Editorial
UNESCO-UNEVOC Bulletin 20

2012 is a special year for UNESCO-UNEVOC, as we are celebrating our 10 year anniversary. Since its inception, UNEVOC has worked intensively towards supporting countries improve Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and it has built the UNEVOC Network which currently has 289 Centres in 167 countries. To mark the occasion, UNESCO-UNEVOC will publish a special anniversary publication and a special anniversary event will be held later this year. Keep a close eye on the UNEVOC website for more information about the celebrations.

2012 is also the year of the ‘Third International Congress on Technical and Vocational Education and Training’, which took place in Shanghai, China from 13-16 May. The Congress provided a unique global platform for practitioners, experts and policy makers from around the world to share knowledge and reflection on the future of TVET and was a major new milestone in international cooperation after the influential Seoul Congress which took place in the Republic of Korea in 1999.

In recent years, TVET gained an upsurge in interest from the international community, while UNESCO Member States increasingly expressed the vital need for TVET development in their respective countries. At the same time, issues of sustainability and the concept of green economies and societies have become central to the international agenda. There are major challenges to be faced in the reconciliation of competing economic development aspirations in a world that is facing increasing climate change, energy insecurity, and ecological scarcity. The global rise of the green development agenda suggests that there is a need for TVET to engage more systemically with these concerns. To recognize the importance of greening TVET, UNEVOC has initiated the establishment of an interagency working group with the purpose of addressing this significant global challenge.

UNEVOC has geared up to take on the challenge of streaming its internal capacity by focusing on strengthening the UNEVOC Network; providing capacity development in the field of TVET; expanding online community development and knowledge sharing. UNEVOC now offers a knowledge management centre which features an interactive kiosk that connects UNEVOC Network members around the world. And as the global e-Forum community with over 2,300 members continues to grow, UNEVOC has introduced moderator-driven discussions which aim to promote focused discussions on crucial topics in TVET development. Parallel to these activities, UNEVOC is working closely with UNESCO Headquarters in Paris to harmonize its activities, and is putting major efforts into reinforcing partnerships and collaborations with relevant partners.

We are pleased to share with you Bulletin 20 of the UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training. With a new fresh look, the Bulletin aims to inform about recent activities undertaken by the International Centre.

Shyamal Majumdar

Head of UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre

Shyamal Majumdar
Head of UNESCO-UNEVOC

Mr Shyamal Majumdar was appointed as the Head of the UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training in May 2011. Prior to taking up the position at UNESCO-UNEVOC, he served as the Director General of the Colombo Plan Staff College for Technician Education (CPSC), an inter-governmental organization for human resources development in the Asia-Pacific Region based in Manila, Philippines.

Mr. Majumdar has worked as a TVET expert in various capacities. He has been engaged in the work of the UNESCO Offices in Bangkok, Beijing and Cairo, GTZ and INWEnt (both now GIZ), CPSC, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), and the World Bank. Working closely with various government institutions and technical institutes across Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and the USA, he contributed his strong expertise and background in

• echnical and vocational education and training (TVET),
• echnical teachers training,
• nformation and communication technology (lCT),
• otal quality management (TQM),
• reening TVET, and
• ualifications frameworks towards quality assurance in TVET,

to conduct a variety of programmes and projects in the education sector.

Mr Majumdar also used to be a Professor and Head of the Computer Science and Engineering Department at the National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research (NITTTR) in Kolkata, India, where he originally comes from. He holds a Bachelor's degree in electronics and communication engineering, a Master's degree in telecommunications engineering, and Ph.D. in educational computing.

Mr Majumdar has published more than 100 research papers and was engaged in more than 20 book publications, editorial assignments, and chapter contributions published by various national and international organizations. He was commissioned to write a book on Workforce Development in India: Policies and Practices, which was published in 2009 by the Asian Development Bank Institute and the Regional Guideline on Pedagogy and Technical Integration, which was initiated by UNESCO Bangkok. His most recent work was editing a book on Emerging Trends and Challenges in TVET in Asia-Pacific Region, which was published internationally by Sense Publishers Ltd. in 2010.

Mr Majumdar has received various international awards for his contributions to TVET, including the International Partnership Award from UNESCO-UNEVOC, the TVET Leadership and Quality Award from CPSC, as well as the Valued Supporter Award from IVETA. He has also received 40 international and national citations and certifications of appreciation and recognition for professional and academic contributions and engagements in personal and professional capacities, for example from the President of the American Vocational Education and Research Association (AVERA), the President of the International Vocational Education and Training Association (IVETA), the former Director of UNESCO-UNEVOC, the President of the HRD Service of Korea, the Director of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Secretariat and various countries.

Contact

s.majumdar(at)unesco.org

Phone: +49 228 8150 100

Transforming TVET: Building skills for work and life
Third International TVET Congress, Shanghai, China, 13-16 May 2012



The first International TVET Congress in Berlin in 1987 and the Second International Congress on TVET held in Seoul, Republic of Korea, constituted crucial moments for the international TVET community. Building on these milestones and the UNESCO Strategy for TVET which was approved by the UNESCO General Conference in 2009, the 3rd International Congress on TVET was organized to take stock of the developments since Seoul, and aimed to identify and discuss current and future challenges facing the TVET sub-sector and explore appropriate responses; build better understanding of and share knowledge on improving the contributions of TVET to sustainable development; and inform perspectives for international cooperation in the field and define strategic directions for future work and support to TVET at national, regional and international levels.

UNESCO organized the Congress in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the World Bank and the World Health Organization (WHO), as well as the European Training Foundation (ETF), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the African Development Bank (AFDB) and the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA).

The Congress provided a unique global platform for almost 800 practitioners, experts and policy makers from around the world to share knowledge and reflection on the future of TVET. During the Congress, UNESCO Secretary General Irina Bokova stated that "too few young people and adults are gaining the skills, knowledge and attitudes they need to find decent employment in today's rapidly changing job market, where the capacity to learn and adapt is essential. This is a top political concern everywhere and it calls for concerted policies."

During the Congress, spanning over 3 days, various plenary, special and roundtables sessions were held on a wide range of topics related to global TVET development. Alongside the main activities, Microsoft organized the Education Leaders Forum, hosted jointly by UNESCO, UNESCO-UNEVOC, Microsoft, Nokia, Promethean and the Open University, which brought together education policy makers, experts and technology industry representatives for a regional debate on the opportunities and challenges related to ICT and TVET.

On Thursday 17 May 2012, a post-Congress meeting was held that brought together some 20 UNEVOC Centres from all parts of the world at a special UNEVOC Network meeting. During the meeting, the representatives of the UNEVOC Centres discussed how to encourage and further promote the development of TVET systems in UNESCO Member States; how to develop the capacities of UNEVOC Centres and associated TVET practitioners to serve the TVET community; and how to share knowledge, know-how and competencies through good practices and innovation in TVET.

As a result of the Congress, a new vision for TVET as a quality learning option should emerge. The recommendations that were agreed during the Congress provide directions regarding areas in which policy dialogue and capacity building are required by Member States at the national, regional and international levels.

[http://www.unevoc.unesco.org/go.php?q=UNEVOC+Publications⟨=en&akt;=id&st;=&qs;=5457&unevoc;=0 Shanghai Consensus: Recommendations of the Third International Congress on TVET]

© Microsoft

Other links

Publications related to Third International Congress on TVET

UNESCOPRESS on 3rd Congress

Main working document

3rd TVET Congress website with agenda, presentations and other useful documents

Video interview with Qian Tang, Assistant Director-General for Education

Photo gallery Education Leaders Forum

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=Shanghai Updates (Newsletter)=
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UNEVOC photo competition 2012 - Work has many faces

The winner's gallery of UNEVOC's photo competition is now online. Out of hundreds of contributions, 54 photographs have been selected. They will be published in the 10th anniversary publication on the occasion of the establishment of the UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre in 2012.
http://www.unevoc.unesco.org/photocompetition2012/

Moderator-driven e-Forum discussion: TVET in post-conflict and post-disaster situations
UNEVOC e-Forum, 16-30 April 2012

With over 2,200 members, the UNESCO-UNEVOC e-Forum continues to expand. Since the new year over 300 messages have already been exchanged.

The moderator-driven discussions, which were introduced in 2011, seek to promote focused discussions on crucial themes in TVET development and aim to gather valuable input from the e-Forum community. It is our pleasure to announce that the second moderator-driven e-Forum discussion will take place on the e-Forum from 16 to 30 April 2012.

The topic for this second discussion is TVET in post-conflict and post-disaster situations. Education in emergency situations has been recognized by UNESCO as a flagship programme of Education for All (EFA). Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) can be an effective and necessary tool for providing people with the skills they require to establish non-violent livelihoods and to protect them from exclusion. People with technical and vocational skills have an important role to play in rebuilding an infrastructure damaged by war or disaster, in helping to restore the economic basis of their family and community and to increase their active participation in society.

It is our pleasure to announce that Ms Karina Veal, an expert in the field of TVET in post-conflict and post-disaster situations, will moderate the discussion. The overall focus of Ms Veal's work is on increasing the relevance, quality and efficiency of skills development in both formal and non-formal settings – with a special interest in the challenges faced by countries after conflict or disaster. Her most recent assignment has been to support improvements to TVET in Nepal to aid the re-integration of young ex-Maoist combatants.

More information about the online conference

To join the discussion, please --> [http://www.unevoc.unesco.org/form1.php?id=-1&fita;=vcpost sign up]

First meeting of the interagency working group on greening TVET and skills development
Bonn, Germany, 10-11 April

On 10-11 April 2012, UNESCO-UNEVOC hosted the first interagency working group meeting on greening TVET and skills development in Bonn, Germany. This working group was initiated following on a suggestion made at the interagency group on TVET meeting in Geneva in December 2011 and objectifies bringing together international agencies and relevant stakeholders to address the sustainable development challenges which require coordinated action. This first meeting intended to provide a channel for interested agencies to explore opportunities for establishing an interagency working group (IWG) in the context of TVET and sustainable development, and to brainstorm rational, aims and objectives, composition and scope of the IWG with respect to UN priorities and development agenda.

Eight agencies participated in the meeting, including: Asian Development Bank(ADB), European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop), European Training Foundation (ETF), International Labour Organization (ILO), Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), UNESCO-UNEVOC, United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), and United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). While the representatives of Cedefop, ETF, ILO, and UNESCO-UNEVOC participated in the meeting in person, the representatives of OECD, UNITAR, and UNECE joined the meeting through conference calls with Skype, and ADB could participate in the discussions via emails.

Following the presentations, various issues related to greening TVET and skills development were raised during the discussion. During the meeting the participants agreed that the collaboration among agencies should aim at reinforcing the role of TVET and its reform process for Sustainable Development through establishing a workgroup on TVET for sustainable development, as one of subgroups of the interagency working group on TVET.

Documents

Information leaflet Greening Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and Skills Development

Experts' meeting on TVET and skills development in Afghanistan
Bonn, Germany, 12-16 March 2012

From 12-16 March 2012, an Experts' Meeting on Fostering Capacity Building in TVET and Skills Development in Afghanistan was held at UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre in Bonn, Germany.


The Centre was honored to welcome the Deputy Minister of Education, Mr Mohammad Asif Nang, and Mr Zekrullah Taibi, Policy and Programs Development Director at the Ministry of Education in Afghanistan at its premises for the 4-day meeting. The meeting was furthermore attended by TVET experts from Afghanistan, Cambodia, Lao PDR and Germany, including from the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) Mannheim and the Federal Ministry of Economic Co-operation and Development (BMZ).

Co-organized by UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre and UNESCO Kabul Office in partnership with the UNESCO TVET Section, the meeting aimed to:

• discuss concerns, issues and prospects in the field of TVET from a global perspective;
• share experience and challenges in TVET and skills development from an Afghan’s perspective;
• provide inputs to the designing of Afghanistan National Technical and Vocational Research Center (ANTVRC) and its establishment;
• foster capacity building with regard to the development and successful implementation of a National TVET Strategy (NTVETS) in Afghanistan;
• provide peer learning and study visit opportunities for knowledge-sharing among the development partners and stakeholders in TVET.

Opening speeches were presented by Mr. Shyamal Majumdar, Head of UNESCO-UNEVOC, Mr Mohammad Asif Nang, Deputy Minister of Education in Afghanistan, and Anke Doerner, German Commission for UNESCO. Various presentations were given and intensive discussions were held. The meeting also included study tours to the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB), the German Water Association (DWA) in Bonn and the UNEVOC Centre in Magdeburg.

The meeting provided an excellent platform to reflect on the significance of global challenges in TVET and share experiences and practical examples in order to support the national set-up of the ANTVRC.

Overall, the meeting offered an extensive opportunity for both the organizers and the Afghan delegates to discuss opportunities and challenges with regards to the successful development and implementation of a responsive national strategy on TVET. The meeting laid the basis for determining priority actions and further development of a long-term proactive implementation mechanism for TVET Development in Afghanistan.



Programme and list of participants

Meeting report

Symposium on TVET and qualification frameworks "Putting Frameworks into Practice: Demand, Development and Decision"
Berlin, Germany, 27-28 February

On 27 February 2012, Shyamal Majumdar, Head of UNESCO-UNEVOC, participated as inaugural speaker and chaired a technical session at the 2nd Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) symposium held in Berlin, Germany. The symposium, organized by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF, Germany) and the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB, Germany) and attended by 60 delegates from 22 countries, focused on Qualification Frameworks in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and was entitled: “Putting Frameworks into Practice: Demand, Development and Decision“.

After opening addresses by Dr. Walter Mönig (BMBF) and Birgit Thomann (BIBB), Mr. Majumdar presented an opening speech in which he raised the importance of TVET and skills development for the world of work and challenges in achieving the MDGs, Education for All (EFA) goals, socio-economic development, and a better quality of life for individuals and communities. In his speech, Mr. Majumdar urged to aim for the development of qualifications frameworks that foster mobility and partnership, better regulate the system in the development of a demand-driven and quality based National TVET and most of all are coherent, comprehensible, current and credible.

The Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) is a dialogue platform between Asia and Europe, and aims to promote dialogue and action-oriented cooperation between heads of government for mutual benefit. The ASEM education secretariat is currently hosted by Germany, and aims to further intensify the Asian-European dialogue in education and make ASEM more visible in the field of education.

More information about the symposium (website)

© DAAD / Tobias Bohm

Lecture on international workforce development

On 7 February, UNESCO-UNEVOC was invited to attend a lecture on international workforce development at BIBB (Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training), a UNEVOC Centre, in Bonn, Germany.


BIBB recently introduced the “International Advisory Academy” which features lectures of distinguished professionals in the field of international TVET consulting. The lecture, which was presented by Dr. David Fretwell of Scarcliffe Associates, Paso Roble, California, USA, focused on international employment and education programs and policies. Mr. Fretwell, who has worked around the globe for various bilateral and multilateral organizations, including USAID, World Bank, ADB, ILO and UNESCO, shared his experiences as a consultant in human capital development. In his presentation, he highlighted the following critical elements in developing TVET globally:

• the collection of labour market information as a starting point for developing TVET systems
• focus on TVET that is demand driven rather than supply driven
• the importance of integrating career guidance and counseling in countries’ education systems
• development of national qualifications frameworks that are relevant to employers

After the presentation, Mr. Fretwell also visited the UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre. Mr. Majumdar, Head of UNESCO-UNEVOC, presented about the work of the Centre and showed him around the premises.

Interagency working group on entrepreneurship education meets at ILO Headquarters

On 18th January 2012, the Inter-Agency Working Group on Entrepreneurship Education met at ILO Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. UNESCO-UNEVOC and UNESCO Headquarters participated in the meeting through video conference. The working group consists of representatives of ILO, UNESCO Headquarters, UNESCO-UNEVOC, GIZ and ETF and was established in May 2010 to promote knowledge sharing, support current activities and resources, and initiate joint activities in the area of entrepreneurship education.

The meeting started off by clarifying the objectives of the working group and setting goals for the coming year. In an informal manner, members discussed previous achievements and presented various ideas/actions for future collaboration including:

• The sharing of experiences and practices on determining key indicators and measuring results in entrepreneurship education/entrepreneurial learning
• The sharing of good practices in entrepreneurial learning
• Contributing to the Third International Congress on TVET
• e-Forum moderator driven discussion on social entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship education seeks to provide learners with the knowledge, skills and motivation to encourage entrepreneurial success, both through self-employment and through encouraging an entrepreneurial mindset of employed persons. With growing numbers of (youth) unemployment around the world, entrepreneurship education is becoming increasingly important in tackling this issue.

New UNEVOC Network member in Jamaica
University of Technology

The University of Technology is the second institution in Jamaica to join the UNEVOC Network.

The University’s application to become a UNEVOC Centre received a strong endorsement from the UNESCO Office in Kingston and the Jamaica National Commission for UNESCO. The Secretary General, Mr Everton Hannam, stated in his letter to UNESCO-UNEVOC: “The University of Technology since its inception some 40 years ago has gradually expanded their Educational Programmes and is now amongst the most sought after University in the Caribbean.”

The University of Technology is the only university in Jamaica that has a long track record of preparing TVET teachers at both undergraduate and graduate levels. It has facilities for TVET teaching, research and development, curriculum designs development, and human resource development.

University of Technology Website

UNEVOC Network Directory

New UNEVOC Network Member: NCTTE, Sudan

The National Council for Technical and Technological education (NCTTE), Sudan, joined the UNEVOC Network in January 2012. This brings the total number of UNEVOC Centres to 286 Centres in 166 countries. Registered under the Ministry of Human Resource Development in Sudan, NCTTE is the central body for TVET in Sudan and is committed to upgrade technical and technological education in the country.

The Council’s objectives include:

• Developing and designing programs and curricula that encompass the latest fast moving pace of scientific and technological progress;
• Adopting and fulfilling the aspirations of students and high achievers from the secondary technical schools to proceed to the higher level technical educational qualifications;
• Promoting a flexible relationship between the assessment of technical manpower needed for economic and social development; and
• Monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the outputs and outcomes of technical and vocational education in Sudan.

Mr. Abdel Mahmoud Osman Mansour, Secretary General of the NCTTE, and Mr. Elfatih Waheed Elsharief, Administrative Secretary, both participated in the sub-regional consultation meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, which took place from 13-16 November 2011.

Links

Representatives of the National Council for Technical and Technological Education, Sudan, visit UNEVOC on 6 May 2010

Sub-regional consultation meeting of the UNEVOC Network in Africa
The role of UNEVOC Centres in furthering the African Union 2nd Decade of Education for Africa TVET Plan of Action

13-16 December 2011, in Nairobi, Kenya

The UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre organised, in cooperation with Chepkoilel University College, a constituent of Moi University in Kenya and UNEVOC Centre, a sub-regional consultation meeting on the role of UNEVOC Centres in furthering the African Union Second Decade of Education for Africa TVET Plan for action, in Nairobi, Kenya. The International Centre was represented by Mr. Teeluck Bhuwanee, Head of the UNEVOC Network.

The aim was to have a critical look at the progress that has been made in the first half of the African Union Second Decade of Education for Africa TVET Plan for Action. This Plan for Action was launched in 2006 by Africa itself to stress the importance of Quality TVET that responds to the demands of the labour market designed and delivered by educational institutions and other providers in close partnership with prospective employers.

During interactive sessions of the conference participants were initiated into the use of the e-Forum and TVETipedia to get a better understanding of the online tools.

The conference was attended by directors or representatives of UNEVOC Centres from Botswana, Benin, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Norway, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Swaziland and Uganda. Representatives of the UNESCO Regional Office (BREDA) and other UNESCO Cluster Offices in Africa (Accra, Harare, Nairobi present; Yaoundé represented) as well as of SADC and ECOWAS participated in the meeting.

During the meeting, the Nairobi Pledge for Action was developed and agreed upon by all participants.

Engagement de Nairobi (in French)

Synthesis report: Moderator-driven e-Forum discussion on women and TVET

In 2011, UNESCO-UNEVOC introduced the moderator-driven discussions on the e-Forum which seek to promote focused discussions on crucial themes in TVET development. From 5-15 December 2011, a moderator-driven discussion was held on the topic of 'women and TVET' which was moderated by Dr. Helga Foster. A synthesis report has summarized the various contributions from the participants and provided lessons learnt and future recommendations. The report concludes that TVET is generally gender biased, and that there is an urgent need for structural changes to eliminate barriers for women in TVET. The participating TVET experts provided recommendations for basic structural changes in the training for trainers (advocating more female teachers and trainers), curriculum development, changing teaching methods, improved classroom and workplace atmospheres, and the greater involvement of males in traditional female fields of TVET.
http://www.unevoc.unesco.org/fileadmin/user_upload/pubs/e-Forum_WomenAndTVET_2012.pdf

Meeting report: Regional Network meeting in Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)

With the aim of sharing knowledge, fostering cooperation and mobilizing expertise and resources to enhance the role of TVET in meeting the educational, economic and social needs in the countries of the CIS and regions of the Russian Federation, the inauguration meeting of the UNEVOC CIS Regional Network was held at the Bashkir Institute of Social Technologies (branch of) the Educational Institution of Trade Unions 'Academy of Labor and Social Relations' in Ufa, Republic of Bashkortostan, Russia, on 29 June - 1 July 2011.
http://www.unevoc.unesco.org/fileadmin/user_upload/docs/Report-Ufa-final_version_2011.pdf

Meeting report: International experts' meeting transforming TVET for a green economy

Building upon past and ongoing initiatives, the 2011 International Experts' Meeting, held in Bonn, Germany, 27-30 October 2011, was organized to motivate TVET policy makers, educators and specialists for their further commitment in advancing TVET approaches towards a green society and economy through sharing expertise from various perspectives and good practices at country level.
http://www.unevoc.unesco.org/fileadmin/user_upload/docs/GreeningTVET_Meeting_ReportBonn2011FINAL.pdf

Meeting report: International conference preparing TVET educators for the next generation

The conference, which was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 12 to 13 December 2011, objectified to reflect on the significance of global challenges in TVET educators' development and aimed to stimulate efforts and participation in discussions among decision makers, policy implementers, senior administrators, curriculum developers, and academic professionals to build awareness and information on emerging issues and cooperation frameworks for the development of TVET educators.
http://www.unevoc.unesco.org/fileadmin/user_upload/docs/educon2011-report_web.pdf

General developments
Current membership: 2323
Messages: Since the beginning of January 2012, 576 messages have been distributed via the e-Forum.

Recent discussions (January-May 2012)
For those who are not a member of the e-Forum: You can access the messages via http://www.unevoc.unesco.org/forum. Note that you need to log in to be able to read messages. If you do not yet have a UNEVOC account or do not wish to create one, please use the following login information to access the e-Forum archives in read-only mode: User "Bulletin", password "read".

Edupreneurs
There is a growing realization that entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial activities are key in economic development. This discussion questioned whether educators should be more entrepreneurial. How would the education industry look like when edupreneurs are in charge?
http://www.unevoc.unesco.org/forum.php?lang=en&skin=efor&show=1703

Qualifications that count: Facilitated by the European Training Foundation (ETF)
In the context of the upcoming 3rd TVET Congress in Shanghai, China, this discussion was facilitated by the European Training Foundation (ETF) as a preparation for the session on 'Qualifications that count - enabling individuals to do more with their TVET qualifications at home and abroad'. The discussion focused on the effectiveness of qualification frameworks and how they are used to create better opportunities for individuals.
http://www.unevoc.unesco.org/forum.php?lang=en&skin=efor&show=1700

Are we over analyzing?
Do we have a purpose or are we just being trendy? This was the question posed in the discussion on the value of qualification frameworks and occupational standards. While the concept of qualification frameworks is increasingly being considered as crucial for TVET development, the proven impact of these frameworks remains limited.
http://www.unevoc.unesco.org/forum.php?lang=en&skin=efor&show=1680

Components of occupational standards
How are occupational standards determined, and what are they based on? This discussion explored the underlying thinking of occupational standards, and the necessary competencies for a job, considering what a worker does do, what a worker should do, and what a worker ought to do.
http://www.unevoc.unesco.org/forum.php?lang=en&skin=efor&show=1669

Making TVET the preferred destination of first resort rather than the destination of last resort in developing countries
In many countries, TVET is considered to be second class education. The discussion focused on the often well-grounded reasons for people not to choose TVET. Financial investments, linking with businesses and establishing qualification frameworks were suggested as contributing to making TVET more attractive to learners.
http://www.unevoc.unesco.org/forum.php?lang=en&skin=efor&show=1658

UNEVOC welcomed KRIVET at Centre's premises
19 April 2012, Bonn, Germany

On 19 April 2012, Mr Shyamal Majumdar, Head of UNESCO-UNEVOC, welcomed the new president of the Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training (KRIVET), Mr Young-Bum Park, at the Centre’s premises. Mr Park was accompanied by Ms Ji Soo Kim, Assistant Manager, Performance and Evaluation Bureau, and Ms Janette C. Han, as well as Mr Michael Härtel from the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training(BIBB, Germany), and Mr Thomas Michel, from the European Computer Driving Licence Foundation in Germany.

Mr. Majumdar presented about UNEVOC’s work and informed Mr. Park about the activities of the UNEVOC International Centre in the light of UNESCO TVET strategy, and Mr. Teeluck Bhuwanee elaborated the work of network members in the Asia-Pacific region. Likewise, Mr. Park presented about the recent activities of KRIVET. After the presentations, the talks focused on possibilities for increased collaboration, followed by a short discussion on the 3rd TVET congress, where Mr Park will be chairing a UNEVOC session on strengthening the UNEVOC Network.

KRIVET has been a UNEVOC Centre since 1995 (previously under the name of the Korean Educational Development Institute) and is also recognized as a UNESCO Regional Centre of Excellence in TVET.

KRIVET (website)

UNEVOC Network Directory

TVET experts from Bulgaria visit UNESCO-UNEVOC

On 23 March 2012, representatives from the National Agency for Vocational Education and Training (NAVET) in Bulgaria, and Julia Schmidt from BIBB (Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training, Germany), visited the UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre in Bonn, Germany.

The TVET experts from Bulgaria visited UNESCO-UNEVOC in the context of their study visit to BIBB as part of the European Commission’s Leonardo da Vinci project on ‘Implementation of European Instruments and Practices in National VET systems’.

Mr. Majumdar, Head of UNESCO-UNEVOC, welcomed the TVET experts from Bulgaria at the Centre’s premises and presented about the work of UNESCO-UNEVOC. The Bulgarian delegation also discussed the possibility of establishing a new UNEVOC Centre in Bulgaria. UNESCO-UNEVOC updated the current situation of the UNEVOC Network members in Bulgaria and their participation in the UNEVOC Network. As a result of the discussion, the delegation will consult the relevant authorities and the Bulgarian National Commission to initiate the process of setting up a new UNEVOC centre in Sofia in order to reactivate the UNEVOC Network in Bulgaria.

After a short discussion, the visitors were shown around the premises and also visited the Knowledge Management and Interactive kiosk.

We thank the NAVET representatives very much for their visit and contribution to TVET.

The members of the delegation were:

Adelina Kirilova Lyubomirova

Nikolay Yordanov Nikolov

Atanas Nenov Atanasov

Vasilatanasov Hristov

Marian Tzetanov Tzankov

German Commission for UNESCO visits UNEVOC

On 22 March 2012, Mr. Shyamal Majumdar, Head of UNESCO-UNEVOC, welcomed Dr. Roland Bernecker, Secretary General of the German Commission for UNESCO, and Dr. Anke Dörner, Head of the Division of Education, Communication and Information for the German Commission for UNESCO, at the Centre’s premises.

Dr. Bernecker visited the Centre to share his concerns over the fast-growing youth population worldwide and stressed that the development of high quality and relevant TVET has never been so crucial before. Mr. Majumdar presented about the UNEVOC’s recent activities, the upcoming TVET congress in Shanghai and UNEVOC’s 10 year anniversary. Mr. Majumdar also highlighted the importance of close collaboration with the Host country Germany. After an open discussion, Dr. Bernecker and Dr. Dörner were shown around the premises and in particular visited the Knowledge Management and Interactive kiosk, which facilitates online networking all over the world.

We thank Dr. Bernecker and Dr. Dörner for the very fruitful visit and look forward to further collaborating in the future.

Representative from SBFIC visits UNESCO-UNEVOC

On 31 January 2012, Ms. Nicole Brand from the Savings Banks Foundation for International Cooperation (SBFIC) visited UNESCO-UNEVOC to learn more about UNEVOC’s work and to discuss potential areas for future collaboration. Ms. Brand also presented about the work of the Savings Banks Foundation, and in particular regarding the projects currently carried out in Myanmar. The talks furthermore focused on issues relating to TVET including:

• The lack of sufficient financial, technical and human capital needed to transform the national economy
• The importance of making clear policies and incentives that can stimulate the private sector in development programmes
• Enhancing access to external sources of finance to achieve better quality provision in TVET for emerging economies, through both public and private funds
• Promoting private sector participation in development programmes
• Making microfinance more effective for TVET programmes at the country level

Established by the German Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe, the Savings Banks Foundation is set up to support financial institutions, and to promote a sustainable economic and social development at a local, regional or national level.

More information about the SBFIC can be found on their website: http://www.sparkassenstiftung.de/en/

Representatives from BMZ visit UNESCO-UNEVOC

On 30 January 2012, Mr. Shyamal Majumdar, Head of UNESCO-UNEVOC, welcomed Ms. Kerstin Sieverdingbeck from the TVET division of BMZ (Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development) and Mr. Stefan Hummelsheim from GIZ at the Centre’s premises in Bonn.

The objectives of the meeting were to inform BMZ about the work of UNEVOC and discuss future collaborations. Mr. Majumdar presented UNESCO-UNEVOC‘s recent achievements and future plans as they relate to the BMZ project proposal. BMZ has been an important development partner of UNESCO-UNEVOC since its inception in 2002.

Ms Sieverdingbeck and Mr Hummelsheim wrote in the UNESCO-UNEVOC guestbook:
“Thank you for this first interesting look inside UNEVOC.” and “A very interesting meeting, thanks a lot.”

We thank Ms. Sieverdingbeck and Mr. Hummelsheim for the fruitful visit and BMZ for its generous support to the Centre.