Teacher continuing professional development

Policy development
Regulation/Legislation
Luxembourg
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Timeline
  • 2018Implementation
  • 2019Implementation
  • 2020Implementation
  • 2021Implementation
  • 2022Implementation
  • 2023Implementation
  • 2024Implementation
ID number
28380

Background

A brief overview of the context and rationale of the policy development, explaining why it is implemented or why it is important.

Teacher continuing professional development (CPD) has gained considerable importance over the years and is now considered a professional duty in the Luxembourgish education system. In its 2015 national reform programme, Luxembourg indicated its intention to reform the professional development of teachers and trainers.

The project Teachers meet businesses, initiated by the Chamber of Commerce and the Training Institute for National Education (IFEN) in 2018, addresses secondary education teachers looking for insights into industry developments to help improve the training and guidance they provide to their students. The project allows teachers to discover a growing economic sector and become familiar with the corresponding qualifications and competences. The 2018-19 edition focused on start-ups and business incubators.

Objectives

Goals and objectives of the policy development.

Setting up a legal framework and implementing provisions for the organisation of teacher CPD.

Description

What/How/Who/For whom/When of the policy development in detail, explaining its activities and annual progress, main actors and target groups.

The 2015 legislation establishing the Training Institute for National Education (IFEN) stipulates that IFEN offers mandatory teacher CPD schemes to develop and refresh the competences of teaching staff, these include training leading to certification, coaching, supervision, job shadowing and exchange networks. With the support of IFEN, a school may also develop optional CPD plans for their staff (Schulinterne Lehrer/innen-Weiterbildung) to align teacher training activities to the school's objectives.

Teacher CPD is defined according to a competence framework which enables teachers to conceptualise the competences required for their professional practice and to share a common approach for fulfilling their teaching tasks. Each teacher must undergo 48 hours of CPD in three years as defined by regulations of 2015 and 2016. Of these, at least 24 hours should either concern priority training areas (defined by regulation) or be part of their school's internal training plan. Teaching and learning within a competence-based approach, ICT technologies and teamwork and communication are among current priorities. A maximum of 24 hours should be dedicated to the domain of disciplinary knowledge. Any training courses chosen by a teacher which do not clearly belong to their profile should be approved by the school director.

2018
Implementation
2019
Implementation

In 2019, a new law amending the 2015 law creating IFEN was adopted. It provides for new methods of providing in-service training to teachers: peer grouping, coaching, and e-learning.

2020
Implementation

In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the CPD offer was extended to cover knowledge and methods of distance learning, including distance learning for practical courses. The regular offer was also constantly adapted.

In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the project, Teachers meet businesses, was suspended.

2021
Implementation

In 2021, in addition to constant update of its offer, IFEN created its first educational Third Place, F.use (Future Space for Education - Tiers lieu) to diversify its training and support offer, and thus respond to the challenges of the future of education. It is a physical space for exchange, innovation and experience-action which targets all education professionals. In these 'classrooms of the future', open and adaptable spaces, multiple activities are offered in the form of working sessions, activities of discovery or training sessions, focused on game-based learning, digital technology in general and the creation of one's own educational material.

In 2021, the project, Teachers meet businesses, was suspended.

2022
Implementation

In 2022, another Educational Third Place, F.use, opened.

The ministry of Education's VET Department (SFP), in collaboration with IFEN, organised thematic seminars for teachers and in-company trainers, tailored to the provision of the newly introduced IVET programme DAP Éducation (socio-pedagogical childcare agent). In 2022, the project, Teachers meet businesses, was suspended.

2023
Implementation

Since March 2023, the ICT teacher training courses offered by the National Education Training Institute's (IFEN), includes conferences and seminars about AI and related tools. In the 2023/24 school year, the institute introduced massive open online courses (MOOCs) and blended learning formats to supplement these face-to-face training sessions. The majority of the IFEN's AI related teacher training courses, which are part of the ICT domain, include:

  • chat about ChatGPT and AI,
  • demystifying AI and ChatGPT,
  • AI, ethics and future-proofing the classroom,
  • introduction to generative AI: using ChatGPT to optimise teacher preparation.

IFEN has continued to diversify its training formats (such as seminars, seminars with an individual learning phase, resonance spaces, guided exchange networks, reading circles, educational walks and film debates) and to develop on-line training courses.

To support and prepare teachers for the implementation of digital science courses throughout secondary education, IFEN is offering tailored continuing professional development courses.

IFEN has introduced its very first 'training pathway'. These pathways aim to strengthen expertise in targeted areas while developing professional skills. They are structured to provide a coherent and progressive learning experience, enriched by a variety of teaching resources in a specific area. It emphasises flexibility and customisation, offering tailor-made support from experienced trainers, a practical approach through projects and observation periods, and a multi-level recognition system.

In 2023, a new Vocational Aptitude Diploma 'Inclusion' was introduced. The introduction of the programme is accompanied by a dedicated in-company trainer training deployed by IFEN.

2024
Implementation

In January 2024, the program Teachers meet business was relaunched. The first session of the 2023/2024 edition is devoted to the commerce sector.

Bodies responsible

This section lists main bodies that are responsible for the implementation of the policy development or for its specific parts or activities, as indicated in the regulatory acts. The responsibilities are usually explained in its description.
  • Training Institute for National Education (IFEN)
  • Chamber of Commerce

Target groups

Those who are positively and directly affected by the measures of the policy development; those on the list are specifically defined in the EU VET policy documents. A policy development can be addressed to one or several target groups.

Education professionals

  • Teachers

Thematic categories

Thematic categories capture main aspects of the decision-making and operation of national VET and LLL systems. These broad areas represent key elements that all VET and LLL systems have to different extents and in different combinations, and which come into focus depending on the EU and national priorities. Thematic categories are further divided into thematic sub-categories. Based on their description, policy developments can be assigned to one or several thematic categories.

Teachers, trainers and school leaders competences

Competent and motivated VET teachers in schools and trainers in companies are crucial to VET becoming innovative and relevant, agile, resilient, flexible, inclusive and lifelong.

This thematic category comprises policies and practices of initial training and continuing professional development approaches in a systemic and systematic manner. It also looks at measures aiming to update (entry) requirements and make teaching and training careers attractive and bring more young and talented individuals and business professionals into teaching and training. Supporting VET educators by equipping them with adequate competences, skills and tools for the green transition and digital teaching and learning are addressed in separate thematic sub-categories.

The measures in this category target teachers and school leaders, company trainers and mentors, adult educators and guidance practitioners.

Systematic approaches to and opportunities for initial and continuous professional development of school leaders, teachers and trainers

This thematic sub-category refers to all kinds of initial and continuing professional development (CPD) for VET educators who work in vocational schools and in companies providing VET. VET educators include teachers and school leaders, trainers and company managers involved in VET, as well as adult educators and guidance practitioners – those who work in school- and work-based settings. The thematic sub-category includes national strategies, training programmes or individual courses to address the learning needs of VET educators and to develop their vocational (technical) skills, and pedagogical (teaching) skills and competences. Such programmes concern state-of-the-art vocational pedagogy, innovative teaching methods, and competences needed to address evolving teaching environments, e.g. teaching in multicultural settings, working with learners at risk of early leaving, etc.

Subsystem

Part of the vocational education and training and lifelong learning systems the policy development applies to.
IVET

Country

Luxembourg

Type of development

Policy developments are divided into three types: strategy/action plan; regulation/legislation; and practical measure/initiative.
Regulation/Legislation
Cite as

Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Teacher continuing professional development: Luxembourg. In Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Timeline of VET policies in Europe (2024 update) [Online tool].

https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/timeline-vet-policies-europe/search/28380