Indicator 7 - Quality of mobility
1.7. Indicator 7 – Quality of learning mobility
The “Youth on the move” Recommendation invites Member States to:
- use existing quality charters, such as the European Quality Charter for Mobility and national and regional-level charters, in order to ensure that mobility is of high quality, and promote quality assurance for each aspect of mobility;
- encourage continuous dialogue and clear arrangements between the sending and the hosting institutions, for example by using learning agreements. Encourage the recognition of knowledge, skills and competencies acquired, transparent selection procedures, peer exchange and structured learner support;
- encourage regular feedback mechanisms following a period of learning mobility, in order to ensure the high quality of the experience;
- encourage mentoring and peer learning schemes to ensure the integration of mobile learners in the host country or institution;
- encourage the provision of convenient and affordable facilities, such as housing, catering and transport, for mobile learners;
- encourage the provision of guidance to learners on how to make the best use of learning mobility in order to develop their knowledge, skills and competencies;
- encourage the provision of guidance to mobile learners after their return on how to make use of the competencies acquired during their stay abroad. Provide help with reintegration after a long stay abroad.
The indicator for measuring how this reference behaviour is applied is defined based on the following five criteria:
- Countries have a process for setting up countrywide policy targets (whether quantitative or qualitative) in the area of quality learning mobility in IVET;
- Countries have in place actions for:
- Ensuring language / intercultural preparation and setting up learning agreements during the phase of preparing the stay abroad (“Before” period);
- Monitoring the stay process, providing learners with assistance / mentoring / guidance and ensuring their integration in the host country or institution during the stay abroad (“During” period);
- Collecting feedback for future improvement and helping with reintegration as necessary upon return from mobility (“After” period);
- Ensuring access of mobile learners to convenient and affordable facilities for housing, catering and transport all along the stay process (“All along” period);
- The existing Before, During, After and All along actions are coordinated countrywide so as to ensure their consistency, convergence and effectiveness;
- The existing Before, During, After and All along actions are subject to evaluation oriented to improving the next generation of this policy strand;
- Involvement of learners and stakeholders in making the Quality policy effective and better over time is ensured through:
- A visibility and access policy by which learners and stakeholders are informed about the Quality mechanisms put in place for them and how to access them;
- Learners and stakeholders surveys are carried out to check their satisfaction with the Quality mechanisms and get their feedback in view of taking account of it in the evaluation process;
- Impact measurement / Assessment of the extent of use of the Quality mechanisms is in place and part of the evaluation process.
The table below presents the indicator in terms of criteria and benchmarks.
Indicator 7 – Quality of learning mobility
Criterion 7.1 – Target setting
Criterion 7.2 – Action taking
Criterion 7.3 – Coordination
Criterion 7.4 – Evaluation
Criterion 7.5 – Involving learners and stakeholders
Description of criterion
Description of criterion
Description of criterion
Description of criterion
Description of criterion
Countries have in place a process for setting up countrywide policy targets (whether quantitative or qualitative) in the area of quality learning mobility in IVET
Countries have in place actions for
- Ensuring language / intercultural preparation and setting up learning agreements during the phase of preparing the stay abroad (“Before” period);
- Monitoring the stay process, providing learners with assistance / mentoring / guidance and ensuring their integration in the host country or institution during the stay abroad (“During” period);
- Collecting feedback for future improvement and helping with reintegration as necessary upon return from mobility (“After” period);
- Ensuring access of mobile learners to convenient and affordable facilities for housing, catering and transport all along the stay process (“All along” period);
The existing Before, During, After and All along actions are coordinated countrywide so as to ensure their consistency, convergence and effectiveness
The existing Before, During, After and All along actions are subject to evaluation oriented to improving the next generation of this policy strand
Learners and stakeholders are involved in making the Quality policy effective and better over time. Their involvement is ensured through:
- A visibility and access policy;
- Learners and stakeholders surveys; and
- Impact measurement / Assessment of the extent of use.
Description of benchmarks
Description of benchmarks
Description of benchmarks
Description of benchmarks
Description of benchmarks
5
A process is in place
The country has taken actions that cover the four dimensions.
Complete countrywide coordination of actions in all dimensions is ensured through a countrywide framework which is set by regulations and/or arrangements agreed between players
The existing Before, During, After and All along actions (or at least some of them) are evaluated: not only are they monitored (e.g. through reports, audits, user surveys, etc.), but also recommendations for future improvement are set up, implemented and followed-up along time for (re)adjustment as necessary
The country has taken actions of the following three types
- A visibility and access policy;
- Learners and stakeholders surveys; and
- Impact measurement / Assessment of the extent of use.
4
The country has taken actions in three of the four dimensions.
Coordination of actions is incomplete (elements of coordination exist, but no complete countrywide coordination of all players or actions in a given dimension; or not all dimensions are coordinated). However, plans for setting up complete coordination are being prepared.
The existing Before, During, After and All along actions (or at least some of them) are monitored (e.g. through reports, audits, user surveys, etc.). But there is no systematic process of setting up recommendations for future improvement, implementing them, and following them up along time for (re)adjustment. However, a plan to set up such a systematic process has been at least initiated, e.g. in the form of preliminary preparation, initial debate / consultation / design, etc.
The country has taken measures of two of the three types.
3
The country has taken actions in two of the four dimensions.
Incomplete coordination of actions / dimensions. There are no plans to make the coordination complete.
The existing Before, During, After and All along actions (or at least some of them) are monitored. But there is no systematic process of setting up recommendations oriented towards future improvement, and there are no plans to develop any.
The country has taken measures of one of the three types.
2
No such process exists but there is an intention to set up one
The country has taken actions in one of the four dimensions.
No countrywide coordination of actions, but preliminary preparation (initial debate, consultation, design, planning, etc.) to develop one has begun
The existing Before, During, After and All along actions are not monitored. However, a plan to develop a monitoring or evaluation process has been at least initiated, e.g. in the form of preliminary preparation, initial debate / consultation / design, etc.
The country has not taken any measures in any of the three types. However, preliminary preparation (initial debate, consultation, design, planning, etc.) to develop at least one measure has begun
1
No such process exists and there is no intention to set up any
The country has not taken any actions in any of the four dimensions.
No countrywide coordination of actions, and there is no plan to set up any
The existing Before, During, After and All along actions are not monitored, and there is no plan to develop any monitoring or evaluation process.
The country has not taken any measures in any of the three types, and no measures are being prepared.