Barriers to and triggers of policy innovation and knowledge transfer in Denmark

The report provides an overview of developments in Danish [vocational education and training] VET and policies concerning school-to-work transitions, with a special emphasis on the most recent reform of Danish vocational education. The report is based on a review of existing literature on Danish VET, policy analysis and six interviews with key stakeholders. The report has [six] sections. The first section provides an overview of the institutional framework for combatting youth unemployment and facilitating school-to-work transitions (SWT), focusing on Danish flexicurity model and the labour market for young people. Section two zooms in on policies targeted at youth unemployment and gives and overview of most recent reforms directed at young people. In this section, [the authors] argue that educational policy - and especially VET - is the sine qua non tool to combatting youth unemployment in Denmark. Section three, describes the governance structure of Danish VET and the impact of the economic crisis on the political debate concerning VET. Section four analyses the structure of the policy learning system in Danish VET together with the barriers and triggers for policy innovation. Section five presents an overview of the significant changes brought on by the 2014-reform of VET. Section six analyses and discussed the degree of institutional change that has resulted from the reform. The final section concludes the report.

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