Quality in vocational education and training is a main focus across Europe, starting with the relevant European recommendation. A fundamental step to consolidate quality assurance in Italy is the continuous debate among decision-makers, national and European experts, institutional representatives and stakeholders on the impact of the implemented policies and of proposed actions/activities to improve the quality of the training supply.

Issues on the dissemination of vocational education and training quality models were extensively discussed at the international conference on the quality of VET ‘The Italian adoption of the EQAVET recommendation: national quality plan and its development’, held in Rome on 6 December 2018.

Participants included a wide range of stakeholders: representatives of the European Commission, the Secretariat of the European network EQAVET, Cedefop, foreign reference points, as well as the main representatives of the Ministry of Labour and Ministry of Education, the regions, the social partners, and VET providers (schools and training centres). The conference was organised by INAPP (National Institute for Public Policy Innovation), the Italian reference point for quality in VET,

Round table discussions on the implementation of the EQAVET recommendation nationally saw stakeholders, VET providers and end users examine the efficacy of the training supply in relation to training needs, and discuss the implementation of the national quality assurance plan.

The outcomes of the debate will inform intervention strategies and will particularly focus on the accreditation tool for VET providers as the main instrument guaranteeing quality in the Italian VET system. Relevant research has highlighted future areas of intervention in line with regional and national needs. Data collection tools are to be re-evaluated and re-designed to promote quality assurance further at national level. Italy will continue implementing measures that demonstrate its commitment to quality assurance for VET.