ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Old Roots for New Routes. Briefing Note
Author: Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training
Date: 2015-01-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Vocational Education,Apprenticeships,Job Skills,Skill Development,Agencies,Competency Based Education,Educational Policy,Validity,Quality Assurance,Credits,Portfolios (Background Materials),Workplace Learning,Competence

Around half of Europe's population acquires their first job-related skills through vocational education and training (VET). Many more develop those skills and learn new ones through continuing training and other forms of learning at the workplace. VET is central to the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable, and inclusive growth. It is fundamental to delivering the European youth guarantee that all young people under 25 receive a good-quality offer of a job, apprenticeship, traineeship, or continued education within four months of them leaving formal education or becoming unemployed. Europe's VET systems are struggling to meet 21st century expectations. Implementing change can be difficult, especially at a time of economic hardship. &quot;Old Roots to New Routes&quot; is Cedefop's 40th anniversary theme for 2015. With 40 years of experience, Cedefop is continuing to help European policymakers adapt VET to new demands in education and employment. This brief outlines some of Cedefop's achievements in 2014 and highlights its work program for 2015, both of which are evidence of progress made and the scale and ambition of the task ahead. The following areas are highlighted in this brief: (1) modernization of VET systems; (2) careers and transitions--including issues such as continuing VET, adult, and work-based learning; and (3) analysing skills and competence needs.
Benefits of Vocational Education and Training in Europe for People, Organisations and Countries
Author: Russo, Giovanni
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Reports - Research
Subjects: Vocational Education,Educational Benefits,Organizations (Groups),Foreign Countries,Productivity,Human Capital,Social Capital,Cultural Capital,Influences,Education Work Relationship,Health,Life Satisfaction,Leisure Time,Job Satisfaction,Economic Development,Citizen Participation,Student Characteristics,Institutional Characteristics

People, organisations and governments invest in vocational education and training (VET) because of its positive outcomes, such as higher wages, improved productivity and economic growth. But VET also brings non-economic benefits, such as lower absenteeism and less crime. Research on VET's benefits has focused on specific relationships, such its impact on productivity or health. Insufficient attention has been given how VET's benefits interact in organisations. People, organisations and governments invest in vocational education and training (VET) because of its positive outcomes, such as higher wages, improved productivity and economic growth. But VET also brings non-economic benefits, such as lower absenteeism and less crime. Research on VET's benefits has focused on specific relationships, such its impact on productivity or health. Insufficient attention has been given how VET's benefits interact in organisations. VET contributes directly to higher productivity by increasing skill levels, but also indirectly by increasing job satisfaction and lowering absenteeism. Using existing and new research covering more European countries, Cedefop's publication argues that some of VET's most important benefits are difficult to express in monetary terms. Organisations, individuals and governments, consequently, may not take full account of VET's benefits when deciding to invest in it. A better understanding all of its benefits may not only influence the likelihood of investing in VET, but is important for organisations competing on the basis of high quality goods and services where skills and attitudes need to combine to bring success. An annex to this report provides key terms and definitions. [Alexandra Dhemel, Alex Stimpson, and Marco Serafini provided additional input to this publication.]
NSHE Diversity Report, 2012-13
Author: Nevada System of Higher Education, Office of Academic and Student Affairs
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Higher Education,Females,Enrollment Trends,Minority Group Children,Student Diversity,African American Students,Asian American Students,College Faculty,College Students,Cultural Differences,Ethnicity,Graduation Rate,Hispanic American Students,Racial Composition,White Students,Women Faculty,Access to Education,Pacific Islanders,American Indian Students,Asians,Comparative Analysis,School Personnel,Minority Group Students,Academic Persistence,Demography,Gender Differences,Multicampus Colleges

Pursuant to Board of Regents' policy, the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) prepares a diversity report intended to provide an overview of the current status of enrollment and employment of members of diverse groups across the System. This report includes information on NSHE student enrollments in the context of Nevada's changing demographics. In addition, the report provides data on the recruitment and performance of NSHE students within defined ethnic/racial categories. As required by Board policy, the report also provides data on the enrollment of women across NSHE institutions. The ethnic/racial distribution of NSHE faculty and staff is also included. The following are appended: (1) Changes in the Statewide Demographics by NSHE Service Area; (2) NSHE Student Headcount by Ethnic/Racial Minority Status; (3) NSHE Student Pipeline; (4) High School Enrollment and College Continuation Rates; (5) Graduation Rates; and (6) Awards Conferred. Fall Staff Report Summaries by NSHE Institution are also included. [This document was prepared by the Office of Academic and Student Affairs.]
Opportunities and Challenges for ECVET, the Vocational Credit Transfer System. Briefing Note
Author: Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training
Date: 2013-07-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Vocational Education,Credits,Transfer Policy,Transfer Programs,Qualifications,Partnerships in Education,Intercollegiate Cooperation,International Cooperation,Educational Policy,Comparative Education,Program Evaluation,Pilot Projects,Educational Finance,General Education,Governance

The European credit system for vocational education and training (ECVET) is one of the European instruments designed to make VET systems more transparent. It aims to make it easier for vocational students to move between learning institutions, whether in the same country or abroad. ECVET, which concerns qualifications at all levels of the European qualifications framework (EQF): (1) allows transfer of units of learning outcomes; (2) operates through partnerships between institutions; and (3) eliminates the need for a second assessment of students moving between these institutions. Countries have developed ECVET following a recommendation of the European Parliament and Council in accordance with their policy priorities and development of their qualifications systems. Cedefop analyses developments and publishes an annual monitoring report, which includes a country-by-country analysis. This Briefing Note discusses testing of the ECVET system in transnational pilot projects, European Union funding, perception of the value of ECVET in different countries, moving between general and vocational education, and compatibility challenges. Finally, policy implications are described.
Roads to Recovery: Three Skill and Labour Market Scenarios for 2025. Briefing Note
Author: Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training
Date: 2013-06-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Labor Force Development,Employment Qualifications,Employment Opportunities,Job Skills,Trend Analysis,Futures (of Society)

In line with earlier forecasts, Cedefop's projections for skill supply and demand in the European Union (EU) foresee a gradual return to job growth and an older, but better qualified workforce. The latest forecast, which is presented in this report, extends the time horizon from 2020 to 2025 and differs from its predecessors in seeing demand for high-level qualifications speeding up. Three scenarios for a gradual return to job growth are presented.
Qualifications Frameworks in Europe: Forging the Right Links. Briefing Note
Author: Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training
Date: 2013-11-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Qualifications,Educational Policy,Global Approach,Outcomes of Education,Comparative Education,International Cooperation,Certification,Program Development,Program Implementation,Program Evaluation,Competence,Labor Market

As national qualifications frameworks in Europe move closer to operation, policy integration becomes a key challenge. Introducing qualifications frameworks based on learning outcomes is now a global phenomenon. According to the recent joint publication by Cedefop, ETF and Unesco, frameworks are either established or being developed in 142 countries. The eight-level European qualifications framework (EQF) makes it possible to compare all types and levels of qualifications from different countries, subsystems, and learning settings. A total of 36 countries are now working together to implement the EQF: the 28 EU Member States, plus the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland, and Turkey. By the end of 2013, 22 of these countries will have formally linked (&quot;referenced&quot;) their national qualifications levels to the EQF; the others are expected to do so within the next two years. National certificates, diplomas and Europass documents will eventually include the relevant EQF level. This is already the case in Denmark, Estonia, Ireland, France, Lithuania, and Portugal. The external evaluation carried out in 2012/13 confirmed that the EQF has become accepted as a reference point for national qualifications frameworks (NQF). The key to its success is continuity. Links between European and national levels need to be regularly reviewed; common trust can only be achieved through a systematic exchange between countries. Implementation of NQFs is still at an early stage, and their long-term impact is uncertain. To make sure that countries and individual learners enjoy their full benefits, policy-makers should focus on three major issues: visibility, integration, and engagement with the labour market.
Global National Qualifications Framework Inventory
Author: Bjornavold, Jens
Date: 2013-10-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Qualifications,National Standards,International Studies,Profiles,Recognition (Achievement),Accreditation (Institutions),Program Validation,Nonformal Education,Informal Education,Educational Trends,Outcomes of Education,Global Approach,Role Perception,Minimum Competencies,Concept Formation,Educational Practices,Alignment (Education),Barriers,Quality Assurance,Stakeholders,Lifelong Learning,Program Implementation,Relevance (Education),Labor Market,Foreign Countries

This publication is a global, country-by-country, inventory of National Qualifications Frameworks (NQFs). It is a copublication, prepared by two EU agencies, the European Training Foundation (ETF) and the Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop); and UNESCO's Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) and the Section for TVET at UNESCO headquarters. It has been produced at the request of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Ministers of Education as a contribution to the fourth ASEM Ministers' conference in Kuala Lumpur in May 2013, also called ASEMME 4. Qualifications frameworks was one of the key items on the ASEMME 4 programme in Kuala Lumpur, reflecting the priority the participating countries attach to Qualification Frameworks (QFs) and the increasing prominence QFs occupy on the wider international policy agenda. Beyond the immediate goal of supporting the conference, this survey is also intended to capture the latest trends and developments in the field of QFs worldwide. Each of the four contributing institutions is engaged in the study of qualifications frameworks and in supporting countries in developing NQFs. Collectively, the four bodies cover the great majority of countries where NQFs are emerging and possess a wealth of experience and expertise in this field. This overview is descriptive and analytical rather than conclusive in its treatment of qualifications frameworks as reform tools. The inventory comprises two parts: six thematic chapters which analyse the aims, characteristics and uses of QFs; and country chapters. The country chapters will be updated by the ETF, Cedefop and UIL and the Section for TVET at UNESCO Headquarters as new developments in the field occur. Individual chapters contain references. [This paper was prepared for the ASEM Education Ministers Conference (Kuala Lumpur, May 13-14, 2013) (ASEMME 4).]
The Hidden Potential of Level 5 Qualifications. Briefing Note
Author: Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training
Date: 2014-06-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Qualifications,Knowledge Level,Outcomes of Education,Competence,Job Skills,Employment Potential,Vocational Education,Educational Policy,Comparative Education

European qualifications framework (EQF) levels reveal what a learner knows, understands, and can do at the end of a learning experience. Thanks to the comprehensive nature of the EQF, these learning outcomes can also provide policy-makers with a fine mesh of data about each particular level and every kind of qualification. Nowhere is this mesh more intricate than at level 5, where learning outcomes cut across several subsystems. Moreover, these qualifications serve to test the degree of permeability between subsectors of education and training systems. The potentials and challenges for level 5 qualifications are presented in this report.
At the Interface of Learning for Employability: Cedefop's Achievements in 2013 and Plans for 2014. Briefing Note
Author: Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training
Date: 2014-01-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Vocational Education,Employment Potential,Program Evaluation,Educational Policy,Labor Market,Qualifications,Agencies,Credits,Informal Education,Job Skills,Competence,Efficiency,Workplace Learning,Professional Development,Apprenticeships,Supply and Demand

High quality vocational education and training (VET) relevant to labour market needs is a policy priority for the European Union (EU). The economic slowdown has led to worryingly high levels of unemployment and underemployment particularly among young people. Skills, qualifications and employability are central to Europe's economic recovery. Improving employment prospects for young people and adults through better VET is central to Cedefop's work which focuses on supporting reform of VET systems, empowerment of individuals and understanding better skill demand and supply on the labour market. This Briefing Note describes the results of a recent evaluation of Cedefop's role in supporting European VET policy-makers and the shaping of their 2014 work programme.
Skill Mismatch: More than Meets the Eye. Briefing Note
Author: Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training
Date: 2014-03-00
Type: Reports - Evaluative
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Job Skills,Labor Force,Employment Qualifications,Labor Market,Structural Unemployment,Vocational Education

The global financial and economic crisis has led to alarmingly high unemployment and underemployment in many European Union (EU) countries. Yet, surveys still find that more than one in three employers has problems filling vacancies. The latest European company survey, in spring 2013, found that about 40% of firms across the EU had difficulties finding staff with the right skills. A 2010 Eurobarometer survey found some 33% of employers identifying a shortage of applicants with the right skills as their main challenge in filling vacancies. Manpower's 2013 survey also found that, on average across 17 Member States, more than 25% of employers reported recruitment difficulties. Some 34% of these employers cite a lack of technical competences while 19% believe candidates also lack workplace skills. This Briefing Note presents evidence that factors other than skill deficits are mostly responsible for rising unemployment coexisting with difficult-to-fill job vacancies.
Qualifications Frameworks: Expanding Influence, Persisting Obstacles. Briefing Note
Author: Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training
Date: 2014-11-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Employment Qualifications,Program Implementation,Barriers,Labor Market,Outcomes of Education

Initial work on the European qualifications framework (EQF) started in autumn 2004. Partly triggered by this initiative, qualifications frameworks have since become integral parts of almost all education and training systems in Europe. Outside Europe, more and more countries and regions (such as Asia-Pacific) are rapidly developing and implementing qualifications frameworks. Over this period, Cedefop has been systematically mapping and analysing emergence of qualifications frameworks in different settings and for different purposes. This Briefing Note describes the critical requirements and challenges of implementing national qualifications frameworks (NQFs). It concludes with the EQF's progress to date.
Career Guidance in Unstable Times: Linking Economic, Social and Individual Benefits. Briefing Note
Author: Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training
Date: 2014-12-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Career Guidance,Career Counseling,Economic Climate,Human Resources,Job Skills,Employment Qualifications,Labor Market,Unemployment,Employment Potential,Social Isolation,Needs Assessment,Youth Employment,Career Change,Midlife Transitions,Portfolio Assessment

The economic crisis that peaked in 2009 sent shockwaves that will be felt for years to come. It affected businesses, increased social risk for many and destabilised job and career prospects. Young people, particularly, have been badly affected. They are suffering the highest unemployment rates and their prospects have been damaged most. But, despite high unemployment rates in many countries, skill shortages are reported in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) occupations. Europe's working population is also getting older. In response, European Union (EU) countries have devised several education, training and labour market policies. In all of them, career guidance and counselling increasingly play a central role due to their effectiveness in developing the right skills and attitudes people need for successful careers. This Briefing Note describes how guidance and counselling can help people and organizations to adapt and be productive under new and atypical economic and social conditions. In particular, when integrated into human resource management, guidance counselling can reduce skill mismatch in enterprises and increase productivity and work satisfaction. Guidance and counselling can also help prevent young people from becoming not in education, employment or training (NEETs) by assessing students' level of risk of educational disengagement and by clarifying their career options, all in close cooperation with family and teachers. For young migrant workers and severe social exclusion, career guidance is frequently provided in close cooperation between local communities, employment services, schools and training providers. Career guidance also reaches cases where people feel excluded from participation in learning and the labour market. A combination of targeted information, careful assessment and validation of skills and support for career planning can bring positive change for individuals and communities.
Work Programme, 2014
Author: Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training
Date: 2014-00-00
Type: Reports - Descriptive
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Vocational Education,Policy Analysis,Educational Policy,Educational History,Outcomes of Education,Qualifications,Student Empowerment,Transitional Programs,Adult Students,Young Adults,Skill Analysis,Minimum Competencies,Needs Assessment,Organizational Communication,Information Dissemination,Risk Management,Governance,Educational Resources,Organizational Objectives,Educational Methods,Activities,Vocational Training Centers

Cedefop's work programme 2014 constitutes an ambitious attempt to preserve its core activities, respond to new requests and ensure previous quality standards while respecting resource constraints. Nevertheless, it also reflects the risk that the Centre's ability to deliver its mission and increasing demands may be affected by further budgetary constraints. The work programme, thus, indicates how work will be streamlined by combining tasks of various projects and strands of research. Several ongoing activities will be cut or downsized. Cedefop's programme 2014 is consistent with its medium-term priorities, its mission as laid down in the founding regulation and the European policy context, which is described in greater detail in Chapter 2, policy background. Chapters 3 to 5 describe planned activities by medium-term priority, Chapter 6 summarises the various communication activities and Chapter 7 refers to management and administrative issues. Results of the 2014 risk assessment and activities included in the risk management plan 2014 are presented in Chapter 8. The work programme concludes with Chapter 9 which contains a detailed description of activities and projects in tabular form. Annexes include: (1) Activity-based budget (ABB) 2014; (2) Cedefop organisation chart; (3) Human resources; (4) Indicative overview of 2014 grants and procurement; (5) Cedefop networks; (6) Cooperation with the European Training Foundation (ETF); (7) Cooperation Cedefop-Eurofound; (8) Planned publications and events 2014; and (9) Performance measurement and continuous improvement at Cedefop.