Advanced search

There are continuing discussions on national level about definition, concept and approach to the microcredentials based on the Council Recommendation on a European approach to microcredentials for lifelong learning and employability.

The INE/GSEE implemented the project Support to quality development of industrial vocational training and its alignment with employee certification (regardless of age), under the priority, Development and update of occupational profiles and framework curricula, under the operational programme, Competitiveness, entrepreneurship and innovation, during 2017-21.

The occupational profiles are based on a methodology for developing occupational standards in line with the Hellenic Qualifications...

The Council Recommendation of 24 November 2020 on VET for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience calls to develop a culture of quality assurance in national systems, the French-speaking part of Belgium has designated for the first time a National Quality Assurance Reference Point (NRP). A partnership agreement has been signed to formalise the commitment of the project partners to the NRP and to allow the hiring of a project coordinator.

The programme for 2017-19 was established by Resolution 108/2017 of the Council of Ministers of 19 July 2017. According to the programme evaluation, performed by the Educational Research Institute, positive results for both pupils and teachers were observed. Teaching aids and equipment purchased in the programme are fully used in the schools. However, primary and secondary schools still suffer from a shortage of modern ICT equipment. The evaluation results also recommended the extension of...

If they meet specific conditions, the changes enable vocational HEIs with a vocational higher education institution (uczelnia zawodowa) status, to:

1. offer courses preparing future teachers for the teaching profession without entering a cooperation agreement with a university, which has scientific achievements in the respective course discipline;
2. use the words practical academy (akademia praktyczna) in its title.

Changes to the pedagogical supervision and control of schools, including VET, have been introduced by the draft Act amending the Education Law, the Act on the Education System and other acts, and the regulation of the Minister for Education and Science of 1 September 2021 amending the regulation on pedagogical supervision.

The draft Act introduces changes in the following areas by:

1. strengthening the role of pedagogical supervision (regional education authorities);
2. strengthening the...

The Accessibility Plus programme indicates the following actions for vocational education:

1. developing, testing and implementing the financial and organisational model of individual support for pupils with special educational needs;
2. creating a system of specialised, continuing support for teachers, including support for adapting schools to the needs of pupils with disabilities.

The Strategy for persons with disabilities 2021-30 involves the following education measures including VET:

...

The policy document describes actions and goals in the short, mid and long-term perspective that will serve the development of Polish society, economy and science in the area of artificial intelligence (AI). It is organised into 6 policy areas, one of which is education, including VET. The actions in this area will include updating curricula and supplementing teaching programmes with AI information and solutions, increasing access to education tools (including online tools) for AI and...

The programme includes the creation of a motivation system for talented pupils and students to develop their competences, and a system for non-formal advanced digital competence building. This will be achieved by organising intensive education trips, team contests, teacher support and motivational actions. It will be implemented through two thematic pathways: championships in algorithmics and programming and championships in computer game development.

Teachers of the teams participating in...

The National strategy for regional development 2030 (NSRD) was adopted by the Council of Ministers on 17 September 2019. One of the objectives of the strategy is the development of human and social capital in the following subareas: vocational and higher education, continuing education, labour market and social capital. The strategy outlines several initiatives in these areas:

1. establishing mechanisms to encourage universities to cooperate with entrepreneurs;
2. increasing entrepreneurs'...

The Labour ministry is redesigning its approach to vocational education and training (VET) especially to RRF-funded continuing VET (CVET) programmes.

The main philosophy and rationale of the approach is that VET programmes should upskill and/or reskill unemployed individuals in high-demand specialties, in digital and green skills. Another aspect of the renewed approach is that after completion of training, certification by independent and international awarding bodies should be obligatory.

To...

The six strategic objectives of the plan are further analysed into sub-objectives that serve the effective implementation of the strategy.

More specifically, the implementation of the first strategic objective, Development and strengthening of VET and LLL with emphasis on quality assurance, is achieved through the following sub-objectives:

1. increasing the attractiveness of VET through the creation of new opportunities;
2. design of VET and LLL programmes and their quality assurance;
3. investment in...

LLCS 2030 focuses on four thematic areas: the qualification system; basic skills and civic education; lifelong learning, counselling, and motivation of citizens for lifelong learning; and building a system of skills management and identification of lifelong learning needs. It proposes 51 measures divided into 13 thematic units corresponding to topics in need of urgent intervention:

1. second chance education and 'F-type programmes' (ISCED 253) for low achievers in lower secondary general...

The Government expressed its willingness to increase monthly minimal remuneration in order to increase the attractiveness of VET for young people.

The Institute for VET in small and medium-sized enterprises (IAWM) reacted to labour market demand for higher VET and implemented a new VET bachelor programme in 'public and business administration'. This higher VET programme was built on the basis of the VET bachelor education for accountants; graduates receive a bachelor diploma (180 ECTS).

This higher VET programme started in the school year 2019/20.

Each year some existing VET programmes are updated to respond to new developments on the labour market, so that graduates have up to date qualifications allowing them to find an employment.

To update a VET programme, companies request the Institute for vocational and educational training in small and medium-sized companies (IAWM) to adapt its VET offer. When a programme has then been modified, the government requires three types of expertise from training companies, which certifies that all...

The Government of the German speaking community decided to equip teachers and secondary learners (including apprentices) with laptops to guarantee good functionality of online classes. The Ministry of the German-speaking Community is responsible.

The new integrated information technology system includes various subsystems such as an electronic archive, an accounting and human resource system, an internal portal, as well as the digital platform Ermis, covering the operational needs and all services provided by the HRDA using modern information communication technologies (ICT). The system significantly enhances the utilisation of new information technologies by HRDA and at the same time contributes to promoting the use of ICT and...

The Integrated student evaluation system (ISES), which includes formative assessment and diagnosis of student needs, is in place since the 2019/20 academic year. Based on the operating regulations of secondary education, semester core exams have also been implemented.

Through actions compatible with the framework of teachers' professional development on formative assessment, alternative forms of student evaluation and modern teaching methods, teachers are supported in implementing ISES.

The...

The platform development project is carried out by three ministries: Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, Ministry of Economy and Innovation, and Ministry of Social Security and Labour. It is expected that the unified system will be operational by the end of 2022. It is funded by the Lithuanian economic recovery and resilience plan.

The unified adult education support system will be convenient for all users: learners, training providers, individuals seeking learning opportunities. Higher...

Under the Equal start initiative, the following developments are foreseen:

1. development of a network of regional career centres that would ensure provision of career guidance services starting from early years pupils and accessible to all age groups;
2. creation of a centralised system for the recognition of formal, non-formal and informal learning, facilitating transition from one level of education to another;
3. creation of a model for a joint lifelong learning system, including the principles...

There is increasing attention for the well-being of VET-students, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The ministry set up different measures to improve the mental well-being of VET students and to monitor this.

COVID-19 caused a delay in studies for many students. To recover from these delays, the Dutch government has made EUR 8.5 billion available for a national education support programme for recovery and perspective (Nationaal Programma Onderwijs: steunprogramma voor herstel en perspectief, NPO), of which EUR 2.7 billion has been reserved for measures in upper secondary vocational education programmes. Over the next 2 school years (2020/21 and 2021/22), VET colleges may choose from a menu of...

During the period 2022-24, the reform focuses on the following areas and activities:

1. introducing a unified teacher competence profile determining the professional prerequisites and competences of teacher training graduates. The competence profile will help the faculties to focus their training better and to be able to evaluate and gradually improve its quality;
2. transforming practical training of undergraduate teacher trainees, improving its quality and linking teaching practice more closely...

On 1 October 2020, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports launched a pilot aimed at recognising international ICT certificates, that prove students' knowledge and skills not only in informatics and information and communication technologies (in upper-secondary general schools, Gymnázia) and in education in information and communication technologies (in secondary VET schools) but also in digital competences in the profile part of the Maturita examination: Maturita in 4-year programmes...

The proposal was drafted in the framework of the project Social dialogue and society 4.0 (2019-22), It is implemented by the Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions, the biggest trade union association in the Czech Republic, in partnership with the Confederation of Industry, the biggest employer organisation. The general idea of the proposal is to build a continuous learning culture and make it an integral part of not only social dialogue, but also society as a whole. A coherent public...

Strengthening cooperation between companies, especially SMEs and schools, will be implemented by means of promoting and organising joint events. The strategy also promotes organising of students' work placements and internships in businesses. There will be shared workshops, shared classrooms and training centres established for the teaching of technical subjects and youth education in respect of Industry 4.0. The strategy supports instructor training by practical training providers...

The financial support provided by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MŠMT) will, at the same time, contribute to the transformation of educational content. Schools will build their own supply of mobile digital technologies and will be able to lend them. However, this should not lead to an unjustified acquisition and accumulation of technological equipment which is actually not needed.

Under Component 3.1 Innovation in education in the context of digitisation, funding is provided to...

Section 3 of the plan, Education and labour market, proposes the following reforms and measures in education and training:

Transforming HE institutions to adapt to new forms of learning and changing the labour market needs by 2026:

The plan foresees measures to increase the ability of higher education (HE) institutions to adapt study programmes to new forms of learning and new fields, particularly digital expertise, in line with changing labour market needs. It includes especially expansion...

In order to learn more about motives and expectations, as well as existing obstacles to mobility and potential incentives for mobility abroad, the project Partnership commissioned ibw Austria: Research and development in VET in 2020 to conduct the study 'Foreign mobility in apprenticeship training'. The results were presented at the OeAD on 30 September 2021 and a concrete objective and five action priorities for increasing apprenticeship mobility were derived from it.

The study shows that...

There are three national programmes with VET as their focus, not all starting in the same period. All these programmes are managed by the VET Directorate of the education ministry:

National VET programme

The programme aims to support improvement in the quality of VET provision and the labour market relevance of VET by providing schools with state-of-the-art equipment, update and/or developing, for the first time, curricula and study programmes, e-learning material and VET teacher training.

The...

Investment in education, training and lifelong skills development brings benefits both to individuals and to society as a whole. Education is the engine for job creation, economic growth, improved social conditions and prosperity.

The strategy focuses on the modernisation of the adult education system by creating opportunities for the use of digital technologies, as well as by increasing the digital skills and competences of the workforce for full participation in digital education and the...

The initiative is funded by the ESF under the operational programme (OP): Human resource development 2014-20, and is implemented through two components.

Component one has been implemented by the labour ministry and component two by the national employer organisations. A unified toolkit has been developed in component 1, including methodologies and requirements for job research and identification of the digital skills required for the development of digital skills profiles in key positions and...

The training programme is based on a set of specialised training sessions in management, finance, leadership, innovation and digital areas. According to accurately identified needs this training targets the members of the social board, heads of department, workers of social sector institutions and also unemployed people.

The Valorizar social programme is composed of short training units with a maximum of 350 hours.

The plan is addressed to the basic and secondary level students, with a focus on three structural elements:

1. teaching and learning that focusses on pedagogical tools for a more flexible curricular development, based on a greater capacity for autonomous and contextualised management, on strategies of proven effectiveness, on school and community activity and on support for students, especially in the school years and skills development most affected by the pandemic;
2. support to educational...

The Federal Government provides subsidies of around EUR 50 million annually for the inter-company apprenticeship training (ÜLU), making a contribution to the course and accommodation costs for apprentices from the second year of training onwards. The current funding guidelines allow a subsidy of up to one third of the course costs and up to half of the accommodation costs. The assessment basis for the federal funding lump sums is based on the determined average cost rates of the courses....

In order to implement this reform, the higher education law was amended. The so-called higher education legislation package came into force on 1 October 2021.

The central actor in this reform is the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (BMBWF). The four types of HE institutions (universities and university colleges of teacher education, universities of applied sciences and private universities) are also involved. Those interested in continuing education at HE institutions...

The creation of CoVEs is determined by the Lifelong learning and counselling strategy for 2021-30 adopted by the government on 24 November 2021. According to the strategy's action plan, a pilot phase to transform some of the existing centres of VET into CoVES was scheduled to start in 2022, co-funded by ESIF (specific objective 1.4 'Developing skills for smart specialisation, industrial transition and entrepreneurship' under Operational programme Slovakia 2021-27). About 20 CoVEs should have...

The Lifelong learning and counselling strategy for 2021-30, approved by the government on 24 November 2021, addresses early school leaving in the section 'Second chance education and F-type programmes'. It suggests four measures aimed at:

1. transformation of former F-type programmes into 'combined' programmes that allow learners to complete lower secondary general education and earn at least an EQF level 2 VET qualification, enabling progression in initial VET;
2. allowing exceptional extension...

The following five measures are set by the Lifelong learning and counselling strategy for 2021-30:

1. embedding the term 'basic skills' in the Lifelong Learning Act;
2. piloting tools for mapping, assessing and testing basic skill levels of low-skilled adults;
3. improving the digital skills of citizens in line with Reform 6 of Component 17 'Digital Slovakia' of the National recovery and resilience plan;
4. piloting a financing scheme for supporting non-formal learning for low-skilled adults in...

The amendment to the Vocational Training Act in 2020 (Section 7a BBiG), makes it possible to organise part-time vocational training individually in terms of time. In addition to single parents or individuals caring for family members, the option of part-time training is further opened up to additional groups. People with disabilities or refugees, for example, who want to or have to pursue gainful employment next to their training, can now also benefit from the option of part-time vocational...

The strategy is intended to increase access to flexible and decentralised services throughout the country for vocational schools, colleges and universities.

This is intended to be done through:

1. strengthening cooperation between the actors in education and work through strengthening connections between supply and demand;
2. working to ensure that flexible offers are of high quality and are adapted to the needs of the individual and working life.

The Ministry of Education and Research is responsible...

The strategy is focused on strengthening and improving Norwegian participation in Erasmus+ and the European Education Area, in order to provide more learners, youths and students, teachers and staff with opportunities for intercultural learning and exchange in Europe. The quality of education and training is to be further developed through international cooperation.

The government also wants more Norwegian interests to be able to cooperate with the best environments in Europe in order to...

The White paper (Meld. St. 32 (2020-21), approved on June 2021, presents a comprehensive policy to include more people in working life and society.

The government has identified six areas where there is a need to continue to develop and strengthen efforts to prevent social exclusion and include more people in working life and society: they include better coordination between education, work and health, and better adaptation for users with extensive and complex challenges.

The government...

The Norwegian government has appointed a committee of stakeholders to conduct a comprehensive review and assess the regulations for admission to higher education.

The committee is to make recommendations to the Ministry of Education and Research on the creation of understandable and flexible admission regulations, which ensure applicant legal rights, and can be adapted to the future of higher education and technological development. The new regulations are expected to:

1. ensure that the...

The Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (previously Skills Norway), and the Directorate for Education and Training, have to assess how a national portal may simplify the matching of learners and apprenticeship placements and needs.

The directorates studied models for, and the costs of, developing and operating a national apprenticeship portal. They also suggested different solutions. It was a requirement that at least one of the solutions had to be able to be implemented within the...

The government has decided that Norway will participate in several EU programmes in the period from 2021 to 2027. Some programmes are a continuation of existing cooperation, but the country also plans to join new programmes. The EU's major investments in digitalisation and green priorities are important factors in the programmes Norway has chosen to join.

These priorities are nationally important and affect several areas in the society, as well as vocational education and training.

Norway...

The strategy was proposed by the Ministry of Education and Research for further improving and strengthening higher vocational education. It is aimed at higher vocational education and all actors in the field. The beneficiaries are both individual students and society, mainly by improving quality and increasing autonomy.

The priorities focus on the following four areas:

Growth in the tertiary vocational college sector

The government is to take steps to ensure continued growth in higher...

The reform will include more options for completing upper secondary education, including for adults, along with more relevant training and a right to apprenticeship in VET.

All students in upper secondary education, including both IVET and CVET, will benefit from the policy development.

These are the most important measures foreseen in the Completion reform:

1. everyone who starts upper secondary school will have the right to complete an upper secondary degree;
2. training courses will be better...

The Ministry of Education and Research established an expert group to investigate how schools may raise education quality. The expert group has to suggest measures to reduce the impact that the learner's gender, social background and previous learning outcomes may have for the benefits of education. The expert group is to explore how school owners and schools can better conduct a systematic quality development approach to increase the education quality, reaching better learning results.

The...

The Wallonia Recovery Plan, adopted in October 2021, includes more than 300 projects and programmes, structured around six strategic priorities:

1. investing in youth and Walloon talent (priority 1)
2. ensuring environmental sustainability (priority 2)
3. boosting economic development (priority 3)
4. supporting well-being, solidarity and social inclusion (priority 4)
5. guaranteeing innovative and participative governance (priority 5)
6. supporting the rebuilding and resilience of disaster-affected areas...

The platform for education on the environment and sustainable development, created following the 2007 National Nature Conservation Plan, enables networking by professionals involved in education on the environment and sustainable development who are now cooperating in relation to the objectives of the 2030 agenda. It is intended for non-governmental organisations, local administrations, and institutions active in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), but also for teachers and trainers...

The agreement responds to the sector's training needs and emerging challenges, which require continuous knowledge and skill updating, an increase in specific training offers, and the development of tailor-made continuing training.

The EDCL offers many benefits for citizens, employers, and organisations, enabling:

1. students to prove the validity of their diploma or certificate;
2. training institutions across Europe to issue diplomas and other certificates of learning in a format that is easy to generate;
3. authorities (employers, universities, etc.) to easily check the authenticity of harmonised documents;
4. a common understanding of qualifications and certification across and beyond the European Union;
5. the recognition of...

The VET agreement is to be a common ground of a tripartite understanding, between the government and the social partners, in the following areas of intervention:

1. regulation and governance of the vocational training system (framework and regulation, regulation model and financing sources and quality improvement);
2. further development of the system's instruments and responsiveness (improve the flexibility of the SNQ, strengthen responses to sectoral needs and dynamics and improve incentives for...

The training courses are part of the national catalogue of qualifications (CNQ) and the training content is included in the thematic area of internationalisation.

The programme training is composed of a set of short-duration training units (UFCD) of the CNQ with a maximum duration of 350 hours.

Whenever deemed useful and pertinent, although not mandatory, the training paths, available online or face-to-face, may be complemented by work-based learning (WBL), with a minimum duration of 140 hours...

The project is based around a strategy for sharing classes between schools (a class, in some subjects, may have students from different schools), under a pedagogical experience regime, aimed at promoting the diversification of the educational and training offer in low-density areas.

The schools involved in the pilot should define tutoring mechanisms that, in permanent dialogue with the families, allow close and systematic monitoring of the learners, both in pedagogical and organisational...

The approach underlying the National anti-poverty strategy goes far beyond the definition of poverty as the deprivation of monetary resources, avoiding approaches focused solely on the analysis from a monetary point of view and seeking to make poverty reduction dependent only on economic growth. It is based on a broader vision of poverty, assuming poverty as a complex and multidimensional phenomenon, which constitutes a violation of human and citizen rights and requires integrated action...

The ENIPD 2021-25 is based on eight strategic priorities: citizenship, equality and non-discrimination; promoting an inclusive environment; education and qualification; work, employment and vocational training; promotion of autonomy and independent living; measures, services and social supports; culture, sport, tourism and leisure; and knowledge, research, innovation and development.

The implementation of the education and training related priorities includes:

1. definition of a framework of...

With the tripartite agreement, an objective assessment of the CVET landscape, led by the OECD Centre for Skills was launched. Various stakeholders were consulted to establish recommendations that are tailored to the Luxembourgish context.

The OECD study is part of the 'Skillsdësch' initiative, which regularly regroups high-profile governmental, employee, and employer representatives (the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Labour, professional chambers, and trade unions) since Q3 of 2020....

The following measures are foreseen:

1. promoting learning mobility in VET: supporting the internationalisation of VET, including support for the implementation of Europass, improving data collection and analytics, monitoring and analysis of learning mobility;
2. participating in Erasmus+ and other development and cooperation projects, and mobility schemes to mobilise best international experience;
3. participating in EU-level debate and development activities on the creation of key profiles for VET in...

In order to ensure flexible learning opportunities, accessibility of high-quality education and training, and supported learning with the aim of reducing drop-out and early leaving rates and exploiting every individual's potential to the fullest, the following measures are foreseen:

1. developing and implementing a common standard for secondary education to integrate general and vocational secondary education;
2. updating the Standard of vocational education and specifying the differences between...

Since 2017, the KBU has provided thorough professional assessments of Norway's future competence needs. Three comprehensive reports have ensured the authorities and the labour market, both regionally and nationally, a solid basis for both planning and making informed decisions. As part of the government's competence reform, the committee continues the work until 2027. The competence reforms goal is lifelong learning to ensure work.

The Committee on Skill Needs (KBU):

1. analyse and assesses the...

In 2021, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is funding the first prototype of a technical infrastructure for a digital education platform. As a hub, it is intended to integrate existing and new digital education platforms into a nationwide platform system, providing every user with central access to education offers. The digital education area is based on common standards, formats and interoperable structures that are compatible with the rest of Europe in the sense of a...

With the ESF Plus education municipalities programme, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) supports districts and independent cities in the further development of their education landscape. One thematic focus of the programme is the establishment of digital-analogue networked education landscapes for lifelong learning. Local education authorities also choose specific thematic priorities, for example, in the area of cultural education, democracy building/political education,...

An average of EUR 1.33 million (DKK 10 million) is planned to be available for distribution each year from 2021-23. The Ministry of Children and Education is responsible for distributing the funds for supporting courses and action learning activities for teachers and trainers. The aim is to enhance knowledge on green entrepreneurship and contribute to green development.

All youth institutions, including VET, can apply to the pool for funding on projects that aim to support and strengthen...

In November 2020, the government and the social partners signed a tripartite agreement with initiatives worth EUR 66 million (DKK 500 million) annually.

According to the agreement and as from 1 January 2022

1. Students must not be left on their own when searching for an apprenticeship

The VET institution must provide information on apprenticeships to students who cannot find one; this is to minimise the responsibility that today is placed entirely on the student.

b.Early apprenticeship contracts

VET...

In June 2021, the government gave several national authorities involved in education and employment the mission to develop digital services that provide data about education and the labour market, as well as to establish forms for the management of a coherent data infrastructure for the provision of skills and lifelong learning. These authorities shall jointly investigate the conditions for, and begin work on, developing common concepts or translation keys between existing conceptual...

A characteristic feature of Swedish working life is that many professions are skills-intensive, requiring constant upskilling and life-long learning. Actions need to be taken aimed at safeguarding provision of skilled workers by facilitating access to reskilling and upskilling. One measure is to provide funds enabling individuals to strengthen their position in the labour market. To this end, in 2021 the Government has proposed study grants to individuals that are established in the labour...

The initiative supports:

1. competence development and continuing education in relation to green transition and climate response EUR 13.5 million (DKK 100.5 million). The education ministry is responsible for the administration of the funding. Activities will primarily take the form of courses and action learning activities for VET teachers and trainers;
2. knowledge centres to develop new materials and teaching courses in the green transition and sustainability, to be implemented in VET and the...

The initiative is a prolongation of an existing system for the use of role models in providing guidance on VET. The use of role models, i.e. using young people from VET as 'counsellors' in primary schools, has shown good results in this respect. The Danish organisation of VET students is responsible for activities such as campaigns and events on VET institutions.

The Scholarship policy 2020-24 includes an overview of the legal bases and of the scholarship allocation system, an overview and indicators of the Scholarship policy 2014-19, describes the current situation on the labour market, and defines deficit areas for the next five years. It sets up the implementation framework for awarding scholarships for professions in deficit (goals, funding, indicators) to encourage young people to study for these professions (programme 'Scholarship for deficit...

According to Law 4763/2020, the General Secretariat for VET, LLL and Youth is responsible for designing, implementing, coordinating and monitoring policies in the relevant fields. It is also the supervisory body for the implementation and monitoring of VET and LLL programmes.

In addition, the law set up advisory bodies (including social partners and VET stakeholders) at national and regional level to support VET governance.

Nationally, the main advisory body introduced is the Central council...

The UPskill programme is the result of a partnership between the Portuguese Association for the Development of Communications (APDC), the Institute of Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP) and the Coordinating Council of Higher Polytechnic Institutes (CCISP).

The main objective of the programme's first call is to upskill 3 000 professionals (employed and unemployed) within a 3-year period. It provides intensive training (6 months) in specific ICT areas offered by polytechnic institutes...

Rapid changes in teaching took place: using online methods and new applications to create and develop resources. The pandemic also created the opportunity to develop new types of learning communities by learning from peers or sharing good-practice experiences. New online platforms and support channels (phone lines) were created to support teachers, learners and parents.

Further promoting digitalisation in VET is considered fundamental to achieving the ambitions for upper secondary VET (MBO) set in the administrative agreement between the education ministry and the MBO Raad. Well-considered digital education requires a different didactic approach, specific skills and new tools for teachers. For the practical implementation of the agreement, a programme was drawn up called the Continuing digitalising programme (Doorpakken op digitalisering).

The programme was...

In the Cabinet's response, 14 measures were announced that focus on tackling youth unemployment and preventing early leaving from education and training. The most significant measures that focus on employment are:

1. making explicit which bodies are responsible at a local and regional level;
2. supporting life coaching arrangements;
3. promoting guidance for young people after graduation.

The country's approach to tackling youth unemployment caused by the pandemic has a regional focus and primarily...

In October 2020, the education ministry presented to parliament (in a policy letter) the Improvement agenda for inclusive education in VET for 2020-25.

In this letter, the minister, based on the evaluation of inclusive education in VET (Passend Onderwijs in het MBO) and on advice from the Education Council (Onderwijsraad), both issued in 2020, concluded that although learners are mostly satisfied with the support provided by VET schools, there is still room for improvement. The importance of...

A budget of EUR 8 million was announced as part of the 2021 budget. Its main target is supporting adult learners (in community education), especially those with the highest level of need and who are undertaking literacy and skills programmes. The fund focuses strongly on the digital infrastructure of community education providers, including providing devices and software, and increasing their capacity to deliver online learning.

Community Education providers can apply for funding across...

DFHERIS funds and creates policy for the higher and further education and research sectors. It also oversees the work of the State agencies and public institutions operating in these areas. It ensures that these sectors support and encourage Ireland's social and economic development and that public investment and policy in these areas give opportunities to everyone, including the most vulnerable in society.

Since March 2020, the education ministry has issued three policy letters discussing the new approach to further combat early leaving from education and training and support young early leavers achieving sustainable economic independence.

In the first letter (March 2020), the government and various stakeholders from education and the labour market (including employers' organisations) expressed their joint intention to focus on apprenticeships (dual pathway) to help working, young dropouts to...

Euroguidance Slovenia activities include:

1. collecting information on careers, labour market, education and employment possibilities (these are available free of charge in Euroguidance Slovenia library and career centres around Slovenia);
2. establishing and maintaining careers database, video clips about careers and information on education possibilities and financial aid;
3. providing guidance tools such as the Where and How online guidance programme;
4. organising training of guidance practitioners,...

The Office of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for Development and European Cohesion Policy issued a decision on financial support for the programme COVID-19 - Additional ICT support for the implementation of the education process. The programme, which falls under the auspices of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, receives EUR 4 million funding from the European Regional Development Fund and is implemented by the Academic and Research Network of Slovenia (Arnes). The...

The subject is implemented in vocational (30 hours) and technical (35 hours) upper secondary programmes. It is designed as interdisciplinary, as it intertwines and connects various disciplines, such as sociology, philosophy, political science, history, geography, and upgrades the goals and content of the subject of social sciences. It contains four thematic units, from micro (citizen) to macro (EU and world) level:

1. citizen individual position;
2. participation in a community;
3. citizen of the...

Among other things, the rules made it easier to be promoted into the title of the councillor: for example, all public artistic performances are now evaluated and count towards promotion.

ReNPIO 2022-30 directs the policy of adult learning and education at the state level and contributes to the systemic regulation of the field. It provides stable financing, defines and integrates measures of various policies. The Plan also emphasises the importance of green transition and digital transformation, as well as a culture of learning by increasing participation in LLL and providing equal opportunities for different target groups. Significant added value of the new document is the...

Regulations addressed to schools, including VET schools, in 2020 and 2021 (until February) mainly concerned the temporary closure of institutions and the easing of the transition to distance learning. More than 23 regulations were issued by the education minister for these purposes.

EU funded projects have been implemented aiming to solve problems resulting from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on schools, including VET providers. For example, computers and software were delivered to...

The process of designing the National recovery plan was managed by the Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy (MFiPR). In February 2021, the document was submitted for public consultation, which influenced its final shape. In May 2021 the plan was officially submitted to the European Commission.

Its main areas of focus are:

1. resilience and competitiveness of the economy;
2. green energy and reducing energy intensity;
3. digital transformation;
4. availability and quality of the health care system,
...

On 17 December 2020, a Regulation of the Council of Ministers set up the Ministry of Education and Science after merging the Ministry of National Education and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. On 1 January 2021, the new ministry started to operate. The Minister for Education and Science was appointed, with responsibility for directing the Departments of Education (including VET), Higher Education and Science.

Since 2020, work has intensified on the preparation of a national strategy for the deinstitutionalisation of social services in Poland. On 12 January 2020, the Minister for Family and Social Policy appointed a team for the development of the strategy for the deinstitutionalisation of social services in Poland, which is an auxiliary body to the minister. The strategy is to be finalised and presented to the minister by 30 April 2021.

The tasks of the team include the development of the...

In November 2020, the Act on the principles of the recognition of professional qualifications attained in other EU Member States was amended.

The most important changes include:

1. ensuring that new regulatory provisions (in this area) are justified, following the principles of proportionality and non-discrimination and indicating the entities to which they apply;
2. indicating how regulatory provisions comply with the principles of proportionality and non-discrimination;
3. indicating the procedures...

The policy development envisages creating a coordinated approach to VET graduate tracking. It involves stakeholders, especially those dealing with statistics and taxation systems, and is based on the experience accumulated by the higher education graduate tracking and international experience.

The concept proposed by the education ministry is based on the analysis of available administrative data regarding the employment and income of VET graduates. The framework for graduate tracking...

In October 2020, the Ministry of Labour, Employment and the Social and Solidarity Economy and the public employment service (ADEM) presented the FutureSkills initiative, which consists of three parts:

National and sector-level studies
In addition to the production of key data on the evolution of job offers, ADEM conducts sectoral studies on the evolution of occupations, activities, and skills, contributes to national studies and will develop sectoral studies on the analysis of the evolution of...

Each year several measures and initiatives support employee education and training.

In 2015, the Federation of Craftsmen (Fédération des Artisans) launched skills/competence centres in construction engineering and building completion work (GTB-PAR) to help companies keep skilled employees abreast of developments in technology, management and economy.

In 2018, the Federation of Craftsmen, in collaboration with GTB-PAR and the Education and Training Institute in the Construction Sector (IFSB),...

In the light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the following measures were introduced to assure the continuation of vocational education and training (VET) and specifically of apprenticeships. School closures were limited to the minimum and school training was continued as distance learning. School closures were limited to the minimum and school training was continued as distance learning. Practical training was mostly suspended during the lock-down but the work placement periods were recovered, by...

Diplom+ is a customised training programme bridging the transition between school and employment or higher education targeting recent graduates at EQF 4 (both general and vocational programmes), neither in employment or higher education. Diplom+ is a cycle of individually certifying training modules on transversal skills in high demand on the labour market, skills applicable in higher education and everyday life skills. Participants are accompanied on demand by individual coaching sessions....

In December 2020, Law 4763/2020 introduces a legal framework regulating VET and LLL and describing the organisation of each school type, the qualifications and the role of their staff (manager, teachers, career/vocational counsellors). The Law also establishes the structure of the Hellenic Qualifications Framework (HQF) and regulates qualifications for NQF/EQF levels 3, 4, and 5.

The law also establishes for the first time a two-year vocational training programme for lower secondary (basic)...

Outgoing mobility:

1. Erasmus+: as shown in the Study on Mobility (NA at BIBB, 2018), Erasmus+ funds about half of all outgoing mobilities of VET learners. Since 2015, Erasmus+ has also been promoting the internationalisation of VET learning venues through accreditation of vocational schools and companies for a simplified participation in the VET mobility programme.
2. VETworldwide: to expand IVET mobility outside the EU, BMBF and NA at BIBB initiated the programme VETworldwide...

The total budget of the youth plan is EUR 6.7 billion, with measures to support young people aged 16-25 after the COVID-19 crisis. It mobilises a set of tools: hiring assistance, training, support, financial assistance for struggling young people, etc. to respond to different situations.

Under priority 1 - facilitating entry into working life;

1. compensation of EUR 4 000 of costs to the businesses for any young person recruited between 1 August 2020 and 31 March 2021;
2. exceptional support to recruit...

France Relance has a budget of EUR 100 billion in total over two years, out of which 15 billion is for vocational training. The main measures in terms of education and vocational training offered in both IVET and CVET (excluding exceptional employment subsidies) are:

Training young people in strategic and promising sectors

1. 100 000 qualifying training courses via the Regional skills investment pacts; with a revaluation of the remuneration for trainees undertaking professional training;
2. 16 000...