- 2020Design
- 2021Approved/Agreed
- 2022Implementation
Background
STEM (science, technology, engineering, maths) focusses on the integrated approach and deepening of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, which are deployed from an enquiring and designing attitude in various entrepreneurial contexts such as industry, healthcare, culture, education. An interdisciplinary approach is essential, as is the connection of that integration with societal challenges.
Objectives
Through the STEM-agenda 2030, the Flemish Government promotes STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) in VET and lifelong learning. The number of courses and careers in STEM should be increased, leading also to an increased number of graduate STEM specialists. STEM competences in the wider society in general should also be strengthened: this is known as STEM literacy.
Description
The STEM agenda 2030 focuses on the following three parts.
Sustainable STEM communication in relation to VET
With a sustainable and inclusive STEM communication strategy in VET:
- attention will be paid to the low and barely increasing participation rate of girls;
- societal transitions will be placed in a central position (VET and STEM contribute to these transitions);
- high-quality and instructive practices will be disseminated towards the STEM and VET ecosystem;
- players in that ecosystem will be connected and linked more strongly to each other.
Every two years, STEM stakeholders (including social partners, STEM providers, intermediate organisations) are to be brought together in a state-of-the-STEM network event.
Sustainable STEM monitoring and research
Flanders is also aiming for a sustainable research and monitoring approach for STEM that will point the way to goal-oriented actions in the coming years. VET will be given special attention in this context. Sustainable communication, research and monitoring should connect all stakeholders in a sustainable way, with a specific objective of paying attention to certain groups, including VET learners and trainees.
Strengthening and connecting to existing STEM actions
During 2010-20, at the instigation of the STEM action plan, many of new (structural) initiatives emerged. In the new STEM agenda 2030, an action programme was developed. This does not focus on...
The STEM agenda 2030 focuses on the following three parts.
Sustainable STEM communication in relation to VET
With a sustainable and inclusive STEM communication strategy in VET:
- attention will be paid to the low and barely increasing participation rate of girls;
- societal transitions will be placed in a central position (VET and STEM contribute to these transitions);
- high-quality and instructive practices will be disseminated towards the STEM and VET ecosystem;
- players in that ecosystem will be connected and linked more strongly to each other.
Every two years, STEM stakeholders (including social partners, STEM providers, intermediate organisations) are to be brought together in a state-of-the-STEM network event.
Sustainable STEM monitoring and research
Flanders is also aiming for a sustainable research and monitoring approach for STEM that will point the way to goal-oriented actions in the coming years. VET will be given special attention in this context. Sustainable communication, research and monitoring should connect all stakeholders in a sustainable way, with a specific objective of paying attention to certain groups, including VET learners and trainees.
Strengthening and connecting to existing STEM actions
During 2010-20, at the instigation of the STEM action plan, many of new (structural) initiatives emerged. In the new STEM agenda 2030, an action programme was developed. This does not focus on elaborating new actions on establishing sustainable interconnections between existing initiatives and actions, hence the emphasis is on communication and bringing together all stakeholders.
An advisory committee meets annually to discuss the status of the STEM agenda and has the opportunity to raise points of interest for this agenda. The members are representatives of the ministers and policy areas concerned, specifically Education and Training, Work and Social Economy, Economy Science and Innovation and Youth, Media and Culture, members of the Flemish Education Council (VLOR), members of the Social and Economic Council of Flanders vzw (SERV), the Advisory Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (VARIO) and the STEM Platform. This committee can be expanded to include other relevant stakeholders based on specific policy initiatives.
In 2020, the STEM agenda was designed in collaboration with representatives of the different departments and agencies.
The STEM agenda was adopted by the Flemish Government in June 2021.
In 2022, the STEM agenda was further operationalised.
The key indicators for the STEM agenda 2030 are under construction, aiming to serve as a kind of STEM dashboard. The STEM research agenda will allow for additional studies on specific themes, e.g., on inclusion or on the impact of STEM actions.
The first edition of State-of-the-STEM (Klaar voor 2030) was published on the 3 October 2022 and is the start point for the implementation of the STEM-agenda 2030 and the sustainable STEM communication.
Bodies responsible
- Flemish Ministry of Education and Training
- Flemish Ministry of Work and Social Economy
- Flemish public employment service (VDAB)
Target groups
Learners
- Learners in upper secondary, including apprentices
- Young people (15-29 years old)
- Adult learners
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 both to formal mechanisms of stakeholder engagement in VET governance and to informal cooperation among stakeholders, which motivate shared responsibility for quality VET. Formal engagement is usually based on legally established institutional procedures that clearly define the role and responsibilities for relevant stakeholders in designing, implementing and improving VET. It also refers to establishing and increasing the degree of autonomy of VET providers for agile and flexible VET provision.
In terms of informal cooperation, the sub-category covers targeted actions by different stakeholders to promote or implement VET. This cooperation often leads to creating sustainable partnerships and making commitments for targeted actions, in line with the national context and regulation, e.g. national alliances for apprenticeships, pacts for youth or partnerships between schools and employers. It can also include initiatives and projects run by the social partners or sectoral organisations or networks of voluntary experts and executives, retired or on sabbatical, to support their peers in the fields of VET and apprenticeships, as part of the EAfA.
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 initiatives that promote VET and lifelong learning implemented at any level and by any stakeholder. It also covers measures to ensure and broaden access to information about VET to various target groups, including targeted information and promotional campaigns (e.g. for parents, adult learners, vulnerable groups). Among others, it includes national skill competitions and fairs organised to attract learners to VET.
This thematic sub-category refers to making VET pathways and programmes inclusive and accessible for all. It concerns measures and targeted actions to increase access and participation in VET and lifelong learning for learners from all vulnerable groups, and to support their school/training-to-work transitions. It includes measures to prevent early leaving from education and training. The thematic sub-category covers measures promoting gender balance in traditionally ‘male’ and ‘female’ professions and addressing gender-related and other stereotypes. The vulnerable groups are, but not limited to: persons with disabilities; the low-qualified/-skilled; minorities; persons of migrant background, including refugees; people with fewer opportunities due to their geographical location and/or their socioeconomically disadvantaged circumstances.
European priorities in VET
VET Recommendation
- VET agile in adapting to labour market challenges
- VET promoting equality of opportunities
Osnabrück Declaration
- Resilience and excellence through quality, inclusive and flexible VET