IPA Komponenta IV – Razvoj ljudskih potencijala – Program Europske Unije za Hrvatsku Ured projekta: Radnička 37b, 1000 Zagreb, Ured projekta: Radnička 37b, 1000 Zagreb, Tel: Partner u projektu Projekt provode: Evaluation of the roles and responsibilities of Sector Councils David Tournay Evaluation of the roles and responsibilities of Sector Councils David Tournay

Background to report:  Core part of the IPA project has been to assist with the effectiveness of sector councils  Report aimed to evaluate current activity  Benchmark against comparable activities in other EU countries  Make recommendations for future actio n

Recommendations in 5 areas: 1.Overall model/structure of Sector Councils 2.Roles and tasks assigned to Sector Councils 3.Specific areas of responsibility for Sector Councils 4.Qualification development and validation processes 5.Institutional issues

1. Overall model/structure of Sector Councils Issues:  SC’s membership criteria and procedures  Better distinction needed between ‘expert role’ and SCs role as the ‘voice of stakeholders’ Recommendations:  Define the role, tasks and responsibilities of the SCs from those of the “expert groups”  Develop a guidance for SC members regarding roles and responsibilities

2. Roles and tasks assigned to Sector Councils Issues:  Tasks of SCs need to be prioritised  Identify expert bodies who can feed into the work of each SC  A formulation of the list of tasks better stressing the core functions and outputs of the SCs activities Recommendations:  Present the “extended tasks” of the SCs as contributions to activities developed by other stakeholders and particularly by town and regional authorities regarding the network of curricula and VET institutions and by the Industrial Branches regarding the promotion of the sector

 Agreed a methodology for analysing the network of VET institutions and identify the pool of experts responsible for providing advice  Reformulate the role and tasks of the SCs ( article 17 of the VET Act) through a more focused description of the contribution expected from SCs and their outputs

3. Specific areas of responsibility for Sector Councils Issues: Define the role of the SCs in: -Developing qualifications -Validating qualifications -planning the network of VET institutions  Clarification of the breadth of SCs responsiblity – initial VET or full range of VET provision at all levels Recommendations:  Confirmation of “mandatory tasks” of the SCs are: ⁻giving agreement on content of Occupational and Qualification standards ⁻proposing network of curricula and VET institutions

 Reinforce the legal basis of the SCs responsibilities through an explicit statement by MoSES mentioning the advices from SCs as a compulsory procedure in the validation process of a new or renewed VET qualification  Clarification, in a form of a short official statement by the AVETAE and by the MoSES regarding the areas of responsibilities of the SCs particularly in regards to initial VET only or including continuous VET

4. Qualification development and validation processes Issues: Clarification needed of:  The procedures regulating the validation process  At which stage of the process SCs advice is required  What type of advice is required from the SCs? Recommendations:  Clarification, by the AVETAE and the MOSES, in a form of a short official descriptive document, of the procedures regulating the process of the validation of a Qualification and of the responsibilities in this process of the various stakeholders involved.

 Propose a “two steps” approach to approval of new or renewed Qualification - A first “preliminary” agreement on the “rationale”, the second on the draft Occupational & Qualification standards  Define comment required by AVETAE and MoSES from SCs i.e. Specific technical feedback or broader cross sector relevance?  Improve the institutional capacity for providing the SCs with full draft documents on a Qualification including both VET and General Education parts

5. Institutional issues Issues:  The institutional basis for the coordination of the SCs  The involvment of the Agency in charge of the General Education in the process of developing a qualification  Clarification of the formal role of sub-sector bodies Recommendations:  Creation of a ‘secretariat of the SC’s’ within AVETAE  Creation of a ‘cross-sector’ forum for discussing issues common to all Sector Councils

 Development of institutional discussions between the AVETAE, MoSES and the Agency for General Education particularly within the validation process of a Qualification  Formalised links between SCs and Working Groups in charge of the development of Qualifications  Definition of the role of the sub-sector bodies and formalisation of the rules/procedures for their establishment including membership.

Summary:  Number of issues identified – but nothing that cannot be resolved!  Focus is very much on communication between organisations – clarification of roles and responsibilities