CEDEFOP Research Project
Dr Justin Rami of DCU's Further Education and Training Research Centre (FETRC) hosted academics and researchers from the University of Bremen and ITB on the 21st January as part of an ongoing research project initiated by CEDEFOP (European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training).
The aim of the study is to understand and analyse how (initial) VET providers cooperate and develop partnerships within and beyond their own sector so as to support smooth individual learning progression and permeability at system level. In reviewing the development of new governance patterns, the research also addresses how education and training actors are organising themselves and cooperating with different categories of stakeholders to develop lifelong learning. Another central objective of the proposed research project is to identify cases of best practice in European VET partnerships in order to learn and to benefit from such experiences. By identifying trends, gaps and challenges across different European countries it will be possible to derive recommendations for different stakeholders concerned.
The study will analyse the situation concerning partnerships and networks of VET stakeholders in 15 countries with various traditions of vocational education and training and different experiences and governance structures concerning the cooperative delivery of training. The countries covered by the study are Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Spain and the United Kingdom.
The ITB team and CEDEFOP have selected DCU's NAVET (Joint Education & Training Foundation-Bridging) Programme as a Case Study selected out of the 15 European Countries taking part in the Study. The NAVET programme offers learners attending college in Whitehall College of Further Education a chance to combine these studies with modules from DCU's BSc in Education & Training for one year. The combined qualification offers students a place on year 1 of the BSc Honours Degree gaining them valuable exemptions in year one. This innovative 'bridging' approach is gaining increased attention from policy makers in Ireland and in Europe as a model of good practice. The programme Chair, Justin Rami states, 'These sort of mechanisms can offer learners an insight into the world of higher education and also offer them a practical vocationally-focussed study at their FE college thus offering learners a balance of learning approaches and opportunities." For successful graduates of NAVET their next year, as DCU fulltime First Years, then acts as a buffer to tertiary academic life and study and the NAVET graduates find this transition very smooth and controllable, which in turn not only makes the 'first year experience' more manageable but also fulfils DCU's view on permeability and life long learning.
The research day in DCU was attended by Dr. Justin Rami, BET & NAVET Programme Chair (FETRC @ DCU), Ann O'Reilly – Principle of Whitehall College of Further Education (CDETB), Maire Smyth – Whitehall NAVET Coordinator (CDETB), Anna Dillon-Scott, Stacy Bennett (NAVET Graduates), Dr Ursel Hauschildt and Dr Wolfgang Wittig, University of Bremen.