VETNET Regulations

Regulations of the European Vocational Education and Training Research Network (VETNET)

September 2019

1 Vocational Education and Training Network

The Vocational Education and Training Network (VETNET) is …

  • a network of researchers interested in exploring societal, policy, governance, organisational, institutional, pedagogical and individual factors that shape and explain both vocational education and training (VET) and learning across the lifespan;
  • an open network which welcomes members and contributions from all over the world as long as they align with the goals of VETNET.

2 Goals of VETNET

VETNET covers research and development in of pre-vocation, initial, higher and continuing vocational education, training and learning (VET). It promotes VET research and contributes to its development and dissemination by…

  • being a network of the European Educational Research Association (EERA);
  • fostering a high quality of research;
  • exploring and shaping the relationship between research, policy, governance and practice;
  • stimulating the multidisciplinary discussion in the European research area and beyond through mutual learning;
  • encouraging, establishing and maintaining cooperation between VET researchers and project partnerships in the European research area through, e.g., organising the VETNET programme at the ECER; developing international contacts; cooperating with other relevant conferences; developing publications and producing electronic or other newsletters;
  • maintaining the peer-reviewed VETNET journal IJRVET; maintaining the community website vetnetsite.org;
  • supporting initiatives to promote emerging researchers, e.g., through the Emerging Researchers’ Conference (ERC) of EERA.

3 Structure, Organisation and Functions of VETNET

VETNET structure, organisation and functions are:

  • VETNET members and participants;
  • the board: chair (link convenor), board members (convenors), co-opted board members;
  • general assembly

3.1 VETNET Members and Participants

Member of VETNET

VETNET members are committed to VETNET, its goals and activities and contribute to the development of VETNET.
VETNET membership is free of charge and open to any researcher and practitioner who supports the purposes of VETNET.
The membership application form is on www.vetnetsite.org. Membership is approved by the chair (link convenor), based on criteria decided on in the board. The requirements and benefits of being a member will be outlined on vetnetsite.org.
The title, name and organisational affiliation of VETNET members will be published on vetnetsite.org.
Any change of membership status must be communicated to the chair (link convenor). People no longer committed to VETNET and people who do not actively participate in VETNET activities will be unsubscribed from the membership list.

Participants of VETNET

VETNET participants are all people attending ECER with their contribution to the VETNET programme.

3.2 VETNET Board

3.2.1 Board-members (Convenors), Chair (Link Convenor), Co-opted board members

The VETNET board has a minimum of five and a maximum of twelve elected board members (convenors) and is led by a chair (link convenor). The position of the chair can be shared among two persons.
Board members can co-opt members from VETNET for special functions and tasks. Co-opted board members have no right to vote at the board meeting. People holding the following positions are co-opted members of the VETNET board if they are not already elected board members:

  • Editor-in-chief of the VETNET journal, International Journal for Research in Vocational Education and Training;
  • editor-in-Chief of the Nordic Journal in Vocational Education and Training;
  • Organisers of conferences linked to VETNET, as, e.g., Stockholm International or Crossing Boundaries;
  • local programme supporter(s) of the host country of ECER, Crossing Boundaries and other conferences linked to VETNET.

The list above can be changed by decision of the VETNET board or general assembly. Changes will be published on vetnetsite.org.
VETNET board members are listed on vetnetsite.org and on the website of EERA. Co-opted board members are listed on vetnetsite.org.

3.2.2 Duties

The VETNET board’s responsibilities are to…

  • promote research collaboration and engagement in the European research area and beyond;
  • contribute to the quality of the VETNET program for the annual ECER and other conferences linked to VETNET;
  • provide a stimulating research forum for discussion and debate by chairing and discussing the sessions;
  • curate a list of reviewers for ECER and the VETNET membership-list;
  • elect the chair (link convenor);
  • participate in the board meetings and general assembly;
  • support the chair (link convenor) to administer VETNET affairs;
  • assist the chair (link convenor) regarding all aspects of the nomination and election processes of VETNET;
  • organise other symposia or seminars as appropriate;
  • encourage good communications within the network including the use of the web and other tools as appropriate;
  • support publishing and editing the proceedings of VETNET and the academic VETNET journal International Journal of Research on Vocational Education and Training.

This list above may be updated by the chair (link convenor) on request or after consultation with the VETNET board. Changes will be published on vetnetsite.org.
The VETNET board holds a board meeting during ECER of the EERA. Additional board meetings can be called by the chair (link convenor) or at least three board members, at any time.

3.2.3 Nominations and Elections

All VETNET members and participants can nominate board members for election. They may not be nominated and elected without their prior consent to be nominated. Young emerging researchers shall be encouraged to be nominated for the board.
The chair (link convenor) needs to receive the nominations by June 30th in the year of the election, including the candidates’ names, brief biography, and their motivation statement. The majority of the board decides on proposing a new board member to the general assembly.
To be elected, board members have to be or become VETNET members, and they need to attend ECER and the general assembly on the day of the election; otherwise, they cannot be elected.
Board members are elected for a period of four years. Re-election is possible.

3.3 The VETNET general assembly

The VETNET general assembly is held annually during ECER. The day, time and place are announced by EERA through the ECER conference programme.
The general assembly is open to all VETNET members and participants with their own contribution to the VETNET programme at the ECER.
The general assembly…

  • elects the board members;
  • votes on the VETNET regulations;
  • discusses VETNET activities;
  • advises the board on common strategies to foster VET research and practice;
  • on developing a high-quality programme and activities at ECER and beyond; any issue raised by the chair (link convenor) or the board;
  • initiates activities within VETNET;
  • awards the honorary fellows of VETNET.

Decisions of the assembly are taken by the majority of members and participants voting.

4 VETNET activities and publications

The following overview is subject to change, based on the activities of VETNET members and participants.

4.1 International Journal on Research in Vocational Education and Training (IJRVET)

The International Journal on Research in Vocational Education and Training (IJRVET) is the official peer-reviewed open-access journal of VETNET. The Editor-in-chief leads the journal. He or she is a co-opted member of the board if she/he is not already an elected member of VETNET.

4.2 Proceedings

VETNET publishes the proceedings of VETNET annually. The editor/s of the Proceedings is/are the current chair (link convenor). They may invite additional persons to co-edit the proceedings.

4.3 VETNET online

5 VETNET Awards

VETNET honours outstanding and long-term contributions of a member with an honorary membership award of VETNET. The board sets up nomination procedures.
The board can set up procedures for establishing and giving other special VETNET awards, for example, best paper, best poster, best dissertation, best service award.
Equity principles of granting the awards shall be followed concerning gender, ethnic and language backgrounds and nationality.

6 Ratification

Discussed by the general assembly during the ECER in Bozen 2018 and Hamburg 2019, and agreed by the general assembly through online voting by 14 September 2019, enacted by 1 October 2019.

PDF of the regulations.

Changes

25 May 2023: 4.3 VETNET online link to project on researechgate.net removed, as projects are no longer supported by ResearchGate.