Strengthening self-evaluation for training providers / VET Quality Management System

A national VET tracking system is under development within the framework of the project Improving the quality and content of 21st century vocational training and adult education (GINOP - 6.2.4).

Following the adoption of the Act on VET LXXX in 2019, the Educational Authority did not make a verification plan for the self-assessment of IVET institutions in 2020. According to the provisions of the new act, VET institutions have to develop a comprehensive institutional quality management system (QMS) by 31 August 2022. In terms of quality assurance, its envisaged elements of the VET institutions include:

1. self-assessment of VET institutions and school leaders every two years;
2. evaluation of VET teachers every three years;
3. external evaluation, under the responsibility of IKK Innovative Training Support Centre, every four years.

In 2020, an evaluation system of VET teachers was elaborated and used to differentiate their salary increases. The criteria for the new assessment of VET teachers were created based on the EQAVET. The assessment of VET teachers and their differentiated and objective evaluation was made by the directors of the VET institutions. The exact amount of the pay rise in 2020 was determined individually. The new system is performance-based and applied to almost 32 000 people working in IVET and adult education. The rise was differentiated. The directors of the IVET institutions evaluated the work quality of their employees based on 10 criteria. The evaluation criteria included job evaluation and assessment of professional competences. The elements of the job evaluation were qualifications, professional experience and the labour market value. For instance, knowledge of foreign languages was taken into account as an advantage when assessing qualifications. In addition to the duration of time worked as a teacher, relevant labour market experience and international professional experience were also taken into account in the professional experience. The following professional competences were assessed; the professionalism of the trainers, the use of modern methodologies relevant to vocational education and training, the planning of their pedagogical work (e.g. whether they take into account the needs and abilities of learners in their planning, whether they incorporate digital teaching methods and tools in their activities), their pedagogical evaluation, their cooperation with other trainers, parents and dual partners, their activities in personal development, in team leadership, in learning support, their innovation and professional commitment. Participation in teaching material development and students' performance in examinations, competitions and competency tests were also assessed.

The implementation of the career tracking system in VET is a continuing procedure; the most important elements have already been created: the Adult training reporting system (FAR) and the VET information system (SZIR) modules within the Public Education Registration and Study Information System (NEPTUN-KRETA). A career tracking system in adult training has been elaborated and is expected to be introduced in 2021.

In 2021, the development of an independent quality management system for vocational education and training, which has been separated from public education, was launched. The result of this development are the system elements described in the Self-assessment Handbook for Vocational Education and Training Institutions, which entered into force in January 2022, and the methodological guidelines for quality management system development of vocational education and training institutions.

According to the Act LXXX. 82. § (1), business organisations may participate in vocational education and training as a dual training partner in cooperation with vocational education and training institutions, if they operate a quality management system in line with that of the vocational education and training institution or at least meet the quality requirements set out in the criteria developed by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry therefore developed these criteria for the year 2021.

VET institutions, regardless of their maintainer developed their QMS (Minoségirányítási Rendszer MIR) by 31 August 2022 with the methodological support of the Ministry of Innovation and Technology. Dual VET providers also revised their quality management approach by 31 August 2022.

The description of the MIR of the institution had to be prepared by the director, submitted to the teaching body and the training council for their opinion and approved by the maintainer (within 30 days after the submission).

IVET institutions under the quality policy:

1. define the mission and vision of the IVET institution and adopt a strategy to ensure and improve the quality of VET;
2. set quality objectives to ensure and improve the quality of VET provision;
3. develop an evaluation system for VET teachers based on the basis of a methodological proposal issued by the Minister responsible for VET.

Sustainability is based on a well prepared and operational MIR specification. It needs to be kept operational during the biennial self-evaluation cycles and in preparation for external evaluation. Consistent and systematic application of the EQAVET quality assurance and quality development cycle, closing the quality loop, implementing improvements are necessary to ensure that the data provided by quality assurance activities - internal and external measurements, audits and evaluations - are fed back into the planning process and used by institutions to improve and develop VET, professional-pedagogical work and institutional operations.

The start of the two-year institutional self-evaluation cycle is 1 September 2022. Within the evaluation cycle, the following is assessed:

1. the achievement of strategic and quality objectives (e.g. whether the institution's professional programme enables learners to achieve learning outcomes and to participate actively in the learning process):
2. the regulated processes;
3. the annual evolution of indicators (elements supporting self-evaluation). There are 24 mandatory indicators which can be identified from existing electronic databases, data services, e.g. Kréta system);
4. results of the partner needs and satisfaction survey (whether the institution consults relevant partners to identify local labour market and individual training needs);
5. the action plan and the effectiveness of its implementation.

The merged Self-evaluation guide effective as of 1 January 2022 contains the set of evaluation criteria, the indicator system, the processes to be regulated, the measurement tools, the work templates and the proposed procedure and methodology for VET institution self-evaluation conducted every two years. The VET institutions analyse the results of self-evaluation, identify strengths and points that need improvement, elaborate action plans and implement improvement actions. It also includes the institutional criteria and the evaluation criteria for the director of the institution.

The guide is available on the website of IKK Zrt.

Self-evaluation and external evaluation are carried out on the basis of the same set of criteria, expectations and respective indicators. External evaluation is carried out by the IKK Innovative Training Support Centre Ltd.

By 31 August 2022, VET schools were required to develop their own quality management systems based on the self-evaluation manual. In 2023, they conducted the first performance-based evaluations of VET teachers - based on VET schools' QMSs - in line with the methodological recommendations. The 2024 salary increase was based on the performance-based evaluation of VET teachers conducted in May-June 2023.

By July 2024, VET schools and their heads completed a self-evaluation process based on evidence such as stakeholder needs (e.g. employer feedback), satisfaction survey results, and VET indicators. This provided school management and the governing VET centres (maintainers) with a comprehensive overview of the functioning and performance of VET schools.

Based on the self-evaluation results, VET schools launched intervention and development activities from 1 September 2024. Their effectiveness and efficiency will be continuously monitored by the schools and assessed during the next self-evaluation, which will take place within two years. Additionally, an external evaluation of the quality management system will be conducted at least once every four years.

IKK Innovative Training Support Centre, the designated state administrative body for VET, is responsible for the external audit of quality management systems. Methodological and IT developments related to this process began in 2024 as part of the GINOP Plus-5.2.2-23 Priority Project on Quality Improvement and the Expansion of Continuing Education in VET.