Sherry Farzami Project Manager- Education

Welcome Participants Introduction Outline of the meeting

Why focus on skills? A global debate………. “Economic success is increasingly based on the effective utilisation of intangible assets such as knowledge, skills and innovative potential as the key resource for competitive advantage.” (Economic and Social Research Council) “One of the issues globalisation is raising in almost every country is: what sort of specific skills do people need, what is the balance between specific and general skills? We need to help countries come to their own answers.” (Nick Burnett, Assistant Director General for Education in UNESCO) Skills for Employability is a British Council cultural relations programme that addresses the challenges of globalisation and the demand for skills in a global economy by creating link between education and industry. SfE is a British Council cultural relations programme which focuses on Skills development and increasing the employability of young people by encouraging closer links between education and industry. Large-scale - budget, geographical engagement, more integrated Long-term Initiated 2008 Builds on successful regional VET projects in Central and Southern Asia, South East Europe and Middle East

Skills for Employability Focuses on Supporting education and training systems Working with Ministries and agencies Training delivered in vocational TVET institutions and the workplace Continuing professional development Engaging industry and employers in skills training Addressing themes of skills gaps needs Supporting education and training systems preparing people for work and skilled jobs Works with Ministries and agencies responsible for skills and enterprise development Focuses on training delivered in vocational schools, colleges, technical institutes, universities and the workplace Focuses on continuing professional development Engages industry and employers in skills training Addresses themes of skills gaps needs, labour mobility, enterprise, standards and innovation in training

Skills for Employability Key aims Building strong relationships with industry and Education Facilitating the exchange of knowledge , good practice and expertise Strengthening the quality of intelligence Building standards and increase awareness of new markets and working together * Build strong relationships with industry and employers, governments and training providers across a number of regions * Facilitate the exchange of knowledge, good practice and expertise; and identifies synergies between participating countries and regions and the UK, with a view to supporting the educational reform agendas of participating countries and regions and the UK. * Strengthen the quality of intelligence which stakeholders, customers and partners have access to * Build standards and increase awareness of new markets and working together to examine and apply innovative approaches to skills reform

How Skills for Employability is delivered Policy dialogue Institutional partnerships Enterprise Award/ Challenge Professional networks English for the world of the work 1.Policy Dialogue – We provide a combination of workshops, seminars, conferences and training programmes for policy makers and practitioners that will facilitate the exchange of good practice and raise the profile of TVET. It will address themes such as engaging industry and employers in keeping education and training systems up to date with changes in technology; identifying skills gaps and needs 2-Institutional Partnership – grant funded institutional partnership project in key sectors between vocational colleges, TVET agencies and industry in the UAE through College Twinning programmes that will aim to build capacity of staff to deliver industry focus curricula, support quality improvement strategies and international student & staff exchange Example: Pembrokeshire and Sharjah Institute of Technology 3. Enterprise Award/ Challenge - This award/ Challenge will be aim at the emerging young workforce. It will encourage innovation and entrepreneurship, reward excellence and creativity and raise the profile of TVET amongst young people & employers. 4. Professional networks - Supporting the development of professional networks and providing members with up to date high-quality information about vocational education globally with a view to sharing knowledge, ideas, good practice and experience. The Professional Network is designed to build long-term links between policymakers and educational transformation agencies and to share best practice across Regions and between Regions / the UK and globally in the bigger picture. The network, which will aim to become a valued global professional network in the field of skills, will have both online ( TVET ARABIA) and face-to-face elements ( Such as advisory group). The professional network will be built from participants in policy dialogue event, institutional partnerships and enterprise programmes, and will draw in advisors, experts and consultants working with together.

Policy Dialogue Addressing the core issues of skills education and training reform with Ministries, educational institutions, skills agencies and other relevant organisations Facilitates the skills gaps through events such as conferences, seminars, workshops, forums, study visits to UK, consultancy Creating a vehicle to engage with UK VET senior stakeholders Operates on national, regional and global level

Institutional Partnerships Collaboration between UK and overseas FE/HE institutions to foster: Employer and industry engagement Professional links Quality assurance Leadership development training Work placements Student and staff exchanges Development of materials and curriculum

Enterprise Awards/ Challenge Competitions aimed at young people Highlighting achievement in enterprise, innovation and technology Emphasise entrepreneurial and innovative approaches Tailored to local and regional needs Established by working in partnership with business sponsors and enterprise agencies.

Professional Networks Building a strong network of UK and international consultants and national TVET Key players Bringing significant expertise of education system design, development, regulation, solution-building and reform. Focusing effectively on regional and country reform priorities Supported through face-to-face networking events and through online communities.

English for the World of Work We are currently looking at including English for the World of Work products and services for professional development.

Global and national Identifying and building on synergies between countries and regions Tailoring the programme to national needs - countries engage with the strands that cohere with their own educational reform agendas

Where Skills for Employability is active In selected countries in: Middle East Near East and North Africa South East Europe Central & South Asia East Asia China & Hong Kong

Skills for Employability in UAE Scoping Visit, 2008 Regional Policy Dialogue events Policy Dialogue Opportunities in country Institutional Partnership Enterprise Challenge

Scoping visit UAE Priorities: Recognition of prior learning (RPL) Establishing work-based learning and assessment Occupational Standards National qualifications frameworks Access to information on existing quality assurance practices Employer engagement Capacity building Progression routes English language relating to the world of work

Policy Dialogue Events The Importance of Qualifications Accreditation’s Conference and Exhibition, Bahrain, 16-17 Nov 2009’ Towards Better Skills Education, Amman, Jordan, 14-15 December 2009 World Educational Learning and Technology Forum/Moving Young Minds, London, 11-13 January 2010 BETT Exhibition and Conference Study Tour, London, 10-15 January 2010 International Employer Engagement Event, Cairo, February 2010 Skills Framework Conference, Cairo, Egypt, 22-24 March 2009

The Importance of Qualifications Accreditation’s Conference & Exhibition, Bahrain, 16-17 Nov 2009’ Organised by Bahrain Institute of Technology and supported by the Ministry of Labour Participants from training quality enhancement/reliability and vocational qualification accreditation  and HR managers from Kingdom of Bahrain and UK and Arabian Gulf Focus on exchange of information, knowledge and experience related to quality accreditation in the UK an GCC countries Support TVET reforms to enhance/raise the quality of training and the proportion on the accredited qualifications abroad Enhance the progress in the Region  on education, training and labour market reforming initiative Link the regional efforts to draft the outline  framework of qualification in the Gulf region

Towards Better Skills Education’, Amman, Jordan 14-15 December 2009 Focus on Quality Assurance in Skills Education Senior level conference Opened by Minister of Education and Higher Education in Jordan 100 participants from countries in the region including Ministry representatives and relevant agencies, quality assurance specialists, educational institutions, NGOs and donor organisations Facilitated by UK experts in Quality Assurance Showcase of good international practice, key challenges and potential solutions

World Educational Learning and Technology Forum/Moving Young Minds, London, UK, 11-13 January 2010 Focus on innovation in education Ministerial level conference Annual event, includes a major skills component Coincides with the BETT Show and Exhibition - largest Educational Technology event in the world - 30000+ attendees Sponsored by UK government and key UK stakeholders International dimension supported by British Council 2009 event attended by 35 Ministers

BETT Exhibition and Conference Study Tour, London, UK 10-15 January 2010 Focus on innovation in education Annual event, includes a major skills component Conference, exhibition, educational institutional visits, networking events 2009 event attended by 70 British Council sponsored delegates from 14 countries

International Employer Engagement Event, Cairo, Egypt February 2010 Focus on building links between education and employers in the Near East and North Africa Senior level conference Participants from countries in the region Outstanding networking opportunity Facilitated by UK experts in Employer Engagement Showcase of good international practice

Skills Framework Conference, Cairo, Egypt 22-24 March 2009 Focus on Skills Framework development Senior level conference 150 participants from countries in the region Wide range of international speakers

Thank you for your attention! Further details Thank you for your attention! Sherry.farzami@ae.britishcouncil.org www.britishcouncil.org/skillsforemployability