1. Hybrid Qualification - an Austrian success story facing new opportunities and challenges in a united Europe Leonardo Project –Meeting in London Josef Aff Elisabeth Paschinger

2. Structure of the presentation 1.The Austrian education system today – with focus on IVET 2.The central vocational pathways at secondary level II – dual system, vocational schools and colleges 3. The hybrid dimension of VET in Austria 4.Empirical findings concerning VET 5.Challenges and opportunities for IVET in Austria

3. The Austrian education system GRAMMAR SCHOOL (LOWER CYCLE) (SECONDARY ACADEMIC SCHOOL) GRAMMAR SCHOOL (HIGHER CYCLE) (SECONDARY ACADEMIC SCHOOL) UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCE (FACHHOCH- SCHULE) Source: Institut für Bildungsforschung (ibw) APPRENTICESHIP WITH A- LEVELS

4. Technical and Vocational Training Dual System Vocational Full-time schools (comparable to education in school in Germany after BBiG/HWO) +) +) without agricultural schools and teacher‘s training schools Source: Statistisches Taschenbuch 2004, own calculations Vocational Colleges (BHS) ISCED 3A/4A ca. 33 % Vocational Schools (BMS) ISCED 3B ca. 10 % General Education Grammar Schools (AHS, Gymnasien) ISCED 3A 20 % Prevocational Schools (9 th year) ca. 5 % Vocational Schools for Apprentices ISCED 3B ca. 32 % 80 % Austrian Education System at Secondary Level II (14 – 19 years)

5. Participants in (pre-)VET and GE

6. Structure of the presentation 1.The Austrian education system today – with focus on IVET 2.The central vocational pathways at secondary level II – dual system, vocational schools and colleges 3. The hybrid dimension of VET in Austria 4.Empirical findings concerning VET 5.Challenges and opportunities for IVET in Austria

7. The Austrian education system GRAMMAR SCHOOL (LOWER CYCLE) (SECONDARY ACADEMIC SCHOOL) GRAMMAR SCHOOL (HIGHER CYCLE) (SECONDARY ACADEMIC SCHOOL) UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCE (FACHHOCH- SCHULE) Source: Institut für Bildungsforschung (ibw) APPRENTICESHIP WITH A- LEVELS

8. Development of students starting a dual training year of birth end of compulsory schooling

9. Different strategies to obtain access to higher education criteria “Berufsreifeprüfung” “Studienberechtigungs -prüfung” „Apprenticeship with A- levels“ Other educational pathways duration apprenticeship period + max. 18 months ~ 2 years ~ 1 year costsfree of charge examination fee + voluntary preparation courses (max. € 4.000) examination fee + voluntary preparation courses (max. € 1.500) examination subjects German, mathematics, modern foreign language, occupational area 5 single exams depending on the respective field of study access to higher education general access limited access

10. The Austrian education system GRAMMAR SCHOOL (LOWER CYCLE) (SECONDARY ACADEMIC SCHOOL) GRAMMAR SCHOOL (HIGHER CYCLE) (SECONDARY ACADEMIC SCHOOL) UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCE (FACHHOCH- SCHULE) Source: Institut für Bildungsforschung (ibw) APPRENTICESHIP WITH A- LEVELS

11. VET schools and colleges in Austria at a glance 45 % of VET college students 27.049 Source: Statistisches Jahrbuch 2006 strong differentiation of all technical disciplines of the crafts/industrial economy crafts, technical and arts schools 60.040 schools of management and service industries schools of tourism business orientation 55 % of VET college students schools and colleges for business administration 43.777

12. The development of the different types of VET colleges

13. Graduates of grammar schools and vocational colleges year graduates of grammar schools graduates of vocational colleges 19607.3223.510 197012.3843.685 198017.4849.265 199015.144 200017.19720.390 200116.41020.845 200214.88021.130 200314.63222.093 200415.48522.123 200515.38722.403 200616.09622.939 200717.09523.393 17.655

14. general- education subjects training within occupation- related theory occupation- related training and simulation enterprise- based work experience The curricular hybrid architecture of the vocational colleges in Austria 49 %32 %19 % 0-32 weeks

15. class room enterprise- based experience lecture training firm project work work shop different locations and ways to gain occupation-related experiences laboratory role playing presentations case studies business games project-related studies projekt weeks The spectrum of occupation-related training in vocational education in full-time schools and colleges

16. Structure of the presentation 1.The Austrian education system today – with focus on IVET 2.The central vocational pathways at secondary level II – dual system, vocational schools and colleges 3. The hybrid dimension of VET in Austria 4.Empirical findings concerning VET 5.Challenges and opportunities for IVET in Austria

17. general education (GE) vocational education (VET, employability) practice no higher education access school general higher education access HAS … school of business administration Fachschule … vocational school HAK … college of business administration HLW … college of management and service industries HLT … college of tourism HTL … college of engineering The hybrid cube

18. The hybrid dimension of the Austrian educational structure at secondary level II types of schools and colleges ranking of hybrid intensity vocational colleges 1 dual system with access to HE (“Apprenticeship with A-Levels”) 1 vocational evening school 1 vocational add-on course 1 grammar school with economic or technical specialisation 2 vocational schools 3 dual system 3 „hybrid qualifications“ = vocational education (valueable on labour market) + general access to higher education

19. Structure of the presentation 1.The Austrian education system today – with focus on IVET 2.The central vocational pathways at secondary level II – dual system, vocational schools and colleges 3. The hybrid dimension of VET in Austria 4.Empirical findings concerning VET 5.Challenges and opportunities for IVET in Austria

20. Strengths of the Austrian VET system

21. Weaknesses of the Austrian VET system

22. OECD criticism Broad rejection of criticism, because… Lacking comparability Other economic and educational structure Artificial construct of measurement Very low rate of youth unemployment Bachelor degree (Bologna structure) seen as big hazard from all interviewees apart from policy makers “Apprenticeship with A-levels” not seen as immediate danger for voc. college apart from policy makers “The three big topics”

23. Structure of the presentation 1.The Austrian education system today – with focus on IVET 2.The central vocational pathways at secondary level II – dual system, vocational schools and colleges 3. The hybrid dimension of VET in Austria 4.Empirical findings concerning VET 5.Challenges and opportunities for IVET in Austria

24. criticism of OECD about too low rate of tertiary graduations in Austria Bologna-structure has had massive impact on vocational colleges in the long run differentiation at secondary level I – lower cycle of grammar schools and lower secondary schools introduction of knock-out tests before entering HE reduces importance of hybrid qualification Challenges and risks of the Austrian IVET

25. profound vocational qualification is generated, what imparts real chances on the labour market both concepts “dual system” and “full-time vocational education” are highly accepted on labour market and in society realisation of “new understanding of occupation” – graduation is generally recognised – hybrid dimension (GE + VET) – standardised state-proved curricula economic point of view -> VET at secondary level II cheaper than tertiary education full-time vocational education -> important socio-political role central strength: equal chances on labour market and at tertiary sector Opportunities and strengths of the Austrian IVET