Arancha Oviedo EQAVET Secretariat The EQAVET Framework European cooperation to promote a culture of quality assurance in VET Arancha Oviedo EQAVET Secretariat

Video - EQAVET website

The Copenhagen process and the common tools Europass European Qualifications Framework EQF European Credit Transfer System ECVET EQAVET

EU policy and VET 2015 responsibility for VET in the European Commission moved from education to employment 2016 - New Skills Agenda for Europe with three priorities: 1. Develop higher quality and more appropriate skills 2. Facilitate the visibility and comparability of skills and qualifications 3. Improve information for better career choices Contribution of EQAVET to quality assurance VET should become a first choice by enhancing opportunities for learners to undertake work based learning ; and by increasing the visibility of good labour market outcomes for VET learners

The objectives of the EQAVET Framework 1. To increase transparency and mobility 2. To valorise permeability in a lifelong learning perspective 3. To make VET more attractive

Supporting the development of a culture of quality assurance EQAVET has a history of ten years of EU cooperation in VET A partnership process – a community of practice The Recommendation establishing a European Quality Assurance Reference Framework for VET was agreed in June 2009 EU Commission Member States NRPs MS representative Social Partners Key Stakeholders VET providers Policymakers EU VET providers Associations EQAVET Network

The EQAVET Framework Designed to promote better (higher quality) VET A reference instrument to help Member States and VET providers to promote and monitor the improvement of their provision Uses QA to systematically modernise education systems with a focus on improving the effectiveness of training Member States and VET providers develop their QA systems using this instrument on a voluntary basis Main users are national/regional authorities, VET providers, public /private bodies responsible for the quality of VET Complements the work of EQF and ECVET

The EQAVET model

INDICATIVE DESCRIPTORS EQAVET: deepening the QA culture CYCLE – Stages PLANNING: set up clear, appropriate and measurable goals and objectives IMPLEMENTATION: establish procedures to ensure the achievement of goals and objectives ASSESMENT and EVALUATION: design mechanisms for the evaluation of achievements by collecting and processing data to assess FEEDBACK and PROCEDURES for CHANGE: develop operations in order to achieve the targeted after discussion with key stakeholders INDICATORS 1.Relevance of quality assurance systems for VET providers 2.Investment in training of teachers and trainers 3.Participation rate in VET programmes 4.Completion rate in VET programmes 5.Placement rate in VET programmes 6.Utilisation of acquired skills at the workplace 7.Unemployment rate 8.Prevalence of vulnerable groups 9. Mechanisms to identify training needs in the labour market 10.Schemes used to promote better access to VET INDICATIVE DESCRIPTORS DescribesQA

Indicators – tool box INPUT CONTEXT/PROCESS OUTPUT 1.Relevance of quality assurance systems for VET providers 2.Investment in training of teachers and trainers 9. Mechanisms to identify training needs in the labour market CONTEXT/PROCESS 1.Relevance of quality assurance systems for VET providers 3.Participation rate in VET programmes 4.Completion rate in VET programmes 7.Unemployment rate 8.Prevalence of vulnerable groups 10.Schemes used to promote better access to VET OUTPUT 5.Placement rate in VET programmes 6.Utilisation of acquired skills at the workplace

Self-evaluation Experiences from the EU Periodic review of practice - develop a culture of "follow-up" questioning: "why" (just knowing when something is good or bad does not create a culture of improvement) Using the EQAVET indicators to measure performance and the indicative descriptors to describe effective practice

Self-evaluation Essential to develop a culture of quality and continuous improvement; even when external mechanisms are used Accepting that it is the responsibility of providers is critical to creating a high trust environment Participation of all staff, students and external partners One way to ensure engagement and ownership is by establishing quality management taskforces, groups or teams Regularly communicate the importance of involving and motivating staff; and be clear what a provider should achieve The purpose is to improve outcomes by improving teaching and learning

Self-evaluation - experiences in Europe Self-assessment is part of the teachers’ role - not something additional to teaching - and needs to be promoted and described in this way IDENTIFY A STARTING POINT: most VET providers have found a visit to a similar institution is the best way to start RECOMMENDATIONS Clear expectation that VET providers receiving public funds should use some form of self-control or self-improvement The responsibility for deciding how to organise self-assessment rests with providers Relevant to both continuing and initial VET Self-assessment can and is being used for accreditation; to inform discussions with inspectors, support peer review, report results to parents and students, and inform national/regional communication processes

www.eqavet.eu

Guidelines to support VET systems and providers

The four phases of the quality assurance cycle

The EQAVET indicative descriptors and building blocks

The EQAVET indicators

Case studies from VET providers across Europe

A Glossary of Terms

EQAVET+ - addressing policy priorities

Thank you Arancha Oviedo aoviedo@eqavet.eu