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Review: 4th National ECVET Conference on the Further Development of Higher Vocational Education and Training on 21 November in Vienna

The aim of the conference under the motto”With vocational education and training at the top. Further development of higher vocational education and training in Austria” was to reflect on possible implementation scenarios for Austrian higher vocational education and training.

25. November 2019

Higher VET is currently under discussion throughout Europe. In its “New Skills for New Jobs” agenda, the European Commission calls on the Member States to support the development of Higher VET and promote its visibility. Higher-level competences should make VET even more attractive and ensure employability.

The term “higher vocational education and training” has not yet been formally established in this country. It is usually understood to mean those qualifications which are located at the higher NQF levels (levels of the “Austrian National Qualifications Framework“) and do not lead to a Bologna degree (Bachelor, Master, PhD).

After several presentations by experts on Austrian higher vocational education and training topics  and after a look across the border ( situation in Germany and Switzerland), representatives of educational institutions and businesses (bfi and WIFI Austria, FILL GesmbH, HTL Steyr and SPAR-Akademie Wien) discussed  numerous ideas, reservations and wishes on Higher VET with the audience.

During the contributions, there seemed to be unanimous agreement on the need for an umbrella brand “Higher Vocational Education and Training” in Austria. The time factor was often mentioned as a success criterion for implementation. In addition to financing issues, the different responsibilities for the qualifications concerned were also mentioned as possible stumbling blocks. The most obvious implementation option seems to be the NQF, which could provide the framework.

Karin Luomi-Messerer (3s) led through the event as co-moderator.

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