Internationalisation of VET atpolicy and practice level

Case Finland

Hanna Autere

International Forum on VET Cooperation

between Finland and South-Korea

Heureka – Finnish Science Centre, 17th December 2014

Content of presentation 1. FNBE and Finnish VET in a nutshell

2. Internationalisation of VET at policy level

3. Internationalisation at practice level

4. Using EU instruments

5. Learning outcomes approach

6. Opportunities for collaboration

2

Finnish National Board of EducationNational Agency for Learning and Competence

Role of the FNBE in VET• Prepares the national qualification requirements for

VET• Decides on the learning outcomes of the studies

and their assessment for VET• Supports and develops nationally important aims

(e.g. internationalisation)

…in close co-operation with the providers and working life.

Pre-primary education, 6-yeras-oldsComprehensive schools/day-car centres

Basic education, 7-16-year-oldsComprehensive schools

Matriculation examinationGeneral upper secondary schools

Vocational qualifications

Bacherlor’s degreesUniversities

Doctoral and licentiate’s degrees

Universities

Polytechnic Master’s degreesPolytechnics

Master’s degreesUniversities

Polytechnic Bachelor’s degrees

Polytechnics

Upper SecondaryVocational

qualification

FurtherVocational

qualification

SpecialistVocational

qualification

Vopcational institutions, adult educationInstitutions and apprenticeship training

WORK EXPERIENCE

Work experience, 3 year

Education systemin Finland

VET is attractive in Finland• VET is not a second choice • 50 % of comprehensive school leavers

continue in upper secondary vocational education

• Number of students in initial VET has increased (from 148 000 to 172 500 during 2004-2011)

General Objectives of Vocational Education and Training

• knowledge and skills necessary for vocational competence and (self-) employment

• support for personal growth and citizenship• knowledge and skills needed in further

studies and in life-long learning

Internationalisation of VET

is a priority.

8

Govermental Development Plan for Education and Research 2011-2016

Objectives of internationalisation of VET

To increase mobility of VET students, graduates and teaching staff.

To contribute actively to goal setting of European VET policy and to promote achievement of Copenhagen process objectives in Finland.

To increase cooperation between education administrations and VET providers network with non-member EU countries.

To enhance validation recognition of studies and on-the-job learning and work experience as part of the vocational qualification.

From Finland

Student mobility in VET, Finland 2006-2012

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 20120

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

4492 4284

5343

6094

5491

65666259

2059 20382510 2425

27492397

2453

SuomestaSuomeen

More information and detailed statisticshttp://www.cimo.fi/services/statistics

12,5 %

To Finland

WHAT is Internationalisation of VET?

For example Development of education in European (EQF,

ECVET, EQAVET) and other international cooperation

International Cooperation, which follows geogprahical orientation of the Finnish business-life

Education export Education cooperation with developing countries

WHY is there a need for Finnish VET to

internationalise?

Business and economy is globalizing Finnish society depends on international experts

(Finnish and foreign professionals) Labour and student mobility is growing Individuals required to have international

competencies

Internationalisation of VET supports Finnish education development.

HOW does MoEC and FNBE support

internationalisation of VET?

Financial support to national networks for priorities in

1. Development of competencies required by internationalising working life

2. International flexible learning pathways

3. Mobility of teachers (job-shadowing, learning at work places)

4. Home internationalisation

5. International cooperation linked to development of quality management

6. Network cooperation with countries outside of European Union

Internationalisation of VETsupporting national development

MoEC

FNBE

VET Schools

Feedback

Innovations

Feedback

Innovations

Networks Networks

WHOM FNBE collaborates with?• Ministry of Education and Culture• CIMO, Centre for International Mobility

and Collaboration• Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Finnish

Embassies• Embassies in Finland• VET school networks

15

VET school networks supported by FNBE beyond Europe• 2 Russia networks• 2 China networks: KAMoon China and

Chinet• India network• KEVA (Africa – Nepal) network • HANAKO – Japan-Finland network• Canada network• South Korea Technet• Thailand network

16

17

Hanako Japan network

18

KEVA – Developing cooperation and voluntary work in global education

19

AKKUNA

Finnish – Russian VET schools network

20

Making use of EU tools supporting learning outcome approach in

internationalising of VET.

21

Europass

ENQA-

VET European Quality

Assurance System for VET

ECVET European Credit

Transfer system for VET

EQF European Qualification

Framework

EQF - European Qualification Framework

• For comparing qualifications/ competencies

• Learning outcomes described as knowledge, skills and competencies

• Covers all qualifications from general and vocational education and training to higher education

22

ECVET – European Credit Transfer System for VET

• Focus on individual• Objectives:

1. Mobility2. Lifelong learning

• Acquiring, accumulating and validating competencies from different systems

• Use of learning outcomes (same than in EQF)

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SUMMARYUsing ECVET in Finland

Advantages

1.Qualifications divided into modules

2.Use of learning outcomes

3.Use of credit points (in VQs)

4.Recognition of prior learning

5.Status of VET schools: competent authorities

Challenges

1. Assessment and validation → mutual trust

2. Quality assurance

3. Making ECVET understandable to teachers and learners

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Learning outcomes approach and flexible learning pathwayssupport internationalisation.

Opportunities for international cooperation in VET?

Skills competition

s

Learning about good

practices

Virtual courses

Teacher exchange

Student mobility

Curricula develop-

ment

Joint seminars

Internatio-nalisation at home

Flexible learning

pathways

New sectors

Use of ECVETtools

Strategy for

Internatio-nalising

Success factors for internationalcoperation in VET

• Planning • Purposefulness (objectives)• Perseverance (long-span)• Versatility

1. Development projects

2. Mobility

3. Internationalisation at home

4. Virtual collaboration• Committed actors, resources

actors, resources

+

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Learning about the best practices&

Developing together the next practices!

Vocational Education and Training in Finland - More Information

www.minedu.fiMinistry of Education

www.edu.fithe Finnish education portal information in Finnish, Swedish and English

www.oph.fiFinnish National Boardof Educationinformation in Finnish, Swedish and English