Vocational Education and Training in the European Union

Vocational Education and Training in the European Union, and the European Alliance for Apprenticeships presentation at the 2014 INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON VET Donostia - San Sebastián, on 29 May 2014 Joao SANTOS, Deputy Head of Unit Directorate General for Education and Culture Unit B 2, Vocational training and adult education; Erasmus+

Content of presentation 1. European VET policy framework 2. ERASMUS +, EU support to VET 3. European Alliance for Apprenticeships 2

European VET policy framework 3

European VET policy framework Legal basis Lisbon treaty Art. 165 & 166 CEDEFOP provides evidence and expertise ETF supports the VET reforms in 30 partner countries Copenhagen process Framework for European VET policy Coordination • Social partners • involved in the • political process Europe. Aid supports TVET and Skills, in EU Development Cooperation 4

The Copenhagen process Political process 33 countries participating together with social partners and Commission to agree on common goals and objectives; inspiring national reforms – fitting within E&T 2020 and Europe 2020 Developing common tools Common frameworks and tools; transparency and quality of competences and qualifications, facilitating mobility (e. g. Europass, EQF, ECVET, EQAVET) Fostering mutual learning Supports cooperation, peer learning, sharing ideas, experience and results, evidence based policy making (e. g. OMC WG on VET) Involving stakeholders Enables their contribution to common goals 5

Bruges Communiqué EU 2020 VET agenda Vision – VET in 2020 Agreeing on common goals and objectives Inspiring and mobilising for national reforms 11 Strategic objectives Attractiveness, excellence, flexible access, internationalisation and mobility, innovation creativity and entrepreneurship (use of ICT), Inclusive I-VET and C-VET, and transversal objectives. Short term deliverables (2011 -2014) 22 Deliverables at national level supported by actions at EU level Governance Ownership, methods, official bodies, role of Cedefop and ETF, international dimension, cooperation with VET provider organisations 6

VET Governance and Partnerships Coordination/Advisory bodies • Directors General for VET • Advisory Committee on Vocational Training Agencies supporting VET policy • Cedefop • ETF Social partners, EEA member countries, and candidate countries closely involved in the political process (Communiqués, monitoring, etc. ) 7

Upcoming Bruges Review (2015) September 2014 - Cedefop in cooperation with ETF present the VET monitoring report (progress on the short term deliverables 2011 -2014) Early 2015 - Review and definition of VET priorities, as well as a new set of STD for 2015 -2017 Mid 2015 Communiqué (Riga) – update of Bruges Communiqué linking VET priorities with EU 2020 and ET 2020 strategic frameworks Review will be based on the progress between 2011 -2014, as well as recent policy initiatives: e. g. Rethinking Education, EAf. A, European Area for Skills and Qualifications, ECVET and EQAVET evaluations and consistent with the European Semester (CSR) 8

Mapping study on VET internationalisation Background to the mapping study 'Building knowledge on international cooperation in VET”: The Lisbon Treaty Art 166. 3 "The Union and the Member States shall foster cooperation with third countries and the competent international organisations in the sphere of vocational training". Bruges communiqué: “… As players on the global education market, national VET systems need to be connected to the wider world in order to remain up-todate and competitive… Develop a strategic approach to the internationalisation of I-VET and C -VET and promoting international mobility…” 9

Mapping study on VET internationalisation Objective of study (to be completed December 2014): Provide an illustrative mapping of the state of play of existing policy measures and practices implemented by EU/EFTA countries. Preliminary findings: Some member states have a clear international dimension to their VET policies, which usually takes one of the following forms: 1. Policy dialogue at strategic level, 2. Bilateral cooperation between VET institutions leading to VET delivery and capacity-building. 3. Outbound and inbound student mobility programmes, 4. Establishment of VET institutions abroad 10

Mapping study on VET internationalisation Interesting examples of actions at Member State level: • i. Move programme in Germany - supporting German VET providers for international competition in VET, mainly in Asian countries • US-Denmark partnership on VET - provides funding for student and teacher mobility, partnerships for curriculum development, etc. • France’s initiative on Technical teachers without borders – aimed at encouraging teacher and trainer mobility • Austria’s MODUL Service Platform - fosters projects on VET for the tourism sector, with China and Iran; offers advice in setting educational institutes, develops curricula, enhances quality for existing institutes and draws plans of regional development; • German-Thai dual excellence programme - involving three corporations: BMW, Bosch, B. Grimm). Offers students a two-year dual VET programme. Assures quality standards, adjusts curricula for mechatronics, trains the trainers etc. 11

ERASMUS +, EU support to VET 12

ERASMUS+ • Adoption of Erasmus+ on 19 November 2013 • First call for proposals on 12 December 2013 Organisations from non-programme countries can participate (not apply) if participation clearly brings added-value to the proposal (e. g. Ukraine firms highly-specialised in rocket technology) 13

Targets 2014 -2020 Overall budget € 14. 7 billion Overall mobility opportunities More than 4 million people Higher education Around 2 million students Vocational education and training students Around 650, 000 students Staff mobility Around 800, 000 lecturers, teachers, trainers, education staff and youth workers Volunteer and youth exchange schemes More than 500, 000 young people Master's degree loan guarantee scheme Around 200, 000 students Joint Master Degrees More than 25, 000 students 14

Targets 2014 -2020 Strategic Partnerships Around 25, 000 linking together 125 000 schools, vocational education and training institutions, higher and adult education institutions, youth organisations and enterprises Knowledge Alliances More than 150 set up by 1500 higher education institutions and enterprises Sector Skills Alliances More than 150 set up by 2000 vocational education and training providers and enterprises Schools More than 200, 000 teachers collaborating on line involving more than 100, 000 schools through e-twinning 15

ERASMUS+ Financial distribution Breakdown of Education and Training budget by sectors 16

European Alliance for Apprenticeships 17

European Alliance for Apprenticeships VET supporting economic recovery The crisis has brought increased attention to VET: • Work based learning - Dual systems, and others • Labour market relevance of skills – addressing skill mismatches • Youth Guarantee schemes – opportunity within 4 months • Mobility - 6% benchmark 18

Participation rates in VET Students enrolled in vocational upper secondary education, 2010, as a % of all students enrolled in upper secondary education (ISCED level 3) 19

Work-Based Learning is still an exception Proportion of VET students enrolled in combined work- and school-based VET, as a % of all students in upper secondary VET (2010) 20

WBL and youth unemployment Share of students in ISCED 3 level programmes including at least 25 % of workbased learning Youth unemployment rate Below 15 % 15 -25 % Above 25 % More than 30 % participation DK, DE, AT CZ Between 6 and 30 % NL FI, LU, FR, UK SK, HU Less than 6 % BE, SI, SE EL, PL, IE, PT, ES, IT, EE 21

Why apprenticeships? VET with strong work-based learning leads to: Ø Smooth transition from education to work Ø Less youth unemployment Ø Better skill matching Ø Higher competitiveness 22

European Alliance for Apprenticeships • Launch and Joint Declaration, 2 July 2013 First ever Joint Declaration by European level Social Partners, European Commission and EU Presidency of the Council (Lithuania) • Council Declaration, 15 October 2013 Ensuring recognition and/or integration of apprenticeship in formal system (reference to validation of outcomes from non-formal and informal learning) • 21 Member States Pledges, early 2014 Commission invited all MS to submit 'pledges' on planned reforms and initiatives to increase the quality, supply and attractiveness of apprenticeships • Pledges and Ambassadors Some 30 pledges from VET providers, chambers, businesses, social partners, youth organisations and others + a network of business Ambassadors to support SMEs ERASMUS+ Call for proposal, ‘National Authorities for Apprenticeships’ - EACEA/13/14 published on 26 March 2014, deadline 26 June 2014 23

Aims of the EAf. A Aims to: • Reform of national VET systems (apprenticeship schemes) • Increased number, quality and attractiveness of apprenticeships • Easier transition from education to work • Strong partnerships at all governance levels • Leverage of public and private funding • Improved image of apprenticeships 24

ERASMUS+ Call for proposals (1) Ø National authorities responsible for apprenticeships in partnership (applicant or partner) Ø Objective: Support for the EAf. A Ø Project duration: 2 years Ø Maximum grant: € 300. 000 Ø 75 % co-funding of total eligible costs Ø Total budget: € 4 million Ø Deadline for applications: 26 June 2014 25

ERASMUS+ Call for proposals (2) Partnerships with experts from other MS: • • In-depth partnerships for policy reform Feasibility studies Strategies for joint training centres for SMEs National policy dialogue Attractiveness campaigns National business forums Testing pilot apprenticeship schemes Evaluating previous pilot apprenticeship schemes with a view to up-scaling • Integration non-formal apprenticeships in formal VET 26

More information at: http: //ec. europa. eu/education Joao SANTOS, Deputy Head of Unit Directorate General for Education and Culture Unit B 2, Vocational training and adult education; Erasmus+ E-mail: joao. santos@ec. Europa. eu