CENTRES OF VOCATIONAL EXCELLENCE
Implementing vocational excellence approaches features prominently in the overall EU policy agenda for skills and for Vocational Education and Training (VET). The European Skills Agenda, the European Education Area, the 2020 Council Recommendation on VET [https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32020H1202%2801%29 ], as well as the Osnabrück Declaration [https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/files/osnabrueck_declaration_eu2020.pdf ], all include very clear references to Vocational Excellence as a driving force for reforms in the VET sector.
The initiative on Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) aims to respond to this policy priority supporting reforms in the VET sector, ensuring high quality skills and competences that lead to quality employment and career-long opportunities, meeting the needs of an innovative, inclusive and sustainable economy[1]. The CoVE initiative also supports the implementation of the European Green Deal, the new Digital Strategy, the Communication on attracting Skills and Talent, and the new Industrial and SME Strategies, as skills are key to their success.
CoVEs operate in a given local context, creating skills ecosystems for innovation, regional development, and social inclusion, while working with CoVEs in other countries through international collaborative networks. They establish a bottom-up approach to vocational excellence involving a wide range of local stakeholders enabling VET institutions to rapidly adapt skills provision to evolving economic and social needs.
They provide opportunities for initial training of young people as well as the continuing up-skilling and re-skilling of adults, through flexible and timely offer of training that meets the needs of a dynamic labour market, in the context of the green and digital transitions. They act as catalysts for local business development and innovation, by working closely with companies (in particular SMEs) on applied research projects, creating knowledge and innovation hubs, as well as supporting entrepreneurial initiatives of their learners.
The networks aim for "upward convergence" of VET excellence. They will be open for the involvement of countries with well-developed vocational excellence systems, as well as those in the process of developing similar approaches, aimed at exploring the full potential of VET institutions to play a proactive role in support of growth and innovation.
This initiative introduces a "European dimension" to Vocational Excellence by supporting the implementation of EU VET policy and actions agreed with member states, social partners and VET providers.
The concept of Vocational Excellence proposed here is characterised by a holistic learner centred approach in which VET:
OBJECTIVES OF THE ACTION
This action supports the gradual establishment and development of international collaborative networks of Centres of Vocational Excellence.
Centres of Vocational Excellence will operate at two levels:
The networks will bring together existing CoVEs, or develop the Vocational Excellence model by linking partners from various countries, that intend to develop Vocational Excellence in their local context through international cooperation. They could contribute e.g. to the delivery phase of the New European Bauhaus initiative by collaborating with the communities involved in the local transformations fostered by the initiative.
CoVEs can be existing vocational schools/providers that strive to achieve excellence by engaging in the set of activities proposed by this European initiative. They can also be newly set-up centres established with the purpose of providing excellent training offers and services that are responsive to labour market needs.
CoVEs achieve their objectives by bringing together and working closely with a set of local/regional partners such initial and continuing VET providers, higher education institutions including universities of applied sciences and polytechnics, research institutions, science parks, innovation agencies, companies, other employers, chambers and their associations, social partners, social enterprises, sectoral skills councils, professional/sector associations, national and regional authorities and development agencies, employment services, qualifications authorities, social inclusion and reintegration organisations, etc.
This call will thus support projects bringing together local or regional partners from various countries developing a set of activities under three clusters; 1) Teaching and learning, 2) Cooperation and partnerships, and 3) Governance and Funding.
CoVEs are required to apply EU wide instruments and tools [Such as the EQF, EQAVET, Council Recommendation on a European Framework for Quality and Effective Apprenticeships, Council Recommendation on key competences, etc.] whenever relevant.
They must include the design of a long-term action plan for the progressive roll-out of project deliverables after the project has finished. This plan shall be based on sustained partnerships between education and training providers and key labour market actors at the appropriate level. It should include the identification of appropriate governance structures, as well as plans for scalability and financial sustainability.
It should also ensure the appropriate visibility and wide dissemination of the work of the COVE networks, including at EU and national political level and include details on how the roll-out will be implemented at European, national and/or regional levels with relevant partners. The action plan shall also indicate how other EU funding opportunities, and national and regional funding, as well as private funding can support the roll-out of the project.
To see the list of CoVEs already funded, please check the Funding & Tenders opportunities Portal (FTOP). Factsheets for the funded projects are also available on the website of DG Employment, Social Affairs and inclusion:
https://ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=25692&langId=en
https://ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=25693&langId=en
https://ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=26252&langId=en
https://ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=26951&langId=en
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[1] See brochure on VET skills for today and for the future
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