International (comparative) VET research is increasingly important worldwide and is characterized by a high degree of complexity and heterogeneity (Pilz & Li, 2020). The lack of systematic research on the models and approaches used in this field and the resulting fragmentation of the research landscape require consolidation and synthesis work to makes VET research more cohesive internationally (Gessler et al., 2021). There is a great need for expertise and the further development of effective VET structures. Against this background, our systematic analysis is presented in the context of the funding program “Research for the Internationalization of Vocational Education and Training (IBBF),” established by the German Ministry of Education and Research (2019-2025). IBBF aims to improve international VET by implementing a systematically connected, international research network for the field (BMBF, 2017). In addition to eleven interdisciplinary international IBBF-projects sustained by cooperative partnerships with numerous countries (e.g., in Asia, Central America, and Africa), “Metaproject on Internationalization of Vocational Education and Training” (MP-INVET) was established. One of the main foci of MP-INVET is on analyzing the current state of international VET research to identify the networking and synergy potentials in this field. To explore the challenges and synergy potentials that may arise from the interdisciplinary nature of the IBBF-projects, we have devised an overarching research question: Which theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches are used to design and conduct research in IBBF-projects in the field of international and comparative VET research? Our presentation is based on a multiple-case study of the IBBF-projects. We apply a mixed-methods research design using qualitative and quantitative instruments of data collection: online-questionnaires, document analysis, and interviews with project teams. The primary goal of data collection is to form a basis for identifying overarching topics and possible measures to promote or optimize the work of the IBBF-projects, the achievement of their research objectives, and the further development of international and comparative VET research in general. Our systematic analysis offers considerable insights and lessons learned regarding international and comparative VET research. In our presentation, we outline our approach and our results based on qualitative and quantitative data analyses. The mixed-method approach provides comprehensive information on how international research projects in VET are organized and delivered (e.g. cooperation structures, networks), and thereby produce valuable contributions for future research (e.g. development and implementation of innovative VET programs and quality management models; identification of key VET transfer success factors) and developments in international VET.

German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (2017). Announcement. Regulations governing funding for research on the internationalization of vocational education and training (VET). berufsbildung-international.de/files/BEK_IBBF_eng.pdf. Gessler, M., Bohlinger, S., & Zlatkin-Troitschanskaia, O. (2021). International Vocational Education and Training Research: An Introduction to the Special Issue. International Journal for Research in Vocational Education and Training, 8(4), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.13152/IJRVET.8.4.1 Pil, M., & Li, J. (2020). Comparative Vocational Education Research: Enduring Challenges and New Ways Forward. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-29924-8