Improving quality assurance in VET in line with the EQAVET framework

In 2022, representatives of the Slovenian VET system met EQAVET system peers in peer reviews in two EU countries: The national model of quality assurance in initial vocational education and training, in Croatia, and the new system for validation of results of non-formal education and informal learning and its quality assurance processes, in Slovakia.

An updated description of the national quality assurance arrangements based on the EQAVET Framework was prepared by CPI as a result of discussions in working groups, structured by different stakeholders (CPI, Ministry of Education, Science and Sport and National Examination Centre).

In 2022, different forms of support were offered to VET providers to establish/ upgrade their internal QA systems in line with the TQM principles and EQAVET framework, to improve the process of QA and quality development, to integrate national/EQAVET indicators into their internal QA systems and to complement self-evaluation as main approach in QA with external evaluation in a form of peer review.

In the same year, further support initiatives were carried out. For example, eight training activities and one national conference for VET providers (VET schools and folk universities/ adult education learning centres). Peer review for one VET provider with a transnational team of peers, using European quality areas and criteria for VET providers. Representatives of five national VET providers attended transnational training to become peers and participated as peers later as members of transnational teams: a peer review on one national VET provider and three VET providers in other EU countries, Estonia, Croatia and Finland.

In the period between 2021 and 2023 CPI representatives participated as peers in five EQAVET system peer reviews. In June 2023, Slovenia conducted a system peer review on the national support system for VET schools in their internal QA.

In 2023 CPI contributed to the preparation of the proposal for the National Education Programme 2023-2033. The proposal aims to reform the education system, elevate quality assurance on the political agenda and enhance the national quality assurance framework.

In 2023, CPI, together with the Ministry of Education and two other public institutes, organised ,Networking for Quality, for VET schools.

In 2024, CPI continued this initiative, further strengthening collaboration and support for QA in VET. The initiative aims to assist VET schools in exchanging experiences related to QA, particularly in self-evaluation, and in establishing and further developing their internal QA systems.

The ,Networking for Quality, initiative is overseen by a national-level working group comprising representatives from the Ministry, CPI, the National Examination Centre, and the School for Leadership at the National Education Centre. In addition to this initiative, VET schools can benefit from individual counselling and tailor-made training to further enhance their internal QA systems. CPI, in collaboration with external experts, provides customised support to meet schools' specific needs.

Furthermore, in 2024, CPI prepared the ,Quality Report on VET, focusing on EQAVET National Indicator 2: Investment in Teachers and Trainers in VET.

Support to VET providers:

In 2025, the EQAVET NRP at the Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for VET (CPI), in cooperation with the Ministry of education (MVI), the National Examination Centre, and the School for Leadership at the National Education Centre, are once again implementing the programme ‘Networking of upper secondary VET schools for Quality’. It is a one-year training programme, which started in 2023 and is overseen by a national-level working group comprising representatives from the Ministry, CPI, the National Examination Centre, and the School for Leadership at the National Education Centre.

20 out of 113 upper secondary VET schools have joined in 2025, similarly as in two previous years. The training programme aims to assist upper secondary VET schools in exchanging experiences related to QA, particularly in self-evaluation, and in establishing and further developing their internal QA systems. In 2025, the programme focuses on implementing the quality cycle, PDCA cycle at the upper secondary VET schools level, with an emphasis on preparing the annual quality commission report for public publication on school websites (in accordance with Article 15 of the VET Act) and the preparation of an action plan for school improvements, which schools will include in their annual work plan for the 2025/2026 school year.

At the same time, a national level working group comprising representatives from the Ministry, CPI, the National Examination Centre, and the School for Leadership at the National Education Centre, is developing further solutions for kindergartens, primary and upper secondary schools, and student dormitories for quality assessment and assurance through self-evaluation. One such solution is the emerging national website at the education ministry, where solutions to support educational institutions (kindergartens, primary schools, secondary schools, and student dormitories) are published at the national website forquality. On this website, schools can obtain materials, tools, examples of good practices, definitions of key terms, explanatory videos, and legislation in the field of quality assessment and assurance through self-evaluation.

The same national level working group, led by the Ministry of Education, has developed standard templates for the preparation of the annual quality commission report and the annual action plan for improvements at school level, as well as other templates (template for a long term school development programme, annual self-evaluation report, SWOT analysis etc.). CPI uses these templates during the previously mentioned ‘Networking of upper secondary VET schools for quality’ training programme, while leading schools use the templates through the PDCA cycle – quality assessment and quality assurance with self-evaluation. Although the templates are available and recommended, their use is not mandatory, as they have not been formally prescribed at national level.

Solutions to support education institutions in assessing and ensuring quality through self-evaluation, including the national website forquality and the ‘Networking for Quality programme’, are also being developed in response to the final report of the international team of peers in the EQAVET peer review of the Slovenian system, which took place in 2023 in the first cycle of peer reviews of European VET systems within the EQAVET network.

In the same year, further support initiatives for VET providers were carried out. For example, the voluntary self-evaluation campaign took the form of a survey for 42 applied upper secondary VET schools with 935 teachers, who were assessed by the students on two areas of the national framework for quality: safe and facilitating learning environment and professional learning and teacher performance. The self-evaluation campaign was additionally supported with training on the interpretation of the results and planning improvements based on self-evaluation findings.

Peer review for one VET provider with a transnational team of peers, using European quality areas and criteria for VET providers, was carried out. Representatives of three national VET providers attended transnational training to become peers and participated as peers later as members of transnational teams: a peer review on one national VET provider and three VET providers in other EU countries, Estonia, Croatia, and Finland.

Tailor-made trainings for three individual upper secondary VET schools on different aspects of quality assurance were carried out, and one training on how to prepare an annual action plan for school-level improvements was carried out. In the training for action planning, representatives of over 30 VET providers (upper secondary VET schools and a few folk universities/adult education learning centres) participated

Support at system level

While the first part of previously mentioned central website forquality at the ministerial webpage is in place to support kindergartens, primary and secondary schools during the process of quality assurance with self-evaluation, the second part of the national website forquality of the Ministry of education is dedicated to national regulations, solutions and guidelines related to quality assurance at the level of the education system.

In 2025, the first national report on the quality of the Slovenian education system entitled ‘National quality report on Education system in Slovenia’ is being prepared by the Quality and Analysis Sector at the Ministry of Education in collaboration with external experts, who were selected based on a public tender.

In parallel, and under the coordination of the EQAVET National Reference Point, CPI is preparing a national report on the quality of secondary vocational and technical education in 2025, focusing on national/EQAVET Indicator No. 8 on the prevalence of vulnerable groups.

CPI and other national stakeholders’ representatives have also participated as peers in two peer reviews within the second cycle of peer reviews of European VET systems inside the EQAVET network: in Serbia, addressing the role of school management and leadership in developing a quality culture in schools, and in Belgium, focusing on labour market training and skills needs and their links with EQAVET indicators.