Policy learning forum: VET as a solution to leaving education early

9.30-10.00

Chair:
Antonio Ranieri,
(Cedefop)

Europa room 

Welcome and introduction to Cedefop’s policy learning forum

Cedefop Welcome: Mara Brugia, Deputy Director, Cedefop

Introduction: Irene Psifidou, Cedefop

10.00-11.30

Facilitator:
George Kostakis,
(Cedefop)

Leaving education early: putting VET centre stage

• Irene Psifidou, Cedefop
• Daniela Ulicna and Patricia Vale, ICF

Watch the video on Cedefop findings

12.00-13.00

Chair:
James Calleja,
(Cedefop Director)

Plenary panel discussion

Exploiting the potential of VET to combat early leaving: international experiences

• Janssen Edelweiss Nunes Teixeira, The World Bank (speech)
• Elizabeth Watters, European Training Foundation
• Ann Vanden Bulcke, European Commission
• Reinhold Schiffers, European Association for Second Chance Schools

13.00-13.30

Facilitator:
Ilona Murphy,
(ICF)

Cedefop VET toolkit for tackling early leaving: official launch

A Europe-wide toolkit inspired by successful VET practices in helping young people to attain at least an upper secondary qualification. It provides practical guidance, tips, good practices and tools drawn from VET to feed into activities and policies.

• Marie Gitschthaler, Vienna University of Economics and Business, Austria
• Ward Nouwen, University of Antwerp, Belgium
• Becci Newton, Institute for Employment Studies, United Kingdom

Lunch break

14.30-15.30

Coffee
available

Poster exhibition on inspiring practices: Explore, Share and Learn

26 inspiring practices from different European countries will be presented and discussed in a poster exhibition. Representatives will share their expertise and discuss success factors. Explore what it takes to set up successfully early warning systems at school level or to monitor and timely identify early leavers. Share your experience! Learn what it takes to prevent learners at risk of dropping out and bring early leavers back to education and training.

 15:30-17:30

Parallel Working Groups

Action areas: Identify and Intervene

Identify learners at risk of early leaving and those who already left is the first action to combat early leaving from education and training. Once a learner at risk of early leaving is identified, how can we intervene? What can be done to help him or her stay in education and training? And what can be done to re-engage young people who have already left the system?

In both working groups, participants are invited to a hands-on toolkit experience. They will navigate through the VET toolkit for tackling early leaving and provide feedback on its functionality and value added.

Facilitators

Pedro Moreno da Fonseca
and
Anastasia Pouliou
(Cedefop)

WG1                                                                                                                                                                   Europa room

Identifying and supporting learners at risk of early leaving

This working group is mainly addressed to decision-makers and practitioners at local or institutional level who are concerned with setting up early warning systems at institutional level to identify learners at risk of dropping out and prevent early leaving.

Participants will have the opportunity to discuss prevention and intervention measures such as mentoring and coaching as well as different actions in school and work-based environments to prevent early leaving.

Facilitators

Lidia Salvatore
and
Ernesto Villalba Garcia
(Cedefop)

WG2                                                                                                                                                            Montessori room

Identifying and supporting early leavers

This working group is mainly addressed to national level policy-makers and international experts who are concerned with developing national monitoring systems.

Participants will have the opportunity to discuss intervention and compensation measures including reengaging, motivating and second chance opportunities to bring early leavers back to education and training.

10.00-10.30

Chair:
Irene Psifidou
(Cedefop)

Europa room

 Introduction and insights from action areas Identify and Intervene

10.30-11.30

 Cedefop evaluation tools and frameworks for policy impact analysis

• Self-reflection tool for policy makers based on structural indicators to identify the strengths and weaknesses of policies put in place, Paul Downes, Educational Disadvantage Centre, Ireland
• Evaluation plans for policy makers or VET providers to design an appropriate monitoring and evaluation approach, Patricia Vale, ICF

Coffee break

12.00-13.30

Parallel Working Groups

Action area: Evaluate

Evaluate measures to identify what works and for whom is of utmost importance for informing evidence-based policy making and shaping tailored responses. Working groups will begin with a presentation of a good practice of policy evaluation.

Facilitators

Irina Jemeljanova,
and
Vlasis Korovilos,
(Cedefop)

WG1                                                                                                                                                                    Europa room

Evaluating local and institutional measures

Medical advice for sick-reported students (MASS), Yvonne Vanneste, Regional Public Health Service West Brabant, the Netherlands

Facilitators
Ernesto Villalba Garcia,
and
Anastasia Pouliou
(Cedefop)

WG2                                                                                                                                                             Montessori room

Evaluating national policies

The youth contract for 16 to 17 year-olds NEETs, Becci Newton, Institute for Employment Studies, United Kingdom

 13.30-14.30

Lunch

 14.30-15.00

Chair
Irene Psifidou
(Cedefop)

Europa room

Insights from action area Evaluate

 15.00-16.30

Chair:
Antonio Ranieri,
(Cedefop)

Plenary panel discussion

Creating and strengthening a culture of education policy evaluation in Europe
(and beyond)

• Cristian Aedo, World Bank
• Stefanie Ledermaier, Eurofound
• Mary Kyriazopoulou, European Agency for special education needs and inclusive education
• Jari Matti Riiheläinen, Eurydice

Cedefop vision: VET as a solution to leaving education early

James Calleja, Cedefop Director

End of the event