Transferability of the effective practices in regional VET networking from France, Germany and the Netherlands to the new EU member states: the case of Lithuania

Author(s):

Vidmantas TutlysLouis SpaninksGeorg SpöttlM'Hamed Dif

Conference:

ECER 2008

Network:

2. Vocational Education and Training (VETNET)

Format:

Symposium

Session Information

02 SES 05A, Transferability of the effective practices in regional VET networking from France, Germany and the Netherlands to the new EU member states: the case of Lithuania

Symposium

Time:

2008-09-11

08:30-10:00

Room:

BE 014

Chair:

Ludger Deitmer

Discussant:

Pekka Ilmari Kamarainen

Contribution

The EU new member states are now facing the challenge of reforming and adapting their vocational education and training systems to the requirements of new societal and economic needs. One of the most important tasks to be undertaken by any one of them in this direction is to establish and envelop co-operation and partnership networks between different stakeholders which could foster development of VET. The observed lack of the experience in social partnership and cooperation between the stakeholders requires investigating the transference possibilities of “good practices” from countries which have rich and successful experiences in regional VET networks development. The project "Modelling of the regional networks of vocational education and training in Lithuania” (LITVETNET: 2007-2009)”, financed by the European Commission within the Lifelong Learning Programme 2007-2013 (Leonardo da Vinci) , aims at examining the transference feasibility of “effective practices and experiences” in VET regional networking and cooperation from France, Germany and the Netherlands to Lithuania. The final expected result of the project consists of developing guidelines for the creation and development of the regional VET networks in Lithuania, including the theoretical and methodical model of such network. Like other post-communist countries, Lithuania inherited specific socio-economical, political and cultural context connected with the historical development conditions for the social partnership and development of the cooperation between the main stakeholders in vocational education and training. Lack of the experience in partnership and cooperation between the VET schools and employers in a decentralised market economy weakens the position and role of stakeholders, especially that of trade unions which are still influenced by the previous centralized character of system of VET and its regional networks in Lithuania. There are many important information gaps connected with the creation and the development of socio-economical, historical and institutional contexts favourable to the development of regional VET networks in Lithuania on the basis of the experiences of other countries (such France, Germany and the Netherlands) which already possess well developed models and practices of such cooperation networks. In an attempt to fill this information gap about the feasibility of benefiting from the effective practices and experiences of other countries, the following research questions are addressed: What are the most successful experiences of regional VET networks, partnership and co-operation in each of the three countries? What are the most important socio-economic, legal, and cultural factors related to the success of these experiences? Which of these experiences might be transferable to the Lithuanian context without significant changes in the original contents? What are the main changes and adaptations needed for the implementation of the experiences? To what extent are these partnership experiences specific or can be generalized to other contexts? To what extent would the internal characteristics of the cases studied facilitate or hinder their successful implementation in Lithuania? To what extent do the cases studied demonstrate capacity building in regional cooperation in VET between the VET institutions, employers, unions and other stakeholders? In this context and as an answer to these questions connected with transferability issue, four papers are presented in this symposium: The first paper deals with contextual background to the development of regional VET partnerships in Lithuania (by Vidmantas Tūtlys). The second one explores the possibilities of the transfer of the effective practices in regional VET networking from France (by M’Hamed Dif). The third paper deals with analogous case of the Netherlands (“Transferability of the effective practices in regional VET networking from the Netherlands”, presented by Louis Spaninks). The fourth paper analyses the transferability of the effective practices in regional VET networking from Germany (by Georg Spöttl).

Method

All the symposium papers make use of resources being developed within the initial phases the project "Modelling of the regional networks of vocational education and training in Lithuania” (LITVETNET: 2007-2009)”. In this context, the overall adopted research method consist of conducting: 1. First, a desktop research based on existing literature and documents concerning the partnership and cooperation networks in the mentioned countries. 2. Secondly, a qualitative investigation based on interview with experts and representatives from concerned stakeholders (within the partner countries) such the VET schools, chambers of industry commerce and crafts, employers organizations, municipalities, trade unions, etc.

Expected Outcomes

Within the framework the project research questions and methodology, the symposium papers are expected: 1. To investigate and identify the main factors which can facilitate or hinder the transferability of the experiences in the development of regional cooperation networks from France, Germany and the Netherlands to Lithuania. 2. To propose the concrete methodical guidelines and recommendations on how to apply the experiences of foreign countries in the development of the regional VET networks.

References

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Author Information

Vidmantas Tutlys

Vytautas Magnus University

Centre for Vocational Education and Research

Kaunas

126

Louis Spaninks

Talentis bv

VUGHT

157

Georg Spöttl

Institute Technology and Education

Bremen

M'Hamed Dif

University Louis Pasteur of Strasbourg

BETA/Céreq Alsace

Strasbourg

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