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The 6th European Quality Assurance Reference Framework for Vocational Education and Training(EQAVET) Annual Forum brought together over 60 vocational education and training experts on 17-18 June in Jūrmala. The participants discussed about education quality, its evaluation and the possibilities to improve evaluation principles of education quality in Europe.

The forum assessed the progress achieved in the implementation of the quality evaluation system for the vocational education institutions corresponding to EQAVET criteria in European countries. Finland, the Netherlands, Romania and other countries shared their experience regarding this issue. The participants had a discussion on the role of employers in evaluating vocational education quality and the possibilities to improve cooperation with the employers for vocational education to adapt to the requirements of the rapidly changing labour market. They also discussed the possibilities on how to fully and comprehensively evaluate quality of distance learning programmes.

“I am convinced that we in this forum are unified in our shared belief of the significance of quality education, especially regarding vocational education. Education has an impact on our quality of life, it ensures economic growth and development in each country, and thus it is vital that all involved stakeholders would come to a common understanding of aspects that form quality education and preconditions that contribute to its achievement,” underlined the Head of the Latvian State Education Quality Service Ms Inita Juhņēviča at the opening the forum.

The Director of the EQAVET Secretariat Mr Seen Feerick noted that the vocational education in Europe has to become attractive and flexible to convince potential learners that vocational education would develop necessary skills and enable successful integration in the labour market.

At the forum, results of various projects related to evaluating vocational education were presented, for instance covering online self-evaluation system for vocational education institutions, culture of quality, and evaluating quality of the employee training in the financial sector. The culture of quality, namely, traditions of regular monitoring of the quality of education was frequently mentioned also in the forum working session discussion groups as an essential aspect in the implementation of vocational education.

Introduced with the 2013-2015 results, the participants started working towards the new 2016-2017 work programme and discussed objectives and activities to be implemented in this period within EQAVET Network. The next period is envisaged to promote cooperation between employers and vocational education institutions, improve the culture of the vocational education quality evaluation, and to strengthen the work of the EQAVET Framework. The vocational education issues will be covered also at ministerial level at the Meeting of Ministers responsible for Vocational Education Training, social partners and the European Commission on 22 June in Riga.

EQAVET or the European Quality Assurance Reference Framework is a network bringing together EU Member States, social partners and the European Commission to establish and introduce common criteria of assuring the quality of vocational education and continuing vocational training. In Latvia since 2013, introducing EQAVET and common criteria of indicators for assuring the quality of vocational education is coordinated by the State Education Quality Service.

Forum is organised by the European Commission and the EQAVET Secretariat in cooperation with the State Education Quality Service. It brings together representatives from the European Commission, EQAVET Secretariat, European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP), European Training Foundation (ETF), the State Education Quality Service, education policy-makers, EQAVET coordinators, and representatives from the Latvian educational institutions and social partners.

Additional information on www.eqavet.eu and www.ikvd.gov.lv