- 2017Approved/Agreed
- 2018Implementation
- 2019Implementation
- 2020Implementation
- 2021Implementation
- 2022Implementation
- 2023Implementation
- 2024Implementation
Background
The previous version of the VET Law was in force from 2007 until 2017. The main efforts to improve the VET system have been related to the mismatch between the supply of education and the demands of the labour market, for which the education system has been criticised for many years.
Objectives
When amending the VET Law in 2017, three main goals were identified:
- to change the VET system fundamentally in response to changes in the State's economic development;
- to change the management and funding of VET schools in a way that would attract more social partners and more funding;
- to change the quality assurance system to increase the prestige of VET.
Description
A new VET Law was adopted on 14 December 2017, with some of its articles coming into force on 1 February 2018 and others on 1 January 2019. The law emphasised the importance of workplace learning and apprenticeship, clarifying the regulation on apprenticeships. It also enhanced the role of sectoral professional committees, in particular with respect to the planning of apprenticeships and the coordination of qualifications systems at a sectoral level. In addition, the law redefined the rules for quality assurance in line with European quality assurance in vocational education and training (EQAVET) (including in the areas of self-assessment, internal quality management, regular external evaluation, accreditation and indicator-based monitoring of VET). Financial support to VET learners was also reformed. VET institutions became self-governing (meaning their shareholders should be employers, municipal institutions). Under the legislation, MOSTA (the Research and Higher Education Monitoring and Analysis Centre) is in charge of monitoring VET and human resources, collecting and analysing data, forecasting skills needs, and preparing recommendations for the provision of training in line with this.
In implementing provisions of the Law on VET in 2018, it was planned to amend more than 20 by-laws. The main changes proposed were related to strengthening the quality of VET, ensuring general transparency in the sector and restructuring...
A new VET Law was adopted on 14 December 2017, with some of its articles coming into force on 1 February 2018 and others on 1 January 2019. The law emphasised the importance of workplace learning and apprenticeship, clarifying the regulation on apprenticeships. It also enhanced the role of sectoral professional committees, in particular with respect to the planning of apprenticeships and the coordination of qualifications systems at a sectoral level. In addition, the law redefined the rules for quality assurance in line with European quality assurance in vocational education and training (EQAVET) (including in the areas of self-assessment, internal quality management, regular external evaluation, accreditation and indicator-based monitoring of VET). Financial support to VET learners was also reformed. VET institutions became self-governing (meaning their shareholders should be employers, municipal institutions). Under the legislation, MOSTA (the Research and Higher Education Monitoring and Analysis Centre) is in charge of monitoring VET and human resources, collecting and analysing data, forecasting skills needs, and preparing recommendations for the provision of training in line with this.
In implementing provisions of the Law on VET in 2018, it was planned to amend more than 20 by-laws. The main changes proposed were related to strengthening the quality of VET, ensuring general transparency in the sector and restructuring the VET forms of organisation. Decisions were first made on the last of these. In 2017, for the first time, centralised admission to VET programmes was put in place.
Another measure involved in implementing the Law on VET's provisions is the restructuring of the network of institutions involved in this area. The aim of this is to create preconditions for high-quality VET, effective use of finances, and optimal investment in VET infrastructure and human resources. This transformation also seeks to help match the programmes implemented by VET institutions to the needs of companies operating in the region and to trim excess assets.
Important steps have also been taken to improve the quality of VET to aid adaptation to constantly changing labour market conditions, enabling flexibility and for people who have already acquired education to acquire required specific competences and qualifications. The implementation of modular programmes in VET schools has been encouraged, as well as the recoding of all curricula.
In 2019, further provisions of the law were implemented, with a new version of the VET financing methodology and a description of the Procedure for organising apprenticeship VET developed, coordinated and adopted. These legal acts were approved by resolutions of the Government of Lithuania. Other changes were made through the adoption of orders at the level of the Minister for Education, Science and Sport, including in relation to documents on matters such as restructuring the network of VET institutions, the development of lifelong learning, and regulating the development and licensing of VET programmes. The development of a new model for the assessment of competences and the recognition of qualifications continued, along with that for the external evaluation of VET quality, the development and approval of new versions of qualifications standards, and the redesign of VET content.
In 2020, the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports approved a procedure for the assessment of acquired competences, according to which a VET diploma is issued. Possibilities to participate in the assessment of competences extend to self-trained candidates who have acquired professional competences through apprenticeships, work experience, self-education, and non-formal learning. The competence assessment is organised by the Qualifications and VET Development Centre (KPMPC). Accredited institutions uniting and representing employers' associations delegate experts to the competence assessment commissions - practitioners and professionals of the sector from companies - to assist in the preparation of tasks. Candidates are required to complete practical skills-related tasks in the sectoral practical training centres (SPTCs) and to take a standardised test of the theoretical part of competences through an electronic testing system administered by the National Education Agency.
In 2020, in order to ensure the quality of VET, the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports established a procedure for external evaluation of the activities of VET providers. This assessment applies not only to VET institutions but also to all other providers of formal VET. In the external evaluation procedure. The results achieved by VET providers are monitored according to five indicators: filling of State-funded VET places, the share of apprentices, dropout rates, learning achievements, and employment of graduates.
In 2020, the description of the procedure for awarding student scholarships and material support was updated. From September 2020, excellent VET students can receive scholarships equivalent to scholarships in Higher Education. Meanwhile, they also get material support like HE students do.
In 2021, the National Education Agency organised external evaluation of VET providers in line with the methodology approved in 2020, common for VET institutions and other training providers offering formal VET. The evaluation helped test the suitability of the methodology for all VET providers.
VET institution assessment was carried out on the basis of the three year self-assessment reports, three year activity report, statistics, publicly available information about them and information gathered during remote meetings with target groups (students, teachers, graduates, social partners). The activities of VET institutions were evaluated in five areas:
- leadership and management (including quality management, involvement of the community and employers, provision of vocational training that meets the needs of the regional labour market);
- implementation of vocational training programmes (including the organisation of teaching, satisfaction of students and teachers);
- staff (including the qualification and retraining of vocational teachers);
- teaching and learning resources (including the adequacy of material and methodological resources);
- teaching and learning outcomes (including student qualifications, employability of graduates, satisfaction of students and employers with the competences acquired by employed graduates).
In 2022, external evaluators and VET providers received training on such topics as: how to use indicators for quality assurance, qualitative and quantitative research and data collection methods as well as for preparation of self-assessment reports.
In 2022, the development programme for the Economic Recovery and Resilience Measures for Lithuania was approved. Component 4 of the Economic Recovery and Resilience Measure 'Quality and accessible lifelong education for every resident' includes a component dedicated to the development of VET with the title: 'Improve the correspondence between the competences acquired in VET and the labour market needs in order to adapt to the changing environment'.
Aiming to implement the objectives of the above-mentioned measure, the minister of Education and Science approved on 9 June 2022 the development programme for VET, 'Creating a vocational training system that responds to the needs of the labour market' (No. 12-003-03-04-03). The aim of the development measure is to increase the attractiveness of vocational education and its compliance with the needs of the labour market, by expanding the opportunities for acquiring professional competences in general education schools and at the workplace, by providing support to learners from disadvantaged groups, and by providing regional vocational education institutions with modern infrastructure according to the latest trends.
Within the measure, the review of VET Law (2017) and the introduction of some additional legal acts are foreseen regarding:
- the appointment of VET institutions by the minister for education, science and sport for assessment of acquired competences;
- the establishment of financing schemes for development of VET in the form of apprenticeship;
- the launch of a national platform on progress in VET in order to identify the need for updating/developing VET curricula.
In 2023, the procedure for assessing acquired competencies was amended (Order No. V-1294 of the Minister of Education, Science and Sport, 4 October 2023, amending Order No. V-15 of 14 January 2015 on the approval of the description of the procedure for assessing competencies acquired by a person). The revised procedure stipulates that the Minister of Education, Science and Sport appoints Competence Assessment Centres to assess the practical skills required for level 4 and 5 qualifications and defines their responsibilities.
In June 2024, a legal act regulating the procedure for the external evaluation of VET providers' activities (Description of the procedure for the external evaluation of the activities of vocational training institutions and other vocational training providers providing formal vocational training) was amended. The amendment authorises KPMPC to organise and carry out the external evaluation of VET providers' performance. Until 3 July 2024, this responsibility was held by the National Education Agency.
Bodies responsible
- Ministry of Education, Science and Sport
- Qualifications and VET Development Centre (KPMPC)
- Lithuanian Employment Service
- National Education Agency
Target groups
Education professionals
- Teachers
- Trainers
- School leaders
- Adult educators
Entities providing VET
- VET providers (all kinds)
Thematic categories
Governance of VET and lifelong learning
This thematic category looks at existing legal frameworks providing for strategic, operational – including quality assurance – and financing arrangements for VET and lifelong learning (LLL). It examines how VET and LLL-related policies are placed in broad national socioeconomic contexts and coordinate with other strategies and policies, such as economic, social and employment, growth and innovation, recovery and resilience.
This thematic category covers partnerships and collaboration networks of VET stakeholders – especially the social partners – to shape and implement VET in a country, including looking at how their roles and responsibilities for VET at national, regional and local levels are shared and distributed, ensuring an appropriate degree of autonomy for VET providers to adapt their offer.
The thematic category also includes efforts to create national, regional and sectoral skills intelligence systems (skills anticipation and graduate tracking) and using skills intelligence for making decisions about VET and LLL on quality, inclusiveness and flexibility.
This thematic sub-category refers to further development of national quality assurance (QA) systems for IVET and CVET, for all learning environments (school-based provision and work-based learning, including apprenticeships) and all learning types (digital, face-to-face or blended), delivered by both public and private providers. These systems are underpinned by the EQAVET quality criteria and by indicative descriptors applied both at system and provider levels, as defined in Annex II of the VET Recommendation. The sub-category concerns creating and improving external and self-evaluation of VET providers, and establishing criteria of QA, accreditation of providers and programmes. It also covers the activities of Quality assurance national reference points for VET on implementing and further developing the EQAVET framework, including the implementation of peer reviews at VET system level.
Modernising VET offer and delivery
This thematic category looks at what and how individuals learn, how learning content and learning outcomes in initial and continuing VET are defined, adapted and updated. First and foremost, it examines how VET standards, curricula, programmes and training courses are updated and modernised or new ones created. Updated and renewed VET content ensures that learners acquire a balanced mix of competences that address modern demands, and are more closely aligned with the realities of the labour market, including key competences, digital competences and skills for green transition and sustainability, both sector-specific and across sectors. Using learning outcomes as a basis is important to facilitate this modernisation, including modularisation of VET programmes. Updating and developing teaching and learning materials to support the above is also part of the category.
The thematic category continues to focus on strengthening high-quality and inclusive apprenticeships and work-based learning in real-life work environments and in line with the European framework for quality and effective apprenticeships. It looks at expanding apprenticeship to continuing vocational training and at developing VET programmes at EQF levels 5-8 for better permeability and lifelong learning and to support the need for higher vocational skills.
This thematic category also focuses on VET delivery through a mix of open, digital and participative learning environments, including workplaces conducive to learning, which are flexible, more adaptable to the ways individuals learn, and provide more access and outreach to various groups of learners, diversifying modes of learning and exploiting the potential of digital learning solutions and blended learning to complement face-to-face learning.
Centres of vocational excellence that connect VET to innovation and skill ecosystems and facilitate stronger cooperation with business and research also fall into this category.
The learning-outcomes-based approaches focus on what a learner is expected to know, to be able to do and understand at the end of a learning process (Cedefop, 2016). Learning outcomes can be defined at the system level as in national qualification frameworks (NQFs), most of which are currently based on learning outcomes. Learning outcomes can be defined in qualification standards, curricula, learning programmes and assessment, although the last one is still uncommon. This thematic sub-category refers to the use of learning outcomes in these contexts and to development and use of modules or units of learning outcomes in VET curricula and programmes.
This thematic sub-category covers all developments related to work-based learning (WBL) elements in VET programmes and apprenticeships which continue to be important in the policy agenda. It includes measures to stabilise the offer of apprenticeships, the implementation of the European framework for quality and effective apprenticeships, and using the EU on-demand support services and policy learning initiatives among the Member States. It also covers further expansion of apprenticeships and WBL to continuing VET (CVET), for transition to work and inclusion of vulnerable groups, and for improving citizens’ qualification levels.
Supporting lifelong learning culture and increasing participation
Lifelong learning refers to all learning (formal, non-formal or informal) taking place at all stages in life and resulting in an improvement or update in knowledge, skills, competences and attitudes or in participation in society from a personal, civic, cultural, social or employment-related perspective (Erasmus+, Glossary of terms, https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/programme-guide/part-d/glossary-common-terms). A systemic approach to CVET is crucial to ensure adaptability to evolving demands.
This broad thematic category looks at ways of creating opportunities and ensuring access to re-skilling and upskilling pathways, allowing individuals to progress smoothly in their learning throughout their lives with better permeability between general and vocational education and training, and better integration and compatibility between initial and continuing VET and with higher education. Individuals should be supported in acquiring and updating their skills and competences and navigating easily through education and training systems. Strategies and campaigns that promote VET and LLL as an attractive and high-quality pathway, providing quality lifelong guidance and tailored support to design learning and career paths, and various incentives (financial and non-financial) to attract and support participation in VET and LLL fall into this thematic category as well.
This thematic category also includes many initiatives on making VET inclusive and ensuring equal education and training opportunities for various groups of learners, regardless of their personal and economic background and place of residence – especially those at risk of disadvantage or exclusion, such as persons with disabilities, the low-skilled and low-qualified, minorities, migrants, refugees and others.
This thematic sub-category refers to all kinds of incentives that encourage learners to take part in VET and lifelong learning; VET providers to improve, broaden and update their offer; companies to provide places for apprenticeship and work-based learning, and to stimulate and support learning of their employees. It also includes measures addressing specific challenges of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) willing to create work-based learning opportunities in different sectors. Incentives can be financial (e.g. grants, allowances, tax incentives, levy/grant mechanisms, vouchers, training credits, individual learning accounts) and non-financial (e.g. information/advice on funding opportunities, technical support, mentoring).
Subsystem
Further reading
Country
Type of development
Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Modernising VET legal framework: Lithuania. In Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Timeline of VET policies in Europe (2024 update) [Online tool].
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/timeline-vet-policies-europe/search/28331