Country fiches

Actions have been taken in two directions:

1. Use of multipliers
In the Czech Republic, the multipliers are the project coordinators, who are mostly teachers from schools implementing the mobility project. Multipliers prepare articles (sometimes in the form of interviews) published on the school website or Facebook or in regional media/TV. They also deliver presentations for schools’ pupils and their parents, or other secondary schools, or cooperating companies. They also organise “project days” for the wide public (for example a gastronomy project prepared the dishes that students had learnt and presented photos and videos taken during the mobility for sharing with participants), those who are making their first carrier choice and also for social partners of the school. Multipliers are invited every year to various dissemination events together with their students to showcase the outcomes and promote the benefits of mobility experience.

2.Valuing staff commitment to organising mobility activities
Within the Erasmus+ Programme, every year, the DZS Award is announced for the best projects in the field of Vocational Education and Training. It is a public event, with staff being presented with awards on the stage. Usually also the press is invited. A brochure containing a description of the related projects is published by the DZS.

Actions have been taken in three directions.

1. Encouraging the use of multipliers
It is a common practice in VET institutions to encourage multipliers to share their experiences with future mobile IVET learners. Every semester, VET institutions organise practice seminars, where multipliers from different fields of vocational study introduce their mobility period, sharing experiences and recommendations. These events are very popular among VET learners.
The Archimedes Foundation organises a project “Mobility to Europe and back”, the purpose of which is to share fun or instructional stories and pictures from their experiences during their mobility period. Authors of the best pictures and stories are rewarded in the “Mobility promoter of the year” event. The purpose of the event is to popularise mobility among learners.

2. Valuing staff's commitment to organising mobility
On a regular basis, the Archimedes Foundation organises events like “Mobility promoter of the year” or “Traveller of the year” with the purpose of highlighting outstanding persons who have contributed to the promotion of the mobility programme.

3. Mainstreaming mobility in the training and background of staff
Inter alia, the Estonian Lifelong Learning Strategy’s Vocational Education Programme aimed at increasing students’ and teachers’ mobility and schools’ participation in international networks, as well as improving international cooperation and vocational education policy. The programme has been updated every year with regard to the next four years and confirmed by the Minister of Education and Research. VET institutions are oriented to increasing the number of teachers’ mobility placements, including internship and/or training. The purpose is to motivate teachers and thereby improve teaching quality.

Actions have been taken in three directions.

1. Encouraging the use of ‘multipliers’ to exchange with not yet mobile IVET learners and inspire and motivate them to become mobile
EDUFI/Erasmus+ NA interviews different kind of learners, teachers and workplace trainers about their experiences in VET mobility and publishes these in articles or videos, which are distributed on the webpage and in the social media (youtube, facebook, twitter).
The Erasmus+ NA participates also in Transnational Cooperation Activity TCA EuroApprentice in which the learners share their experiences in learning mobility mainly through social media.
The student unions in VET are important information channels to reach out to non-mobile youth in the VET institutions. The national authorities including the Erasmus+ NA carry out a constant dialogue with the unions.

2. Encouraging IVET institutions to recognise and value teachers’, trainers’ and youth workers’ commitment to learning mobility
The skills and competencies gained by staff of IVET institutions though participating in / organizing international exchanges and activities are taken into account in the performance appraisal of the staff.

3. Mainstreaming learning mobility as a component in the initial training and continuous professional development of heads of IVET institutions, teachers, trainers, administrative staff and youth workers
The initial training of Finnish VET teachers contains components of international and global nature, covering the topics of international mobility and cooperation. In addition, many VET providers have arranged for their staff paths for professional development in Internationalisation. Teachers, trainers and youth workers are encouraged to participate in international exchanges either as a support person (e.g. for disadvantaged learners groups) or as an individual work-shadowing/teaching period which is a recognized as part of their professional development.

Actions have been taken in two directions
1. Encouraging the use of ‘multipliers’ to exchange with not yet mobile IVET learners and inspire and motivate them to become mobile
In the framework of Erasmus+ mobility projects, Anefore uses testimonies in order to promote mobility and to motivate not yet mobile IVET learners. The testimonies come from former mobility candidates, but also school directors and teachers, and occasionally Erasmus + ambassadors, who all play as multipliers. Testimonies take place through participation in meetings and conferences, but also through videos and articles posted on the institutions' web sites or presented in publications, or on their Facebook or Youtube pages. Anefore also strongly encourages the sending institutions, which are in direct contact with potential mobility candidates, to organize for parents and learners information sessions where testimonies are presented.
2. Encouraging IVET institutions to recognise and value teachers’, trainers’ and youth workers’ commitment to learning mobility
A discharge can be given to teachers who are in charge of mobility projects and who accompany mobile learners.

The country has taken initiatives in two of the three dimensions

1. Encouraging the use of ‘multipliers’ to exchange with not yet mobile IVET learners and inspire and motivate them to become mobile. Those who have successfully implemented a mobility projects for IVET pupils and apprentices, are invited to the information, training and thematic seminars dealing with this topic, to share their experience and give advice to the ‘newcomers’ preparing their applications under the Erasmus+ programme in order to reach additional not yet mobile IVET learners.
Since SAAIC implemented an initiative titled ‘Role models’ which offers individual success stories to motivate others to participate in mobility, inter alia as an opportunity to escape from the disadvantage environment trap. These success stories are placed on the Erasmus+ website and were also presented within specialised seminars aimed at disadvantaged learners and educators working with them.

2. Encouraging IVET institutions to recognise and value teachers’, trainers’ and youth workers’ commitment to learning mobility. Currently, only IVET institutions recognise the involvement in mobility activities as a part of the personal development of staff members. Earlier it was possible, despite administrative burdens, to receive credits, and, eventually, also financial bonuses as a consequence of recognised progress in professionalisation. A new model of continuing professional development introduced by the Act on Pedagogical and Professional Staff (138/2019) reduced the options to receive bonuses to wages. New mechanisms to recognise improvement in professional development and in the career progression have not yet been settled

Actions have been taken in two directions

1. Valuing staff commitment
At school level, IVET centres carry out dissemination and evaluation activities of their mobility projects so as to be valued by the entire educational community. Related information is integrated in their annual report, and in many cases, Heads of International Projects and other staff involved in mobility projects can allocate mobility management time within their official schedule.

2. Mainstreaming mobility in the training of staff
The institutions responsible for the training of IVET teachers usually (a) offer their students opportunities for participating in EU-oriented training sessions; and (b) send abroad their students for traineeships in European companies.

Internationalisation, i.e. international contacts, co-operation and exchange in education, is stated in the curriculum for upper secondary school, and is as such encouraged. IVET institutions can utilise remunerations to recognise and value school staff’s commitment to organising learning mobility. The remuneration rule is that teachers' salaries are individually set depending on how well the teacher has met the goals set up. Thus, VET institutions have room for valuing commitment to mobility through adjusting salaries accordingly.