UNESCO Institute for Statistics ISCED Revision Fields of Education and Training ISCED-F

Outline 1. Process 2. Proposed structure of ISCED-F 3. Key concepts for classification 4. Specific issues 5. Outcome of global consultation 6. Timetable for adoption

1. Process  Resolution by 36 th UNESCO General Conference (November 2011) to review the 1997 ISCED Fields of Education  New ISCED Technical Advisory Panel  UIS’s data collection partners (Eurostat and OECD) and ILO  nominees by UN Expert Group on Classifications (Canada and New Zealand) and  regional experts from Asia, Latin America and Africa

1. Process  Draft proposal developed (May-Dec 2012)  TAP consulted on three occasions. Draft finalised with ILO in November and translated to ES and FR in December  Global consultation (Feb-March 2013)  Via Permanent Delegations to UNESCO  Involving Ministries of Education, Science, Culture and Labour and NSOs  54 responses – mainly MOEs and NSOs  Consultation draft was main structure only

2. Proposed structure of ISCED-F Broad fieldsNarrow fieldsDetailed fields 00 Generic programmes/qualifications33 01 Education15 02 Arts and Humanities Social sciences, journalism & information28 04 Business, administration & law Natural sciences, mathematics & statistics ICTs15 07 Engineering, manufacturing & construction Agric, forestry, fisheries & veterinary49 09 Health and welfare Services414

3. Key concepts for classification  Inspired by Australia’s 1993 ABSCQ  Main subject content determines field to which programmes and qualifications are assigned  Main subject content = greater share of students’ intended learning time (excluding self-study)  Criteria for broad and narrow fields  Similarity of subject content (in priority order) Theoretical knowledge content Purpose of learning Objects of interest Methods and techniques Tools and equipment

4. Specific issues  Inter-disciplinary studies  Main subject content determines narrow field to which programmes and qualifications are assigned  Detailed field designated by code ‘8’ in last digit (and named ‘Inter-disciplinary programmes and qualifications involving [name of narrow field]’)  Allows the identification (by summing all code ‘8’s) of inter-disciplinary programmes and qualifications as a group  Loss of information on other fields contributing to the inter-disciplinary studies (which together may represent the majority of intended learning time)

4. Specific issues  Languages  Mother tongue and Foreign (as in FoET 1999) are replaced by: Literature and linguistics (designed for native or fluent speakers of the language) Language acquisition (designed for speakers of other languages)  Although the characteristics of learners are used to distinguish the fields, these are seen as proxies for the subject content

4. Specific issues  Education  Distinction between subject specialisation of vocational and non-vocational teacher training (as in FoET 1999) dropped  Veterinary studies  A strict application of the classification criteria would suggest Veterinary fits better in Health and Welfare (but we have retained in the Agriculture broad field)

4. Specific issues  Exceptions to majority subject rule  Vocational studies – assigned to field of intended occupation  Teacher training – assigned to relevant field of teacher training (rather than subject of specialisation)

5. Outcome of global consultation  Over 50 responses received covering more than 40 countries including most represented on the UN Expert Group  Responses mainly from relevant Ministries and NSOs (20 Ministries, 12 NSOs, 9 joint)  Most responses supportive  As a consequence we believe we will be able to submit a final draft for adoption by the UNESCO General Conference in 2013

6. Timetable for adoption  Assessment of global April 2013 consultation feedback  Revised text in EN end April 2013  UN Expert Group meetingmid-May 2013  Final text in ENmid-June 2013  Translation to other UN langsby Aug 2013  Adoption by UNESCO GCNov 2013

Consultation documents Available in EN, ES and FR at: Final proposal to the UNESCO General Conference will be available on the same page from June 2013.