Case Studies | ENQA-VET Guidelines for Implementing the EQARF

Austria and staff development

“Austria has offered training on quality assurance and quality development for the staff in VET institutions at all levels of the VET school system.”

Austria and clear roles and responsibilities

“In Austria responsibility for quality management is set at three levels: at the school level, at the regional level and at the system level through the Ministry. Close liaison between all parties is crucial.”

Austria and building a culture of quality

“Austria is developing an internal management culture of quality assurance with objectives achieved through consensus and negotiation.”

Austria and internal self-evaluation on a voluntary basis

“Austria has built its system on existing institutional arrangements in the VET school system, and has started using internal self-evaluation on a voluntary basis.”

Austria and the provision of support to institutions

“Austria has focused on providing support to institutions as this helps to safeguard training providers’ autonomy. This support is set within a framework of common principles and a range of strategic and operational tools for the work on quality.”

Cyprus and funding links to QA

“In Cyprus there is a clear link between the quality of training and funding provided to employers by the Human Resource Development Authority (a semi-government organisation).”

Cyprus and on-line accreditation

“Cyprus is developing an on-line assessment process to approve training providers to deliver publicly-funded training programmes.”

Estonia and school councils

“In Estonia, VET schools are governed by councils where the majority of places are taken by employers. In order to review the school’s performance, the council receives an annual report from the school principal.”

Estonia and choice of QA system

“In a voluntary system, changing training providers’ approaches to quality assurance takes time. In Estonia providers have the autonomy to use the quality assurance model of their choice. Fewer than 10 per cent use an EQARF model, though over 60 per cent of initial VET providers are using another quality assurance model.”

Estonia and licensing training providers

“Estonia is developing an accreditation and licensing system for initial VET.”

Estonia and self evaluation

“Since 2003 Estonia has used an EFQM based voluntary Quality Award model for VET institutions (EKKA). The aim of EKKA is to develop a culture of self-evaluation and constant improvement with in order to enhance the quality of VET institutions’ processes and results.”

Estonia and mandatory indicators

“Estonia has a set of mandatory indicators which are monitored at the provider and system level. Providers are able to design and use other indicators to support the mandatory data systems.”

Finland and funding links to quality

“In Finland funding for VET provision is increasingly recognising the quality of provision and a funding premium is now offered to high quality providers. This helps to influence the national system and the activities in individual training providers as all the information is published on the Finnish National Board of Education‘s website.”

Finland and joint assessment

“In Finland, competence based qualifications have been designed by the ministry, trade unions, employers, training providers, teacher unions and student unions to ensure they are a fair way of assessing learners’ skills. The assessment itself is conducted by employers and training providers as well as the student’s self-assessment of their work.”

Finland and Quality Management Recommendation

“In Finland, since 2000 (updated in 2008), the Quality Management Recommendation for VET has set out the characteristics of an excellent organisation and these have been linked to the four stages of the CQAF quality assurance cycle.”

Finland and quality awards

“The Finish National Board of Education organises an annual seminar of VET providers where those winners of the national “quality awards” are invited to share their best practice.”

Finland and feedback

“In Finland there is a web-based feedback system which collects information from students and employers. In addition, assessors for the Quality Awards (representatives of employers, employees, teachers, VET providers and students) also provide systemic feedback on the system and process. This feedback is used to make improvements on a yearly basis.”

Finland and skills demonstrations

“In Finland the learners’ performance in the ‘skills demonstrations’ provides a proxy indicator of the quality of the whole system. Learners, training providers and the national planners all use the same data sources which forms part of Finland’s performance based financing system. The results of these assessments are published on the Finnish National Board of Education‘s website in order for VET providers to use the information as a benchmark of their own performance.”

Germany and chambers of commerce

“In Germany all the responsible organisations, including the ministries, the chambers of commerce and the social partners are involved in developing VET.”

Germany and annual planning document

“Germany’s Federal Ministry publishes an annual report on supply and demand of VET in order to support planning of training provision.”

Hungary and pilot projects

“Since 2003 Hungary has introduced a series of pilot projects to support and promote institutional-level quality assurance in VET. Using European and Hungarian funds, VET providers have been introducing quality assurance systems in line with the four stages of the EQARF cycle”

Italy and the QANRP

The Italian Quality Assurance National Reference Point (QANRP) is developing a twofold communication strategy

Italy and regional accreditation

“In Italy, the Regions’ Accreditation system considers indicators which are related both to professional skills (needs analysis, curriculum planning and evaluation, teaching competences) and to managerial skills (administration, networking expertise etc).”

Italy and the approval of training providers

“Italy has rules for accrediting training providers which have been developed nationally and implemented regionally since 2000. Published criteria are used and the arrangements are based on agreement between the Ministry of Labour, the regions and social partners.”

Luxembourg and curriculum development

“In Luxembourg, the quality assurance arrangements that underpin the framework for curricula development in VET include content, assessment, certification and the award of qualifications, staff development etc.”

Luxembourg and stakeholder committee

“The 2008 reforms of VET in Luxembourg have reinforced the role of stakeholders through the creation of the national VET committee comprising all the relevant partners: ministries, social partners, learners, training providers, students, parents etc.”

Portugal and centres of excellence

“Portugal is building a culture of quality assurance in institutions by supporting centres of vocational excellence.”

Portugal and the audit tool

“Since 1997, Portugal’s accreditation system has been mandatory for training providers wishing to access public funds, and voluntary for other situations. It is based on an EQARF compliant quality standard and compliance is verified by documental analysis and audits.”

Romania and a two-stage accreditation process

“Romania has a two stage accreditation process for initial VET based on the right to provide training and the right to award qualifications.”

Romania and IVET school networks

“Romania is building a culture of quality assurance in institutions through supporting IVET school networks.”

Romania and self evaluation

“Romanian providers are required to complete an annual self-evaluation. All internal and external self-evaluation processes are co-ordinated by a national agency.”

Romania and QA manual

“Members of ENQAVET are actively promoting existing and new quality assurance arrangements; typically through websites, conferences, publications, training and support for VET providers e.g. Romania has published a national quality assurance manual.”

Romania and self assessment

“Romania piloted self-assessment quality assurance processes from 2003-2006 in order to introduce new requirements from the 2006-2007 school year.”

Slovenia and self evaluation

“Slovenia introduced new legislation to cover quality assurance at both the provider and national level in 2006. This was followed by legislation in 2008 to make self-evaluation the responsibility of training providers.”

Slovenia and staged introduction

“In Slovenia there has been a staged introduction to the use and monitoring of indicators based on the EQARF. With a range of pilot projects since 2000, developments have been staged which has helped to ensure lessons are leant and good practice shared.”

The Netherlands and monitoring student satisfaction

“In the Netherlands the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science commissions two pieces of research to measure student satisfaction with VET training. These monitoring arrangements report at the system level and one of them also reports at the institutional level.”

The Netherlands and inspection outcomes on the internet

“In the Netherlands the outcomes of the inspections for each training provider are available on the internet and are used to compile an annual report on the system’s performance which is also available at internet.”

The Netherlands and use of common definitions

“In the Netherlands training providers are primarily responsible for quality assurance and the inspectors use the same data sets and indicators to comment on the overall performance of the system. The inspection system uses this data to assess the risk of poor performance which forms the basis for inspection.”

The Netherlands and performance based funding

“Funding for VET provision is increasingly recognising the quality of provision and in the Netherlands 20 per cent of the funding is based on quality.”

The Netherlands and public accountability

“In the Netherlands legislation makes it clear that education institutions are primarily responsible for the quality of education and exams, quality assurance, and that they are publicly accountable.”

The Netherlands and public accountability

“In the Netherlands legislation makes it clear that education institutions are primarily responsible for the quality of education and exams, quality assurance, and that they are publicly accountable.”

The Netherlands and performance based funding

“Funding for VET provision is increasingly recognising the quality of provision and in the Netherlands 20 per cent of the funding is based on quality.”

The Netherlands and use of common definitions

“In the Netherlands training providers are primarily responsible for quality assurance and the inspectors use the same data sets and indicators to comment on the overall performance of the system. The inspection system uses this data to assess the risk of poor performance which forms the basis for inspection.”

The Netherlands and inspection outcomes on the internet

“In the Netherlands the outcomes of the inspections for each training provider are available on the internet and are used to compile an annual report on the system’s performance which is also available at internet.”

The Netherlands and monitoring student satisfaction

“In the Netherlands the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science commissions two pieces of research to measure student satisfaction with VET training. These monitoring arrangements report at the system level and one of them also reports at the institutional level.”

Slovenia and staged introduction

“In Slovenia there has been a staged introduction to the use and monitoring of indicators based on the EQARF. With a range of pilot projects since 2000, developments have been staged which has helped to ensure lessons are leant and good practice shared.”