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The 2023 Innovation and Collaboration Fund was EUR 1 million, with the maximum grant of EUR 50 000.

Organisations that work in the public, not-for-profit, community and voluntary sector were eligible to apply. A minimum of two organisations working together in partnership were required to make an application, with one organisation as the lead applicant, and the other organisation(s) as the partner(s).

The target groups for the ALL Innovation and Collaboration Fund included:

• older adults (55+),
...

Towards achieving these goals, several projects have been developed to support teachers in acquiring the necessary competencies, integrating digital technologies into teaching, and enhancing the overall quality of education.

Artificial Intelligence for Teachers (AI4T) (2021-2024)

The AI4T Erasmus+ K3 project, collaboratively developed by France (coordinator), Slovenia, Italy, Ireland, and Luxembourg, aimed to train teachers and school leaders in AI applications for education. With a focus on...

The Policy for the Digital Transformation of Education describes the actions necessary in the face of the digital revolution and sets the framework for state policy in the area of​ ​the digitalisation of education in the following time perspectives: short-term (until 2027), medium-term (until 2030) and long-term (until 2035 ).

It comprises two complementary perspectives: developing digital competences of students and teachers, using digital technologies to strengthen...

The 8-Point Plan represents a strategic shift from the initial 'School 4.0' approach, which focused primarily on developing digital competencies among teachers and learners. The new plan, launched in response to the pandemic's challenges, aimed to provide a more integrated digital learning environment. Key measures included the rollout of a centralised digital school web portal and the distribution of digital devices to students in lower secondary schools, beginning in 2020.

A significant...

The Ministry of Education and Culture and the Finnish National Agency for Education have decided to prepare the AI guidelines in collaboration with education providers, scholars and other experts in the field and considering existing academic and policy work, such as the AI competency framework for teachers (UNESCO).

The guidelines are to support the early childhood education and care, pre-primary education, primary and lower secondary education, general upper secondary education, VET, and...

The Modernisation of vocational education and training (VET) (hereinafter Modernisation of VET) project is co-funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) through the operational programme Education 2021 -27 with direct beneficiary the education ministry. This project is designed to contribute to make VET more agile, responsive to labour market needs and to enhance its attractiveness. The education ministry manages the project activities and ensures the institutionalisation of key developments....

The Modernisation of VET project is currently being implemented for the period 2022-26 by the Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for VET (CPI) in cooperation with other public institutions and social partners. It has five components.

Competences and qualifications for the digital and green transitions

The project, in the dialogue with social partners, defines a new development period for VET in Slovenia in the direction of greater connection with the labour market, the needs of the circular...

Sectoral skills centres (branzowe centra umiejetnosci) are to be technologically advanced education, training and examination centres in a given industry.

This initiative comprises the following main activities:

1. announcement by the Foundation for the Development of the Education System (FRSE) of a competition for the establishment and support for the operation of 120 sectoral skills centres implementing the concept of centres of vocational excellence (CoVEs);
2. construction of a new...

As a result of the armed conflict in Ukraine, the Ministry of Education and Science issued several regulations in response to the need to provide adequate education and care for Ukrainian children and young people migrating to Poland.

The regulations allowed:

1. the head of a unit of the education system in the area of selected districts (poviats) of the eastern border to suspend all or individual classes (with the consent of the body managing the unit and the body exercising pedagogical...

Within the framework of the Education of the economy initiative of the Austrian Economic Chamber, various activities and measures have been implemented since 2018, partly in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy, to advance digitisation in apprenticeship training both in terms of content and administration.

This includes increased consideration of digitalisation in content-related modernisation and new establishment of apprenticeship occupations, support of in-company training and trainers...

The XR action plan was concretised into four closely-intertwined actions:

Action 1. Practice-oriented research: an innovation can only be sustainably embedded if it can rely on (scientific) evidence about its effectiveness. Does this innovation actually contribute to achieving a certain objective? But also: what works in day-to-day educational practice and in what circumstances/with what support? Additional scientific research is also needed for XR in general. It is a living theme, constantly...

That the Digital education action plan (Digisprong) will have important consequences for many schools is beyond dispute. Strategic objectives and concrete actions were formulated for each challenge. Those include:

ICT infrastructure

1. provide every learner in secondary education with a device;
2. provide ICT equipment for teachers through the school:
3. bolster the ICT infrastructure within the school;
4. facilitate the use of connectivity and telecom services with special attention to security and speed...

With the Excellence Initiative for VET policy projects are combined into an overarching agenda. Individual activities will be launched successively during 2022 to 2026. Over EUR 750 million have been earmarked for this purpose.

In order to give new impetus to VET, the Excellence Initiative focuses on three central fields of action.

Improving individual opportunity support for talents in VET, to ensure that skilled workers and young people can develop their potential in the best possible way:

...

More digital employment 2025 is a scheme providing free digital training for workers, managers and directors of companies, entities of the social economy and trainers. The training includes an initial and final diagnosis of digital skills, in line with the dynamic reference framework for digital competence (DCRF) proficiency levels, through the Portugal Digital Academy platform. If the training is completed, a certificate is issued. The training is developed in, and managed by, IEFP in close...

This development consists of an eight-year programme in which all 113 education institutions in upper secondary vocational education (MBO, HBO and WO) and higher education (post-secondary and higher education) cooperate. They are joining forces to enable system transformation in education. The programme is led by the education ministry and is funded by the National Growth Fund. It has a budget of EUR 560 million. In the programme four action areas are created.

Transformation hubs

A...

The programme for 2017-19 was established by Resolution 108/2017 of the Council of Ministers of 19 July 2017. According to the programme evaluation, performed by the Educational Research Institute, positive results for both pupils and teachers were observed. Teaching aids and equipment purchased in the programme are fully used in the schools. However, primary and secondary schools still suffer from a shortage of modern ICT equipment. The evaluation results also recommended the extension of...

The policy document describes actions and goals in the short, mid and long-term perspective that will serve the development of Polish society, economy and science in the area of artificial intelligence (AI). It is organised into 6 policy areas, one of which is education, including VET. The actions in this area will include updating curricula and supplementing teaching programmes with AI information and solutions, increasing access to education tools (including online tools) for AI and...

The programme includes the creation of a motivation system for talented pupils and students to develop their competences, and a system for non-formal advanced digital competence building. This will be achieved by organising intensive education trips, team contests, teacher support and motivational actions. It will be implemented through two thematic pathways: championships in algorithmics and programming and championships in computer game development.

Teachers of the teams participating in...

The National strategy for regional development 2030 (NSRD) was adopted by the Council of Ministers on 17 September 2019. One of the objectives of the strategy is the development of human and social capital in the following subareas: vocational and higher education, continuing education, labour market and social capital. The strategy outlines several initiatives in these areas:

1. establishing mechanisms to encourage universities to cooperate with entrepreneurs;
2. increasing entrepreneurs'...

The financial support provided by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MŠMT) will, at the same time, contribute to the transformation of educational content. Schools will build their own supply of mobile digital technologies and will be able to lend them. However, this should not lead to an unjustified acquisition and accumulation of technological equipment which is actually not needed.

Under Component 3.1 Innovation in education in the context of digitisation, funding is provided to...

Section 3 of the plan, Education and labour market, proposes the following reforms and measures in education and training:

Transforming HE institutions to adapt to new forms of learning and changing the labour market needs by 2026:

The plan foresees measures to increase the ability of higher education (HE) institutions to adapt study programmes to new forms of learning and new fields, particularly digital expertise, in line with changing labour market needs. It includes especially expansion...

There are three national programmes with VET as their focus, not all starting in the same period. All these programmes are managed by the VET Directorate of the education ministry:

National VET programme

The programme aims to support improvement in the quality of VET provision and the labour market relevance of VET by providing schools with state-of-the-art equipment, update and/or developing, for the first time, curricula and study programmes, e-learning material and VET teacher training.

The...

Rapid changes in teaching took place: using online methods and new applications to create and develop resources. The pandemic also created the opportunity to develop new types of learning communities by learning from peers or sharing good-practice experiences. New online platforms and support channels (phone lines) were created to support teachers, learners and parents.

Regulations addressed to schools, including VET schools, in 2020 and 2021 (until February) mainly concerned the temporary closure of institutions and the easing of the transition to distance learning. More than 23 regulations were issued by the education minister for these purposes.

EU funded projects have been implemented aiming to solve problems resulting from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on schools, including VET providers. For example, computers and software were delivered to...

In December 2020, Law 4763/2020 introduces a legal framework regulating VET and LLL and describing the organisation of each school type, the qualifications and the role of their staff (manager, teachers, career/vocational counsellors). The Law also establishes the structure of the Hellenic Qualifications Framework (HQF) and regulates qualifications for NQF/EQF levels 3, 4, and 5.

The law also establishes for the first time a two-year vocational training programme for lower secondary (basic)...

The programme to develop quality and equality in VET is mainly implemented through comprehensive development projects funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Finnish National Agency for Education. The projects are mainly wide-ranging network projects with one coordinator. This secures the efficient direction of the projects and the transition of the results as part of national development and VET provider everyday routine.

The National recovery and resilience plan sets out a package of reforms and public investments to be implemented by 2026. For programmes at ISCED levels 0 to 5, the component Education for the 21st Century mainly focuses on reforming the curriculum, introducing new education methodologies, and updating textbooks. The main goal of the curriculum reform is to improve learner competences needed for the 21st century (critical thinking, digital and soft skills).

The plan also prioritises teacher...

Following its memorandum on e-inclusion, the Government approved the Plan for Digital Appropriation 2021-24 on the 12 February 2021. This plan was proposed by the Digital Inclusion Coordination and drawn up in consultation with stakeholders on the ground.

The implementation is organised in four areas defining 17 projects including 66 actions:

a. Raising awareness and destigmatising - raising citizens' awareness of digital tools and services, how to use them and on the support or training...

Within the framework of the European Commission's support for the development of an adapted training offer in the context of the implementation of the Skills enhancement pathways, several stakeholders from the Belgium French speaking community are working together in the framework of the EU programme for employment and social innovation EASI to implement a training strategy for basic digital skills for jobseekers and adult learners with little schooling.

In line with this strategy, The Start...

The action plan for the digital transition has three main pillars. Each one comprises three sub-pillars:

1. Capacity building and digital inclusion of people
   1. digital education,
   2. professional training and reskilling,
   3. digital inclusion and literacy,
2. Digital transformation of enterprises
   1. entrepreneurship and investment attraction,
   2. existing companies (with a focus on SMEs),
   3. scientific and technological knowledge transfer to the economy,
3. Digitalisation of the public sector
   1. digital...

The Cyprus Pedagogical Institute (CPI) of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport and Youth has introduced Digital competences development for educators (DCDE). The programme is offered through a distance-learning approach and methodology, utilising CPI's e-learning environment. It consists of an introductory module and 10 learning modules with content on thematic areas that have been defined through a process of diagnosing the needs of teachers but also following European and national...

The finance ministry was responsible for preparing the National integrated reform plan (NIRP). Over 100 experts, including analysts from respective ministries and experts from NGOs and businesses, contributed to the identification of milestones, measurable goals and required costs in eight priority areas. The following are the most relevant to VET:

1. education;
2. research, development and innovations;
3. digitalisation;
4. labour market and social sustainability.

The priority area education includes...

In February 2019, a new agency was established, the Innovative Training Support Centre (Innovatív Képzéstámogató Központ Zrt., IKK). It also works alongside the National Office for Vocational Education and Training and Adult Learning (Nemzeti Szakképzési és Felnottképzési Hivatal) as a state administrative VET body. The IKK supports the implementation of the provisions of the VET Act of 2019 on innovation, digitalisation and related areas. IKK also implements GINOP (Economic Development and...

The provisions of the Act on National Public Education CXC of 2011 allowed electronic filing and storage of school documents. In 2015, work started on the creation of an electronic management system for Hungarian public schools: the Public education registration and study information system - NEPTUN-KRÉTA (Köznevelési Regisztrációs és Tanulmányi Alaprendszer - NEPTUN-KRÉTA). The new system was piloted in 2016/17 and made compulsory in 2017/18 in all public schools. The Ministerial...

The government has accepted, by government Decision No 1168/2019. (III.28.), the new strategy mid-term VET policy strategy for the renewal of VET and adult education (AE), the VET system's answer to the challenges of the fourth Industrial Revolution'.

The VET 4.0 strategy is based on three pillars.

1. Attractive career opportunities for learners: learners must obtain competitive qualifications and knowledge required by the economy, which will provide a sound existence and high income. A...

From 16 March 2020, all education institutions in Slovenia were temporarily closed until further notice, by government order for the purpose of the COVID-19 infection control. All students, including VET, had to stop attending classes at schools and stop living in dormitories. VET students, including apprentices, also had to interrupt their training in companies. Additionally, from 30 March 2020, government prohibition of movement outside the municipality of permanent or temporary residence...

After the closure of schools, teachers began spontaneously to move to distance learning using communication platforms (such as Zoom); at the same time, the burden of work was transferred onto learners and households. Very soon, the need to ease the school's pressure to evaluate learners' performance from a distance became apparent, partly because it is not easy to distinguish learners' own performance from domestic support and also because the conditions for domestic performance are very...

In the short term, three priority areas have been identified by the strategy, forming a basis for the 2019-22 action plan:

1. promoting digital transformation of schools, improving education environment, enhancing learners' digital competences and improving their employment prospects;
2. laying the foundations for a modern data-based and digital economy and the digital transformation of the economy as a whole;
3. improving the capacity of public administration to make use of data and innovation for...

There are four main areas of development envisaged in the national education strategy 2021-27:

Highly competent educators

Highly competent educational staff implies the training, attraction and retention of outstanding teachers and academic staff, as well as systematic and purposeful professional development, methodological and consultative support. Stimulating the motivation of teachers and academic staff is also important.

Availability of quality education to everyone

Quality education...

In 2018, the Federal Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT) and the Federal Ministry of Digital and Economic Affairs (BMDW) jointly published the paper Artificial Intelligence Mission Austria 2030. This paper defines seven fields (including qualification and training) that need to be adapted in the future in connection with AI.

Based on this AI mission, parallel working groups were set up in these seven fields in the first half of 2019, involving around 150 experts from...

The suggested maximum of 10 knowledge centres materialised in 2017 as nine centres with different foci: robotics and automation (two centres), welfare technology (two centres: assisted technologies), process technology, craftsmanship and handicrafts, craftsmanship and design, sustainable building and energy related building renovation, e-business, and data-based service development. Each centre is placed in a VET college, but the centres also have close formal cooperation with knowledge...

The legislation introduced in 2018 and amended in 2019, aims to promote inclusive education and enable schools to recognise and respond to learners' diversity, individual needs and capabilities. It established a flexible learning model, which addresses the unique needs of learners and targets the acquisition of common knowledge throughout their school paths, regardless of the specific education or training programme in which they are enrolled. This legislation offers learners opportunities...

Since September 2017, several collaboration agreements between the State Public Employment Service (Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal, SEPE), the education ministry, and 11 Autonomous Regions have been approved. The agreements allow for implementing work plans of 25 national reference centres (Centros de Referencia Nacional, CRNs), of the 52 planned. CRNs are public institutions specialised in the different professional branches, in charge of carrying out innovation and experimentation...

The Malta National Lifelong learning strategy 2020 consolidated ideas and processes that were already taking shape in different organisations and institutions in Malta, such as to ensure a single, coherent location to guide actions in lifelong learning. This strategy is not a stand-alone document but interrelates with other important national documents published in the same period whose recommendations dovetail with those in this strategy. It also builds on the recommendations of...

The 2015 National vocational education and training policy proposed measures to:

1. mainstream modular structures (as they allow for unit transfer) by 2017;
2. use ECVET for MQF/EQF levels 1 to 4 and ECTS for VET and academic qualifications at levels 5 to 8;
3. base validation processes and assessment on ECVET.

All courses at EQF/MQF levels 1 to 4, including part-time ones, are modular-based on units and follow ECVET recommendations. Similarly, courses at EQF/MQF levels 5 to 8 are modular-based and...

The 2016-18 ESF project 'Strengthening the competences of professionals' in the field of managing an innovative educational institute, targeted teachers and other professionals in upper-secondary vocational schools and higher vocational schools. The project strengthened their competences in promoting entrepreneurship, introducing innovative methods of teaching, working with special needs learners, acquiring pedagogical/andragogical skills of higher-education lecturers and supporting quality...

The National Centre for TVET Development implemented several projects through which continuing teacher and trainer-in-companies training was offered.

One of the projects aimed to improve the skills and competences of teachers and trainers involved in work-based learning, through an Erasmus+ pilot training programme (DALIVET 2014-16). An accredited training course was introduced to increase the competences of 23 vocational education and training (VET) school teachers and 22 trainers. The...

In 2016, the Ministry of National Education changed the procedure for awarding the teacher confirmation certificate (Definitivat certificate). After completing a 1-year period of teaching, prospective teachers take a simplified teacher confirmation examination.

The written test consists of two parts instead of three: one part is focused on the subject in which the candidate specialises (60% of the total grade); the other is focused on the teaching methodology (30% of the total grade), while...

The National Centre for TVET Development registers new training firms and corresponding activities annually.

The Business plan competition is managed through it and is organised annually. Students together with teachers create a virtual company, just like a real one, perform virtual transactions (buy-sell, including international), make payments and make balance sheets.

The competition takes place based on the approval of the education ministry at local, regional and national levels.

The number...

The national qualifications system (Sistema Nacional de Qualificações, SNQ) aims (among others) to improve VET quality by promoting trainers' initial and continuing professional development (CPD) and enhancing their technical and pedagogical capacity. In this context, it was necessary to develop standards for initial and continuing training for trainers and tutors in the light of the new pedagogical approaches and technical developments.

In recent years, the country has developed and put in...

The 2015 VET teacher promotion initiative also provides for VET teacher CPD. Measures include: giving vocational teachers the opportunity to develop their competences by creating new and more relevant courses; supporting VET teachers with a technological background who lack teacher training for upgrading their qualifications, through scholarships and increased supply of pedagogical training (one-year programme in education theory and practice).

CPD will be based on VET teacher competence...

A digitalisation strategy for 2017-21 (Fremtid, fornyelse og digitalisering) was published by the government on 25 August 2017. The strategy identified overall perspectives, challenges, the main goals and key action areas, i.e. learners' learning, school content, competence, infrastructure and VET. For VET, the focus is on upskilling vocational teachers in line with technological change and schools' needs, and on cooperation with businesses. During the school year 2018/19, a total of 29...

An agreement between the education ministry and the Malta Union of Teachers was signed in December 2017, covering the years 2018-22. The agreement gives greater emphasis to continuous professional development. This new agreement envisages the creation of a community of professional educators (CoPE), providing a forum of professional discussion such as school development planning sessions, CPD and links with industry and society. Several training sessions for teachers of all mainstream...

Industry placements for teaching staff are presently taking place in following different forms:

1. a recently launched MVEAR, a CPD programme for MCAST industry;
2. Erasmus+ mobility programmes are offered to MCAST teaching staff, enabling them to visit industries abroad;
3. teaching staff voluntarily asks to carry out industry placements, particularly in the summer recess, to keep themselves abreast of developments in the industrial sector relative to their areas of teaching;
4. the activities of the...

In 2015, the Institute for Education was set up to be responsible for continuing professional development (CPD) and training of educators. It was also set up to create flexible and accessible initial teacher training qualifications The Institute also acts as a platform for sharing experience and promoting education leadership. Its activities, which include developing a wide array of accredited teacher training opportunities and establishing international partnerships, are financed by the...

The in 2018 Work-based Learning and Apprenticeship Act stipulates that the VET provider is responsible for identifying and supervising the suitability of sponsors and trainers and ensuring that trainers must have sufficient technical experience, technical qualifications and personal competences. The act specifies technical qualifications as a certification recognised by the Malta qualifications framework (MQF) or by international qualification structures recognised by industry in a technical...

Due to the requirement that teachers need to have completed a master degree to enter the teaching profession, several master degrees in teaching and learning (MTL) were introduced: in October 2016 the Faculty of Education at the University of Malta started a two-year Master in teaching and learning (MTL) for first-cycle degree graduates. From September 2017, the Faculty of Education introduced MTL initial teacher training courses in 11 vocational subjects. In order to ensure that it provides...

In order to improve basic skills in IVET, the National Literacy Agency (NLA) launched in September 2018 the Reading recovery (RR) training programme in collaboration with the university college London. The programme consists of 100 hours of individual sessions over 20 weeks. The sessions are provided by teachers trained specifically in the methodology of RR. The programme lends itself to adaptations to meet the individual needs of each student.

The programme includes the training of teachers...

In 2016, the Education IT Management Centre (Centre de gestion informatique de l'éducation, CGIE) published a mobile learning guide to help school leaders and teaching staff in secondary education and training, use ICT in a targeted and systematic way. The guide drew on extensive research and consultation as well as national and international experience and practices.

The CGIE also organised in 2017, in cooperation with the Department for Coordination of Educational and Technological Research...

Following the 2015 reform, a candidate for the teaching profession first has to take preliminary tests in the three national languages (German, French and Luxembourgish) followed by a competitive examination (concours) organised by the Ministry of National Education. Then an induction phase is obligatory; by law amendment of July 2019, the duration of the initial induction phase has been reduced from three to two years. During this phase, which combines theory and practice, participants...

The Ministry of Education, Children and Youth encourages and accompanies many projects and initiatives of educational interest through its Department for Coordination of Educational and Technological Research and Innovation (SCRIPT). Several websites providing digital teaching material for school teachers have been created: the portal Multi-script provides access to online and printed educational material and online applications for both primary and secondary education. It grants access to...

In 2015, the Digital Education strategy was developed, including five dimensions broken down into specific projects; the strategy's major focus is on IT infrastructure and equipment.

In 2015, the National Youth Service and Department for Coordination of Educational and Technological Research and Innovation (SCRIPT) developed the Bee Creative project. This contributes to developing digital literacy and creativity (programming, security, design, communication) and entrepreneurship, by...

In October 2016, a national-level project was launched with the aim of creating a CPD system for vocational teachers and adult educators. The project has been coordinated by the Qualifications and VET Development Centre (KPMPC), under the responsibility of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport. It was anticipated that about 700 vocational teachers (almost a third of those working at the time) would participate in training courses relating to key and pedagogical competences for topics...

VET teacher training is regulated by the Good school reform (Law 107/2015). According to this Law, teachers' in-service training becomes continuing. It also provides incentives to support continuing teacher training and systematic need analysis mechanisms. Teachers' in-service training must be in line with the school plan and with the priorities of the education ministry. As part of the Good School Law, the priority areas for teacher training in the period 2016-19 are:

1. organisational and...

In 2016, the education ministry adopted the multi annual National plan for digital education (PNSD). The plan has coordinated government, region and municipality digital resources, as well as managed all the projects focusing on digital education and innovation. The plan can be seen as a consequence of the Good school Law which emphasises the development of digital skills.

The plan aims to link education institutions with lifelong learning and life-wide learning in formal, informal and...

On 13 July 2015, the Italian government adopted a reform of the national education system called the Good school (La Buona Scuola), emphasising alternance between classroom work and periods of workplace training. The main objective is to boost school-to-work transition by increasing employment opportunities and guidance for learners. The reform has made it compulsory for all learners attending the last three years of upper secondary school to take part in a school-work exchange scheme for at...

In November 2016, the 2017-19 FET professional development strategy was published by the Further Education and Training Authority (SOLAS) and the Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI). The strategy acknowledged that provision specific to the FET practitioner was not adequately addressed within the existing formal learning offer. It stated that in the period to 2019, the implementation of the strategy would include an examination of the feasibility of developing a suite of...

Hungary's Digital Education Strategy was launched in 2016. The main objective of the strategy was to create the possibility for the effective diffusion of digital literacy at all levels of the education system, in line with sectoral strategies and professional objectives, thus contributing to the competitiveness of Hungary.

Following the establishment of the VET Centres, a systematic infrastructure development based on budgetary resources was launched, with the renovation of the building...

To achieve its target of reducing early school leaving to less than 10%, Hungary has introduced two projects since 2016: Reducing the number of students leaving VET without a qualification - GINOP 6.2.2 VEKOP/15 and Overall development of VET structures - GINOP 6.2.3 - 17. Vocational training programmes are free of charge for SEN learners. They are also allowed to remain in full-time education regardless of their age. The 2019 reform opened up new opportunities for workers of any age to get...

The project Modernisation of the continuing professional development (CPD) system for VET teachers started in June 2017and lasted until 2021. In 2018, an analysis of international best practices and the current teacher training and professional development system in Croatia was carried out, based on market research of general, professional and sector-specific training needs of VET teachers. Guidelines for professional development of VET teachers were drafted, along with recommendations for...

From 1 March 2015 to 31 August 2018, the Croatian Academic and Research Network - CARNET - carried out the pilot project e-Schools: Establishing a system for developing digitally mature schools. It addressed the improvement of ICT infrastructure in schools, raising digital competences of teachers and students, introducing digital educational contents in teaching and learning, and developing data management systems. During the pilot project, IT infrastructure was improved in all participating...

The Institute of Educational Policy (IEP) is carrying out the project Teachers and trainers training on issues related to apprenticeship. Particular attention is paid to the continuing professional development (CPD) of teaching staff who used to work in school-based programmes and are (re)allocated to the new apprenticeship programmes (mostly the EPAL post-secondary apprenticeship year, but also apprenticeships within post-secondary VET programmes of the Institute of Vocational Training...

A December 2015 circular created more opportunities for school staff to work with the business world, including courses for head teachers and CPD modules on entrepreneurship; it also contributed to the CPD of VET school teachers. One of the measures included in the circular introduced compulsory traineeship in companies for teachers.

The June 2015 quality assurance decree was rolled out for the first time in January 2017. It requires training bodies to be able to demonstrate that staff in...

In 2016, the Teacher education development programme (Opettajankoulutuksen kehittämisohjelma) was launched by the Ministry of Education and Culture and coordinated by Jyväskylä Educational Consortium Gradia. The programme recommends that training should emphasise its capabilities for:

1. working as a teacher in different operating environments;
2. promoting learner-centeredness;
3. creativity.

It supports:

1. developing coherent practices;
2. unifying quality criteria;
3. promoting competence-based and...

The School of Computational Thinking was set up in the academic year 2018/19 to train teachers to develop programming and robotics in their classrooms. This initiative is coordinated by the National Institute for Education Technologies and Teacher Training (INTEF) in collaboration with the Autonomous Communities, which provide their own teachers for the project, as the education ministry does not have the competence for the teacher training in the regions.

In primary education, teachers use...

The National Institute of Education Technologies and Teacher Training (INTEF) is also responsible for the integration of ICT in non-university education. INTEF, in collaboration with the Autonomous Communities, offered four types of online courses for teacher continuous professional development (CPD):

1. online tutored courses specifically for teachers; these combine expert support and follow-up with peer-to-peer exchange, teamwork and peer assessment. Successful completion is recognised with...

The Ministry of Education and Vocational Training, through the National Institute of Educational Technologies and Teacher Training and the Autonomous Communities, elaborated, in 2021, a new reference framework for digital competence in teaching through a commission dependent on the Working Group on Learning Technologies. This framework was approved by the Sectoral Conference on Education at its meeting on 30 March 2022 and published by Resolution of 4 May 2022 of the Directorate General for...

The programme was adopted in 2015 and addresses teachers and school leaders at all levels and types of education, including VET. It has devoted resources to teacher training, including digital competences and innovative approaches in VET. The following actions have been taken:

1. schools were supported to improve the integration of general and vocational learning and promote key competences;
2. the share of teachers with practical experience and labour market qualifications was increased;
3. VET...

The first digital focus programme was implemented in 2016-18. By 2018, the incorporation of digital culture into education and learning activities was considered complete, but not yet systemised. The activities continued during the second programme period in 2019-22.

The programme is devoted to developing digital skills, digital learning resources and e-assessment through the following activities:

1. incorporating a digital culture into the learning process;
2. supporting digital learning resources...

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) initiated the programme of promoting digitalisation in competence centres and inter-company training centres in 2016. The Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) has the task of supporting the planning, establishment and further development of inter-company vocational training centres (ÜBS). Inter-company training centres are meant to be learning places to include digital innovation for skilled workers. For this,...

Following the enormous influx of refugees in 2015-16, BIBB expanded its support offer to trainers on developing intercultural competences and training refugees. Since 2016, diverse activities promoting the intercultural competences of in-company trainers were provided on the web portals Foraus.de (BIBB), Ueberaus.de (BIBB) and stark-fuer-ausbildung.de (Strong for apprenticeships, by the DIHK chambers association).

The project Qualiboxx was replaced in 2016 by the online platform Überaus...

Since 2015, BIBB has funded eighteen 'VET for sustainable development' projects (BBNE). They experimented and evaluated relevant curriculum concepts, digital teaching, learning materials and examination questions on green skills for initial and continuing VET, e.g. on energy saving and energy efficiency, carbon and water footprint, or thinking about resources.

In 2016, new funding guidelines also relevant for the continuing professional development (CPD) of trainers were covered in the...

Under its Digital pact for schools programme (2019-24), the Federal Government aims to fund the digital infrastructure in all German schools, including vocational schools, to promote the uptake of digital skills. Vocational schools have been gradually provided with high-quality digital equipment including professional administration. This investment goes hand-in-hand with investment of Federal States, promoting digital competences of teachers and the development of new digital teaching...

The Federal Government and the Federal States (represented by the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs KMK) have launched a joint programme, the Quality initiative for teacher training (Qualitätsoffensive Lehrerbildung, QLB), a funding competition scheme to strengthen initial teacher preparation (ITP) and raise the attractiveness of teaching. In 2014 and 2015, higher education institutions involved in teacher training were invited to submit project proposals...

The web portal, Digital media in VET, has provided information since 2015 on the use of digital media in VET and selected project findings. The portal offers a project database and map, including 222 projects in the following seven categories: didactics/methodology, learning in the work process, creation of content, learning location cooperation, competence assessment and documentation, mobile learning, and web 2.0.

The portal also features a selection of products developed by the funded...

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), in cooperation with the Federal Institute for VET (BIBB), started the initiative VET 4.0 for the period from February 2016 to April 2018. The initiative is based on three pillars.

1. Pillar 1: occupation and sector screening. The focus was on the analysis of selected training occupations, advanced training regulations and sectors, already partially or fully affected by digital transformation. The goal was to develop recommendations for the...

In November 2018, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) launched a committee to develop a National continuing education strategy (Nationale Weiterbildungsstrategie). The social partners were part of the committee which was expected to formulate answers to the digital change in the world of work. The focus should be on SMEs, micro enterprises and people in need of help to increase their opportunities on the labour...

In October 2016, the National Coalition for Digital Skills and Jobs (DigiKoalice) was established by the Ministries of Education, Labour and Social Affairs, Industry and Trade, the Office of the Government, and the Czech ICT Alliance, as part of the digital education strategy. The composition of the coalition is diverse, bringing together non-profit organisations, IT companies, schools, libraries, academic institutions, government agencies and more.

The main tasks of the coalition include...

The SYPO project (System for the support of professional development of teachers and directors) was launched in January 2018 and is carried out in cooperation with a range of stakeholders, including representatives of the Czech School Inspectorate, the National Institute for Education, higher education institutions, the Association of School Directors, and representatives of regions. Further education of these two target groups is, to some extent, unsystematic, lacking conceptual support for...

The Digital education strategy targets basic and secondary schools and includes measures addressing teacher training, pedagogical research, support for headmasters, infrastructure and connectivity issues of the schools, innovation in modern methods of education and teaching, priorities in communicating the need for change to the public, and the need for opening education through digital technologies to everyone. The Digital literacy strategy focuses on measures aiming to enhance digital...

Acquisition of a teaching certificate is funded, as a priority, by the State budget through subsidies to State universities. These subsidies cover teachers' initial training, but do not include their continuing professional development (CPD) which is funded under a separate framework. In March 2017, the council of ministers added teachers' initial training programmes and pedagogy to the list of priority professional areas in higher education, so these programmes are supported by the State...

FormaForm is a partnership scheme set up by vocational training actors Le Forem, Bruxelles Formation and IFAPME. It started as a project to pool resources and strengthen organisations by developing a common training offer for VET trainers. The main mission is thus to offer training and integration professionals tailor-made and innovative services to develop their skills for the benefit of their respective target groups by pooling resources and expertise. The services are available free of...

Compulsory education

The digital strategy for education was adopted in 2018 and then implemented. The strategy includes the following five axes:

1. defining digital content and resources for learning,
2. providing support and training to teachers and heads of school,
3. defining modalities of school digital equipment,
4. sharing, communicating and disseminating,
5. developing digital governance.

Digital competence is regarded both as a learning object and a support to other disciplines. Digital education...

Since autumn 2017, all new teachers must acquire standardised digital competences, including digital subject-specific didactic, within their initial teacher training programme. They have to prove their competences through a mandatory portfolio, which contains a digital competence check (digi.check), completion of a modular course programme and reflection on one's own teaching activities. To promote the digital skills of teachers already in service, the course programme is also offered...

The We educate the economy plan was approved in 2018 by the Austrian Economic Chamber and focusses on developing projects in five fields:

1. virtual learning platforms, for example for virtual company tours or online career information;
2. digital tools for apprenticeship training, such as digital learning worlds for apprentices, online tools for planning and documenting apprenticeship training and digital training and continuing education platforms for trainers;
3. continuing training, such as new...

In November 2017, the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber issued a call for tenders for a funding programme financed by the Federal Ministry of Digital and Economic Affairs to support projects on the use of digital opportunities in dual VET and the promotion of the development of digital competences. Funding is provided for projects for a maximum duration of 5 years and maximum costs of EUR 200 000 per project. A total of EUR 900 000 is available for the programme. Project applications were...