ECVET Magazine n. 11

The issue 11, prepared by the ECVET support team, is dedicated to the annual ECVET Forum 2012 held in Brussels from May 31 to June 1. In this issue Cedefop has a prominent role. Link to the ECVET Forum 2012. Download ECVET Magazine n. 11.
Update on Erasmus for All and the national teams of ECVET experts, Alison Crabb and Erik Hess (European Commission, DG Education and Culture)
Introduction
There are a number of initiatives that support the development of an ECVET community of practice, e.g. the forthcoming “Erasmus for All” programme and the creation of national teams of ECVET experts. Alison Crabb and Erik Hess led a discussion and information session on the idea of a community of practice. This plenary session was introduced by two videos from “You Tube”:
• the first video introduced ‘Erasmus for All’ which has been proposed by the European Commission on 23 November 2011. It was clear that this programme could provide a response to the funding problems facing a growing number of mobility schemes. More information is available at: http//ec.europa.eu/education/Erasmusfor-all/
• the second video looked at some of the ECVET technical specifications including the use of a Memorandum of Understanding. This video is particularly useful for those who are new to ECVET. A copy can be found at: http://www.ecvet-team.eu/fr/content/documentation-forum-2012
Through a series of questions, the “Erasmus for All” programme was further explained by Alison Crabb.
Erasmus for All is the future EU programme for education, training, youth and sport proposed by the European Commission. Could you tell us more about the objectives of the programme, and why the decision was made to merge some previous programmes?
Erasmus for All proposes to bring together youth, training, formal, informal and non-formal education, international cooperation and sport. It offers three key actions: learning mobility, cooperation for innovation and developing good practice, and support for policy reform. After several decades of experience of Leonardo da Vinci, Erasmus, Youth and other programmes, we know that learning is the common goal of many activities supported by European programmes. We can see that different learning sectors are cooperating more - our objective is to offer a programme which reflects this.
What is the connection with ECVET?
I think there are two things to note, both of which demonstrate interesting developments in VET at a European level:
• firstly there is a proposal related to “Sector Skills Alliances”. This targeted action supports cooperation in addressing skill mismatches in order to ensure that VET systems provide the skills required by the labour market. We are looking for “win-win” solutions which increase competitiveness as well as learners’ employability. “Sector Skills Alliances” can promote cooperation between the world of education and training; develop sector-specific expertise; and work with those authorities who are involved in policy-making or decision-making for education and training systems. The core of the action is to identify the skills needs for the sector. Based on evidence, the “Sector Skills Alliances” will design and produce joint curricula and set out a range of teaching and learning methods which provide learners with the skills required by the labour market. Our overall goal is to have a more systemic impact on training. The call for pilot projects is focused on five sectors: automobile, aeronautics, health care, tourism, and sustainable energy including construction. More information is available at: http://ec.europa.eu/education/calls/s0112_en.htm
• the second new aspect of Erasmus for All relates to mobility. In terms of volume, the objective is to double the number of participating VET learners, as well as to increase the number of participating staff. In terms of quality (where ECVET can play an important role), the objective is to make mobility part of the overall strategy of participating institutions. Mobility should not be based on a single "pioneer" member of staff; we really want to make an impact on the whole institution.
Will a quota be set for VET mobility?
In the proposal from the European Commission, a minimum percentage of the budget is assigned to individual education sectors (VET, higher education etc…). At the moment the percentage assigned to VET includes funding for adult education and is 17 per cent. The percentage assigned to higher education is 25 per cent. In relation to “learning mobility”, the proposal is to direct around 60 per cent of budget to this activity. We should note that the budget is still under discussion.
Should young learners be sent abroad?
Yes. Many organisations have years of experience with Comenius and Leonardo da Vinci. They know that once learning outcomes are set and the right framework is in place, mobility can provide young learners with a good quality experience. While mobility must give learners an experience that is compatible and valued in their national systems, the benefits for young learners can be very convincing.
Are there study visits in the future programme?
Study visits are not included in the European Commission proposal. However the proposal includes measures which support staff and their professional mobility e.g. job shadowing, teaching, experiencing different forms of learning.
How can mobility be promoted to encourage more VET students to go abroad?
Demand from learners is already high. The funding needed to support this demand already exceeds the available budget by 100 per cent. But are we sure that workplaces are ready to receive more trainees? It is important to promote the benefits of mobility, not only for participating learners, but also for their home institutions and for the host workplaces. We also have to stress the connection to ECVET, explaining the value of using learning outcomes, and the need to ensure that learning meets the expectations of the learners’ curricula. This is the challenge for VET policy makers.
Why is cooperation with 3rd countries available to the higher education sector and not to VET?
VET systems are more diverse than higher education systems. This makes well-structured cooperation with third country institutions more of a challenge. It is mainly for this reason that cooperation with third countries is not yet available to VET. Through a second series of questions, the role of the national teams of ECVET experts was further explained by Erik Hess. The questions arose in response to the European Commission’s call for proposals to create these national teams.
What will be the role of the experts?
The role of the national experts is to bridge the gap between the policy level where national authorities, social partners and others work on ECVET implementation and those individuals who work in VET institutions. Trainers and training providers need materials that are easy to use. The guidelines and templates must be easy to understand and suitable for an audience that is not as well informed as people in this forum. There is a real danger that those individuals in VET organisations who will put ECVET into practice do not understand what we are talking about. We have to modify our materials in order to meet the needs of trainers in companies, individuals in VET providers and the learners. The national teams of ECVET experts will be attached to the Lifelong Learning Programme’s National Agencies, and they will contribute to the adoption, implementation and use of ECVET. They will provide information and give advice to promoters (schools, companies etc.). They will organise seminars, workshops, launch information campaigns and modify guidance so it can easily be understood by all.
A question about a possible road map: what is the plan?
This is a restricted call for proposals. There is no specific roadmap in place. In making this call in the VET area, we were inspired by the success story of the Bologna experts in the higher education sector. This is a two year call under the Lifelong Learning Programme - we expect the proposals to address technical issues in an activity plan overseen by the National Agencies.
How will the European coordination be done?
It is not our intention to set up a governance body. Our governance arrangements are already in place - the ECVET Users Group - many of whom are here today. We have linked the national teams of ECVET experts to National Agencies so they can support the success of ECVET implementation through project funding. At a European level, there is close cooperation with social partners and Member States. This is helping us to produce guidance, users’ guides, and templates for a Memorandum of Understanding and Learning Agreement. One task for the national teams of ECVET experts is to use this information in their national context.
Can ECVET experts come from a range of backgrounds, including the business world?
Decisions on national experts are made at a national level. It would not be appropriate for us to decide on individuals. Individuals from the business world may well have an excellent background for this role.
How can the quality of the experts be assured?
When we prepared the restricted call, we included some criteria so that the experts are able to support ECVET implementation. But we also provided flexibility to allow the selectors to choose the most suitable people in order to meet national, regional or sectorial needs. I would stress that we are at the start of a process and we are learning and listening to feedback.
Will there be an EU evaluation of the whole project (e.g. an assessment of what has been delivered by each team of experts)?
There is no plan for an assessment – it will be part of the global evaluation of the Lifelong Learning Programme. However, the National Agencies will have to prove they have delivered what they intended to do in the activity plan. The executive agency will assess progress and the final reports that are submitted by the National Agencies.
You mentioned the need to simplify. How?
At a European level we are working in a wide range of areas where different instruments are being developed: e.g. we have the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), the European Quality Assurance in Vocational Education and Training (EQAVET) and ECVET. This has led to numerous contacts points (national reference points, national coordination points etc.) There is much to gain from greater synergy. We can reflect on the advantages of the merger of different coordination points. This is for Member States to consider as they reflect on the need to create a simplified approach at the national level. Other questions were submitted to the European Commission officials. Due to the time constraints, it was not possible to answer all of them during the forum. All the unanswered questions have been sent to the European Commission for comment. Download ECVET Magazine n. 11.
See also: ECVET Magazine n. 10, ECVET Magazine n. 9, ECVET Magazine n. 8, ECVET Magazine n. 7, ECVET Magazine n. 6, ECVET Magazine n. 5, Issue 4, April 2011, Issue 3, January 2011, Issue 2, November 2010, Issue 1, June 2010, Issue 4, April 2010, Issue 3, November 2009, Issue 2, July 2009, Issue 1, April 2009.