EUROPEAN TRAINING FOUNDATION: ANNUAL REPORT 2000

(presented by the Commission)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. General

1.1. Aims and objectives

1.2. Organisational structure

1.3. Advisory Forum

1.4. The Foundation's Evaluation Programme

2. The Foundation's activities in 2000

2.1. The Candidate Countries of Central and Eastern Europe

2.2. South-Eastern Europe

2.3. New Independent States and Mongolia

2.4. The Mediterranean countries and territories

2.5. Tempus

3. Co-operation with other EU agencies

4. Financial report

4.1. Funding sources

4.2. 2000 Budget execution

4.3. Review of the European Training Foundation's financial and management systems

4.4. Common support service

5. Personnel

5.1. Staffing and organisation chart

6. The Governing Board

Annex 1 - The Foundation's activities in 2000

Annex 2 - Table indicating budgetary & non-budgetary resources

Annex 3 - Conventions table

Annex 4 - Tempus technical assistance conventions table

Annex 5 - Organigramme

Annex 6 - The Foundation's Governing Board - List of members

Annex 7 - Events Organised by the Foundation during 2000

Annex 8 - Publications list

1. General

1.1. Aims and objectives

The European Training Foundation is an agency of the European Union established to promote the development of high quality, responsive vocational training systems in the countries and territories of Central and Eastern Europe, the New Independent States and Mongolia, and the Mediterranean area ("the partner countries").

As a centre of expertise in the field of human resource development the Foundation:

* provides analysis and advice on current initiatives and future needs in the partner countries;

* facilitates contacts between key actors in the field;

* disseminates information on good practice in the European Union and Member States; and

* channels offers of co-operation from donors

In addition, the Foundation manages a number of Phare and Tacis programmes on behalf of the European Commission ("the Commission"), and provides technical assistance to the Commission for the implementation of the Tempus programme.

In the first half of 2000 the Governing Board of the Foundation (see below) initiated strategic reflection on the future development of the Foundation. The outcome was a Governing Board decision to further develop the Foundation as a centre of expertise and to phase out its involvement in programme management, starting with the Phare programmes that will draw to a close by the end of 2001. At the same time the Foundation will become fully involved in the programming cycle of the European Union's external relations programmes (Phare, Tacis, MEDA and CARDS).

1.2. Organisational structure

The Foundation has a geographical approach to the needs of its partner countries, which is reflected by its four geographical departments. These cover the Candidate Countries, the Western Balkans, the New Independent States and Mongolia and the Mediterranean region. In the field of management training the activities are co-ordinated by the management training unit, a thematic unit that works in co-operation with the geographical departments. Specialised units provide technical and administrative support to the organisation as a whole.

The Foundation has a Governing Board chaired by the Commission, and made up of representatives from the Member States and the Commission. The Governing Board meets to discuss and approve the Foundation's annual work programme and budget, and is also consulted on proposals of major significance to the management of the Foundation.

An Advisory Forum, consisting of training experts from the Member States, the partner countries, the Commission, international organisations and social partners, supports the work of Governing Board. It advises the Governing Board on the annual work programme as well as meeting in sub-groups periodically to discuss questions related to the reform of vocational education and training systems.

The Director of the Foundation reports to the Governing Board and chairs the Advisory Forum. He is supported by some 120 members of staff, who together implement the work programme with an annual budget of EUR 16.2 million (2000 figures).

In parallel with the strategic discussions held with the Governing Board and the Commission, the Foundation reviewed its internal staffing, organisation, and procedures to ensure that they corresponded to the new strategic guidelines. As a complement to the review of the technical and administrative support services launched in late 1999, which aimed at ensuring that existing support services were geared to the needs of the operational departments, the Foundation commissioned studies on its internal financial & management systems. The results were subsequently incorporated into a set of recommendations, which were put into action in September 2000.

In addition the Foundation began work on setting new staffing targets for 2001 to 2004, which were adopted by the Governing Board in autumn 2000. At the same time, in agreement with the Commission, the Foundation launched a review of the organisation of the technical assistance it provides to the Commission for the implementation of the Tempus programme.

1.3. Advisory Forum

The annual meeting of the Advisory Forum took place on 15-17 June 2000 and was attended by over 80 members. The main objective was for members to contribute to the early planning stages of the 2001 Work Programme with advice and guidance on the Foundation's activities in each of the four regions. To this end four regional sub-groups were organised. In addition six workshops, led by Foundation staff members, focused on the following issues:

* Continuing vocational training and its role in transition contexts;

* Management training;

* Increasing employability by integrating entrepreneurship in education and training;

* The need for financial reform of the vocational training systems in the partner countries;

* The labour market and vocational training; and

* Regional vocational training strategies in a national context

Workshop reports can be downloaded from the Foundation's homepage at www.etf.eu.int.

1.4. The Foundation's Evaluation Programme

An Evaluation Steering Committee was set up in early February 2000 to advise the Foundation on its annual evaluation programme. The committee met for the first time in March and agreed the role and tasks of the Committee, and on the projects to be covered in the evaluation programme of the Foundation for 2000:

1.4.1. Evaluation of the Foundation's Multi-Annual Project "Training Needs Analysis and Standards of Qualifications in Vocational Education and Training"

The report was commissioned in late 1999 and delivered in June 2000. The objective was to take a critical look at the results achieved so far by the various activities implemented by the Foundation in the field of qualifications and standards over the last five years. The report will be presented to the next meeting of the Evaluation Steering Committee and will also provide the basis for a discussion with experts and Foundation staff to be held in early 2001

1.4.2. Review of five years of activity of the Foundation's Advisory Forum

The objective of this evaluation was to assess the outputs, outcomes and impact, but also the processes and implementation mechanisms of the Foundation's Advisory Forum. The draft report was discussed in the plenary session of the Advisory Forum in June and additional written feedback requested. The Russian version of the report was prepared and sent out in late July. The comments and feedback received are currently being incorporated and a final draft should be available in early 2001.

1.4.3. Evaluation of the Foundation's Phare National Observatories

The evaluation of Phare National Observatories is particularly important in the light of the increased attention on the role of the Foundation in information collection and analysis in the 2001 Work Programme. Launched in October and building on the results of a mid-term assessment in 1997, this study, assessed the achievements of the Phare National Observatories since 1997, and proposed further measures to strengthen them in the future. Results from this evaluation will be available for the first Governing Board meeting in 2001. An evaluation of Tacis National Observatories will follow in 2001.

1.4.4. Review of EU Phare vocational education and training reform programmes carried out between 1990 and 1998

Based on its experience over the last six years, the Foundation, the Commission's Service Commun Relex ("SCR") and DG Employment agreed to carry out a final technical evaluation of the VET reform programmes managed by the Foundation. Prior to this, the Foundation also commissioned technical evaluations of each completed national Phare Programme, the results of this work feeding into the final cross-country analysis. The purpose of this final evaluation was to analyse progress made by Phare partner countries in reforming VET systems as a result of the implementation of Phare Programmes. A draft report has now been prepared for discussion in-house, and once completed will be presented to the Phare Committee in Brussels.

2. The Foundation's activities in 2000

2.1. The Candidate Countries of Central and Eastern Europe

Full details of the Foundation's activities in the Candidate Countries are given in the table on page 37. Some highlights of the work programme 2000 are detailed below.

2.1.1. Support to the Commission

During 2000, the Foundation continued to assist the Commission in implementing its pre-accession strategy within the Candidate Countries. In particular, the Foundation:

* continued to implement on behalf of the Commission, and in some cases brought to a close, Phare reform programmes in the areas of vocational education and training, management training, in-company human resources development and higher education in a number of Candidate Countries (Bulgaria, Estonia, Lithuania and Romania), as well as multi-country programmes in distance education and higher education in all of the Phare partner countries;

* successfully organised a series of local, regional, and national seminars (55 in total) on the European Social Fund in the Phare Candidate Countries, as part of the Phare Special Preparatory Programme for the European Social Fund. The programme culminated in a final conference in Brussels in October with high-level representation and support from the Commission's DG Employment and Social Affairs, as well as DG Enlargement. Within the Special Preparatory Programme, the Foundation also actively supported the development of the National Training Institutes network, designed to help the Candidate Countries in their preparations for the European Social Fund, through the provision of targeted training and information. Among these was a final seminar aimed at addressing the issue of sustainability of the National Training Institutes;

* provided expert advice to the Commission and the EC Delegations in the design of Phare programmes in the area of human resources development as well as taking part in programming missions at the request of the Commission;

* supported specific ministries in the Candidate Countries on request with expert advice on vocational education and training issues;

* updated the Foundation's Review of Progress in Vocational Education and Training Reform as an input to the Commission's annual progress report on the Candidate Countries' readiness for accession;

* designed and launched a project starting in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovenia involving the production of country monographs on the vocational education and training systems and the employment services in the Candidate Countries. The monograph project, which was initiated at the request of the Commission's DG Employment and Social Affairs, is intended to contribute to the monitoring of the Joint Assessment Papers on employment policies agreed between the Commission and the Candidate Countries.

2.1.2. Foundation-funded activities

The Foundation also designed and financed a number of pilot projects aimed at complementing or following-up Phare activities in certain Candidate Countries, particularly in the field of European Social Fund preparations. These included support to:

* Lithuania for setting up a regional training centre;

* Eight Polish regions through a study visit programme to Germany and seminars;

* Romania for the continuation of the Constanta project in continuing training with donor support from France, Italy and the Flemish Belgian Community;

* Lithuania and Latvia for teacher and trainer training with donor support from Finland and Denmark;

* Bulgaria, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia through the organisation of seminars on social partner involvement in vocational education and training.

In 2000 the Foundation paid special attention to the problem of social exclusion, with particular emphasis on the Roma population in the Central European Candidate Countries, and devised the following activities:

* a special conference with the support of the Portuguese authorities in Lisbon on this theme and the contribution of the European Social Fund, in particular, to combating social exclusion;

* a stocktaking exercise on good practice aimed at promoting social inclusion for the Roma population in the Candidate Countries;

* a seminar on the subject of the role of training in combating social exclusion of the Roma population held in Sinaia (Romania) in October 2000 with the support of the Soros Foundation.

2.1.3. Management Training

* Maintaining its presence in the field of management training, during the year 2000 the Foundation:

* launched a regional company skills survey designed to provide information on the skills needs of employers and to feed in to the process of developing human resource strategies. The project contributes to Candidate Countries' preparations for accession and eventual access to the EU structural funds, and in particular the European Social Fund

* Completed a joint employer's initiative project in Bulgaria together with the German organisation OWZ, targeting intermediaries acting for small and medium sized enterprises. A selected number of trainers drawn from these intermediaries participated in a training programme that took place partly in Bulgaria and partly in Germany.

* assisted the Bulgarian Government with the implementation of a management training project by providing the technical expertise for the organisation, steering and monitoring of the project.

2.1.4. National Observatories

The Foundation continued to guide and support its National Observatories in strengthening their analytical capacities, promoting networking and monitoring their day-to-day work. Specific initiatives include:

* a project funded by the Foundation and organised with the support of an Objective 1 region in the UK. The objective was to enable National Observatories to understand the importance of gathering regional labour market information in the context of future regional European Social Fund programming, monitoring and evaluation. The project also aimed at developing analytical skills;

* meetings in Turin providing tailor-made training and a forum for the exchange of experiences;

* monitoring activities, giving feedback on reports and undertaking regular visits to the partner country.

2.2. South-Eastern Europe

Full details of the Foundation's activities in the South Eastern Europe are given in the table on page 39. Some highlights of the work programme 2000 are detailed below.

2.2.1. Support to the Commission

* Implementation of the 1997 Phare vocational education and training programme for Bosnia and Herzegovina was brought to a successful completion with the final conference in Sarajevo at which a Green Paper on strategy and policy for reform of Vocational Education and Training in Bosnia and Herzegovina was presented. The EC Delegation in Sarajevo also entrusted the Foundation with a bridging programme (EUR 450,000), which started in May and will lead to the conversion of the Green Paper into a White Paper, as well as the implementation of the curricula developed under the 1997 programme.

* In October the Foundation also concluded implementation phase of the Phare vocational education and training programme in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

* Following the assignment of a member of the Foundation's staff to the Commission Task Force for the Reconstruction of Kosovo, a paper was submitted to the Commission in February 2000 identifying immediate post-war education and vocational training constraints, with proposals and recommendations for follow-up. Specific recommendations were put forward for SME skills development and management training for the utilities following two workshops in Pristina involving key stakeholders in the Kosovar business environment. Finally, in cooperation with the UNMIK Joint Administration, the Foundation supported a primary labour market data assembly measures with the launch of a labour market and training observatory.

2.2.2. Foundation-funded activities

Implementation of activities in the work programme 2000 proceeded largely according to plan. Details of all of the activities are contained in the table on page 37 and covered the following main areas:

2.2.2.1. Vocational education and training against social exclusion

In the field of vocational education and training against social exclusion the Foundation:

* finalised studies for Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and FYROM as well as for all Phare Candidate Countries. The preliminary outcomes were presented at a meeting in May 2000.

* held a regional seminar on youth unemployment in South Eastern Europe on 19-20 June in Bulgaria and has led to a report on policy priorities for actions in this field. The conference also led to the identification of two micro projects to test innovative means to combat youth unemployment, which were launched in Croatia and Montenegro.

* launched a study on "examples of good practice for the integration of Roma peoples in education and the labour market through education and training" and presented the findings in a seminar in Romania in October. The study covers all of the Candidate Countries (see page 37) including Turkey as well as Albania

2.2.2.2. Integration of Work and Learning

In the field of the Integration of Work and Learning the Foundation:

* organised in May a regional workshop for the Integration of Work and Learning project in Dubrovnik, Croatia. The workshop was combined with a meeting of National Observatories from the region. A plan for the publication and international dissemination of the project results was agreed.

* began to prepare national round tables on the Integration of Work and Learning in the countries in the region.

2.2.2.3. Continuing vocational training

* In addition, South Eastern European countries were represented at a conference on continuing training organised in Karlskrona, Sweden, together with the Candidate Countries.

2.2.3. Management Training

* Work progressed on the design of a Management Training Project for SMEs in Albania. The project should be launched in early 2001.

* The Foundation launched an assessment of the current status of training provision for managers in South Eastern Europe. The assessment will focus on Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

2.2.4. National Observatories

* In order to extend and strengthen the network of national Observatories in the region, the Foundation opened new Observatories in Croatia, Montenegro, and Kosovo.

2.2.5. Key role for the Foundation in Stability Pact

* The Foundation played a co-ordination role under the Stability Pact in the field of human resource development (HRD). As HRD is considered a cross-cutting issue, the Foundation set up a working group consisting of representatives from partner and donor countries to contribute to both democracy/human rights (Table 1, in co-operation with the Austrian Government led Enhanced Graz process) and economic reconstruction (Table 2).

* The work of the HRD Working Group included defining policy frameworks and developing project proposals, particularly in the field of SME support and social inclusion (see below).

* The work of the HRD Group contributed to the launch of priority projects in South Eastern Europe (the so-called "Stability Pact Quick Start Measures").

* The Foundation has also contributed to a review of the education sector co-ordinated by the OECD and funded under the Stability Pact. The review will lead to reports on VET and employment in all South Eastern European countries.

2.2.6. Advisory Forum Regional Group

The group met twice in 2000. The first meeting was held in Athens on 17-18 February 2000 to:

* identify challenges and priorities for vocational education and training in the reconstruction process in South Eastern Europe

* provide insight on the possible role of the Foundation in dealing with issues of human resource development within the reconstruction process, and to identify relevant activities for its Work Programme 2000 (in particular for its projects on vocational education and training against social exclusion and SME development)

* advise on the possible role of the National Observatories in the economic reconstruction process.

The second meeting of the regional group was held in the context of the annual Advisory Forum meeting in Turin in June. The group reviewed the work of the Foundation in the region, and provided guidelines for the Foundation's strategy in South Eastern Europe 2001-2003.

2.3. New Independent States and Mongolia

Full details of the Foundation's activities in the New Independent States and Mongolia are given in the table on page 40. Some highlights of the work programme 2000 are detailed below.

2.3.1. Support to the Commission

* Within the context of the overall priorities identified for Tacis support in the new Council Regulation for the New Independent States (NIS) and Mongolia, the Foundation contributed to the preparation of the Indicative Programmes 2000-2003 by providing the Commission with written assessments on the priorities and needs in vocational training in each of the countries. The Foundation also provided contributions to the Action Programmes 2000-2001 of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.

* The Foundation also lent its expertise to the Commission in preparing the launch of a number of Tacis projects. For example, in the case of the Tacis Training Fund for unemployed and disadvantaged groups in Kyrgyzstan, the Foundation supported the beneficiary, the Tacis Co-ordinating Unit and the Commission by preparing tender documents and providing support to the Commission in content monitoring. The Foundation also supported the Service Commun RELEX in monitoring the Managers' Training Programme (MTP) by making contributions to the inception and progress reports, to the content and methodology of the training and to the project proposal for the MTP Support Fund.

2.3.2. Support in the implementation of Tacis programmes

* The Foundation continued to manage a number of Tacis programmes on behalf of the Commission. The Tacis project "Reform of the Moldovan System of Vocational Education and Training" was successfully completed in February, and negotiations are underway to agree on a follow up project.

* The Foundation began work on the Tacis Project assisting VET reform in Uzbekistan, starting with the development of curricula for six occupational profiles in three pilot professional colleges. With a view to improving co-ordination among different actors in the region, the Foundation was at pains to tie the project in with the Foundation Standards 2000 project, the GTZ project and the Asian Development Bank project.

* The Foundation continued to manage the Tacis DELPHI project. Particular emphasis was placed on the development of activities in the five Russian regions with progress being made in bringing education closer to its demand, and the development of the concept of social dialogue.

* The Foundation participated in the evaluation of the project "Capacity Building in Management Training in Belarus" within the Civil Society Development Programme. The project is managed by the Foundation.

2.3.3. Foundation-funded activities

* The Foundation made progress in the second phase of the parallel-funded pilot project on "Vocational Education and Training Reform in North West Russia", with further development of new curricula and teacher training at school/sector level. There was also a strong focus on training regional education and labour administrators in developing regional vocational training policy. The results of a mid-term assessment were discussed with all key actors, including France welcomed as a new partner in the project. Close links have been established between the regions participating in the pilot project, and the regions involved in the preparation of a new World Bank education project. The Foundation and the World Bank have agreed on a work plan for co-operation during the preparatory and the implementation phases.

* A similar project on vocational education and training reform started in September in the Ukraine with the participation of Italy, France and the International Labour Organisation. The project concentrates on the sectors of agriculture and transport in three Ukrainian regions. The first labour market assessments have been made.

* Workshops on donor co-operation in education and training in Georgia, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan led to agreement on recommendations for future donor interventions and mechanisms to improve co-ordination. The Russian Ministry of Education took the initiative to organise a donor meeting in Moscow. Both donors and beneficiaries confirmed the role of the National Observatories as focal points for donor co-ordination.

* The Foundation organised and funded an international workshop in Almaty, Kazakhstan on 'Increasing employability by integrating entrepreneurship in education and training' with participants from the EU, Central and Eastern Europe and the NIS. A new project has been developed and will be implemented in Northwest Russia and the Ukraine.

* The Standards 2000 project continued to help countries improve methodologies for developing consistent vocational training standards for all sectors. In each participating country, pilot standards were elaborated and then discussed and analysed in two Standards conferences in Tashkent and Minsk. A common approach was agreed and published in Volume IV of the Standards publications.

* The Training for Enterprise Development in Kyrgyzstan project resulted in a unique source of information on enterprise development (the Kyrgyz Enterprise Study). Some 200 enterprises in all sectors and regions of the country were interviewed. A practical Human Resource Development Guide that will help enterprises to plan the development of their staff is under preparation. A training package designed to address HRD needs was also developed and tested. The project was extended to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The Foundation now also plans joint action with the International Labour Organisation.

2.3.4. Management Training

As indicated above, the Foundation provided support to the Commission in implementing the Managers' Training Programme. In addition the Foundation finalised a 1999 project aimed at improving and diversifying teaching and learning materials for management training in Novossibirsk, the Russian Federation. The results have been disseminated throughout the region. The Foundation also continued to encourage the development of management training networks in Russia and Central Asia through its support to the Russian Association of Business Education (RABE) and the Central Asian Management Development Foundation (CAMAN). In 2000 a new project was launched in the Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan to strengthen partnerships between management training institutes and companies.

2.3.5. National Observatories

* The National Observatories in the region prepared new stocktaking reports based on an agreed revised table of contents. The reports will include key indicators for 1998-99.

* The Foundation finalised the publication of its first New Independent States Key Indicators report (1995-97). With the contribution of the National Observatories it also published the report on "Transnational analysis of vocational education and training in the New Independent States and Mongolia".

* The Phare and Tacis National Observatory networks forged closer links when the two groups came together in Turin for the annual meetings of the National Observatories in March. In November the Tacis National Observatory network also met separately in Chisinau.

* The Commission and the Foundation signed a Convention to provide Tacis financial support amounting to EUR 350,000 to the National Observatories for 2000 and 2001. Contracting activity was expected to begin in early 2001.

* Alongside their routine tasks, many National Observatories were involved in country-projects under the Staff Development Programme IV, Standards and Entrepreneurship in Education and Training project. These projects have helped to increase the visibility and strengthen the role of the National Observatories in their own countries.

2.3.6. Advisory Forum regional group

* At the annual meeting of the Advisory Forum, members of the regional group for New Independent States and Mongolia showed strong interest in contributing to the work of the Foundation, particularly the analytical reports. There was also strong support for greater collaboration between Advisory Forum members, local experts and the National Observatories in order to improve the flow of information, and to strengthen the network-function of the National Observatories in the regio

2.4. The Mediterranean countries and territories

Full details of the Foundation's activities in the Mediterranean region are given in the table on page 36. Some highlights of the work programme 2000 are detailed below.

2.4.1. Increasing Foundation involvement in the Mediterranean region:

Following the initial induction period begun in 1999, the Foundation consolidated its knowledge of the Mediterranean region and expanded the scope of its activities. During the first months of 2000 key activities that had been started in 1999 were completed:

* Following comments from the Commission, the Foundation concluded 'Overviews of Vocational Education and Training' on Algeria, Lebanon, Malta, Cyprus, Jordan and Turkey [1], and disseminated the results to relevant stakeholders.

[1] Although Malta, Cyprus and Turkey are candidate countries, preliminary activities in 2000 were included in the work programme for the Mediterranean Area.

* In February in Damascus the Foundation organised a seminar aimed at assisting policy makers in the design of apprenticeship schemes adapted to the socio-economic realities in Syria. This successful event encouraged Syrian authorities to further develop pilot apprenticeship schemes based on effective partnership with the private and public industrial sectors.

2.4.2. Support to the Commission

During the first half of the year the Head of the Foundation's Mediterranean Department was seconded to the Commission in Brussels with a view to increasing the Foundation's understanding of the Commission's needs and operational constraints, so as to better define how the Foundation might support the Commission in implementing EU policies in the region. The secondment allowed the Foundation to agree with the Commission a set of proposals defining a number of challenging services to be delivered by the Foundation in 2001 and beyond.

Within the limit of its resources, the Foundation also tried to respond to demands emerging from the region. By way of example, it replied to a request for expert support to the Presidential Commission for Education Reform in Algeria, which was responsible for proposing reforms for the education and training system as a whole. The Foundation also responded to Commission requests for expertise in identifying and formulating projects for vocational training policy in Algeria, as well as for technical advice in setting up the Euro-Med Observatory on employment and training for the Mediterranean region. Further to another Commission request, the Foundation also produced draft guidelines for the development of sectoral adjustment programmes for vocational training.

2.4.3. Foundation-funded activities

* A joint conference co-funded by the World Bank and other local sponsors (Municipality and Province of Torino, Regione Piemonte, Italian Ministry of Education) on the development of secondary education and training in the Middle East and North Africa took place from 7-10 May in Turin. Around 100 delegates, including Ministers and senior officials from 21 countries from the Middle East and North Africa region, the European Union and international organisations took part. The conference examined trends in fields such as quality and relevance assessment and control, standards, curriculum development, financing and teacher training.

* The Foundation, together with the Algerian Ministry of Vocational Training and the Fond National de Développement de l'Apprentissage et de la Formation Continue (FNAC), held a regional workshop on financing mechanisms for apprenticeship and continuing training from 25-27 September 2000 in Algeria. Around 200 people attended, including relevant Ministry representatives from Tunisia, Morocco and Libya, stakeholders from the public and private sectors in Algeria and the European Union, and international donors.

* Plans for a seminar on innovative practices in vocational education and training standards for the Mashreq region in Egypt were unveiled in November. However, due to the political situation in the Middle East, the seminar had to be postponed until April 2001. The Foundation had already undertaken research work on existing practises in the development of vocational training standards in each of the six countries initially involved in the exercise, and a case study on Egypt was to be presented during the seminar. Preparations went ahead the new date.

* Further to the Foundation's seminar on apprenticeship schemes in Damascus held in February 2000, the Syrian Ministry of Education requested Foundation expertise in launching a pilot project on apprenticeship schemes, due to be implemented in 2001. The Foundation undertook preparatory work during 2000.

2.4.4. Management Training

* In the field of management training, work proceeded on a study on Management and Entrepreneurship Training for SME growth in the Mediterranean context, focusing on Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon. The conclusions of the study will be summarised for further dissemination in a report to be finalised in early 2001 that outlines opportunities for improving management and entrepreneurship training in order to stimulate the growth of SMEs.

2.4.5. Advisory Forum regional group

* The Advisory Forum group for the Mediterranean region met in June in Turin. The discussion focused on Foundation activities in 1999 and the lessons learnt; the state of play of 2000 activities; and the Foundation's Work Programme for 2001.

2.5. Tempus

The Foundation continued to provide technical assistance to the Commission for the implementation of the Tempus Programme, which began in 1990. The programme entered its third phase, known as Tempus III, for the period 2000 - 2006. The New Independent States, Mongolia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia are currently eligible to participate.

The new phase involves a "top-down" and "bottom-up" approach through ensuring that all projects clearly correspond to national priorities and involve a range of actors including policy makers, the academic community and civil society at large.

Expertise from the Candidate Countries of Central and Eastern Europe is strongly encouraged in order to harness and promote the exchange of know-how and experience to the Tacis countries and Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. New co-operation activities have been introduced such as Networking projects which aim to disseminate quality Tempus project outputs from on-going and completed projects to a larger audience on a national and regional basis. With regard to Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, in particular, there is a strong emphasis on regional co-operation.

2.5.1.1. Selection - Tempus Phare

Type of project // Applications received

Joint European Projects & Networking Projects

(deadline 1 March 2000 and 31 March only for Croatia) // 100

Individual Mobility Grants // 65

(deadline 3 April 2000) // of which 59 to EU

Total // 165

2.5.1.2. Joint European Projects and Networking Projects

In response to the Tempus III call for Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, a total of 100 applications were received, registered, copied and despatched to National Tempus Offices and the Commission. The eligibility assessment of applications began on 20 March 2000 and was finalised at the end of April. Selection meetings, under the chairmanship of the Commission, were held in the partner countries enabling experts from the EU and from South Eastern Europe to work together on-site. In the case of Croatia, the selection meeting was exceptionally held in Turin. During the second half of 2000, the technical assessment of projects that were likely to be funded was carried out. Subsequently, a number of recommendations were prepared for each of these projects.

2.5.1.3. Individual Mobility Grants

A total of 65 applications were processed covering mobility both to and from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

2.5.1.4. Selection - Tempus Tacis

Type of project // Applications received

Joint European Projects and Networking Projects

(deadline 1 March 2000) // 263

Individual Mobility Grants // 91

(deadline 3 April 2000) // of which 75 to EU

Total // 354

2.5.1.5. Joint European Projects and Networking Projects

In response to the Tempus III call for Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Mongolia, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan, a total of 263 Joint European Project and Networking Project applications were received. The eligibility assessment of applications began on 20 March 2000 and was finalised by the end of April. Selection meetings, under the chairmanship of the Commission, were held in Tbilisi, Kiev and Torino. During the second half of 2000, the technical assessment of projects that were likely to be funded was carried out. Subsequently, a number of recommendations were prepared for each of these projects.

2.5.1.6. Individual Mobility Grants

A total of 91 applications were processed covering mobility both to and from Tacis partner countries.

2.5.1.7. Project Monitoring

The monitoring activities both in Tempus Phare and Tempus Tacis covered the usual main areas i.e. contract management, desk and field monitoring of over 550 running projects.

The National Tempus Office representatives' meeting took place in Turin on 20-21 January. The second day was devoted to the field monitoring of the Tempus Phare projects. At the request of the Commission, the Guide for Tempus Monitoring visits 1999/2000 was prepared and a full day of training provided to the partner country participants.

During the first half of the year, the National Tempus Offices and the Tempus Country Desks made 135 field-monitoring visits to Tempus Phare projects. In Tempus Tacis, the Tacis External Monitoring and Evaluation teams continued to carry out field monitoring visits to Tacis Joint European Projects.

The financial assessment of the Annual and Final reports of Tempus Phare and Tacis Joint European Projects for the contractual year 1998/99 began in February 2000. During the year 2000, a total of 822 Phare reports and 137 Tacis reports were due to be assessed.

At the same time, previous project reporting years continued to be finalised, for both Joint European Projects and other Tempus co-operation activities, such as Complementary and Compact Measures projects, Joint European Networks and Individual Mobility Grants. During the months of May and June, the pending Phare Joint European Project reports for the contractual years 1993/94, 1994/95 and 1995/96 were finalised and these contractual years of the Joint European Projects have been closed.

Follow-up of audit reports arising from the1999 audit campaign of 115 projects proceeded in agreement with the Commission. At the same time, a new audit campaign was launched for 88 Phare projects and 35 Tacis projects. The first draft reports were received in May.

Two extra staff members joined the financial monitoring team in April.

2.5.1.8. Tempus Publications, Information and Events

A range of Tempus publications were produced in the first half of this year as indicated in the table below and others are still underway. These included:

* Tempus at Work information sheets.

* New Tempus at Work sheets were produced on the Tempus programme in general (3 introductory sheets), for the Tempus Tacis countries (all countries except Tajikistan), for Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and for the EU countries.

* The biennial Guide For Applicants was produced in 1999 and in 2000 an Addendum was produced in all EU languages and Russian providing further details on co-operation with Tajikistan, Belarus and Croatia.

With regard to events, the Foundation assisted the Commission in the organisation of the Tempus Tacis Project Representatives Meeting held in Brussels on 23-24 March 2000. The meeting brought together over 140 project representatives from newly selected projects in the NIS and Mongolia.

The Tempus Department liased with the Romanian National Tempus Office in order to identify and despatch publications and relevant materials for the meeting of the 4th Conference for Education Ministers held in Bucharest on 18-20 June. In addition ample Tempus materials were made available at the Regional Tempus Seminar held in Sarajevo on 15-16 June.

Preparations for the development of a Tempus Project Information System began in 2000 for development in 2001. The proposed system will take the form of an Internet deployable database and will encourage greater dissemination of Tempus outputs together with increased possibilities for networking and on-line discussion fora.

The Tempus Department of the Foundation provided full logistical support for the Regional Seminar on "Institution Building for Civic Society Development" which took place in Skopje, (FYROM) on 24 to 25 November 2000. Two members of the Tempus Department attended the meeting and acted as chair for one of the parallel workshops on Banking and Finance. A presentation on "How to design a Tempus Institution Building Project" was given in the plenary session.

2.5.1.9. Publications linked to the Tempus Programme in 2000

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3. Co-operation with other EU agencies

The Foundation continued to work with other EU agencies on issues of common interest. The agency heads had their annual meeting with the Secretary General of the Commission in Brussels in February when the agencies were able to raise issues such as enlargement, activity based budgeting and recasting the financial regulation, particularly as a result of the Kinnock reforms at the Commission. Moreover, all agency heads came together in Brussels in June for a meeting with the European Parliament's Committee on Budgets to present their draft budget proposals for 2001.

The Foundation also continued to take part in the Common Support Service involving several of the agencies and other EU institutions to adapt and develop SI2 as a budgetary and financial management tool.

The Foundation continued its co-operation with the CEDEFOP in Thessaloniki on various subjects of mutual interest, such as the Scenario project, the joint conference on financing of training in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (held in Mavrovo in June), and the project on social dialogue in vocational education & training. A number of joint meetings took place during the year.

In the context of the pre-accession process, and having regard to the specific needs of the Candidate Countries, the two agencies together with the European Commission agreed to develop a strategy of close co-operation with a view to optimising the gradual integration of the Candidate Countries into EU policy developments in the field of VET. This co-operation will build on the respective mandates of the two agencies seeking to capitalise on their strengths and experience in a complementary way. To this end a common document is being jointly prepared by the two agencies and will be submitted to their GB meetings in early 2001.

4. Financial report

4.1. Funding sources

The Foundation receives an annual subvention from the European Community budget to cover its administrative costs as well as the cost of operations in the annual work programme (in 2000 the subvention amounted to EUR 16.2 million).

The Foundation also continued to manage funding from the European Union's different assistance programmes, transferred via conventions signed with the Commission for the management of Phare and Tacis programmes on behalf of the Commission. In 2000 the Foundation handled around EUR 27 million in Phare and Tacis convention funds for vocational education and training projects (see page 47 for further details). With regard to the technical assistance it provides to the Commission for Tempus, the Foundation managed around EUR 136 million in Tempus Phare funds and EUR 97 million in Tempus Tacis funds (see page 49 for breakdown).

4.2. 2000 Budget execution

Due to the tight budget framework for the year 2000 and to further unforeseen circumstances the Foundation proposed the following two transfers between chapters in Titles 1 and 2.

* With a view to being able to implement all of its Work Programme 2000 activities the mission budget was increased by EUR 50 000 (the mission budget had been cut by EUR 40 000 compared to 1999). This was rendered possible thanks to savings in the area of recruitment and other staff costs.

* Due to attempted break-ins at the Foundation, it was necessary to increase the security level. Furthermore, maintenance costs needed to be adapted to the actual annual cost. Finally, dissemination costs needed to be increased further to increased activities in the Mediterranean countries.

The Governing Board approved the amending budget in November 2000. The table below shows the state of execution of the budget (in EUR) at 31 December 2000:

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4.3. Review of the European Training Foundation's financial and management systems

During spring 2000 the Financial Controller undertook a review of the Foundation's financial and management systems. The report, delivered in April, highlighted a number of weaknesses in the financial management that is overly complex after many changes (in both systems and staff) with inadequate consolidation.

In late 1999 and before the Financial Control review, the Foundation commissioned an external company to undertake a Financial Systems Implementation Study of the functioning of the Foundation's budgetary accounting system, SI2, with a view to improving its use in the Foundation. The study concluded that the Foundation is not making full use of the system's capabilities.

The Foundation prepared a Plan of Action as a response to the two reports, agreeing with most of the comments made. However, positive solutions to some of the remarks depend on SI2-related technical issues that are not managed by the Foundation. Development in these areas is dependent on the actions of the system provider (DG Budget) and is, therefore, beyond the Foundation's direct influence.

As the Financial Controller noted in his comments in July, the Plan of Action was from the outset overly ambitious and based on an ideal assumption of very few risk factors. However, this most optimistic scenario did not come true. First and foremost, the required installation of the new version of the computerised budget management system, SI2, was postponed from the early summer to the last week of September, and entered into a test phase only in October. Therefore, the implementation of many of the recommendations on financial systems have been postponed by about three or four months well into the first half of the year 2001.

However, work is ongoing in all areas of the Plan of Action, apart from those aspects awaiting new technical solutions from DG Budget or further progress in the Commission's administrative reform (e.g. Financial Regulation, Financial Control, audits). The appointment of a User Manager for the Financial Management Systems has had a major impact on the implementation of the Plan of Action.

These developments in the Financial Management were in parallel supported by a review of the Foundation's administrative and central services. Its main objective was to increase efficiency and co-ordination by appointing a Head of Administration and Central Services, and by redefining the roles of former central service departments into 4 new units. The roles of the units were defined by looking at the workflows and linkages between the various services.

4.4. Common support service

2000 saw the second year of operation for the Inter-Agency SI2 Common Support Service, currently comprising eleven members [2], to create and implement a shared support and development structure for new computerised Budget and General Accounting Systems. Early in 2000 it was decided to move the support centre from the Foundation to DG Budget, under the supervision of the SI2 Development team, enabling a closer and more direct co-operation between support and development. In June 2000 chairmanship of the Consortium, including financial management of the Consortium's funds, was handed over to the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Dublin).

[2] European Training Foundation (Turin), European Environment Agency (Copenhagen), European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (Bilbao) European Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union (Luxemburg), European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (Lisbon), Community Plant Variety Office (Angers), European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Dublin), Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions (Bruxelles), European Agency for Reconstruction (Kosovo), European Monitoring Centre On Racism And Xenophobia Commemorates (Vienna)

5. Personnel

At the end of 2000 the Foundation employed some 110 temporary agents out of a total 130 staff members provided for in the establishment plan. However, several key positions had been opened to recruitment in order to satisfy the requirements of the medium-term perspective agreed by the Governing Board. Details of the grading and nationality of staff can be found below.

5.1. Staffing and organisation chart

5.1.1. Temporary agents

5.1.1.1. Table A: The number of temporary agents in post by category and nationality on 31 December 2000

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5.1.1.2. Table B: Change in staffing profile in 2000

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5.1.1.3. Table C: The number and type of other staff employed in the Foundation at the end of 2000

Local agents // 11

National Experts on secondment // 5

6. The Governing Board

The Governing Board exceptionally met three times in 2000 on 15 February, 14 April and 27 November.

At the February meeting the Governing Board:

* took note of a progress report by the Director on the activities of the Foundation;

* gave its discharge to the Director for the 1998 accounts and took note of the preliminary figures for 1999 expenditure;

* approved the overall budget for 2000 for an amount of EUR 16.2 million;

* approved the work plan for 2000, which adopted the same method of activity based budgeting as used by the Commission;

* approved the proposal for a promotion and the proposed establishment plan;

* approved the creation of a supernumerary temporary agent post in the establishment plan for the purposes of creating a User Manager for the Common Support Service.

The Governing Board meeting in April centred on the increased importance of human resource development following the conclusions of the Lisbon Summit that had taken place in March, and consequently the need to define a clear role for the Foundation in the context of the changing external relations policies.

The Board agreed the following concerning the role of the Foundation:

* The Foundation is first and foremost an observatory and a centre of excellence that seeks out the most up-to-date knowledge of vocational training development in partner countries. This mission entails:

- publicising and promoting studies and good examples, notably from the European Union;

- providing advice and assistance to interested countries;

- actively and systematically contributing to the European Union's vocational training programmes and projects;

- administering projects undertaken by Member or other states;

- ensuring that follow-up, evaluation, and research are carried out

* To this end, the Foundation must:

- Be maintained;

- Be fully involved with the Commission in the project cycle as regards vocational training actions under the PHARE, TACIS, MEDA, and CARDS programmes;

- Be involved in the work of the European Agency for Reconstruction;

- At the request of the Commission, assist the Candidate Countries' preparations for participation in the European Social Fund and the development of national employment strategies;

- Co-operate closely with CEDEFOP and other centres of excellence on efforts to reach target audiences through publications and otherwise;

- Operate under the political direction of the Commission and Member States, with sufficient freedom to act under the full authority of its director, who reports to the Commission and the Governing Board.

The Governing Board adopted a 2001 budget proposal of EUR 16.8 million. Of this figure EUR 600,000 would be put in a reserve until the Foundation came up with proposals for the structure and level of its human resources for the 2001 work programme that put the emphasis on its role as a centre of expertise rather than programme management, in accordance with the strategic orientations which the Board has agreed upon.

At the third meeting of 27 November the Governing Board:

(1) took note of a progress report by the Director on the activities of the Foundation;

(2) gave its discharge to the Director for the 1999 accounts and took note of the preliminary figures for 2000 expenditure;

(3) approved the overall budget for 2001 for an amount of EUR 16.8 million;

(4) approved the work plan for 2001, which adopted the same method of activity based budgeting as used by the Commission;

(5) approved the preliminary draft budget for 2002 for an amount of EUR 16.8 million;

(6) approved a medium-term perspective on staff resources and budget for 2002-2004.

Since April 2000 Commission services and the Foundation had been engaged in a process of "structured dialogue" to prepare the 2001 Work Programme and Budget. A further key objective had been to agree a development strategy in the medium-term for the Foundation's budget and human resources. The Board's decision to adopt the medium-term perspective means that the Foundation now has a clear idea of the resources around which to plan its future as a centre of expertise as discussed in previous Board meetings.

ANNEX

Annex 1 - The Foundation's activities in 2000

I. Candidate Countries

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II. South-Eastern Europe

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III. NIS & Mongolia

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VI. Mediterranean Region

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Annex 2 - Table indicating budgetary & non-budgetary resources

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Annex 3 - Conventions table

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Annex 4 - Tempus technical assistance conventions table

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Annex 5 - Organigramme

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Annex 6 - The Foundation's Governing Board - List of members

European Commission

Acting Chairman // Mr Domenico Lenarduzzi

Deputy Director General Education and Culture

European Commission

European Commission

Member // Ms Catherine Day

Deputy Director General External Relations

European Commission

European Commission

Member // Mr Matthias Ruete

DG Enlargement

European Commission

Austria

Member // Dr Wolfgang Lentsch

Director General

Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Angelegenheiten

Austria

Alternate

// Dr. Gottfried TAUCHNER

Head of General Directorate for Technical and Vocational Education and Training

Bundesministerium für Bildung, Wissenschaft und Kultur

Belgium

Member // Ms Micheline Scheys

Afdelingshoofd Beleidscoordinatie Department Onderwijs

Ministerie van Onderwijs en Vorming van de Vlaamse Regering

Belgium

Alternate // To be nominated

Denmark

Member // Mr Kaj Holbraad

Senior Counsellor Central and Eastern Europe Unit

Ministry of Education - Undervisningsministeriet

Denmark

Alternate // Ms Merete Pedersen

Chief Advisor Department of Vocational Training and Education

Ministry of Education - Undervisningsministeriet

Finland

Member // Mr Timo Lankinen

Government Counsellor/Director for Vocational Education and Training

Ministry of Education

Finland

Alternate // Mr Ossi V. Lindqvist

Kuopion yliopisto

University of Kuopio

France

Member // Mr Jacques Maire

Délégué aux Affaires européennes et internationales

Ministère de l'Emploi et de la Solidarité

France

Alternate // Mr Jacques Mazeran

Chargé de mission à la DRIC

Ministère de l'Education Nationale, de la Recherche et de la Technologie

Germany

Member // Mr Peter Thiele

Regierungsdirektor - Übergeifende Fragen der EU; Bildungspolitische Zusammenarbeit

Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF)

Germany

Alternate // Mr Georg Seletzky

Gruppenleiter Berufsbildung

Ministerium für Schule und Weiterbildung, Wissenschaft und Forshung

Greece

Member // Mr Panagiotis MAISTROS

President

Organisation for Vocational Education and Training (OEEK)

Greece

Alternate // Mr Haralambos LOUKISSAS

Head of the European and International Affairs Department

Organisation for Vocational Education and Training (OEEK)

Ireland

Member // Mr Eugene Forde

Principal Officer Labour Force Development Division

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Ireland

Alternate // Mr Thomas MURRAY

Assistant Principal Officer

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Italy

Member // Mr Gianpaolo Scarante

Coordinatore PECO

Ministero degli Affari Esteri

Italy

Alternate // Prof Luciano Gallino

Docente di Sociologia Dipartimento di Scienze dell'Educazione

Università di Torino

Luxembourg

Member // Prof Gilbert Engel

Professeur-ingénieur

Ministère de l'Education Nationale et de la Formation Professionnelle

Luxembourg

Alternate // Ms Edith Stein

Attaché économique

Chambre de Commerce du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg

Netherlands

Member // To be nominated

Netherlands

Alternate // Mr Arie Ijzerman

Deputy-Director of International Policy

Ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschappen

Portugal

Member // Mr Francisco Caneira Madelino

Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional

Portugal

Alternate // Mr Armando Marques Aleixo

Director do Departamento de Formação Profissional

Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional

Spain

Member // Ms María José Muniozguren Lazcano

Technical Advisor to the Subdirector Vocational Education and Training

Ministerio de Educación y Cultura

Spain

Alternate // Ms Rosario Martín Herranz

Jefe del Servicio de Metodología y Evaluación Instituto Nacional de las Cualificaciones

Ministerio de Trabajo y Asuntos Sociales

Sweden

Member // Mr Dan Fagerlund

Senior Adviser National Agency of Education

Ministry of Education and Science

Sweden

Alternate // Mr Johan Lindell

Ministry of Education and Science

United Kingdom

Member // Mr Gordon Pursglove

Department for Education and Employment - EC Education and Training division

United Kingdom

Alternate // Ms Melanie SPEIGHT

EU Co-ordinator Central and South Eastern Europe Department

Department for International Development

1.

Annex 7 - Events Organised by the Foundation during 2000

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1.

Annex 8 - Publications list

6.1.1.2. General Publications

European Training Foundation Annual report 1999 (DA/DE/EN/ES/FI/FR/GR/IT/NL/PT/SV)

Report on the Foundation's activities and achievements in 1999

European Training Foundation Work programme 2000 (EN/FR/DE/IT/ES/RU)

The Work Programme 2000 provides full details of the Foundation's future actions as well as priorities for the next three years as far as can be deciphered at present and reflects the evolutionary process that is currently influencing the scope and content of the Foundation's work.

6.1.1.3. Information & Statistics on vocational education and training systems

Tacis transnational report (EN/RU)

The report, the first of its kind for the Tacis countries, was compiled by the European Training Foundation with the assistance of its network of National Observatories and its data covers the period between 1995 and 1997. The report highlights key trends and statistics concerning vocational education and training within this region and makes the case for supporting the reform of vocational education and training. The report complements the Foundation's publications Tacis Key Indicators 2000.

National Observatory reports for the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (EN)

A series of reports produced by the National Observatories of the Central and Eastern European Candidate Countries. The reports are written according to a structure established by the European Training Foundation and contain detailed information on the vocational education and training systems in the countries concerned.

Key Indicators fact sheet - Central and Eastern Europe (EN)

A series of factsheets providing key information on vocational education and training in Central and Eastern Europe

Phare Key Indicators 2000 (EN)

A series of factsheets providing key information on vocational education and training in Central and Eastern Europe

Tacis Key Indicators 2000 (EN)

The report, the first of its kind for the Tacis countries, was compiled by the European Training Foundation with the assistance of its network of National Observatories and its data covers the period between 1995 and 1997. The report highlights key trends and statistics concerning vocational education and training within this region.

6.1.1.4. Vocational education and training and labour market

Third in the series of standards manuals (EN/RU)

This is the third manual in a series published by the European Training Foundation devoted to the issue of standards. The new manual considers three basis questions in the approach to ensuring relevancy.

* How should changes and trends within the labour market be evaluated-

* How should vocational education and training systems respond to these changing needs-

* How can we ensure that attempts to make standards relevant have been effective-

The central message of the report is that vocational education and training has to become more broadly based and more flexible in order to ensure that it reacts quickly and flexibly to labour market needs and to the needs of business.

An international manual of standards development (EN)

The International Manual for Linking Vocational Education and Training Standards and Employment Requirements promotes the methodology (model) for the establishment of a more relevant, transparent and user-friendly vocational standard that is clear and accessible to employers, employees, trainers, students and parents and that can be recognised internationally.

Background studies for Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Slovenia and the Slovak Republic (EN)

This second group of five studies (the first were published in 1999), compiled by the European Training Foundation with support from the European Commission, provide some of the most up to date information and analysis on the current state of labour markets in the EU Candidate Countries. They also provide a comprehensive assessment as to the readiness of the current Candidate Countries to participate in the EU single market in the fields of employment and training.

Conference summary of 'Knowledge and skills for development: The role of secondary education and training in the Middle East and North Africa' (EN/FR)

Representatives from nineteen countries and territories from the Middle East and North African region that work in the field of vocational education and training gathered in Turin May 2000 to discuss the important challenges facing the region with regard to secondary education and training.

The overall aim of the conference was to provide public administrators, managers and trainers in this region with examples of good practice and projects in the field of vocational education and training and to promote greater intra-regional dialogue. The report provides full details of the deliberations.

Labour market information in the context of European Social Fund programming (EN)

Report providing working examples of European Social Fund programmes that operate within the regional context and that demonstrate the process of institutional and partnership development. The report also highlights the essential role of labour market information within the process.

6.1.1.5. Management training

Entrepreneurial training for the growth of small and medium sized enterprises (EN)

The report has two main objectives:

* To provide concrete guidance, practical models and solutions to entrepreneurial training providers, agencies and other organisations offering assistance to small and medium-sized enterprises in Central and Eastern Europe;

* To provide a useful tool for policy makers at national, regional and local levels as well as for all those organisations directly and indirectly involved in small and medium-size enterprise development.

Assessing management training needs in Central and Eastern Europe (EN)

A series of reports prepared as an integral part of an international research project looking at the current training situation in several countries, the chain of management business challenges and strategic responses, current management capabilities and related training needs/processes. The initial project research was carried out in five countries, in selected manufacturing and service sector enterprises, resulting in:

* Country reports for Poland, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Romania, Russian Federation (Moscow and Ural region)

* A 'Cross-country' comparative analysis report.

The project was implemented by the Central and East European Management Development Association (CEEMAN), in co-operation with the European Training Foundation.