The project is analysing the VET policies of the mentioned countries because they constitute major economic competitors to the European Union and its member states. There is a complimentary project with the same focus but looking at China, India, Korea and Russia. The underlying objective of the (revised) Lisbon agenda to become the most competitive region of the world based on a knowledge driven production and social cohesion forms the rationale for the decision to look at the major competitor countries’ VET policies. Five themes have been covered in the monitoring process, i.e. the topics • image and attractiveness, • financing of VET and • early skills recognition and two background themes. In order to rightly interpret and evaluate the findings on those topics an overview is provided on structures and organisational differentia-tion and specific social and cultural configurations of VET and current general policies and policy developments in VET.

The monitoring concept in this study was based on a research process, that in-cluded the following steps: • Development of a monitoring grid (covering the mentioned five aspects) • Collection of materials and data in cooperation with national experts Unesco Unevoc and the German Institute for international educational Re-search (DIPF) • Drafting of four preliminary country profiles • Feedback and revision of country profiles by four national experts • Drafting of an interim report including a preliminary comparative analysis • Identification of gaps and white spots • Gathering of additional data • Completion of the country profiles • Comparative analysis between the four countries, drafting a comparative final report • Second feedback and validation round among a larger circle of ten high-level experts on the respective countries.

Limitations of available data The countries assessed provide extremely heterogeneous Gross Enrolment Ratios (GER) in VET and graduation rates as measures of VET completion are generally of limited value because of the huge variety of programmes and programme se-quences. There are large deficiencies regarding the availability of adequate and sufficient data on various aspects of VET. Therefore it is difficult to exactly as-sess the contribution of VET to broader economic and social goals. A largely complete and comparable set of statistics as far as economic data, demographic and general education data are concerned is available. Indicators based on these statistics have a relatively high level of validity and international comparability. However, when it comes to educational data we find that indica-tors might be appropriate for general education but often less adequate and even less comparable for VET. General conclusions for European VET policies For the four countries monitored in this report it seems as if the close look at them can mainly serve a mirroring function. The look at their VET landscapes and the three thematic areas helps to unveil and profile certain distinct features of European VET. In future studies it might be worthwhile to take a more focused look at the identification of exemplary practices on the institutional level or be-low. Image and attractiveness of VET in Europe compares well to the monitored coun-tries that are all putting in enormous efforts into trying to raise the image of VET. This can be seen as an asset to VET policies in Europe. However, it could also be argued that Europe is set on a specific future idiosyncratic track that brings about its own risks and challenges. General direction of VET policies The monitored countries are belonging to the most advanced economies with wealthy populations. Similarly as Europe they are challenged by the catch-up economies in Asia. To survive in the global competition and to cope with the pres-sure exerted through the challenges of a knowledge-based production it seems inevitable to transform the national skill formation systems. This is seen as one adequate reaction to the emerging transitions in production and service sectors across all the countries. Two countries, Australia and Canada, have switched their national human re-sources and skill provision policy from an immigration-based solution towards aiming at an endogenous, self-sustainable path of skill formation. This has lead to a clear addressing of an active national skill formation policy. Graduates from the general education track, which is the dominant educational pathway, in all the four countries do often not show the skills and practical knowledge required on the labour market. The lack of fit between the graduates’ qualifications, skills and competences and the labour market demands and job requirements has led to the establishment of specific institutions on the one hand and backward routes of educational mobility on the other hand. VET provision The provision of practical skills and competences through work-based learning is a weak point in all systems monitored but is tackled through a variety of policies. Increasingly young people after graduating from college extend their educational pathways through enrolling in specific courses aiming at increasing practical vocational skills and competences in all the observed countries. China has put up specific institutions serving this purpose. Unfortunately accurate data about this phenomenon is scarcely available. Involving multiple stakeholders – a particular challenge A major issue across all the countries is employer involvement. It concerns differ-ent levels of VET such as provision as well as governance. Even though there exists a rich tradition of cooperation between business and industry (co-operative education) and high schools and community colleges, this has not been converted into a feature of the national policies of skill formation and vocational education. Countries in Europe might be better placed in that re-gard due to the stronger roots of corporatism and social partnerships. Raising quality and attractiveness Another issue that is targeted in the monitored countries is the quality of voca-tional education. It can be learned especially from the example of the U.S. and Canada that attempts to raise the quality of VET through nation and statewide testing are always in danger of favouring classical academic content. For the level of practice this can potentially lead to classical ways of instruction at the cost of providing more authentic curricular delivery modes in VET. Attempts to of improving the image by renaming VET courses and programmes with terms emphasising technology, learning and career advancements was partly successful in raising the image in the different countries. Surprisingly, none of the observed countries in our study is undergoing major efforts to implement some procedures for recognition of the outcomes of learning forms distinct from learning in formal settings. Australia and Canada are the countries that show the strongest efforts in that regard.