The Final Dissemination Conference of the OBSERVAL-Net project will present the Manifesto on Validation of Non-formal and Informal Learning prepared by the consortium and an advocacy pack, intended to help anyone interested to promote VNIL at national, regional, local or institutional level. It will also include the 2013 Validation Prize Award Ceremony, where the winners of the three categories will collect their prize.

The central element of the NetECVET project is an internet-based toolkit to support VET practitioners establishing ECVET mobility measures and projects.

The conference volume of the Third Austrian Conference on Vocational Education and Training Research has been published – including a contribution by Petra Ziegler.

On 25 of June 2013 a conference initiated by the Austrian National Agency took place on implementing entrepreneurship competences.

3s is currently partner in two European projects, developing competence matrices in the “Care Sector”.

New article by Jörg Markowitsch (3s), Bernd Käpplinger and Günter Hefler (3s) – published in the European Journal of Education – Special Issue: Adult Learning Systems in a Comparative Perspective

New publication by Günter Hefler of 3s: Taking Steps – Formal adult education in private and organisational life: A comparative view.

This publication analyses 19 Member State initiatives (including Austria and Germany) which aim to set out competence requirements for trainers in adult learning and continuing training.

Invitation to send Case Studies to all organisations and individuals in Europe working in Validation of Non‐formal and Informal Learning (VNIL). All received Case Studies will compete for the OBSERVAL‐Net Validation Prize 2013, which will be awarded in three categories: ‘Bottom Up Approach’, ‘New Profession’ and ‘Work‐based Competence Development and Recognition’.

This issue includes current information on the implementation of ECVET and also refers to activities in which members of the 3s team are involved: