NEWS, VIEWS AND INITIATIVES FROM ACROSS THE ETF COMMUNITY ISSU

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Ukraine special:Why employers are the ones pushing for change in Ukrainian VET

Armenia demonstrates policy learning in action

How to involve social partners in your VET system

Croatian deputy prime ministerSlobodan Uzelac

A good qualificationsframework will reduceunemployment

Live&Learn

Letter from the editorAMBASSADORS FOR INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE

Every year more than 2000 peoplefrom over 50 European countriescome together at conferences,meetings and workshops organisedby the ETF. We meet ourstakeholders and differentcommunities at events either in Italy,in the Balkans, in the MEDA regionor in Central Asia. The topics fordiscussion are many and diverse:Adult learning, entrepreneurship,employment, gender equality�. yes,any issue related to human capitaldevelopment.

But ETF meetings serve more thanone purpose. Not only is a lot of

new information provided,knowledge exchanged and policyactions discussed, but by bringingpeople from different national,ethnic, religious and culturalbackgrounds together, we alsocontinuously promote dialoguebetween the European Union andits neighbours.

Intercultural dialogue is afundamental value and long-termpriority for the EU. Recognising this,the European Commission hasdecided to declare 2008 theEuropean Year of InterculturalDialogue, underlining the important

contribution of intercultural dialogueto the European Union�s strategicpriorities.

Through its policies, activities andevents, the ETF has alwayssupported this important subject,which lies at the heart of EU policies.

Dialogue and face-to-facecommunication have proven to bevery useful and even successful formany ETF projects in conflict andpost-conflict zones. Bringing peopletogether provides an opportunity forall to listen, speak, react and makeprogress, and dialogue and

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THE ETF HELPS TRANSITION ANDDEVELOPING COUNTRIES TO HARNESSTHE POTENTIAL OF THEIR HUMANRESOURCES THROUGH THE REFORM OFEDUCATION, TRAINING AND LABOURMARKET SYSTEMS IN THE CONTEXT OFTHE EU�S EXTERNAL RELATIONS POLICY.

www.etf.europa.eu

Please recycle this magazine whenyou finish with it.

Cover Photo:Slobodan Uzelac,deputy prime minister of Croatia

cooperation can help to overcomeshadows of the past and find a waytowards unity.

However, in the process ofestablishing dialogue it is importantthat the values and concepts of oneparty will not be imposed on theothers by forceful means. We mustnot seek advantage in thedisadvantages of others, but seekour advantages alongside others.

Dialogue means that we talk andlisten, not as doctrinairemissionaries but as partners inmutual respect trying to define

where we differ and where we findcommon ground in order to improvethe lives of all us. Dialogue isdefined as our only means ofconstructively dealing withdifferences of opinion.

Just a few weeks ago, I had theprivilege to open a youth forum on�Migration � challenges andopportunities� in Italy bringingtogether students from 12 differentcountries � from Mexico to Georgia,from Uganda to Lithuania. Here Icould express this sentiment in frontof representatives of different ethnic,religious and cultural backgrounds.

And during the two-week forum, theparticipants had the opportunity �face-to-face � to learn, to exchangeinformation and views and toestablish personal contacts acrossborders and continents.

The students left the forum asfuture ambassadors for interculturaldialogue, putting the values of theEuropean Year of InterculturalDialogue 2008 into practice. Wewould do well to all follow theirexample.

Bent Słrensen,Head of ETF Communication Unit

Live&Learn 3

Croatian education has a history of public disobedience. Its institutions are strong and individual and have in the pastrepeatedly and successfully defied legal decisions that were thrust upon them from above. It is no easy country fordecision makers to regulate centrally. But is this a drawback or an advantage in the development of a nationalqualifications framework, something which requires broad consultation throughout the process of definition andimplementation?

Live and Learn was in Zagreb to speakto the man on whose shoulders thedevelopment of the CroatianQualifications Framework currentlyrests. Slobodan Uzelac was Secretaryof State at the Ministry of Educationand Sports until earlier this year whenhe became Deputy Prime Minister.Responsibility for his work on what isknown as the CROQF moved with himand for good reason.

�Until now, responsibility for developingthe Croatian Qualifications Frameworkrested with one ministry � the Ministryof Science, Education and Sport�Slobodan Uzelac said.

�We considered that problematicbecause the qualifications framework isnot exclusively linked to education andwe were keen to ensure that the factthat it was the responsibility of theMinistry of Science, Education andSport did not become an excuse forothers to become less involved. Wefound that even ministries whom weconsider to be key stakeholders

delegated their involvement to lowerlevels thereby giving it less priority.�

Because of the approach chosen by theCroatians, it was in the end thegovernment as a whole and not just theeducation authorities who adopted theguiding development document: theBaseline of the Croatian Qualifications

Framework. A council was formed withrepresentation from all relevantministries and stakeholders. Anoperational team works in support ofthis council.

Crucial point

�We�re on the right track and that is notjust our opinion but also something wesaw confirmed during a recentconference in Brussels,� Uzelac said.

�We think we have come to a crucialpoint. We�re beyond the strictconditions for EU accession in this area,so there is no technical pressure fromthat direction any longer, but trueEuropean integration still requires better

tuning into current Europeandevelopments of which there are manyat the moment.�

This is not to suggest that the CroatianQualifications Framework is beingdeveloped only with a view to Europeanintegration. Quite the contrary. TheCroatians are well aware of the benefitsof a system that recognisesqualifications, competences and skills,not least in view of the country�s past.

�Ultimately I believe that a goodqualifications framework will reduceunemployment which is still higher thanthe economic situation warrants. Untilnow we educated the masses whohadn�t a clue what their future jobs orpositions would be. But that is not allthere is to it. While true lifelong learning isbeing introduced, again on the foundationof existing structures, it will provide thenecessary mobility, both internally withinour own education and, as a result of theway in which the system links into theEuropean Qualifications System, to theEuropean Union.�

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“TODAY, IN THIS REGION, IT IS YOURPROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE THAT MATTERS“CROATIA TAKESQUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORKTO THE HIGHEST LEVELDeveloping a future-proof qualifications system

�I would like to stress one factor thatmust be borne in mind when dealing notjust with Croatia but all transitioncountries in this region. Until not so longago, in all of these countries it was moreimportant to have a title than to have acompetence. Your destiny dependedmore on your contacts than anything else.Today, it is your professional competencethat matters and this raises the value ofqualifications and the way in which theyare awarded.�

The baseline document mentioned abovewas adopted earlier this year and eightlevels have been defined, each with foursublevels. The sublevels are still up fordiscussion at several events this autumn,but not the main eight. The descriptivework should be finished by the end of2008. In the same period we also want toestablish sector councils. The whole taskhas a timescale of five years.�

Descriptors

�What we are looking at now is thedescriptors of all three level components:knowledge, skills and competences. Thiswork is carried out by the operationalteam. The descriptors are a tricky issue,especially because we are so keen onbroad acceptance and endorsement. Thedescriptors should be equally clear to allinvolved; that�s people with PhDs as wellas lay people. This means that we cannothave this work done just by a ministry orjust by a university; it must build on reallife situations. That is a challenge, bothfrom a linguistic and a logistical point ofview. It may be harder for us than forother countries because we have notradition in this. It will take time and this isthe reason why we cannot work anyfaster than we do.�

The operational team is now busy doingthe writing work but that does notmean there are no more challengesahead. One major task for the future israising awareness among the general

public and informing all personnelinvolved at schools, in companies andwithin the administration, of thebenefits of the new framework.

Some countries in the Western Balkans(an expression that Uzelac dislikes�because there are no Eastern Balkans inthis jargon�) have made greater formalprogress earlier than Croatia. Uzelacbelieves that this does not reflecthesitation on Croatia�s part, rather it is theresult of a decision making processcharacteristic of the country.

�Yes, some countries around us wentfurther, but there is a crucial difference inthat they more or less imposed aqualification framework in a top-downway. That would not work here,� he said.

Strength of mind

He is probably right. Experience in highereducation, but also in VET, has shownthat there is enough strength of mind inthe country to simply ignore newlegislation if it has not been developedwith sufficient support from stakeholders.

�We could have opted for a design thatwas developed by a small team andthen imposed it on the entire country.In fact we can still do that if we reallywant to but I wouldn�t dare. Croatia is

no country for top-down decisions.It has very independent institutions.�

�While we are on that subject, thebeauty of working with the EuropeanTraining Foundation is that they takesuch local characteristics into account.�

�When the ETF first brought up thesubject three years ago, they didn�t comerolling in with an army of experts to tell uswhat to do. No, they came in a very politemanner and, instead of imposing theirown views, asked about ours. As a resultof this method, what they eventuallysuggested was something that built onour culture and heritage. And this is oneof the principles of the baseline documentI mentioned earlier: we keep what wasgood in the past and develop it into afuture-proof system.� �

Live&Learn 5

by Ard Jongsma, ICE

Slobodan Uzelac: A top downqualification framework wouldnot work in Croatia

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FIND OUT MORE:Ministry of Science,Education and Sports -http://public.mzos.hr/default.aspx?sec=2428

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The ETF�s Timo Kuusela is a great believer in local contacts and local knowledge. When he took over as countrymanager for Ukraine in 2006, Kuusela�s first priority was to spend some time on the spot. �I thought I wouldn�t betaking my job seriously unless I got to know the country well,� he says, �personal contacts are crucial for the successof my work.�

Thus followed a ten-month stint onsecondment to the EC Delegation inKiev before Kuusela returned to Turin inJuly 2007 with a full address book andan even wider circle of Ukrainian friends.

Kuusela has found his personal approachcomes in handy in Ukraine, a country inthe grip of extreme political instability.�It is hard to work with the governmenthere as the people in charge areconstantly changing and cannot takemany decisions,� he says, �just relyingon official contacts is not very effective.�

Born in Finland, Kuusela speaks fluentRussian and understands Ukrainian. Hisvaried professional experience includesworking for a construction company inMoscow, teaching at high school inFinland�s East Carelia and establishing afashion chain in Saint Petersburg, aswell as designing educationprogrammes for the Finnishgovernment. With the ETF since 1996,Kuusela spent several years managing

the VET reform in North West Russiainitiative, a pioneering project to makethe VET system more responsive to thelabour market which managed to attractseven other donors. Foreshadowingtoday�s emphasis on donorco-ordination, �it gave much highervisibility to the donors as we were allworking together,� he says, althoughdealing with so many actors sometimescaused its own tensions.

Kuusela defines himself as an all-rounderin VET reform rather than a specialist in aparticular area. �I have a good overallunderstanding of how educationsystems work and what key elementsneed to be addressed to make reformsreally sustainable,� he says. His gift fornetworking allows him to go straight tothe heart of the matter. �In this societyof information overload, it is very easy toget lost,� he says, �when you know theright people, you get good advice whichsaves a lot of time and gives you moreconfidence.� �

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Timo Kuusela getting to knowthe right people

UKRAINE SPECIAL

TIMO KUUSELA:THE PERSONAL TOUCHMAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCEIN UKRAINEETF country manager for Ukraine on his time in the country

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by Rebecca Warden, ICE

A World Bank-European Commission joint initiative is working with the Ukrainian government and employers on howto make the education system more responsive to the needs of the labour market.

�We believe it is a structural problem; itis not that the education system is notproducing skills, it is simply that it oftenproduces skills that need improvingwhen the graduate starts work,� saysOlena Bekh (above), educationspecialist at the World Bank countryoffice in Ukraine, �there is no system offeedback from the labour market to theeducation system.�

The two partners, with the ETFproviding technical advice, havedeveloped a policy note suggesting howUkraine could modernise its education

and training system, focusing on threemain topics; quality, financing andgovernance. A study visit to Finland anda series of workshops and conferencessince 2007 are helping raise theawareness of stakeholders from thegovernment and social partners onthese issues. The policy note will bediscussed with the Ukrainiangovernment, aiming to arrive at a finalversion before the end of the year, withpublication planned for a later date.

For Olena Bekh, the added value of thisinitiative is not just its relevance to the

Ukrainian context, but the strongpartnership that has been built betweendonors. �This is quite a trickypartnership as the EuropeanCommission and the World Bank arecomplicated organisations,� she says,�after a lot of hard work we are nowacting in a very trusting environmentwhere the amount of formality is lowand the degree of real co-ordination ishigh.�

Governments in partner countries oftenwaste a lot of time and resources tryingto comply with the reform priorities,procedures and even languagerequirements of different donors allworking in the same sector. �Here wehave come to the country with a single,co-ordinated voice,� says Bekh, adding�this makes for a much more efficientapproach which should achieve a biggerimpact.� �

Live&Learn 7

by Rebecca Warden, ICE

WORLD BANK ANDEUROPEANCOMMISSION SPEAKWITH SINGLE VOICEON UKRAINIAN VET

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Employers are the driving force pushing for change in the Ukrainian VET system. In some countries, the ETF finds ithard to get employers involved in the process of VET reform, but in Ukraine it is the employers rather than theauthorities who are taking the lead in moves to improve the quality of training. Shortages of qualified labour and alack of political will to take action have brought them to the forefront.

The ETF has been helping develop anational qualification framework forUkraine since 2006 and theConfederation of Ukrainian Employers(CUE) has adopted the project as itsown. The confederation, whichrepresents most of Ukrainian bigbusiness, has drafted a concept note onhow employers see the new

framework. Working closely with theETF and other partners, the CUE isproducing a new set of occupationalstandards for the catering industry andis about to do the same for the sectorsof metallurgy and machine-building.It has designed a bill to act as enablinglegislation and pave the way for change.As we go to press, the confederation isbusy lobbying the Ukrainian Parliamentto get this bill made law.

�This project is our vision of how anational qualifications system shouldwork and our way of meeting thechallenges of modernity,� says KyryloTkachenko, director of institutionaldevelopment at the CUE, �it aims toforge a real link between the labourmarket and the education system.�

Ukrainian VET is currently plagued by thetwin problems of low quality andstructural imbalances which togetherprovide a poor fit to the demands of thelabour market, according to IrinaAkimova, a Ukrainian opposition MP andwell-known economist. �A considerable

number of VET graduates cannot find ajob but employers are desperatelyseeking qualified workers and cannotfind them,� she says. The hardest jobvacancies to fill tend to be those ofmiddle and lower ranking technicians,but the Ukrainian education systemcontinues to show a strong bias towardshigher education.

Live&Learn8

“THIS PROJECT IS OUR VISION OF HOW A NATIONALQUALIFICATION SYSTEM SHOULD WORK“WHY EMPLOYERS ARE THE

ONES PUSHING FORCHANGE IN UKRAINIAN VETGetting involved in improving the quality of training reform

UKRAINE SPECIAL

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Kyrylo Tkachenko, director ofinstitutional development at theCUE

Irina Akimova, a Ukrainianopposition MP and well-knowneconomist

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Ukrainian employers have tried toestablish different forms of on-the-jobtraining and there have been attemptsto resuscitate the apprenticeshipschemes that used to exist in Soviettimes, but with little success. All thishas had the effect of making employerseven more keen to see acomprehensive overhaul of theircountry�s VET system take place.

The strong involvement of employersand trade unionists is also a reflectionon the high degree of political instabilityin Ukraine. The Ukrainian Governmenthas seen a total of 13 different cabinetssince 1991 and minor cabinet reshuffleshave become almost a matter ofroutine. �It is hard to work with thegovernment as the people in charge arealways changing and so relying solelyon official contacts is not veryeffective,� says Timo Kuusela, ETF

country manager for Ukraine.�Employers, NGOs and think tankshave become very active to fill thevacuum,� he adds.

Irina Akimova has seen some signs ofprogress recently. Over the past threeyears, the Ukrainian government hasexperimented with new ways ofmanaging VET by devolving strategicand financial decision making from thecentre to the regions. �It is a good ideato fund VET from regional budgets asthey are more in touch with local labourneeds and can respond faster,� shesays. Nevertheless, Akimova isconvinced that full-scale reforms areunlikely until there is more politicalstability.

In the meantime, internationalorganisations such as the ETF have animportant role to play by keeping the

need for VET reform in the public andpolitical arena. �Even if reforms havelittle chance of being pushed throughright now, this doesn�t mean we shouldall be silent about what needs doing,�says Akimova, �there needs to be anongoing campaign to increaseawareness; international organisationshave a vital role to play in this.� �

Live&Learn 9

by Rebecca Warden, ICE

FIND OUT MORE:Confederation ofEmployers of Ukraine -http://www.confeu.org/en

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Sixty years ago, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)against oppression and discrimination. Following the Second World War, which witnessed some of the most barbariccrimes in human history, the Universal Declaration marked the first time that the rights and freedoms of individualswere laid out in such detail.

Every single person has rights: that isthe essence of our humanity, and thetext of the Declaration represented thefirst international recognition thathuman rights are applicable to everyperson. But it is not only the UN that is

concerned about human rights. SinceJune last year, the new European UnionAgency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) inVienna has focused on the situation offundamental rights for human beings inthe 27 member states, while a myriad

of NGO�s, from Amnesty Internationalto the Human Rights Watch andReporters Without Borders, work everyday to involve the civil society in thedefence of fundamental rights.

The universal declaration of humanrights was adopted by UN memberstates on 10 December 1948. It beganas an initiative of the governments, buttoday it is the common goal of peopleeverywhere.

Global expression

The UDHR holds a particular record: it isthe most translated document in theworld � even more than the Bibleaccording to the Guinness Book ofRecords. It represents the first globalexpression of rights to which all humanbeings are inherently entitled and consistsof 30 articles which have been elaboratedin subsequent international treaties,regional human rights instruments,national constitutions and laws.

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“WE CAN BE PROUD OF ACHIEVEMENTS RELATEDTO FREEDOM AND CIVIL RIGHTS IN EUROPE“

60 YEARS FIGHTING ABUSE INTHE WORLD, BUT STILL ALONG WAY TO GOUniversal Declaration of Human Rights

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Morten Kjaerum, director of the FRA,says in an interview with Live and Learnthat the panorama of human rights inthe world is far from rosy; although theEU is a unique model.

�Over the last 60 years I think that wecan be proud of the achievementsrelated to freedoms and civil rights inEurope. As we see in Europe and theEU we have not rested on our laurelsand have set up mechanisms toimprove, monitor and assess how farour actions are matching the words ofthe UDHR. In the EU for example wehave created a Charter of FundamentalRights and are in the process ofestablishing and empoweringmechanisms to make that Charter areality. Of course, there will be thosewho think more can be done and theymay well be correct�but Europe stillremains unique worldwide for itshuman rights protection system.Anyway, the best legislation is uselessif people are not aware of it�.

Public support

�The human rights picture is complex,and it comes in and out of focus, it isessentially fluid and constantly evolving.What�s important, in my opinion, is thatwhenever human rights abuses takeplace, those responsible can be broughtto account. If I have one complaint, it isthat I believe that all EU governmentsshould be doing more to publiclysupport human rights and bring humanrights home to people in their day today lives.�

According to Amnesty International,every day thousands of people arevictims of extrajudicial executions,unlawful killings, disappearances,

torture and ill-treatment or are prisonersof conscience, victims of detentionwithout charge, trials or, in some casesthe death penalty.

Connections

But, what can be done to increasecommitment to the defence of humanrights on a global scale? Is there amodel to follow? Are the examples ofMartin Luther King or Mahatma Gandhia source of inspiration?

�’There is a profound philosophicalconnection between the fundamentalprinciples of human rights enshrined inthe Universal Declaration and thosepractised by Mahatma Gandhi.�, saidthe general secretary of the UN, BanKi-moon recently.

�Today, the legacy and the principles ofMahatma are carried forward in ourcelebration of the Universal Declarationof Human Rights. They are carried

forward through the activities of theUnited Nations and our invaluablepartners in civil society: religiousleaders, teachers, artists and so manyothers. Our task is to ensure that therights in the Declaration are a livingreality, that they are known, understoodand enjoyed by everyone, everywhere.It is often those who most need theirhuman rights protected, who also needto be informed that the Declarationexists - and that it exists for them�Ban Ki-moon stated. �

Live&Learn 11

FIND OUT MORE:UDHR -http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.htmlFRA - www.fra.europa.eu

by Fernando Heller, ETF

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The ETF�s work in Egypt has been given high marks by a recent evaluation, which concluded that its work there �hasbeen highly relevant� with respect to the Egyptian Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) reformprocess, national priorities and EU policies.

The ETF acted as a link between EUpolicies and national developments inareas of human resources development(HRD), with specific projects such asthe National Qualifications Frameworkand the streamlining of otherdevelopments and policies.

�The ETF covered areas that were notaddressed by the government or byother donors. ETF assistance coincidedwith Egypt�s own attempts to overhaulits TVET system as well as a number ofprojects including the establishment ofthe Industrial Training Council and theEgyptian Technical Colleges Programme.The support of ETF was thus timely�, DrMuriel Dunbar, ETF Director says.

According to Dr Dunbar, the ETFsuccessfully placed its activities in anoverall policy perspective that connectseducation and training to the contributionthat employment policy makes togrowth and social development.

The main stakeholders from industry,government and technical centres wereinvolved in the design,conceptualisation, and implementationof the activities. This resulted in

ownership and commitment, betterresults and acceptance ofrecommendations at policy level.

�Directly as a result of the ETF�s efforts,the Ministry of Education will includecareer guidance from the first grade in itsthree-year technical schools, which is oneof the most notable ETF achievements inthe country�, Dr Dunbar states.

�The ETF has also demonstrated itscapacity to support and facilitate policydevelopment and policy action in Egypt.A good example was when the ETFworked jointly with the World Bank onthe production of a draft policystatement for the reform of TVET inEgypt�, says Elena Carrero-PØrez, ETFcountry manager for Egypt.

This policy statement provided the basisfor launching a comprehensive strategyfor reform of the TVET and employmentsystems in Egypt that meets the neweconomic challenges, and henceprovides a basis for cooperationbetween the government and the donorcommunity. The statement wasapproved by the government in March2002 and endorsed by the Supreme

Council for Human ResourcesDevelopment in June 2002.

To support the reform processeffectively, the ETF concentrated oncross cutting themes that contribute tothe overall reform and links with theEU. �The ETF�s activities in Egyptreflect the fact that many of theproblems are interrelated and need tobe addressed in an integrated way�,Carrero-PØrez says.

�Vocational education and training isone element in a mix of policies thatcontribute to the country�s humanresources, therefore ETF activities havefocused on other features such ascareer guidance policies and practices�,she adds.

The ETF�s activities in Egypt haveincluded the establishment of a forumin the form of an HRD Observatory toact as a coordinator for the variousagencies working in the education,training and employment fields. �

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ETF EXPERTISE,HIGHLY VALUEDIN EGYPTPolicy statement provides basis forTVET reofrm

by Outi Karkkainen, ETF

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Apprenticeship is a key issue in Morocco. In one of its major economic areas,agriculture, 23,000 apprentices completed training between 2000 and 2008and the goal is to increase this figure to 60,000 between 2008 and 2012 and to180,000 between 2008 and 2020.

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ETF CONTRIBUTES TODEVELOPMENT OFAPPRENTICESHIP IN MOROCCOIncreasing opportunities offered by apprenticeship

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The crafts industry is a keyindustry in Morocco

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�We have 1.5 million small andmedium-sized agricultural enterprisesthat need to renew their workforce andtheir methods� says Bouchra Chorfi,head of the agricultural schools sectionand the person responsible forapprenticeship at the Department ofEducation, Research and Developmentof the Moroccan Ministry of Agriculture.

The crafts industry is another key industryin Morocco. It needs 60,000 newapprentices by 2010, a considerablechallenge given that the current rate ofnew apprentices is 7,000 a year.

In view of this situation, the MoroccanSecretary of State for VocationalTraining asked the European TrainingFoundation for assistance in thestrategic development of apprenticeshipschemes in agriculture and crafts.

Bouchra Chorfi, who heads 42 vocationaltraining centres (including nine agriculturalschools) participated in the project, whichshe claims to have brought her feelings of�relief� and �optimism�.

�The involvement of numerous expertsfrom abroad helped us to see that ourproblems were not unique and allowedus to find inspiration in models used in

other countries without losing sight ofthe particular business set-up inMorocco.�

Solutions

The initiative is not entirely new toMorocco as the country received helpfrom German and Frenchapprenticeship experts several yearsago in devising solutions for theagricultural and crafts industries.

�We were a little concerned at thebeginning, when we were told that aninternational training agency was tobecome involved�, acknowledgesHakam Kettani, Head of the SocialPromotion and Human DevelopmentDivision of Entraide Nationale, agovernment institution that has played apioneering role in introducingapprenticeship schemes to theMoroccan crafts industry.

National assemblies had already beenheld on how to developapprenticeship schemes in Morocco,so in Kettani�s opinion, there was arisk of redundancy. In hindsight,however, he considers that the ETF�scontribution so far has been verypositive.

�They bring in a new style andmethodology that allows us to shareideas and mould them to our particularcircumstances, and that makes thingseasier,� he says.

Among the key strategies identifiedwere awareness-raising amongcompanies of the role of apprenticeshipprogrammes, improving the allocationof finances, and simplifyingadministrative procedures.

Although he prefers to remain cautious,Hakam Kettani believes that this shiftfrom �individual to collectivecommunication� has increased thechances of approval for the project fromhigher up, namely from the Secretary ofState for Vocational Training and thecorresponding minister.

The Moroccan Education Charter of1999 and the apprenticeship law 12-00of June 2000 have, in fact, created afavourable climate. The charter mentions�the development and gradualexpansion of training in professionalsettings, in particular throughapprenticeship schemes, to increase theemployability of graduates and bettersatisfy the needs and competences ofenterprises; the development ofon-the-job training to improve workforceskills; and the development of trainingfor socially vulnerable groups to facilitatetheir incorporation into society and thejob market.�

German model

Bouchra Chorfi recalls the experience ofworking with the German organisationGTZ, in the 1990s. The projectconsisted of implementing the Germanmodel of alternating work and trainingin the field of agriculture, and indeed,since 1999, apprentices undergoing all

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levels of training have divided their timeequally between training centres andthe work place.

Nonetheless, as Chorfi recalls �therewere some major difficulties withimplementing a foreign model at thebeginning�. There was little similarity,for example, between the Germanagricultural enterprises and the smalland medium-sized Moroccan set-ups,which were mostly run by elderlyowners with limited education.

According to Chorfi, there is resistancein the Moroccan agricultural industry tothe idea of a work contract.

In addition to its role as a facilitator, oneof the ETF�s main contributions has, inChorfi�s opinion, been to bring ininternational experts with inspiring andpartly transferable experience.

She is interested in a Latin Americaninitiative that involves apre-apprenticeship period of two weeks.She believes that it would provide youngapprentices, who in Morocco aresometimes taken in straight from thestreet, with the opportunity to inspireconfidence in others. It might alsoreduce the drop-out rate (currently 20%)as levels of motivation and commitmentwould be more evident.

Joint reflection

Bouchra Chorfi is also pleased with the�fruitful� relations with other Moroccanentities so far, such as the Office ofProfessional Training and LabourPromotion (OFPPT) and othergovernment ministries. Joint reflectionhas led to promising good practice. Thetextile-clothing sector, for example, hasinitiated a pilot on-the-job training project.Chorfi says that they are thinking about

implementing a similar scheme in anagricultural enterprise in Agadir.

The participants in this newapprenticeship project have paved theway for important changes that havebeen in the air for a long time but thatuntil now had never been defined insuch a clear manner: the importance oftackling the problem of apprenticeshipfrom the perspective of supply ratherthan demand, specifically taking intoaccount all the particular characteristicsof the business set-up in Morocco.

Both Hakam Kettani and Bouchra Chorfiare hopeful that the new project will beapproved in the not-so-distant future,first by the sector and then by therelevant authorities. The political will isthere and time is of the essence.

The crucial question now is whetherthe means will effectively match thewill. The main challenge will be toconvince the agricultural and craftsindustries to play their part byincreasing their awareness of theopportunities and advantages offeredby apprenticeship. �

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FIND OUT MORE:Ministry of Agriculture -http://www.madrpm.gov.ma/Entraide Nationale -http://www.entraide.ma/OFPPT -http://www.ofppt.org.ma/

by Armand Chauvel, ICE

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Levon Mkrtchyan, until recently Armenia�s veteran minister of education, supplies the inside story of the country�sdrive to reform its VET system in an interview with the ETF: Armenia�s VET system has come a long way since thedramatic days following the break-up of the Soviet Union.

Back in the early 1990s, the country�sVET system virtually collapsed whenthe shutdown of many major industriesand the halt of economic growthdrastically reduced the need for skilledlabour. In a short time, VET schoolsoperating in areas seen as no longernecessary were closed down, withinitial VET hit particularly hard; by 2005,there were 56 schools providing initialVET, just 40% of the capacity availablein 1991*. �The prestige of vocationaleducation institutions declineddramatically in the eyes of the generalpublic, followed by a drastic decrease inthe number of applicants,� saysDr Mkrtchyan.

Today, the Armenian government seesimproving the quality of its vocationaleducation and training as a specialpriority. It has drafted a strategy forrevamping preliminary and middle VETwhich became law in 2005. Since 2006,investment in the education sector hasbegun picking up and in 2007 Armeniastarted implementing a sector-wide

approach to reforming VET, withsupport from the European Union.

Things are really moving in ArmenianVET. �We see the availability of vocationaleducation and training as one of the mostimportant factors for economic growth inthis country as well as reducing povertyand inequality,� says Dr Mkrtchyan.

National council

Under the new Sector Policy SupportProgramme 2007-2010, 12 VET schoolslocated around the country are currentlybeing refurbished in order to becomeregional showcases for both initial andcontinuing VET. The ministry has set upthe National Centre for VET Developmentas well as a national council to overseethe reforms. Work is also underway ondeveloping new VET standards,revamping curricula, producing newtraining modules and retraining teachers.

Armenia decided to adopt an allencompassing sector-wide approach to

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“THE ETF SIGNIFICANTLY CONTRIBUTED TO VETREFORMS IN THE COUNTRY“

ARMENIA DEMONSTRATESPOLICY LEARNING IN ACTIONArmenian VET has come a long way since independence

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Levon Mkrtchyan, formerArmenian Minister of Education

* USAID Armenia: Strategy for 2004 � 2008,http://armenia.usaid.gov/upload/File/Armenia%20Strategy.doc

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VET reform in 2006. Its previousexperience of working with EUinstitutions such as the ETF wasinstrumental in taking this decision.Armenian involvement in previous VETreform projects, such as Tacisassistance from 2003 onwards, helpedbuild the Ministry of Education andScience�s capacity for designing andmanaging VET reform. �This hasallowed the government to assumemore responsibility and ownership forpromoting appropriate reforms in thecountry,� says Dr Mkrtchyan. In spite ofincreasing home-grown expertise, hesees a continuing role for externalsupport in Armenia. �Donorinvestments are still required asbudgetary resources are scarce and EUgeneral budget support is the mostefficient mechanism for tangiblypromoting more targeted VET reforms,�says Dr Mkrtchyan.

He first came across the ETF in 1998when the Armenian nationalobservatory was established. �Thissignificantly contributed to VET reformsin the country,� says Dr Mkrtchyan, �sofar, all of the reforms in the VET sectorhave somehow been linked to ETFprojects or projects supported by theETF. The expertise it provides isinvaluable for our efforts to becomemore efficient and targeted.�

Actively involved

The ETF continues to be actively involvedin Armenia. Its policy learning project isstimulating the debate on how socialpartners can contribute to VET reform andthis year participants are focusing onissues of governance. They hope toestablish a tripartite council which will actas the policy making body for the wholeVET sector. A second project is helpingthe Armenians develop a nationalqualification framework as well as fuellingthe debate on key issues for VET reform.

In 2008, the ETF is conducting a reviewof employment in Armenia which willfeed into the activities of the EuropeanCommission�s DG Employment and DGExternal Relations. As for the future,Dr Mkrtchyan hopes that the ETF willcontinue to provide its support,particularly in providing consulting andother expertise, access to othercountries� experience of VET reformand the opportunity to get involved inthe Copenhagen Process.

Levon Mkrtchyan is pleased with theprogress made so far but has no

illusions about how much still remainsto be done. His ambitious list ofpriorities for Armenia�s recovering VETsystem include improving overallquality, boosting the provision ofcontinuing education, encouraging thesocial partners to get more involved,building better organisational structuresfor the system and rationalising the useof material and financial resources. �

Live&Learn 17

Levon Mkrtchyan - a long-servingminister of educationLevon Mkrtchyan can certainly demonstrate plenty of relevant jobexperience; his recent term of office was his third stint as Armenian Ministerof Education since he first took on the job in 1998. On returning to the postin 2006, Dr Mkrtchyan oversaw a period of increasing interest andinvestment in Armenian VET. He believes that the lack of suitably qualifiedjunior and middle-ranking technicians, due to factors such as immigration,outdated curricula or the changing structure of the Armenian labour market,has helped push the topic of VET reform to the top of the political agenda.

In his previous incarnations, Dr Mkrtchyan has acted as Deputy Minister ofForeign Affairs and advisor to the Armenian Prime Minister. He began hiscareer in higher education, spending twelve years lecturing in history atYerevan State University.

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In the early 1990 Armenia�s VETsystem virtually collapsed

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by Ard Jonsgma, ICE

Bringing social partners onboard is one of the best ways of making sure VET students will find work when theygraduate.

Involving employers in the design ofeducation helps ensure an efficientmatch between supply and demand onthe labour market. It is particularlyuseful for the early identification of theneed for new skills and competences.

Educationalists from seven EUcountries plus Morocco were able tosee how the Czech Republic goesabout engaging its social partners on astudy visit to Prague, organised byCedefop on 10 � 13 June. �We wereimpressed by the way the CzechRepublic has adapted best practicefrom other European countries to createa framework for the involvement ofsocial partners,� said Abdelaziz Jaouani,human capital development specialist,currently on secondment at the ETF.

The Czechs have several initiatives andorganisations involving social partners.The Integrated System of TypicalPositions, developed over the last tenyears, is a modern replacement for acatalogue of occupations, givingstructured information on different jobs,the work environment and qualificationsand personal requirements. This issupplemented by the NationalQualifications Framework, currentlyunder development. A total of 25 fieldgroups involving almost 300 externalexperts act as a way of communicating

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“THE CZECH REPUBLIC HAS ADAPTED BESTPRACTICE FROM OTHER EU COUNTRIES“HOW TO INVOLVE SOCIAL

PARTNERS IN YOUR TVETSYSTEMEU and Moroccan study visit to the Czech Republic

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Abdelaziz Jaouani, ex-director ofthe MEDA II support unit inMorocco, currently onsecondment to the ETF

between designers of VET programmesand relevant partners.

Sector councils, an idea inspired by theBritish model, provide a voice for aparticular branch to speak to schoolsand the authorities on issues of humanresources development. Bringingtogether representatives of employers,professional associations and tradeunions as well as educators and otherexperts, this idea has gainedacceptance fast and is starting to have areal influence on the development ofqualifications and occupations. Finally,the curricula reform currently underwayhas launched a new concept,Framework Education Programmes,

which form the basis for wider SchoolEducation Programmes. These changesallow social partners and universities,labour offices and local government tohave a say in the content of educationboth nationally and regionally.

A busy four days produced plenty ofideas on how to motivate and involvesocial partners, a subject which manycountries both within and outside theEU often find problematic. ButAbdelaziz Jaouani warned that givingemployers too strong a voice in thecontent of VET can becounterproductive. �What employerswant may not be what the studentswant,� he said, as employers may push

for a curriculum which is tootrade-orientated at the expense of moretransferable skills such as those relatingto personal development. �

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Abdelaziz Jaouani (front centre)with EU and Moroccan studyvisit participants

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by Abdelaziz Jaouani, ETF

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The importance of strengthening human capital in the Balkans to enable their societies to take on future challengeswith a view to joining the EU was underlined in October, in Rome by representatives of the Italian government andthe Balkan countries in the conference Human capital to develop the Balkans, sponsored by the European TrainingFoundation.

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THE ETF IN THE BALKANS:HELPING BOOST HUMANCAPITAL ON THE ROAD TOTHE EUETF and Italian government conference in Romediscusses importance of education reform in the Balkans

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The undersecretary of the Italian Ministerof Foreign Affairs, Alfredo Mantica,opened the conference on the topics oftraining and education at the Farnesina,the seat of the Italian Foreign AffairsMinistry in the Italian capital.

�The contents of the conferenceremind me of some of Italy�s keyissues; that at community level weinsist on the need to realise a series ofinitiatives, from cooperation in thetraining and education sector toinvestment building to people to peoplecontacts�, revealed Mantica,inaugurating the meeting together withthe Director of the ETF, Dr MurielDunbar, the Minister of PublicEducation of Kosovo, Enver Hoxhaj andthe deputy Minister of Education ofAlbania, Ms Adriana Gjonaj.

Key competences

�The modern economy and globalcompetition require us to be increasinglyable to learn key competences, forexample to be flexible, entrepreneurialand prepared for change. The concept oflearning refers not only to what we needbut also how we learn, what learning canbe used for and how we can develop ourlearning also in new directions of whichwe may not be aware�, Dr Dunbarstated.

�The main reason education is a priority inKosovo is that today we are living in aservice based economy and in our society

it is very crucial to have educated andtrained people who can use knowledgeand skills for their daily work and can beready to change profession and job�, saidMr Hoxhaj, who praised the work the ETFis doing in his country.

�The ETF has been supporting us a lotin recent years. Thanks to its supportwe have been able to introduce manypolicies and reforms in the educationsector. We are looking forward toreceiving more support from the agencyin the field of entrepreneurship in orderto link education with the labourmarket� he stated.

Integration policy

Ms Gjonaj also thanked the ETF for its�particular support to the developmentof the vocational education and trainingsector in the Balkans, as part of thepolicy for integration with the EU in thevery near future�.

�Albania is deeply involved in reformprocesses that are in full coherencewith the European and regionalprocesses. Education in general andVET in particular are considered by the

Albanian Government as high priorityareas and are the focus of importantreform initiatives�, she added.

Acknowledging that the ETF has beenfunctional since 1995, Mr Manticahighlighted the Foreign Ministry�scollaboration with the ETF, which hasallowed for the realisation of projects,and which has seen a special trust fundprovide some �2.5 million over the lastfive years.

On the other hand, Dr Dunbar stressedthat the strengthening of human capital� by means of high quality educationand training � in the Balkans countries�is a must, given the difficulties manyof their economies are still goingthrough�.

Data from the ETF shows that, in termsof buying power, the Gross DomesticProduct (GDP) per capita in the Balkancountries is still among the lowest inEurope, fluctuating between �3,652 inAlbania and �8,327 in Croatia. �

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by Fernando Heller, ETF

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It is important to have educatedand trained people in today’sservice economy

The concept of learning refersnot only to what but also to howwe learn

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The European Qualifications Framework (EQF) acts as a translation device to make national qualifications morereadable across Europe. It is a common instrument which links national qualifications systems together, promotingworkers� and learners� mobility between countries and thus facilitating lifelong learning. ETF expert Vincent McBridetells Live & Learn more in this interview, in view of the upcoming EQF conference to be held next January in France.

What is the scope of the EQF?

The EQF is part of the �Lisbonstrategy�, one of the key elements ofwhich is to strengthen the internalmarket, which means greaterintegration of different institutions,similar to the way in which memberstates work. By this means you createmore transparency, more mobility and abetter allocation of resources. One ofthese resources is, of course, humancapital � individuals - and the way werecognize individuals is through thequalifications systems.

Why is transparency so important forthe EQF?

Transparency is particularly importantfor cross-border recognition and forfacilitating the ongoing learning ofindividuals throughout their workinglives. In a longer term, the idea is topromote mobility and to get recognitionof their skills. The EQF does that byfinding a common reference point foreverybody�s qualifications.

Is this about harmonizing theeducation systems in the EU?

No, this is not about harmonizing theEuropean market. The EQF createsgreater transparency to make it easierto understand what people have andwhat they can do. I think people feelthat transparency is the way to go atthe European level.

Is Europass, the European CV, anexample of this?

Europass is a way to make people�sskills and knowledge visible and that isin effect what the EQF does. The EQFis a common reference and issupported by common principles foridentifying knowledge and skills.

What is the direct benefit of the NQFfor the citizens of the EU?

The NQF is intended to assist memberstates and individuals in the area ofmobility to make it easier for people tomove between different systems and

countries and have their skillsrecognised. This is achieved mainlythrough having an improvedunderstanding of what people�s skillsand qualifications are.

How can the ETF contribute to theEQF?

We are involved in two main ways: weprovide, and have provided, technicalsupport for the Commission on thisissue. We are a centre of expertisewhich knows a great deal abouteducation, training and qualificationframeworks. I think is a natural role forthe ETF to provide support to the EC �and Cedefop on the further elaborationand implementation of the EQF becausethe EQF also has an external dimensionthat affects not only member states butalso countries close to the EU andperhaps more globally as well. �

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THE EQF: A TOOLFOR GREATERTRANSPARENCYIN EDUCATION

by Fernando Heller, ETF

ETF expert Vincent McBride

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PUBLICATIONS

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Alberto Cutillo, ETF Governing Boardmember for Italy

Frans Borg, ETF Governing Board memberfor Malta

Per Byström, ETF Governing Board memberfor Sweden

Quality and quality assurance in technical and vocational education and training

This report provides a general overview of the political objectives of VET reform. It describes the mainachievements in the EU and analyses the current state of reform in the MEDA countries. Its main focus ison quality and quality assurance in TVET examining common challenges and potential synergies forcommon actions in TVET between MEDA countries themselves and with the EU. It will be available inEnglish from November with a French version planned for 2009.

NEW FACES

EVENTS

November 10-14 2008, Sofia, BulgariaStudy visit to Bulgaria from the AlbanianMinistry of Education, NationalEmployment Service and NAVETA onaccreditation and assessment.

November 27-28 2008, Torino, ItalyTechnical meeting of NQF nationalcoordinators and policy makers fromparticipating CIS countries.

MEDA-ETE Dissemination DaysOctober 29 � Amman, JordanNovember 24 � Cairo, EgyptNovember 30 � Algiers, AlgeriaDecember 1 � Damascus, SyriaDecember 4 � Rabat, MoroccoDecember 9 � Israel (location to beconfirmed)December 16 � Istanbul, Turkey

Publications Office

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For information on our activities,job and tendering possibilities pleasevisit our website:www.etf.europa.eu

For other enquiries please contact:

ETF Communication UnitEuropean Training FoundationVilla GualinoViale Settimio Severo, 65I – 10133 Torino

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