Quality assurance frameworks and standards used in VET

Natassa Discussion started by Natassa 9 years ago

What is the dominant QA framework or standards used in European countries?

In Greece, most private VET centres base their quality management system on ISO 9001, as it is the most widely known and accepted. What about other countries?

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Randolph The German VET system is too complex to cover all areas in one post. However, let's start with continuing training. Compared to other European systems, the German system of continuing vocational training is characterized by its market led approach to provision. The consequence is that there is a confusing multiplicity of institutions and offers for continuing education. The reasons for this plurality are the result of both historical and educational planning causes.

In keeping with the principle of pluralism, the structure of providers in continuing educational vocational training is extremely heterogeneous. For example continuing vocational training is offered by employers/ companies, private institutions, chambers (“Kammern”), professional associations, academies, polytechnics, technical schools, vocational schools, adult evening centres, the employers' association, occupation co-operatives, labour unions, church institutions and correspondence schools. The literature on the...The German VET system is too complex to cover all areas in one post. However, let's start with continuing training. Compared to other European systems, the German system of continuing vocational training is characterized by its market led approach to provision. The consequence is that there is a confusing multiplicity of institutions and offers for continuing education. The reasons for this plurality are the result of both historical and educational planning causes.

In keeping with the principle of pluralism, the structure of providers in continuing educational vocational training is extremely heterogeneous. For example continuing vocational training is offered by employers/ companies, private institutions, chambers (“Kammern”), professional associations, academies, polytechnics, technical schools, vocational schools, adult evening centres, the employers' association, occupation co-operatives, labour unions, church institutions and correspondence schools. The literature on the subject makes different suggestions as to how this wide spectrum of providers can be categorized. Most authors differentiate between public providers not pursuing any particular interests and accessible to all (state and communal facilities); free providers (chambers, employers' associations, professional associations, churches, labour unions), which according to their mandate offer their own continuing education activities to a defined group of persons; and private providers (companies and commercial institutions of continuing education), which work on a for profit basis.

When it comes to quality models, one can differentiate between four phases, through which certain quality models have been pre-dominant.

- 1970: quality assurance models which are orientated at input factors. The quality of education & training programs is measured against a catalogue of pre-defined criteria, which has been set out by a public institution for tenderers, and which must be met by a training provider in order to become accredited and deliver training.

1980 - : quality models, orientated at the output of training programs. Major criterion: assessment results of training programs.

1990 - : quality models, orientated at management processes. ISO 9000, TQM, EFQM.

2000 - : demand and customer-orientated quality models. Training providers on voluntary basis become member of local training associations, which develop and share their own quality criteria and standards, self-evaluation instruments and are awarded with local "seals of quality". Moreover, public-private partnerships of state ministries and market research organisations periodically conduct large-scale tests of training progams and providers. Last, but not least state authorities some years ago have started to produce information materials, which shall guide and encourage customers towards the evaluation and benchmarking of training offers and providers. Show more 9 years ago

The German VET system is too complex to cover all areas in one post. However, let's start with continuing training. Compared to other European systems, the German system of continuing vocational training is characterized by its market led approach to provision. The consequence is that there is a confusing multiplicity of institutions and offers for continuing education. The reasons for this plurality are the result of both historical and educational planning causes. In keeping with the principle of pluralism, the structure of providers in continuing educational vocational training is extremely heterogeneous. For example continuing vocational training is offered by employers/ companies, private institutions, chambers (“Kammern”), professional associations, academies, polytechnics, technical schools, vocational schools, adult evening centres, the employers' association, occupation co-operatives, labour unions, church institutions and correspondence schools. The literature on the subject makes different suggestions as to how this wide spectrum of providers can be categorized. Most authors differentiate between public providers not pursuing any particular interests and accessible to all (state and communal facilities); free providers (chambers, employers' associations, professional associations, churches, labour unions), which according to their mandate offer their own continuing education activities to a defined group of persons; and private providers (companies and commercial institutions of continuing education), which work on a for profit basis. When it comes to quality models, one can differentiate between four phases, through which certain quality models have been pre-dominant. - 1970: quality assurance models which are orientated at input factors. The quality of education & training programs is measured against a catalogue of pre-defined criteria, which has been set out by a public institution for tenderers, and which must be met by a training provider in order to become accredited and deliver training. 1980 - : quality models, orientated at the output of training programs. Major criterion: assessment results of training programs. 1990 - : quality models, orientated at management processes. ISO 9000, TQM, EFQM. 2000 - : demand and customer-orientated quality models. Training providers on voluntary basis become member of local training associations, which develop and share their own quality criteria and standards, self-evaluation instruments and are awarded with local "seals of quality". Moreover, public-private partnerships of state ministries and market research organisations periodically conduct large-scale tests of training progams and providers. Last, but not least state authorities some years ago have started to produce information materials, which shall guide and encourage customers towards the evaluation and benchmarking of training offers and providers.

Quality assurance in education & training

Quality assurance frameworks and standards used in VET

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