- 2022Implementation
- 2023Implementation
Background
The Federal Government has been involved in international vocational education and training cooperation (iBBZ) for many years. Global megatrends such as the transformation of the world of work in the context of digitalisation, the increase in worldwide migratory movements, climate change and advancing globalisation present new challenges; these are addressed in the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Vocational education and training (VET) in Germany contributes significantly to economic growth, employment and social participation. The growing international demand for German know-how in dual VET is met through a broad and diverse range of VET cooperation activities. However, the motives and objectives of German VET cooperation stakeholders often differ. Some pursue development cooperation objectives, while others focus on business interests; foreign education policy considerations are involved. In order to merge this diversity into a consistent and balanced representation and action of German stakeholders, in 2013 the Federal Government adopted a strategy paper for one-stop international collaboration. In 2019, the Strategy on international VET cooperation was updated, forming the common umbrella for the orientation of the Federal Government's iBBZ and for its design together with other actors.
Objectives
The Federal Government wants to support further the development of VET in the partner countries and to strengthen Germany’s international cooperation in VET. The aim of the Federal Government’s bilateral VET cooperation is to help partner countries effectively integrate elements of practice-oriented or dual VET into their respective systems by sustainable support in line with the partner country’s context and needs. Another objective is to support German companies abroad in their efforts to recruit and train local skilled workers.
Description
The subject of bilateral VET cooperation is usually the intentions of a partner country to reform its VET system. Project funding in international VET cooperation serves to make expert knowledge and implementation competences from Germany available to the partner countries. Examples of good practice are developed and tested on various VET topics and can stimulate reforms in the partner countries. Pilot projects are funded by BMBF, which regularly publishes relevant funding guidelines to promote them with specific aspects of international and bilateral VET cooperation e.g. Unions4VET, SCIVET - Skilled Crafts from Germany. When cooperating with its partners, the Federal Government is guided by the five principles of the dual VET system:
- joint responsibility of the State, trade and industry, and the social partners;
- learning in the work process;
- acceptance of national occupational, training and examination standards;
- qualified VET staff at companies and vocational schools;
- institutionalised VET and labour market research and VET consultancy.
The Federal Government supports political actors in partner countries in creating and implementing a framework for the design and development of VET. Within this framework, the role of State institutions, companies and business associations, and as the social partners is strengthened. The Federal Government uses a bundle of instruments to coordinate and harmonise its...
The subject of bilateral VET cooperation is usually the intentions of a partner country to reform its VET system. Project funding in international VET cooperation serves to make expert knowledge and implementation competences from Germany available to the partner countries. Examples of good practice are developed and tested on various VET topics and can stimulate reforms in the partner countries. Pilot projects are funded by BMBF, which regularly publishes relevant funding guidelines to promote them with specific aspects of international and bilateral VET cooperation e.g. Unions4VET, SCIVET - Skilled Crafts from Germany. When cooperating with its partners, the Federal Government is guided by the five principles of the dual VET system:
- joint responsibility of the State, trade and industry, and the social partners;
- learning in the work process;
- acceptance of national occupational, training and examination standards;
- qualified VET staff at companies and vocational schools;
- institutionalised VET and labour market research and VET consultancy.
The Federal Government supports political actors in partner countries in creating and implementing a framework for the design and development of VET. Within this framework, the role of State institutions, companies and business associations, and as the social partners is strengthened. The Federal Government uses a bundle of instruments to coordinate and harmonise its international VET cooperation (iBBZ).
Round Table for international VET cooperation is a formal body where German stakeholders regularly exchange information and coordinate their activities regarding topics and countries. Various Federal Government departments, representatives of the Federal States, social partners, chamber organisations, civil society institutions, implementation bodies and institutions with links to government bodies all participate in the Round Table discussions.
GOVET (German office for international cooperation in VET) is a one-stop shop for international VET cooperation for interested parties from across the world. The office provides guidance regarding the German dual VET system and links to relevant and interested German cooperation partners. The office collaborates with the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the Federal Foreign Office (AA), the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). GOVET acts as secretariat of the Round Table and supports bilateral cooperation of BMBF in VET. It establishes, structures and supports cooperation agreements with partner countries and the implementation of pilot projects.
BMWK funds the Competence Centre for International VET (KIBB) at the Association of German chambers of industry and commerce (DIHK) to support chambers of commerce and industry abroad (AHK), as they act as initial contact partners for VET cooperation, along with German embassies or general consulates. Skills experts based at the AHKs promote dual VET based on the German model abroad and support the training activities of German companies, their business partners and local vocational schools. The range of services offered by the AHKs helps German companies to provide local skilled workers with the right qualifications.
iMOVE Training - Made in Germany is a networking platform initiated by BMBF to promote international cooperation in VET between German training providers and international partners. iMOVE operates in 180 countries worldwide and includes 240 German training providers. iMOVE supports government offices looking for experienced organisations to develop VET and continuing education systems; companies looking for competent training providers for the continuing education of their colleagues and employees, and German and international educational institutions seeking cooperation;
The BILT project (Bridging innovation and learning in technical and vocational education and training) has since 2019 complemented national developments of the partner countries to explore and support innovative, society-oriented modes of learning and cooperation in VET. BILT is a peer learning and knowledge exchange platform for VET providers in Africa, Asia-Pacific and Europe. It helps them address current challenges in VET systems arising from technological, social, environmental and workplace changes. Good practices and lessons learned are then made available to other interested VET stakeholders. In 2021,the BILT Agenda 2025 was adopted, setting the goal of promoting modern and competitive qualifications and competences in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) through international bridging of innovation and learning. This Agenda is a joint initiative of UNESCO-UNEVOC, the German Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) and BMBF. It supports the achievement of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for sustainable development (goals 4 and 17).
The Cooperation VET framework announcement published by the BMBF in September 2022 aims to support partner countries (China, Costa Rica, Ghana, Greece, India, Italy, Mexico, Portugal, South Africa and the USA) in their efforts to reform their VET systems, and German companies in their efforts to recruit and qualify skilled workers abroad. Based on the respective needs in the partner country, different topics and institutions can be funded, e.g. exploratory projects up to 12 months and cooperation projects up to three years.
In 2022, the following bilateral VET cooperations took place.
Future4VET (BMBF funded project), continues the dialogue between German and Greek trade union organisations started in the strategy project, Unions4VET, and develops dialogue formats in a shared creative way. The special focus of these formats is on knowledge transfer, capacity building and direct support for Greek regional advisory councils, which are to be strengthened and qualified in their advisory function on VET.
ConnActions (BMBF funded project), coordinated by AHK Italy, aims to intensify bilateral VET cooperation between Germany and Italy at local level (e.g. city/municipality). Five model networks between German and Italian stakeholders, such as representatives of schools, companies, chambers, associations, and trade unions, will be initiated and established in the long term.
The GOVET continued its various activities, such as supporting bilateral VET cooperation with Ghana by advising the Ghanaian Commission for TVET on organisational development. In October 2022, GOVET and BIBB hosted a one-week study visit of a Ghanaian delegation focused on VET reporting, VET research and monitoring, and the dual training system. As part of the BMBF bilateral cooperation with Costa Rica, GOVET representatives visited the Costa Rican partners in November 2022. GOVET and the partners assessed the current status of the dual training programmes and implementation activities introduced in April 2022. GOVET also provided information material (e.g. films, slides) on the German VET system, particularly for people from Ukraine.
Alongside these bilateral VET cooperation projects, other international VET cooperation activities also took place in 2022.
In 2022, iMOVE (BIBB) published the issue Digital train-the-trainer solutions (available in six languages) in its series Developing skills for employability with German partners - 8 case studies. In addition, iMOVE reported on four new VET success stories:
- online training for Colombian trainers;
- E-tourism management for travel agencies and tour operators in Iraq;
- the three H’s: head, hand and heart, setting up a training farm for organic farming in Namibia;
- dualised training for the future in Rwanda: the PartnerRwanda project implements dual training programmes and practice-based short-term training.
In October 2022, iMOVE and the German-African Business Association organised the second German-African Forum where the German education sector was introduced to around 85 attendees, including three education ministers from Angola, Ghana, and Namibia. In November 2022, iMOVE organised an online event, VET on the move; four German training providers presented their training offers on training of trainers at the iMOVE online event VET on the move targeting over 70 participants from India and other countries in South and South-East Asia.
BILT organised nine bridging events in 2022 on diverse topics, e.g. two learning labs, H2Skills - training development for the hydrogen economy; and MilleaLab -the all-in-one virtual reality platform for educators and learners.
On 1 January 2023, a new funding round started in the Skills expert programme of the BMWK and the DIHK. Funding is provided for AHKs in 10 countries (chambers of commerce and industry abroad). The countries and regions of the Baltic States, Ghana, Japan and Singapore were selected in the category ’Foundation building’; Argentina, Chile and Nigeria in the category ‘Green jobs’, and Brazil and Turkey in the category ’Skilled workers for Germany’.
Bodies responsible
- Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
- Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK)
- Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
- Federal Foreign Office (AA)
- UNESCO-UNEVOC
- Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK)
- German Chambers of Commerce Abroad (AHK)
- German Confederation of Skilled Crafts (ZDH)
Target groups
Learners
- Low-skilled/qualified persons
Education professionals
- Trainers
Entities providing VET
- Companies
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
- VET providers (all kinds)
Other stakeholders
- Social partners (employer organisations and trade unions)
- National, regional and local authorities
Thematic categories
European and international dimensions of VET
This thematic category covers both European and international cooperation in initial and continuing VET, aimed at promoting EU VET systems as a European education and training area and making it a reference for learners in neighbouring countries and across the globe.
Expanding opportunities and increasing participation of VET learners, young and adult, and staff in international mobility for learning and work, including apprenticeship and virtual and blended mobility, account for most initiatives in this thematic category.
Apart from established and financially supported EU cooperation, VET opens up to cooperation and promotion of European values and national practices beyond the EU, which is becoming a trend. This thematic category also encompasses internationalisation strategies, transnational cooperation projects and initiatives – including those where joint VET programmes, examinations and qualifications are developed – and participation in international skills competitions that promote the image of VET. Using international qualifications – awarded by legally established international bodies or by a national body acting on behalf of an international body – in the national VET systems and recognising them towards national qualifications is also in focus.
This thematic sub-category refers to developing internationalisation strategies supporting a strategic approach to international cooperation in VET and lifelong learning, including going beyond the EU.
This thematic sub-category refers to transnational cooperation initiatives on VET and lifelong learning, including coordinated and jointly developed programmes among the EU Member States or beyond the EU, bilateral or multi-country: same curricula, one qualification, joint examinations.
This thematic sub-category applies to using in a country, qualifications awarded by a legally established international body (association, organisation, sector or company) or by a national body acting on behalf of an international body. International qualifications are used in more than one country and include learning outcomes assessed with reference to standards established by an international body (Council Recommendation on the European qualifications framework for lifelong learning, 2017). Some examples include the Microsoft or Cisco certificates in the ICT sector, the European e-competence framework for ICT professionals, and International Welders Federation qualifications (Cedefop, 2018).
European priorities in VET
VET Recommendation
- VET as an attractive choice based on modern and digitalised provision of training and skills
Osnabrück Declaration
- European Education and Training Area and international VET