of being established as an operational unit. However, the implementation of many of these elements was slowed down during 2006 as a result of the critical situation within the public service. Donor support to the sector has also been largely postponed. Facilitating the creation of efficient, professional, empowered and well-funded TVET governing bodies and increasing the appeal of TVET to students and social partners are some of the main technical issues to be faced in WBGS. At the same time, factors such as high unemployment, the limited growth of new work opportunities, and the high level of growth of the labour force will continue to have an influence in the development of TVET systems.

Excerpts from publication reprinted by permission of the copyright owner.

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

In 2010 and 2012 the European Training Foundation (ETF) launched the first two rounds of the Torino Process, in which most of its partner countries participated. In May 2013 the ETF organised a conference entitled ‘The Torino Process: Moving skills forward’, which was attended by some 200 policy makers, experts and practitioners of vocational education and training (VET) from ETF partner countries, the European Union (EU) and international organisations. Both in the Declaration of this conference (see Annex 2) and in the external evaluation covering both rounds of the Torino Process, the relevance of this exercise is acknowledged by the partner countries and the international community. The Torino Process is perceived as a useful tool for policy analysis and the identification of priorities and challenges in the sector, and as an important step on the road towards evidence-based policy making in the partner countries. The Torino Process has been inspired by policy assessment processes at EU level, notably the Copenhagen Process in VET and the 2010 Bruges Communique. Indeed, the Torino Process in partner countries complements the review of progress towards the common EU VET policies, objectives and tools under the Bruges Communique. This complementarity facilitates mutual learning between the EU and its partner countries. Following a similar biennial format as the Bruges Process, the Torino Process is now entering its third edition in 2014.

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The Torino Process was launched by the European Training Foundation (ETF) in 2010 and is a biannual participatory analytical review of the status and progress of vocational education and training (VET) in the ETF partner countries. The aims are to acquire current knowledge about policies and their outcomes in a country, and to strengthen ownership, participation and the evidence base of policy formation.

This document provides a survey of Israel’s plans to increase the number of students in technological and vocational tracks, and in technological schools; and to invest in educational infrastructures, including advanced workshops and laboratories in schools, and regional technology centres. It also describes the ‘Technicians with Matriculation’ (Tech-Mat) programme, the ‘Springboard to Industry’ programme, programmes to develop a cadre of professional teaching staff for technological education, and refresher courses for teachers in cooperation with industry. It includes a proposal to offer special compensation to technology education teachers so that their salaries compete with those in the industrial sector. This would include remuneration for mentoring projects and developing innovative programmes. Furthermore, it describes plans to improve the image of vocational education and training (VET) by exposing students to the world of industry and by presenting VET as a quality alternative with opportunities for matriculation. There are also plans to establish a national council for technological education in Israel with the participation of representatives of the Ministry of Education (MoE), academia, industry and the Israel Defence Forces (IDF). This council will examine the suitability of study subjects and teaching methods in relation to the needs of the economy and the skills required by the employment market - skills that should be provided by the education system. The recommendations of the Manufacturers’ Association of Israel (MAI) for the academisation of practical engineering studies, which would enable students to accrue credits toward a degree in engineering, and the recommendations of the Eckstein Committee for closing the gaps between the levels of education in different sectors are also discussed. The report includes in-depth exploration of the plans to strengthen technological education in the national religious, ultra-orthodox and Arab sectors, as well as in new immigrant communities. There are also plans to advance the education of girls and to reduce the educational gaps between the peripheral areas and the urban areas in the more prosperous centre of the country.

Published executive summary with additional information. Show less