VET research in Europe: topics, structures and cooperation

Wednesday, 11 November, 9:00 – 13:00

Research workshop by VETNET and the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training, Germany (BIBB) in cooperation with the European Commission, Directorate General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusions.

Scope of the workshop

This year’s joint workshop of the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) and VETNET in cooperation with the European Commission discusses topics and structures of VET research and the possibilities of cooperation between different actors.
Vocational education and training research (VET research) is very vivid in Europe and contributes to the development of VET systems, forms of delivery and the shaping of careers through VET. This workshop aims to get an overview of topics and structures of European VET research and asks about the cooperation between different actors in research and policy. Research activities in Europe vary due to differences in VET systems, different priorities and topical challenges. Consequently, the current topics discussed differ significantly between regions and countries. The great diversity of topics is only one aspect. There are also various disciplinary approaches and institutional setups how to carry out research and maintain its relation to policy and practice. All this makes cooperation within research and between research and politics a challenge.
We invited experts that will first give a stimulating input on relevant topics in and structures of VET research in different European countries. They will raise issues on the development of VET systems and occupations/professions, the crucial role of companies and sectors in shaping VET – from curriculum design to training provision – and the role of VET educators in companies and schools and students/learners. Based on this impetus presentations, the question on how to improve cooperation within the research community and between research and policy will be discussed in small groups. The aim is to define key elements of successful cooperation. It is essential to find ways to cooperate besides the different challenges imposed by the relevant topics and historically rooted structures of VET research.
The discussion is related to the previous VETNET meetings during the EVSW in Brussels, where the focus was on methods and theories, Vienna and Helsinki where the focus was on the question how research and policy could jointly develop VET. These discussions are documented in yearly reports.

Agenda

Informal gathering

Welcome addresses and introduction

Impetus presentations to stimulate the small group discussions

Moderated small group discussions

Moderators:
Prof. Dr Per Andersson, Linköping University, Sweden
Eric Dumartin, MEDEF premier réseau d’entrepreneurs de France
Prof. Dr Franz Kaiser, University of Rostock, Germany
Dr Andrea Laczik, The Edge Foundation, London UK
Prof. Dr Fernando Marhuenda Fluixa, University of Valencia, Spain
Prof. Dr Lázaro Moreno Herrera, Stockholm University, Sweden
Isabelle Le Mouillour, Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training, Germany
Dr Paolo Nardi, COMETA Como, Italy
Eoghan Ó Murchadha, Dún Laoghaire Further Education Institute, Ireland
Prof. Dr Vidmantas Tütlys, Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania
Prof. Dr Özlem Ünlühisarcıklı, Boğaziçi University, Turkey

Conclusions, further steps, and farewell

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