Quality strategy in VET 2030

EDUFI has allocated EUR 4 million to 13 VET provider development projects implementing the Quality strategy. The areas of development were improvement of the learner´s personalisation process; improvement of apprenticeship training and training agreement processes; development the personalisation process and learning at the workplace, so it is possible for the learner to study full-time. Improved personalisation makes it easier to identify learners who need more support and guidance at different stages of their studies. In addition, the different needs of learners were better identified and those learners who were in danger of dropping out were supported.

The Ministry of Education and Culture has granted the 2020 quality award to two VET providers: the Keuda Group, Vocational Education and Training and the Tampere Adult Education Centre, TAKK. The themes of the 2020 quality award competition were quality assurance and the overall quality of VET provision. The quality award encouraged VET providers to assess and improve their quality.

The 39 working life committees published their snapshot reports of the quality of implementation of competence demonstration and assessment of competence during 2018-20. The information in the snapshot reports was from the KOSKI database (VET providers send the number of completed qualifications to the KOSKI database). The committees also utilised the reports from site visits on competence demonstrations and correction requests for assessments in their reports. According to the summary of the reports published by EDUFI, the main targets for development were: cooperation between VET institutions and workplaces; workplace instructors and assessors needed more training; competence demonstrations were sometimes organised at VET institutions even though they should have been organised at the actual workplace; assessment of competence must have been separated from acquiring competence; competence assessment plans should have been better linked to VET providers' quality assurance systems.

The EQAVET/NRP has organised two webinars for VET providers on the themes of the quality of personal flexible study paths and cooperation with the world of work. In addition, a virtual online study visit in Finland was organised with EQAVET NRPs from Croatia, Greece and Slovenia.

The EQAVET NRP 2019-21 project was implemented through national and international cooperation and the results were reported to the EU commission on time and distributed to all VET providers on the oph.fi website and at various events. The project promoted the ability of VET providers to improve quality continuously and organised peer learning events. A tool for international peer review was completed: European peer review quality areas and criteria for vocational education and training. The criteria were formulated in cooperation with Estonia, Croatia, Austria, Slovenia and Finland and were piloted at VET provider level. Training in the method of peer review was provided for evaluators and the institutions being evaluated. One international peer-learning activity and one national webinar for VET providers were organised to promote the use of international peer review and to share experiences gained from piloting. A national quality network meeting was organised with VET providers on the guidance process for extending compulsory education.

The new working life feedback system became functional in 2021. The national questionnaire was being sent to workplaces that trained students with an apprentice or training agreement to monitor their satisfaction with the quality of education and training provided by the vocational institution with which they cooperated. The answers are to be used to help develop the quality of vocational education and training and help determine funding for the institution. The EDUFI organised the webinar for the VET providers that supported the use of the feedback results in the quality assurance.

The Ministry of Education and Culture granted the 2021 Vocational Education and Training Quality Award to one VET provider: Luovi Vocational College. The theme of the 2021 competition was equality. The Quality Award encourages VET providers to assess and improve their quality.

The implementation of the quality strategy has been promoted through projects funded by the government and implemented through 13 networks in cooperation with 98 VET providers. The results of the projects and examples of good practice were shared in a seminar open to all VET providers.

The working life committees ensured the quality of competence demonstration that was carried out, such as through visits to the VET providers. EDUFI and 37 working life committees have developed uniform procedures for carrying out these visits and for monitoring quality. The information produced by the working life committees was utilised, for example, for developing qualifications and supporting their implementation. Procedures have also been created by which the committees participate in the development of the national qualification requirements as a partner of the EDUFI.

The use of information in decision-making has been promoted through the development of national data resources, data collection and reporting.

In 2022, an interim evaluation of the EQAVET NRP 2019-21 project was conducted on the accomplishment of the development targets of the 3-year term of the VET quality strategy. The Ministry of Education and Culture and EDUFI organised a webinar for persons in charge of VET providers' quality assurance. In the webinar, development measures were discussed, as well as the situation of accomplishing the targets, and the thoughts of VET providers on what should be the next development measures.

The National Quality Network for VET gathered around the topic of cooperation in upper secondary education. The Network's activity was developed by creating a new forum for discussions and cooperation. The forum was meant for dealing with questions related to quality assurance, sharing information, improving practices, and receiving peer views. Participation in the forum was voluntary and open for everyone interested. In 2022, the topic was connection between foresight information and quality assurance.

Cooperation between Finland, Croatia, Slovenia and Estonia continued by offering training on the European Peer Review method to VET provider representatives, and by organising international peer review events.

Finland participated in the national peer review process of other countries, according to the plans of the EQAVET secretariat. The review focused on quality assurance of the development process of quality requirements, and the role of customer feedback in it. Throughout the year, the quality assurance process was being developed in the VET unit of EDUFI.

The Ministry granted a VET quality award to two VET providers, and two providers received an honourable mention. The theme of the award was sustainable development. The implementation of the quality strategy was promoted through projects funded by the government and implemented through 13 networks in cooperation with 98 VET providers. All the projects were completed, and the results are to be used in developing the activities of VET providers. The working life committees produced field-specific situational pictures for quality development.

The use of information in decision-making was promoted through development of national data resources, data collection and reporting. The new national working life feedback system, introduced in 2021, was complemented in 2022. It included a questionnaire sent to workplaces twice a year, a questionnaire sent to workplace instructors after a completed period of studying at a workplace, and a questionnaire sent to students at the beginning and at the end of their studies.

The implementation of the Quality strategy for VET 2030 continued and monitoring and reviewing of the strategy started.

The Finnish Education Evaluation Centre (Karvi) published a report on work-based learning and collaboration with the labour market, as well as the state of quality management among VET providers. In the quality assurance of teaching and the assessment of the effectiveness of VET conducted by the Finnish Education Evaluation Centre the importance of the learning environment, teacher competence, collaboration with the labour market, and students' employment opportunities were emphasised.

Updating the national peer review criteria initiated in 2023.

New EQAVET NRP 2023-26 project started, co-funded by the European Union. The objectives of the project include developing quality assurance methods, monitoring and analysis systems as well as self-assessment. For example, an assessment model of the effects of renewing the national qualification requirements, a monitoring system for the national sustainability road map of VET and a publication model for education administration´s analysis on national student and working life feedback is to be developed during the project. In 2023, the Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI) organised two meetings for the National Quality Network of VET in the topics of assessing the effectiveness of VET and ensuring the quality of teaching.

Updating the national peer review criteria continued in collaboration with education providers and the Finnish National Agency for Education in 2024. The work on the national peer review as well as the Quality strategy for VET 2030 was pending until the legislative changes to VET come into force.

The themes of the National Quality Network of VET meetings focused particularly on the financial aspects of organising education, and the potential of AI in quality management. In addition, separate discussion forums and workshops were held for education providers.

In EQAVET NRP project, the development of the assessment model of the effects of renewing the national qualification requirements was under way as well as the publication model for education administration´s analysis on national student and working life feedback. The drafts of monitoring indicators for the national sustainability road map of VET were drawn up and published in EDUFI's website. Preparations for piloting the monitoring indicators were done. A kick-off meeting was organised regarding the EQAVET system level peer review. In addition, work was done updating the transnational peer review criteria in collaboration with Croatia, Estonia and Slovenia.