Country fiches
Austria (2023)
5.1.1. ACTIONS FOR RAISING AWARENESS OF THE ADDED VALUE OF MOBILITY AND/OR FOSTERING A MOBILITY CULTURE
Whereas in the first decade of this century, particularly in the ‘Go International initiative’ of the Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs (BMDW, now Ministry of Labour and Economy, BMAW) and the Austrian Economic Chamber (WKO), great emphasis was placed on raising awareness of the importance of internationalisation in VET and the promotion of the mobility culture, this has not played a particular role in the internationalisation activities of the government and chambers in the second decade of the century. (1) (2)
It is only since 2021 that more attention has been paid to the topic again with the initiative to increase apprentice mobility. With this initiative, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Economy (BMAW), the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (BMBWF), together with the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKÖ) and the Agency for Education and Internationalisation (OeAD), aim to promote apprentice mobility in particular to a greater extent and through various activities.
The foundation for these activities builds a study published in 2021 by ibw Austria – Research and Development in VET which examined the framework conditions, funding instruments and perspectives for international mobilities in apprenticeship training. The study comes to the conclusion that there are certain structural limits to the participation of apprentices in mobilities abroad, but at the same time there is definitely potential for increasing participation by reducing information deficits and addressing the benefits for apprentices and companies more strongly. (3)
Within this initiative the involved partners defined five focal points to increase international mobility of apprentices: (4)
(a) The partners involved will jointly provide information on support and funding opportunities in the long term, especially towards companies, trainers, and vocational schools.
(b) To this end, regional structures of the ministries and the Economic Chamber will be involved. An apprenticeship week with events and actions around the topic of Erasmus+ apprenticeship mobility is to take place throughout Austria (for the first time at the End of September 2022).
(c) Target group-oriented communication by using testimonials, social media campaigns, a social media toolkit, promotional videos
(d) International conference on the topic of mobility in apprenticeship training in September 2022
(e) Regular contact seminars, study visits, trainers' congresses to network the stakeholders
In Austria, the OeAD, as the National Agency Erasmus+, is actively promoting the mobility programmes within Erasmus+ via information events on a local, regional, and national level in all fields of education and by disseminating information in various media.
Until 2020, the OeAD as National Agency organises the so-called Erasmus+ Award to publicly present exemplary mobility projects and strategic partnerships. Mobility projects in different categories (all educational fields e.g. vocational training, higher education...) were awarded and publicly presented to underline the high quality and the importance of mobility. All mobility projects for which the final report was available by a certain deadline were included in the selection. Based on a pre-selection according to predefined criteria, an international jury of experts selected a winning project in each category. At a festive event, all nominated projects were presented, the award winners were honoured, and an additional audience price was awarded among all nominees through audience voting. (5) Currently, the Erasmus+ Award is not awarded.
In autumn 2022, the apprenticeship campaign "Apprenticeship without borders" was launched as part of the initiative to increase the mobility abroad of apprentices (see above). Via a new website and accompanying information measures, apprentices, training companies and part-time VET schools are to be better informed about the possibilities of mobility abroad, support facilities, etc. and motivated to participate. (6) On the basis of more than 1,000 approved mobilities abroad for apprentices for the first time in 2020, the campaign aims to double this figure annually. (7)
_____________________
(1) BMAW; WKO: Go international. https://www.go-international.at/
(2) WKO: Bildung sichert unseren Standort. Aufgabenbereiche der Abteilung für Bildungspolitik – Let’s go international https://news.wko.at/news/oesterreich/Aufgaben_BP.html
(3) Schmid, K.; et al. (2021): Auslandsmobilität in der Lehrlingsausbildung. Rahmenbedingungen, Förderinstrumente und Akteursperspektiven [Foreign mobility in apprenticeship training. Framework conditions, funding instruments and actor perspectives]. ibw report. Vienna. pp.14-21. https://ibw.at/resource/download/2210/ibw-studie-auslandsmobilitaet-in-…
(4) OeAD (2021): OeAD Factsheet: 5 Schwerpunkte zur Erhöhung der Lehrlingsmobilität [OeAD Factsheet: 5 Priorities for increasing apprentice mobility]. https://presse.oead.at/news-erasmus-fuer-lehrlinge-ziel-ist-die-verdopp…-?id=140957&menueid=9257&tab=4&l=deutsch
(5) OeAD: Erasmus+ Award. https://erasmusplus.at/de/erfolgsgeschichten/erasmus-award
(6) OeAD: https://www.lehreohnegrenzen.at
(7) OeAD (2022): OeAD launches apprenticeship campaign “Apprenticeships without Boarders”, Press release. https://presse.oead.at/news-oead-launches-apprenticeship-campaign-appre…
It is only since 2021 that more attention has been paid to the topic again with the initiative to increase apprentice mobility. With this initiative, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Economy (BMAW), the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (BMBWF), together with the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKÖ) and the Agency for Education and Internationalisation (OeAD), aim to promote apprentice mobility in particular to a greater extent and through various activities.
The foundation for these activities builds a study published in 2021 by ibw Austria – Research and Development in VET which examined the framework conditions, funding instruments and perspectives for international mobilities in apprenticeship training. The study comes to the conclusion that there are certain structural limits to the participation of apprentices in mobilities abroad, but at the same time there is definitely potential for increasing participation by reducing information deficits and addressing the benefits for apprentices and companies more strongly. (3)
Within this initiative the involved partners defined five focal points to increase international mobility of apprentices: (4)
(a) The partners involved will jointly provide information on support and funding opportunities in the long term, especially towards companies, trainers, and vocational schools.
(b) To this end, regional structures of the ministries and the Economic Chamber will be involved. An apprenticeship week with events and actions around the topic of Erasmus+ apprenticeship mobility is to take place throughout Austria (for the first time at the End of September 2022).
(c) Target group-oriented communication by using testimonials, social media campaigns, a social media toolkit, promotional videos
(d) International conference on the topic of mobility in apprenticeship training in September 2022
(e) Regular contact seminars, study visits, trainers' congresses to network the stakeholders
In Austria, the OeAD, as the National Agency Erasmus+, is actively promoting the mobility programmes within Erasmus+ via information events on a local, regional, and national level in all fields of education and by disseminating information in various media.
Until 2020, the OeAD as National Agency organises the so-called Erasmus+ Award to publicly present exemplary mobility projects and strategic partnerships. Mobility projects in different categories (all educational fields e.g. vocational training, higher education...) were awarded and publicly presented to underline the high quality and the importance of mobility. All mobility projects for which the final report was available by a certain deadline were included in the selection. Based on a pre-selection according to predefined criteria, an international jury of experts selected a winning project in each category. At a festive event, all nominated projects were presented, the award winners were honoured, and an additional audience price was awarded among all nominees through audience voting. (5) Currently, the Erasmus+ Award is not awarded.
In autumn 2022, the apprenticeship campaign "Apprenticeship without borders" was launched as part of the initiative to increase the mobility abroad of apprentices (see above). Via a new website and accompanying information measures, apprentices, training companies and part-time VET schools are to be better informed about the possibilities of mobility abroad, support facilities, etc. and motivated to participate. (6) On the basis of more than 1,000 approved mobilities abroad for apprentices for the first time in 2020, the campaign aims to double this figure annually. (7)
_____________________
(1) BMAW; WKO: Go international. https://www.go-international.at/
(2) WKO: Bildung sichert unseren Standort. Aufgabenbereiche der Abteilung für Bildungspolitik – Let’s go international https://news.wko.at/news/oesterreich/Aufgaben_BP.html
(3) Schmid, K.; et al. (2021): Auslandsmobilität in der Lehrlingsausbildung. Rahmenbedingungen, Förderinstrumente und Akteursperspektiven [Foreign mobility in apprenticeship training. Framework conditions, funding instruments and actor perspectives]. ibw report. Vienna. pp.14-21. https://ibw.at/resource/download/2210/ibw-studie-auslandsmobilitaet-in-…
(4) OeAD (2021): OeAD Factsheet: 5 Schwerpunkte zur Erhöhung der Lehrlingsmobilität [OeAD Factsheet: 5 Priorities for increasing apprentice mobility]. https://presse.oead.at/news-erasmus-fuer-lehrlinge-ziel-ist-die-verdopp…-?id=140957&menueid=9257&tab=4&l=deutsch
(5) OeAD: Erasmus+ Award. https://erasmusplus.at/de/erfolgsgeschichten/erasmus-award
(6) OeAD: https://www.lehreohnegrenzen.at
(7) OeAD (2022): OeAD launches apprenticeship campaign “Apprenticeships without Boarders”, Press release. https://presse.oead.at/news-oead-launches-apprenticeship-campaign-appre…
Germany (2023)
5.1.1. ACTIONS FOR RAISING AWARENESS OF THE ADDED VALUE OF MOBILITY AND/OR FOSTERING A MOBILITY CULTURE
Actions are in place for both awareness raising and promoting a mobility culture.
1. Raising awareness about the added value of mobility
To make young people aware of the added value of learning mobility, different communication tools are used, such as websites (1), video spots as well as events and distribution of individual success stories (2). They allow to outline the advantages of mobility experiences abroad and to convince learners and VET-providers of the benefits of learning abroad. For example, the film produced by the German National Agency at the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (NA at BIBB) in December 2018 concentrates on the benefits of learning abroad. It features two apprentices during their stay abroad in Amsterdam and highlights the added value and benefit of transnational mobility for the training company. A website (3) specifically addressing apprentices and VET-students and co-funded by Germany and the European Union was launched , also aiming to not only deliver information and guidance but further show how learning abroad can create an added-value in terms of international competences and personal development.
Raising stakeholders’ and VET-providers’ awareness about the added value of mobility is also an objective and an important task of the support center for transnational mobility in VET at the NA at BIBB. For example, both services provide different Employers Associations in different sectors with information about the added value of mobility in VET (for example Employers Association Chemistry Rhineland or Germand Trade Association) . ProTandem also uses peer-to-peer activities to convince enterprises and IVET-learners of the added value of learning abroad.
NA at BIBB provides regularly information and monitoring events for different target groups as VET schools, chambers and enterprises. To inform and point out the added-value of mobility activities for the successful development of enterprises, a new portal for VET institutions will be launched in 2023.
To prove the added value of learning mobility and to illustrate the reasons for learning abroad during, NA at BIBB published in 2018 the study " Transnational Mobility in Initial Vocational Education and Training 2017“. Based on empirical methods, this study documents and describes the benefit of international mobility experience for apprentices and their training companies/ VET-schools (4).
The awareness-raising on the added value of learning abroad is also supported by a decentralized information structure in order to reach as many VET-institutions and IVET-learners as possible. The NA at BIBB and its “Beratungsservice für Auslandsaufenthalte in der Ausbildung” (support center for transnational mobility in VET) cooperate with a network of multipliers who are located in chambers and schools in each Land. These multipliers promote the added value of stays abroad to VET-providers in their region and offer information and guidance concerning mobility activities (5).
The initiative "Berufsbildung ohne Grenzen" ("Training without Borders"), a structure of about 50 mobility counsellors located since 2009 at the different regional chambers of crafts as well as at the chambers of industry and commerce, is also an important player for disseminating information about the added-value of learning abroad (6). This initiative is funded by the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). It provides information and guidance on organizing mobility projects and points out the advantages of international learning experience for enterprises, apprentices, VET-schools and VET-students in full time IVET. ). In 2020, multipliers were made more visible with introducing the official label “Erasmus+ Berater/-innen Berufsbildung” (Erasmus+ Advisor VET). In order to receive this label, interested multipliers have to take part in information sessions by the NA at BIBB regularly, in order to ensure that they are always up-to-date on the newest developments within the programme. (7)
The NA at BIBB established a European network of Erasmus+ funded apprentices: EuroApprentices. Based on individual success experiences of German mobile apprentices, they give learning mobility an individual success experiences of German mobile apprentices, they give learning mobility an individual face and a personal story. By this, they help to spread information about the added value of mobility for learners in VET. (8)
2. Fostering a mobility culture
The development of a mobility culture in Germany is fostered by different initiatives in the Lander. The Lander are responsible for the VET schools and play an active role in supporting mobility and internationalization of VET curricula. Some examples are:
- The ministry of education in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) adopted a decree on the "Certification of vocational schools for their international cooperation activities in European vocational training". (9) With this decree, the ministry aims at strategically supporting and implementing international mobility and internationalisation at vocational schools in NRW. This decree includes a benchmark for mobility as well as a curriculum for the additional qualification “international VET mobility”. Vocational schools making transnational mobility possible for 10 % of their pupils and implementing this curriculum are given the certification. Further, the federal government of NRW adopted in September 2021 an Agenda for strengthening VET including a mobility culture and internationalisation of curricula. (10)
- Learning mobility is also promoted by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs in Baden-Württemberg (11). The Ministry supports the initiative "Go for Europe" (12). This office provides information and guidance on international mobility for learners and staff in VET. It addresses in particular small and medium-sized enterprises.
-In the Bavarian State, the “Staatsinstitut für Schulqualität und Bildungsforschung” (State Institute for School Quality and Educational Research) provides information, guidance and mobility projects for the Bavarian VET-schools in order to strengthen internationalisation in the VET-system and to foster international mobility for VET-students. (13)
-The City State Hamburg is also engaged in developing a mobility culture. In 2012 the Senate published a press release concerning the numbers of VET-students learning abroad and emphasized in this context the importance and added value of international mobility experience The City State Hamburg continues in implementing measures to foster a mobility culture in schools and enterprises and encourages them to participate in different funding programmes (14).
Regarding inbound mobility, the Federal Ministry for Employment and Social Affairs (BMAS) and the German Employment Agency (BA) funded a special programme to promote the vocational mobility of young Europeans (18-27 years old) interested in vocational training in Germany (Sonderprogramm "Förderung der beruflichen Mobilità¤t von ausbildungsinteressierten Jugendlichen aus Europa": MobiPro-EU). It was a German contribution to reduce the youth unemployment in Europe. (15) In order to facilitate the access to the labour market, the programme MobiPro-EU offered supporting measures to complete successfully a company-based VET training in Germany, e.g. German language courses before and during training, grant for travel and subsistence costs during training, and orientation measures. More than 2,300 apprentices have been awarded a grant. Also, several binational organizations foster the cross-border mobility of youth, including VET exchanges, and thus encourage foreign language skills, intercultural awareness as well as the internationalization of curricula, for ex. The Deutsch-Französisches Jugendwerk DFJW/OFAJ (Franco-German Youth Office), the Deutsch-Polnisches Jugendwerk DPJW (Polish-German Youth Office) or the Tandem - Koordinierungszentrums Deutsch-Tschechischer Jugendaustausch (Coordination centre for Czech-German youth exchanges).
The development of a mobility culture is also supported by law. The Federal act on VET states: "Parts of initial training may be completed abroad if this serves the purpose of training. The total duration of such training abroad shall not exceed one fourth of the duration of training specified in the initial training regulations" (16). The Coalition treaty between CDU/CSU and SPD issued in February 2014 states: "Our apprentices and trained specialists should be able to move successfully in international markets and develop intercultural skills. As a result, we want to double the proportion of young people who spend time abroad during their training" (17). This political commitment to learning abroad is repeated in the 2018 Coalition treaty between CDU/CSU and SPD (18). The Coalition treaty between SPD, Bündnis 90/Die Grünen and FDP from 2021 currently intents to strengthen European and international youth work, especially for apprentices (19).
The 2014 established Alliance for Initial and Further Training, consisting of the Federal Government and representatives from business, trade unions and the Länder, was renewed in 2019. Within the goal of strengthening the attractiveness and quality of the dual VET system, international mobility is mentioned explicitly. The Federal Government will continue to advance the international mobility of VET students through Erasmus+, ApprenticeshipWorldwide and, together with the industry “Training without Borders”. The Länder are called upon, to ensure that VET students can be released from VET school in order to take part in longer mobilities abroad (20).
The German Education Union (GEW) published in 2019 a 10-step-programme “Berufliche Schulen in Deutschland handlungsfähig machen für Europa” (“Make German VET schools fit for Europe”) demanding specific steps to ensure more VET students have the opportunity to take part in European mobilities (21).
A recommendation of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder (Kultusministerkonferenz KMK) from 2020 states, that international mobility helps improve the attractiveness of VET and the Länder should continue to provide the necessary conditions to facilitate VET students’ and teachers participation (22).
The mobility culture in Germany is also supported by funding initiatives. The BMBF co-funds "Poolprojekte" ("pool projects"), i.e. mobility projects organized by educational institutions for IVET-learners.
__________________________________________________
(1) https://www.meinauslandspraktikum.de/, , https://protandem.org/
(2) https://www.na-bibb.de/stories/berufsbildung/ ,
(3) https://www.meinauslandspraktikum.de/
(4) Umfragezentrum Bonn – Prof. Rudinger GmbH; July 2018. Transnational Mobility in Initial Vocational Education and Training 2017: https://www.na-bibb.de/fileadmin/user_upload/na-bibb.de/Dokumente/06_Me…
(5) https://www.na-bibb.de/erasmus-berufsbildung/mobilitaet/mobilitaetsland…
(6) https://www.berufsbildung-ohne-grenzen.de/
(7) https://www.na-bibb.de/erasmus-berufsbildung/mobilitaet/mobilitaetsland…
(8) https://www.na-bibb.de/erasmus-berufsbildung/mobilitaet/euroapprentices
(9) https://www.berufsbildung.nrw.de/cms/bildungsganguebergreifende-themen/…
(10) https://www.berufsbildung.nrw.de/cms/bildungsganguebergreifende-themen/i
(11) https://www.gut-ausgebildet.de/azubis
(12) http://www.goforeurope.de/
(13) http://www.isb.bayern.de/schulartspezifisches/ansprechpartner/schule-un… (eu-bildungsprogramme/
(14) https://bildung-international.hamburg.de/eu/erasmus/
(15) Förderung der beruflichen Mobilität von ausbildungsinterssierten Jugendlichen aus Europa (MobiPro-EU) — (nrw.de)
(16) https://www.bmbf.de/pub/BBiG_englisch_050805.pdf
(17) http://www.kas.de/wf/doc/kas_36853-544-2-30.pd140820093605
18) https://www.cdu.de/system/tdf/media/dokumente/koalitionsvertrag_2018.pdf..., pp 31; 37.
(19) https://cms.gruene.de/uploads/documents/Koalitionsvertrag-SPD-GRUENE-FD… page 98.
(20) https://www.aus-und-weiterbildungsallianz.de/AAW/Redaktion/DE/Downloads…
(21) https://www.na-bibb.de/fileadmin/user_upload/na-bibb.de/Dokumente/06_Me…
(22) https://www.kmk.org/fileadmin/veroeffentlichungen_beschluesse/2020/2020…
1. Raising awareness about the added value of mobility
To make young people aware of the added value of learning mobility, different communication tools are used, such as websites (1), video spots as well as events and distribution of individual success stories (2). They allow to outline the advantages of mobility experiences abroad and to convince learners and VET-providers of the benefits of learning abroad. For example, the film produced by the German National Agency at the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (NA at BIBB) in December 2018 concentrates on the benefits of learning abroad. It features two apprentices during their stay abroad in Amsterdam and highlights the added value and benefit of transnational mobility for the training company. A website (3) specifically addressing apprentices and VET-students and co-funded by Germany and the European Union was launched , also aiming to not only deliver information and guidance but further show how learning abroad can create an added-value in terms of international competences and personal development.
Raising stakeholders’ and VET-providers’ awareness about the added value of mobility is also an objective and an important task of the support center for transnational mobility in VET at the NA at BIBB. For example, both services provide different Employers Associations in different sectors with information about the added value of mobility in VET (for example Employers Association Chemistry Rhineland or Germand Trade Association) . ProTandem also uses peer-to-peer activities to convince enterprises and IVET-learners of the added value of learning abroad.
NA at BIBB provides regularly information and monitoring events for different target groups as VET schools, chambers and enterprises. To inform and point out the added-value of mobility activities for the successful development of enterprises, a new portal for VET institutions will be launched in 2023.
To prove the added value of learning mobility and to illustrate the reasons for learning abroad during, NA at BIBB published in 2018 the study " Transnational Mobility in Initial Vocational Education and Training 2017“. Based on empirical methods, this study documents and describes the benefit of international mobility experience for apprentices and their training companies/ VET-schools (4).
The awareness-raising on the added value of learning abroad is also supported by a decentralized information structure in order to reach as many VET-institutions and IVET-learners as possible. The NA at BIBB and its “Beratungsservice für Auslandsaufenthalte in der Ausbildung” (support center for transnational mobility in VET) cooperate with a network of multipliers who are located in chambers and schools in each Land. These multipliers promote the added value of stays abroad to VET-providers in their region and offer information and guidance concerning mobility activities (5).
The initiative "Berufsbildung ohne Grenzen" ("Training without Borders"), a structure of about 50 mobility counsellors located since 2009 at the different regional chambers of crafts as well as at the chambers of industry and commerce, is also an important player for disseminating information about the added-value of learning abroad (6). This initiative is funded by the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). It provides information and guidance on organizing mobility projects and points out the advantages of international learning experience for enterprises, apprentices, VET-schools and VET-students in full time IVET. ). In 2020, multipliers were made more visible with introducing the official label “Erasmus+ Berater/-innen Berufsbildung” (Erasmus+ Advisor VET). In order to receive this label, interested multipliers have to take part in information sessions by the NA at BIBB regularly, in order to ensure that they are always up-to-date on the newest developments within the programme. (7)
The NA at BIBB established a European network of Erasmus+ funded apprentices: EuroApprentices. Based on individual success experiences of German mobile apprentices, they give learning mobility an individual success experiences of German mobile apprentices, they give learning mobility an individual face and a personal story. By this, they help to spread information about the added value of mobility for learners in VET. (8)
2. Fostering a mobility culture
The development of a mobility culture in Germany is fostered by different initiatives in the Lander. The Lander are responsible for the VET schools and play an active role in supporting mobility and internationalization of VET curricula. Some examples are:
- The ministry of education in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) adopted a decree on the "Certification of vocational schools for their international cooperation activities in European vocational training". (9) With this decree, the ministry aims at strategically supporting and implementing international mobility and internationalisation at vocational schools in NRW. This decree includes a benchmark for mobility as well as a curriculum for the additional qualification “international VET mobility”. Vocational schools making transnational mobility possible for 10 % of their pupils and implementing this curriculum are given the certification. Further, the federal government of NRW adopted in September 2021 an Agenda for strengthening VET including a mobility culture and internationalisation of curricula. (10)
- Learning mobility is also promoted by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs in Baden-Württemberg (11). The Ministry supports the initiative "Go for Europe" (12). This office provides information and guidance on international mobility for learners and staff in VET. It addresses in particular small and medium-sized enterprises.
-In the Bavarian State, the “Staatsinstitut für Schulqualität und Bildungsforschung” (State Institute for School Quality and Educational Research) provides information, guidance and mobility projects for the Bavarian VET-schools in order to strengthen internationalisation in the VET-system and to foster international mobility for VET-students. (13)
-The City State Hamburg is also engaged in developing a mobility culture. In 2012 the Senate published a press release concerning the numbers of VET-students learning abroad and emphasized in this context the importance and added value of international mobility experience The City State Hamburg continues in implementing measures to foster a mobility culture in schools and enterprises and encourages them to participate in different funding programmes (14).
Regarding inbound mobility, the Federal Ministry for Employment and Social Affairs (BMAS) and the German Employment Agency (BA) funded a special programme to promote the vocational mobility of young Europeans (18-27 years old) interested in vocational training in Germany (Sonderprogramm "Förderung der beruflichen Mobilità¤t von ausbildungsinteressierten Jugendlichen aus Europa": MobiPro-EU). It was a German contribution to reduce the youth unemployment in Europe. (15) In order to facilitate the access to the labour market, the programme MobiPro-EU offered supporting measures to complete successfully a company-based VET training in Germany, e.g. German language courses before and during training, grant for travel and subsistence costs during training, and orientation measures. More than 2,300 apprentices have been awarded a grant. Also, several binational organizations foster the cross-border mobility of youth, including VET exchanges, and thus encourage foreign language skills, intercultural awareness as well as the internationalization of curricula, for ex. The Deutsch-Französisches Jugendwerk DFJW/OFAJ (Franco-German Youth Office), the Deutsch-Polnisches Jugendwerk DPJW (Polish-German Youth Office) or the Tandem - Koordinierungszentrums Deutsch-Tschechischer Jugendaustausch (Coordination centre for Czech-German youth exchanges).
The development of a mobility culture is also supported by law. The Federal act on VET states: "Parts of initial training may be completed abroad if this serves the purpose of training. The total duration of such training abroad shall not exceed one fourth of the duration of training specified in the initial training regulations" (16). The Coalition treaty between CDU/CSU and SPD issued in February 2014 states: "Our apprentices and trained specialists should be able to move successfully in international markets and develop intercultural skills. As a result, we want to double the proportion of young people who spend time abroad during their training" (17). This political commitment to learning abroad is repeated in the 2018 Coalition treaty between CDU/CSU and SPD (18). The Coalition treaty between SPD, Bündnis 90/Die Grünen and FDP from 2021 currently intents to strengthen European and international youth work, especially for apprentices (19).
The 2014 established Alliance for Initial and Further Training, consisting of the Federal Government and representatives from business, trade unions and the Länder, was renewed in 2019. Within the goal of strengthening the attractiveness and quality of the dual VET system, international mobility is mentioned explicitly. The Federal Government will continue to advance the international mobility of VET students through Erasmus+, ApprenticeshipWorldwide and, together with the industry “Training without Borders”. The Länder are called upon, to ensure that VET students can be released from VET school in order to take part in longer mobilities abroad (20).
The German Education Union (GEW) published in 2019 a 10-step-programme “Berufliche Schulen in Deutschland handlungsfähig machen für Europa” (“Make German VET schools fit for Europe”) demanding specific steps to ensure more VET students have the opportunity to take part in European mobilities (21).
A recommendation of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder (Kultusministerkonferenz KMK) from 2020 states, that international mobility helps improve the attractiveness of VET and the Länder should continue to provide the necessary conditions to facilitate VET students’ and teachers participation (22).
The mobility culture in Germany is also supported by funding initiatives. The BMBF co-funds "Poolprojekte" ("pool projects"), i.e. mobility projects organized by educational institutions for IVET-learners.
__________________________________________________
(1) https://www.meinauslandspraktikum.de/, , https://protandem.org/
(2) https://www.na-bibb.de/stories/berufsbildung/ ,
(3) https://www.meinauslandspraktikum.de/
(4) Umfragezentrum Bonn – Prof. Rudinger GmbH; July 2018. Transnational Mobility in Initial Vocational Education and Training 2017: https://www.na-bibb.de/fileadmin/user_upload/na-bibb.de/Dokumente/06_Me…
(5) https://www.na-bibb.de/erasmus-berufsbildung/mobilitaet/mobilitaetsland…
(6) https://www.berufsbildung-ohne-grenzen.de/
(7) https://www.na-bibb.de/erasmus-berufsbildung/mobilitaet/mobilitaetsland…
(8) https://www.na-bibb.de/erasmus-berufsbildung/mobilitaet/euroapprentices
(9) https://www.berufsbildung.nrw.de/cms/bildungsganguebergreifende-themen/…
(10) https://www.berufsbildung.nrw.de/cms/bildungsganguebergreifende-themen/i
(11) https://www.gut-ausgebildet.de/azubis
(12) http://www.goforeurope.de/
(13) http://www.isb.bayern.de/schulartspezifisches/ansprechpartner/schule-un… (eu-bildungsprogramme/
(14) https://bildung-international.hamburg.de/eu/erasmus/
(15) Förderung der beruflichen Mobilität von ausbildungsinterssierten Jugendlichen aus Europa (MobiPro-EU) — (nrw.de)
(16) https://www.bmbf.de/pub/BBiG_englisch_050805.pdf
(17) http://www.kas.de/wf/doc/kas_36853-544-2-30.pd140820093605
18) https://www.cdu.de/system/tdf/media/dokumente/koalitionsvertrag_2018.pdf..., pp 31; 37.
(19) https://cms.gruene.de/uploads/documents/Koalitionsvertrag-SPD-GRUENE-FD… page 98.
(20) https://www.aus-und-weiterbildungsallianz.de/AAW/Redaktion/DE/Downloads…
(21) https://www.na-bibb.de/fileadmin/user_upload/na-bibb.de/Dokumente/06_Me…
(22) https://www.kmk.org/fileadmin/veroeffentlichungen_beschluesse/2020/2020…
Portugal (2023)
5.1.1. ACTIONS FOR RAISING AWARENESS OF THE ADDED VALUE OF MOBILITY AND/OR FOSTERING A MOBILITY CULTURE
Raising awareness about the added value of mobility
The NA Erasmus+ plays a relevant role in the process of raising the awareness of students, their families, teachers, trainers, employers, and other players in the educational community about the added value of mobility. It draws attention to the language and cultural learning, and other effects of mobility experiences on the personal and professional development of learners.
The European and language clubs at schools disseminate outcomes of mobility experiences using photos and student testimonials through face-to-face sessions or online. Emphasis is put on:
- the cognitive, social and emotional skills of students, teachers and the educational community in general;
- networking opportunities with other education systems at European level;
- knowledge through multicultural experiences based on sharing, teamwork and contact with other cultures and countries;
- reinforcing European awareness and dialogue;
- further involvement in decision-making processes as to personal and vocational paths;
- fostering citizenship and civic participation.
The added value for VET providers and schools is also outlined:
- train and value their teaching staff;
- assert themselves as a reference educational model;
- enhance the attractiveness of VET; promote intercultural dialogue;
- foster their internationalisation in an increasingly global scenario;
- encourage learners to become involved in their own training;
- update the skills of trainers;
- promote the sharing of experiences to compare educational practices;
- improve the process of school and vocational guidance.
Promoting a mobility culture
A good example of the actions to promote a mobility culture in Portugal is the development of the 1st Regional Action Plan for Youth in the Algarve region (1), in the southern part of the country. The plan is supported by the Erasmus+ Programme, and it is promoted and developed by the Cooperative for Education, Cooperation and Development – ECOS. This plan, built following a participatory and cross-sectoral approach, involves more than 90 regional and local institutions and organisations (municipalities, regional offices, associations). It was drawn up in dialogue with the youth population through a series of meetings and work sessions held in various parts of Algarve. One of its strategic objectives is to promote a favourable environment for the international mobility of young people through a set of specific actions, namely:
- the creation of a regional fund supported by local authorities (municipalities and the Algarve intermunicipal community) to develop international mobility by complementing existing financial aids;
- the creation of a physical and online network on mobility opportunities and European volunteering;
- the creation of an annual regional intervention plan that comprises the organisation of awareness-raising sessions on opportunities for international mobility involving partners from different backgrounds (employment, training and formal, non-formal and vocational education, promotion of personal and professional enrichment opportunities), targeting young people, families and caregivers, and teachers, which include the sharing of experiences and storytelling strategies.
Specific measures have also been taken at national level to infuse a greater international scope in the curriculum. The Education ministry created a theoretical frame of reference entitled European Dimension of Education for pre-school, basic and secondary education (2). Approved in March 2016 and designed in partnership with the European Information Centre Jacques Delors, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the NA Erasmus+, it is intended to serve – among others – as a reference for the development of European citizenship in schools. Its sub-theme ‘Mobility in the EU: The role of schools’ is specifically aimed at students of the lower (3) and upper secondary education. Its expected learning outcomes are to bring about the knowledge of cooperation programmes, projects and exchanges that promote European citizenship and the value of mobility opportunities in the EU. Students are expected to:
- get acquainted with the Erasmus+ programme in its various dimensions;
- develop interest in participating in eTwinning projects;
- know about the possibilities of mobility in the European area (participation in projects);
- understand that mobility experiences play an important role in their development as persons and professionals, and;
- recognise language learning as a factor that favours citizens'
__________
(1) http://algarve2020.ecos.pt/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/1%C2%BA-Plano_-AL…
(2) https://www.dge.mec.pt/sites/default/files/ECidadania/Dimensao_Europeia….
(3) The last three years of basic education before accessing secondary education, as named in Portuguese.
The NA Erasmus+ plays a relevant role in the process of raising the awareness of students, their families, teachers, trainers, employers, and other players in the educational community about the added value of mobility. It draws attention to the language and cultural learning, and other effects of mobility experiences on the personal and professional development of learners.
The European and language clubs at schools disseminate outcomes of mobility experiences using photos and student testimonials through face-to-face sessions or online. Emphasis is put on:
- the cognitive, social and emotional skills of students, teachers and the educational community in general;
- networking opportunities with other education systems at European level;
- knowledge through multicultural experiences based on sharing, teamwork and contact with other cultures and countries;
- reinforcing European awareness and dialogue;
- further involvement in decision-making processes as to personal and vocational paths;
- fostering citizenship and civic participation.
The added value for VET providers and schools is also outlined:
- train and value their teaching staff;
- assert themselves as a reference educational model;
- enhance the attractiveness of VET; promote intercultural dialogue;
- foster their internationalisation in an increasingly global scenario;
- encourage learners to become involved in their own training;
- update the skills of trainers;
- promote the sharing of experiences to compare educational practices;
- improve the process of school and vocational guidance.
Promoting a mobility culture
A good example of the actions to promote a mobility culture in Portugal is the development of the 1st Regional Action Plan for Youth in the Algarve region (1), in the southern part of the country. The plan is supported by the Erasmus+ Programme, and it is promoted and developed by the Cooperative for Education, Cooperation and Development – ECOS. This plan, built following a participatory and cross-sectoral approach, involves more than 90 regional and local institutions and organisations (municipalities, regional offices, associations). It was drawn up in dialogue with the youth population through a series of meetings and work sessions held in various parts of Algarve. One of its strategic objectives is to promote a favourable environment for the international mobility of young people through a set of specific actions, namely:
- the creation of a regional fund supported by local authorities (municipalities and the Algarve intermunicipal community) to develop international mobility by complementing existing financial aids;
- the creation of a physical and online network on mobility opportunities and European volunteering;
- the creation of an annual regional intervention plan that comprises the organisation of awareness-raising sessions on opportunities for international mobility involving partners from different backgrounds (employment, training and formal, non-formal and vocational education, promotion of personal and professional enrichment opportunities), targeting young people, families and caregivers, and teachers, which include the sharing of experiences and storytelling strategies.
Specific measures have also been taken at national level to infuse a greater international scope in the curriculum. The Education ministry created a theoretical frame of reference entitled European Dimension of Education for pre-school, basic and secondary education (2). Approved in March 2016 and designed in partnership with the European Information Centre Jacques Delors, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the NA Erasmus+, it is intended to serve – among others – as a reference for the development of European citizenship in schools. Its sub-theme ‘Mobility in the EU: The role of schools’ is specifically aimed at students of the lower (3) and upper secondary education. Its expected learning outcomes are to bring about the knowledge of cooperation programmes, projects and exchanges that promote European citizenship and the value of mobility opportunities in the EU. Students are expected to:
- get acquainted with the Erasmus+ programme in its various dimensions;
- develop interest in participating in eTwinning projects;
- know about the possibilities of mobility in the European area (participation in projects);
- understand that mobility experiences play an important role in their development as persons and professionals, and;
- recognise language learning as a factor that favours citizens'
__________
(1) http://algarve2020.ecos.pt/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/1%C2%BA-Plano_-AL…
(2) https://www.dge.mec.pt/sites/default/files/ECidadania/Dimensao_Europeia….
(3) The last three years of basic education before accessing secondary education, as named in Portuguese.