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Ensuring apprentice rights are upheld is a key condition of quality apprenticeships and can be supported and facilitated through establishing representative structures for apprentices at all levels. Until recently, there have been limited opportunities for apprentices to contribute to discussions related to apprenticeship policy at European level and make their voices heard. In response, the European Commission initiated the European Apprentice Network (EAN) in 2017 to represent the voice of apprentices. At national level in Europe, there is limited evidence of structures in place to represent apprentices. The main objectives of this study were to: (1) undertake a mapping of the representation of apprentices in the different bodies in the targeted countries; (2) draw conclusions and make suggestions for action on how representation could be further developed and strengthened at national level and how the European level could support it; and (3) draw conclusions and make suggestions for action on how the European Apprentices Network (EAN) could further grow to enhance its added value in the relationship between national developments and the European policy debate. The study involved the mapping of apprentice representation structures across 37 countries including all EU Member States, Candidate and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries. Four case studies were undertaken to analyse four apprentice representation structures in more detail. These covered Denmark, Netherlands, Australia and Canada.

In total, 68 structures involved in apprentice representation were identified. The type of representation structures varies significantly across countries This study has classified them into three different types: (1) direct representation covering apprentices and vocational education and training (VET) students; (2) indirect representation (wider scope) covering secondary students or youth; and (3) indirect representation (consultation through wider bodies). No relevant structures were identified in Bulgaria, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Albania and Montenegro. This study has identified relevant structures but has not provided an analysis of their relevance/functioning in the national systems. It also shows that apprentices' interests are better safeguarded through structures that represent apprentices directly or VET students overall. Currently, only a limited number of European countries have in place such structures. The report analyses the current role of the EAN and makes suggestions for its future development. It also proposes ways to strengthen apprentice representation across Europe.

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Vocational education and training (VET) systems must adapt to the labour market, to technological developments, to changes in existing occupations and to new ways of work organisation. Differences in learners' performance or prior knowledge, skills and competences, also require flexibility in education and training provision. Modularisation and unitisation of VET programmes and qualifications is seen as part of the answer to these challenges.

This study investigates the role of modules and units in VET in 15 [European Union] EU countries and aims to determine how these structures fit in the wider VET systems. It provides a comparative analysis of different modularisation and unitisation practices and the rationale behind their implementation, and an outline of the different national contexts in which modular and unitised structures developed over time. It also offers a close-up of three different approaches to modularisation in one occupational area, in Germany, the Netherlands and Scotland.

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Amid ongoing efforts to establish the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), national higher education systems face many new challenges with implications for higher education institutions as well as state bodies. The quality of higher education has indeed proved to be at the heart of the process of the establishment of the EHEA and has become a major topic in higher education research, as evidenced by the publications of major scholars in the field. However, scholars have so far analysed higher education policy and studied quality assurance mainly in Western Europe and the region of Central and Eastern Europe has received considerably less attention. This publication aims at narrowing the gap. Drawing on 'Accreditation and evaluation in the European Higher Education Area', experts on mechanisms of quality assurance from Latvia, Hungary, Poland, the Slovak Republic, and the Czech Republic have been brought together to analyse quality assurance developments in these five Central and East European countries between 2004 and 2008, with special focus on implementation of standards and guidelines for quality assurance in the EHEA [European Standards and Guidelines (ESG)] as a new accountability agenda. The publication focuses on implementation analysis in higher education in general and on implementation of ESG by the national quality assurance agencies in particular. As the agenda and its outreach to higher education institutions is relatively new in the region, the publication includes a case study of ESG implementation at institutional level represented by the University of West Bohemia, where policy learning has been supported by participating in a series of international quality enhancement-oriented projects.

Published summary.

The chapters are as follows: Setting the stage: quality assurance, policy change, and implementation / Jan Kohoutek; Quality assurance in higher education: a contentious yet intriguing policy issue / Jan Kohoutek; Implementation analysis in higher education with regard to the European Standards and Guidelines: beyond heuristics / Jan Kohoutek; Implementation of the European Standards and Guidelines in external quality assurance of higher education institutions and programmes in Latvia / Agnese Rusakova, Andrejs Rauhvargers; The European Standards and Guidelines in quality assurance mechanisms in Hungary / Christina Rozsnyai; National external quality assurance system in Poland and implementation of the European Standards and Guidelines / Ewa Chmielecka; The state of implementation of the European Standards and Guidelines in the Slovak Republic in 2004-2008 / Jozef Jurkovie; The European Standards and Guidelines in quality assurance mechanisms in the Czech Republic / Helena Sebkova; Implementing the European Standards and Guidelines at institutional level: case of the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen / Eva Pasaekova, Hana Rendlova; Participation of the University of West Bohemia in European quality projects for institutional improvement / Eva Pasaekova, Hana Rendlova; Developing higher education quality assurance in Central and Eastern Europe: practising the science of muddling through / Jan Kohoutek, Eva Pasaekova, Hana Rendlova; Annex 1: Application of Perellon's comparative framework to [Central and Eastern European] CEE quality assurance; Annex 2: Analysis of strengths and weaknesses of [Higher Education Quality Evaluation Centre] HEQEC and the current quality assurance system in Latvia. Show less

This report describes how entrepreneurship competence is embedded in vocational education and training (VET) in Latvia. It complements existing knowledge with examples of methods, tools and approaches that can help policy-makers, VET providers and other stakeholders build better entrepreneurial learning ecosystems. The report is based on the findings of the pilot research carried out in Latvia as part of a series of eight national case studies (Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Latvia, Austria, Finland and Sweden) underpinning the dimensions of entrepreneurial learning ecosystems that nurture entrepreneurship competence in VET.

The Latvian study shows how understanding of entrepreneurship competence changes gradually from a broad definition (a must-have key competence for all) at the policy level to a rather narrow definition focusing mainly on start-up creation by those who teach VET. While an agreed strategy of entrepreneurial learning at VET provider level is still rare, schools and companies offering VET seem to have all the appropriate resources and intellectual potential for creating an effective entrepreneurial development ecosystem.

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Across Europe, new forms of employment are emerging that are different from traditional standard or non-standard employment in a number of ways. Some transform the relationship between employer and employee, some change work organisation and work patterns, and some do both. This report identifies nine forms of employment that are new or have become increasingly important in Europe since the year 2000. While there is wide diversity in terms of their characteristics and employment relationship, all the forms aim to increase flexibility for employers and/or employees. Although some have the potential to benefit employers and employees equally, in a few cases concerns have been raised about their impact on working conditions and the labour market. The report concludes with recommendations about the need to raise awareness of the potential problems and establish safety nets for workers.

Abstract from publisher's website.

Case study 1: AGZ Sudbrandenburg: employee sharing, Germany; Case study 2: Policy analysis: employee sharing, Germany; Case study 3: Job'Ardent: employee sharing, Belgium; Case study 4: Policy analysis: employee sharing, Belgium; Case study 5: Personal Connect/Manpower: interim management, Czech Republic; Case study 6: Human Garden/Nemos Sokolov: interim management, Czech Republic; Case study 7: Policy analysis: employee sharing, Czech Republic; Case study 8: Andelslag Labour Pool: employee sharing, Finland; Case study 9: AdPartners: collaborative employment, France; Case study 10: Policy analysis: collaborative employment, France; Case study 11: Groupement d'employeurs Ile de Noirmoutier-Ile d'Yeu: employee sharing, France; Case study 12: Federation Isocel: employee sharing, France; Case study 13: Policy analysis: employee sharing, France; Case study 14: Two IT firms: employee sharing, Hungary; Case study 15: Policy analysis: employee sharing, Hungary; Case study 16: Lingjob: crowd employment, Lithuania; Case study 17: Textilcord: employee sharing, Luxembourg; Case study 18: ArcelorMittal: employee sharing, Luxembourg; Case study 19: Policy analysis: employee sharing, Luxembourg; Case study 20: Topdesigner.cz: crowd employment, Czech Republic; Case study 21: Clickworker: crowd employment, Germany; Case study 22: Boblr: crowd employment, Denmark; Case study 23: Adtriboo.com: crowd employment, Spain; Case study 24: Academy of Ideas: crowd employment, Latvia; Case study 25: Idea Hunting: crowd employment, Portugal; Case study 26: Amazon Mechanical Turk: crowd employment, UK; Case study 27: Taskhub: crowd employment, UK; Case study 28: Grontmij: ICT-based mobile work, Denmark; Case study 29: Suomen Pienyrittajain Mainostoimisto; ICT-based mobile work, Finland; Case study 30: Microsoft Hellas: ICT-based mobile work, Greece; Case study 31: Belam Riga: ICT-based mobile work, Latvia; Case study 32: YoungCapital: ICT-based mobile work, Netherlands; Case study 33: Hewlett-Packard Norway: ICT-based mobile work, Norway; Case study 34: Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Ljubljana: ICT-based mobile work, Slovenia; Case study 35: Engbergs Transportsystem: ICT-based mobile work, Sweden; Case study 36: Office of Town District Prague 9: job sharing, Czech Republic; Case study 37: Krakow Regional Labour Office: job sharing, Poland; Case study 38: University Medical Centre Ljubljana: job sharing, Slovenia; Case study 39: Policy analysis: job sharing, Slovenia; Case study 40: Hospital Piestany: casual work, Slovakia; Case study 41: Policy analysis: job sharing and casual work, Slovakia; Case study 42: Landelijk Dienstencooperatief: voucher-based work, Belgium; Case study 43: Policy analysis: voucher-based work, Belgium; Case study 44: Gorizia municipality: voucher-based work, Italy; Case study 45: Policy analysis: voucher-based work, Italy; Case study 46: Slivers of Time: casual work, UK; Case study 47: Local government contracting of social care: casual work, UK;

Case study 48: Policy analysis: Casual work, UK; Case study 49: Werkheim: Coworking, Germany; Case study 50: Policy analysis: Coworking, Germany; Case study 51: Utopic_US: Coworking, Spain; Case study 52: Policy analysis: Coworking, Spain; Case study 53: West SA: Voucher-based work, Greece; Case study 54: Policy analysis: Voucher-based work, Greece; Case study 55: Plant nursery: Voucher-based work, Lithuania; Case study 56: Policy analysis: Voucher-based work, Lithuania; Case study 57: Plastic packaging company: Casual work, Hungary; Case study 58: Policy analysis: Casual work, Hungary; Case study 59: Clock Advertising: Casual work, Romania; Case study 60: Policy analysis: Casual work, Romania; Case study 61: Company Case Study Ireland: Casual work, Ireland; Case study 62: Policy analysis: Casual work, Ireland; Case study 63: Anonymous care organisations: Casual work, The Netherlands; Case study 64: Policy analysis: Casual work, The Netherlands; Case study 65: Policy analysis: Employee sharing, Austria; Case study 66: Policy analysis: Voucher-based work, Austria. Show less

This special issue, entitled 'Nordic-Baltic cooperation in the field of adult education 1991-2004', is edited by Larissa Jogi, Margarita Tereseviciene, Tatjana Koke and Arne Carlsen. The articles are: Introduction - Nordic-Baltic cooperation in the field of adult education 1991-2004 / Larissa Jogi, Margarita Tereseviciene, Tatjana Koke and Arne Carlsen (pages 415-419); Baltic cooperation in adult education: a collective story of Estonian adult educators / Larissa Jogi and Katrin Karu (pages 421-441); The impact of Nordic adult education ideas on the development of a democratic society in Lithuania / Margarita Tereseviciene, Elena Trepule and Edita Treciokiene (pages 443-463); Development of the profession and qualifications of adult educators in Lithuania in the context of reforms of adult education / Genute Gedviliene, Vidmantas Tutlys, Vilija Lukosuniene and Vaiva Zuzeviciute (pages 465-487); 'Growing together': a Latvian retrospective of learning opportunities created in the cooperation among Nordic and Baltic adult educators / Antra Carlsen and Elina Maslo (pages 489-518). Show less

This study describes the trends, drivers and policy responses in relation to brain flow in Europe between 2004 and 2016. The corresponding main themes that have been explored are; the main flows of skilled labour; understanding this movement of skilled workers by looking at push and pull factors; how movement of skilled labour is addressed. The main findings from the analysis of stocks and flows of EU movers can be summarised as follows: (1) Data indicates that skilled (or educated), in particular high skilled/educated, EU movers account for a small part of the European labour market; (2) There has been a significant increase in the share of high skilled EU movers; (3) EU movers are not equally spread across Member States and regions and subsequently the benefits of EU movement have not been shared equally; (4) Skilled EU movers are relatively young, with most being of prime working age; (5) Medium skilled EU movers, on average, have higher employment rates than native born counterparts and high skilled EU movers, on average, have lower employment rates than native counterparts, although overall employment rates among high skilled individuals (both native and movers) are higher than among medium skilled individuals; (6) Increasingly, skilled EU movers reside in their host country for longer; (7) Available data indicates an element of skills loss and/or underemployment amongst skilled EU movers; and (8) Available data indicates an element of skills loss and/or underemployment amongst skilled EU movers.

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Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into diversity management practices in the Baltic states and present experience of human resource management (HRM) practitioners in initiating the integration of people with disability into the workforce at a multi-national retail chain. Design/methodology/approach - An interview with HR managers of a retail chain on issues related to the integration of people with disability into the workforce, providing background for the relevance, motives, implementation difficulties and organisational benefits of such practices from a business perspective. Findings - Main challenges related with integration of people with disability into the workforce are as follows: attraction of people with disability, work adjustment to meet the abilities of employees with disability, and preparation of managers and co-workers to work along with these people. Attraction of people with disability works best on the basis of references from their peers. These people make highly loyal employees. Besides they contribute to the development of a more positive climate in the organisation. Originality/value - This paper presents a good practice case on the integration of people with disability, one of the most discriminated groups of employees, which is still a rare business practice in the Baltic countries. It also provides recommendations on integration issues for other practitioners.

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This study offers evidence for policy makers, social partners, [vocational education and training] VET providers and researchers on how entrepreneurship competence is embedded in VET across Europe, including challenges and opportunities. Two main research questions guided the study: (a) How do entrepreneurial learning ecosystems support embedding entrepreneurship competence in VET in Europe? (b) What policies, methods, tools, and approaches are most effective for embedding entrepreneurship competence in VET? The research comprised the development of methodology, literature and policy review, and field research in Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Latvia, Austria, Finland and Sweden, including VET stakeholders and 48 VET providers.

The study has identified five main challenges in embedding entrepreneurship competence in VET across Europe. They include conceptualisation of entrepreneurship competence comprising different interpretations; the curriculum approach with conflicting options of dedicated modules/subjects and the cross-curricular approach; a gap between the intention to deliver entrepreneurship competence as a broad transversal skill and narrow actions at provider level; the taken-for-granted link between entrepreneurship competence development and employability; and the need for more evidence-based policy. The study also proposes several actionable solutions for the challenges identified.

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This report presents an overview of the state of the art of adult education across EU member states and one non-EU country (Turkey), specifically focusing on the role of adult education (AE) and lifelong learning (LLL) in motivating and engaging vulnerable young adults in the 28 EU member states (referred to as the EU28) and Turkey. The aim of this report is to provide an overview of research and policy developments in AE and LLL of the EU28 and Turkey. It endeavours to investigate the effectiveness of adult education for engaging and involving young adults aged 16-30 in political, social and economic participation. The specific focus is on vulnerable young people, and in particular the report aims to highlight the extent to which AE and LLL initiatives have been effective for engaging and re-engaging vulnerable (disadvantaged) young people, and facilitating their social inclusion across the EU28 countries. The concept of active citizenship (AC) is considered to provide a better understanding of social inclusion and participation of vulnerable young people, where AC is seen as related to the following: social, political or economic dimensions of participation and engagement. Engaging vulnerable young people through adult education has been strongly related to addressing the specific needs and requirements that would facilitate their participation in the social, economic and civic/political life in their country contexts.

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