Conference

Conference

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European Conference on Quality in VET Practices and lessons learnt from successful EQAVET implementation at national level

Brussels, 17th – 18th January 2013

Venue: The International Auditorium International Trade Union House Boulevard du Roi Albert II, No. 5 / 2 B-1210 Brussels

Context

In 2010, the EACEA issued a call for proposals “to support national projects for the development of a national approach to improve the quality assurance of vocational education and training systems by promoting and developing the use of the European quality assurance reference framework in vocational education and training (EACEA/09/2010).”

Five pilot projects were selected. These projects tested EQAVET as an instrument to promote a shared culture of quality assurance.

For their testing, the projects chose to target different systemic levels:. The projects mostly focused on national contexts of initial VET and continuous professional development. The projects were expected to develop original approaches to Quality Assurance by adopting the EQAVET framework. Consequently, they had to do stocktaking  and description of existing practices and current initiatives, design, develop and implement Quality Assurance at the chosen level, use, implement and maintain of tools and methodologies, design a broad and specific communication campaign and  establish lasting stakeholders relations.

Making an inventory of results and outcomes

The projects approached EQAVET from a wide perspective. They have prepared stocktaking and inventory reports, manuals for quality assurance, curricula and certification process for quality managers, communication strategy for involving stakeholders in Quality assurance and Guidelines. These documents contribute to a growing of the amount of needed information, innovative examples and guidelines on the implementation of EQAVET at different systemic levels (institutional, VET providers and schools).

The projects also tested their approach and tools towards developments and combinations of the existing quality cultures . The work of the pilot projects was a crucial opportunity to get stakeholders on board on quality issues at a larger scale.

Aims of the conference

The conference will host 150 persons bringing together representatives of the  national ministries, stakeholders (social partners, VET providers, sectoral representatives, industries VET learners and chambers) and multipliers (Lifelong learning programme National Agencies).

The main aims of the conference are to

  • Offer an overview of the results of the work of the EQAVET projects;
  • Share methods and tools elaborated by the projects;
  • Take stock  of the common challenges;
  • Reflect on the needs for further development of EQAVET.

 

The outcomes of the conference will be presented in detail in the next issue of the EQAVET projects Newsletter in February 2013.