1. WORKSHOP 1
EDUCATION AND TRAINING STRATEGIES AS A DRIVER
FOR REGIONAL SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
1. Background
The ETF’s mandate is to support the partner countries to make effective human capital
development policies as a key pillar of sustainable economic and social development and as
support for more informed democracies. Since 2011, the ETF has given focus to the regional
dimension of human capital development for the following reasons:
Regional development is an essential component of national economic competitiveness and social
cohesion.
Regional development requires comprehensive and coordinated policies in which human capital
development is a key element.
Addressing human capital development policies from the regional and local levels can increase
their effectiveness, mainly by ensuring a better match between the supply and demand of skills
based on a consultation of end-users.
Such a participative approach helps to establish governance models that increase the relevance,
quality and accountability of public policies.
Providing direct support to regions encourages innovative approaches that can inform national
strategic reflection for evidence-based, robust policies promoting the regional development of
human capital. This should eventually reconcile the top-down policy-making approach with the
bottom-up approach being developed in many partner countries, and ensure greater
complementarity and subsidiarity between the national level in charge of the overall human capital
development policy and the regional/local level that can make the necessary adjustments to
regional socio-economic contexts.
2. Workshop focus and questions
The workshop will focus both on the horizontal and the vertical dimension of multi-level
governance: how the different stakeholders at regional level collaborate around VET system
management on the one hand and how the regional level co-ordinate with the national level for
VET policies on the other.
The panellists will be asked to focus their interventions around the following guiding questions:
What are the key enabling factors for regional development of human capital?
How are (present and future) skills’ needs at local level captured by education and training
strategies?
Who are the key actors to be involved and how?
Which are examples of education-business cooperation good practice for more relevant VET
provision at regional level?
How do regional dynamics inform the overall, national policy framework?
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2. WORKSHOP 2
ENGAGING AND COORDINATING DIVERSE ACTORS IN
VET GOVERNANCE
1. Background
The VET reform process in which ETF partner countries have launched during the last years has
created new challenges in the division of responsibilities between different stakeholders at both
vertical (higher and lower levels of government) and horizontal levels (social partners, civil society,
other associations etc.).
Indeed, many countries in the world having as starting point their traditions and values have
experimented with or actually put in place mechanisms to support the involvement of VET actor’s
from national to lowest levels. This has tackled different functions of the VET system from policy
making, to the definition of qualifications and curricula, funding and quality assurance.
Accurate definition of institutional functions and roles, coordination mechanisms and/or networking
approaches as well as the technical and leadership capacities of actors to fulfil their respective
roles are key issues which play a crucial role to improve performance in VET decision making and
implementation.
2. Workshop focus and questions
The workshop will focus on relationships, functions, roles and leadership capacities to be deployed
to coordinate effectively multiple actors formulating, implementing and evaluating –Vocational-
Education and Training policies and systems. The participants will identify answers to following
questions:
How can ‘vertical’ and ‘horizontal’ actors in the VET sector be engaged, so as to support improved
performance throughout the policy cycle?
Which are the most relevant functions and roles of different stakeholders when multilevel
governance methods are applied to VET policies and systems?
What kinds of coordination mechanisms might be put in place to involve effectively multiple actors
in the management of VET policies and systems?
What are the leadership and other capacities that stakeholders involved in multilevel governance
need to develop?
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3. WORKSHOP 3
GOOD MULTI-LEVEL GOVERNANCE AND VET PROVIDERS
1. Background
VET providers are the frontline actors delivering VET. It is here that learning processes are both
organised and take place. VET providers interact with learners and are responsible for interacting
with companies for practical training.
Traditionally their role was preparing young people for entering into the labour market. But the
purposes of VET and the learners have become more diversified. Under today’s circumstances,
VET has to be responsive to different needs. Beyond education and training VET providers are
required to be more responsive to the needs of society, employers and learners. VET providers are
called to design and deliver VET programmes, know and take into account developments in the
local labour market, be responsible and accountable for the outputs, and most of all the
employability of their trainees. Different VET institutions have emerged with a diversification of
pathways and a more important role for Continuing Vocational Training. The funding of VET
providers is diversifying with public and private contributions. But irrespectively there is a need to
assure the return on investment.
In order to be able to be responsive VET providers need some autonomy and guidance. In the
process of rendering them more autonomous, teachers together with school management, are
becoming central actors in implementing national reforms. With autonomy comes more
responsibility and accountability and the need to assure quality and to develop quality improvement
processes. VET professionals and teachers find that they are assigned new roles. VET systems
across ETF partner countries have different functions, structures, management modalities,
governance systems, roles and responsibilities. Experiences and lessons will be discussed in order
to identify enabling factors and conditions that allow VET providers to contribute successfully to the
policy making cycle.
2. Workshop focus and questions
The degree of responsibilities given to VET providers varies from a high level of autonomy and
contribution to shaping policies in VET to a limited autonomy with no real contribution to the policy
cycle. The workshop will focus on understanding the value and benefits of different arrangements
and contribute to a common understanding of what factors enable VET providers to take part in to
the policy cycle within different governance settings. These factors will capture the legal and
institutional framework, the partnership processes and the capacity of VET providers.
HOW are VET providers diversifying and WHY?
WHAT are the roles and functions of VET providers?
WHAT conditions allow VET providers to perform successfully?
HOW can VET providers experience contribute to the formulation and monitoring of VET policies?
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4. WORKSHOP 4
CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTNERSHIP IN
VET
1. Background
The modernisation of vocational education and training is high on agendas all over the world. The
key issue in the VET policy debate is the shift from a supply-driven to a demand-driven provision of
VET. The world of work needs to be involved in the reform processes to ensure that VET meets the
immediate and long-term needs of the labour market. Social partnership and social dialogue are
tools to channel messages from the labour market to the VET reform agenda. At local, regional or
school levels partnership can include also the municipalities, individual businesses and
associations or NGOs representing parents etc.
VET reforms can be supported by improved governance of the VET system. This can be achieved
through better involvement of social partners and other stakeholders in VET policies and practises.
This partnership can take place at multiple levels starting from definition of VET strategies at
national level to practical cooperation between work life and training institutions.
In EU member states VET has been recognised as an area of shared responsibility of national
governments, social partners, VET providers, teachers, trainers and learners. Partnership is
needed at different levels of VET system but the specific aims of the partnership are different at
level of policy making than at level of training provision at local level. Enterprises and employers
play a major role in organisation of on the job or in-house training.
Many countries have established formal structures for social dialogue or partnership like national
TVET or Economic and Social Councils. Also sector (skill) councils are becoming more popular. At
local level provision of VET can be supported by inviting local communities to participate in school
boards or advisory committee.
2. Workshop focus and questions
The workshop will focus on conditions and requirements for partnership in VET. This partnership
can take place at different levels of governance or it can be related to provision of training.
The workshop will identify answers to following four questions:
How to create functional structures for the cooperation and partnership?
What is the motivation for national authorities to enhance partnerships in VET?
What roles different stakeholders can play in policy making and provision of training?
What capacities are expected from the stakeholders to be involved in VET?
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