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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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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 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

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 Bulgaria. 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, 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, commissioned by the [European Training Foundation] ETF, aims to identify the main trends in [human capital development] HCD in the Republic of Moldova over the last two decades using both quantitative and qualitative indicators. It was also designed to identify inequity within and between population groups in terms of access to education, choices of learning opportunities and the quality of education and training. The study also looked at adult training, its role and contribution to the human capital in the country. Lifelong learning is an increasingly important element of HCD that has become inevitable in some sectors due to the rapid rate of technological and procedural change that is also related to economic restructuring. The report closes with the main conclusions on HCD trends and equity in education in the Republic of Moldova, in terms of access, choice and quality of education during the transition period.

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This report has been prepared according to the structure and the list of topics recommended by the European Training Foundation (ETF) for the countries participating in the Torino Process. The report consists of five main chapters. Chapter B describes key priorities, challenges and specific actions undertaken for implementation of [vocational education and training] VET policy. Chapters C, D, and E cover in more detail issues regarding the interaction of the labour market and VET, ease of access to vocational education for various groups of population and the quality of education. The Annex to Chapter C provides additional information on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). The final chapter (F) presents the main directions for modernising the VET system and for its further development (including development of social partnerships and a lifelong education system).

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The European Training Foundation, in agreement with the European Commission, has undertaken a series of in depth reviews of the labour markets in the Western Balkan countries with the aim to contribute to a better understanding of their functioning and identify areas for further work in the fields of employment policy and education and training reform. Specifically, these reviews: (1) analyse the economic context in the Western Balkan countries and in particular the pace of the economic restructuring process and its impact on jobs and employment (chapter one); (2) analyse recent trends in labour markets with the aim of identifying major challenges in the labour markets in terms of the economic restructuring process (chapter two); (3) assess policy responses and the institutional setting in which the challenges identified can be addressed, in the context of supporting economic restructuring and growth (chapter three); and (4) provide recommendations for further action (chapter four). The labour market challenges and the policy responses are examined against the four broad key objectives set out in the revised European Employment Strategy: increasing the adaptability of workers and enterprises; attracting more people to enter and remain in the labour market; investing more and more effectively in human capital; and ensuring better implementation of reforms through better governance.

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The European Training Foundation (ETF) transnational project ‘Entrepreneurship in education and training’ was implemented in Russia and the Ukraine in 2001-2003. Its overall objective was to develop the vocational education and training (VET) system so that it caters for both wage/salary employment and self-employment, enabling graduates to respond to market demands either as employees or as entrepreneurs. Implementation involved four tasks: (1) development of the entrepreneurial approach in VET; (2) implementation of an entrepreneurial approach in the content of VET and development of the entrepreneurial education process; (3) introduction of the entrepreneurial approach to teachers’ training and training and retraining of VET teaching staff; and (4) creation of conditions and opportunities that promote the entrepreneurial initiatives of students and graduates. This final report on the implementation of the project has been written by the Russian and Ukrainian National Project Groups in cooperation with the ETF project manager. It consists of four parts: brief information about the project; major project results and a summary of the key changes and innovations in pilot schools; analysis of the internal project evaluation undertaken by the National Project Groups; overall conclusions and recommendations. Annexes contain detailed documents and materials developed within the framework of the project and published materials. Show less