Scenarios and strategies for vocational education and lifelong learning in Europe: summary of findings and conclusions of the joint Cedefop/ETF project (1998-2002)

In 1998, the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) launched a project to develop scenarios and strategies for vocational education and training (VET) in Europe. The project was coordinated by CEDEFOP, the European Training Foundation and the Max Goote Kenniscentrum at the University of Amsterdam. Research teams from 10 European Union (EU) Member States and Central and Eastern European countries (CEEs) took part using a variety of quantitative and qualitative methods. The scenario project aimed to apply and further develop methods, tools and instruments to...  [+] Show more

In 1998, the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) launched a project to develop scenarios and strategies for vocational education and training (VET) in Europe. The project was coordinated by CEDEFOP, the European Training Foundation and the Max Goote Kenniscentrum at the University of Amsterdam. Research teams from 10 European Union (EU) Member States and Central and Eastern European countries (CEEs) took part using a variety of quantitative and qualitative methods. The scenario project aimed to apply and further develop methods, tools and instruments to improve the understanding and development of VET systems in their economic-technological, employment-labour and training-knowledge environments. Scenarios were developed for a time 10 years hence. They built in an analysis of trends and uncertainties as well as their importance and likelihood of occurrence. The first phase of the project consisted of a survey in each of the participating countries and an analysis of the results. The purpose was to establish provisional scenarios and identify strategies for further examination. The second phase involved further analysis of phase one results and a deeper qualitative exploration of the intersections between a range of scenarios and a set of strategies. This report sets out project findings in a broader context. It begins with a discussion of the potential and limitations of the scenario methodology and highlights the outcomes of other key attempts at European level to generate European scenarios. The main body of the report describes the methodology in more detail and the outcomes of the research across both phases of the project.

The report on phase one is indexed at TD/TNC 67.225 and the report from phase two is indexed at TD/TNC 74.365.