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07/ 2006
Bonn, 16.03.2006
2006 International Specialist Conference at the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training
From 20 to 21 March 2006, the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training in Bonn is hosting a meeting of 16 vocational education and training institutions from various European countries.
The main focus of the event will be on a highly topical issue. The development of a European Qualifications Framework (EQF) for the evaluation of occupational competences has led both Germany and the other European states to address issues relating to ramifications for national vocational education and training systems, particularly with regard to the development of appropriate national qualifications frameworks. The European Qualifications Framework is an instrument which aims to lend greater transparency to educational systems and the competences they impart, as well as promoting permeability between different educational pathways and systems. Its deployment in conjunction with a national qualifications framework has the potential to bring about an effective improvement in mobility within the educational and employment system. The heterogeneous nature of the educational systems within Europe means that individual states will react in a variety of ways to the European Framework. As far as the development of a national qualifications framework in Germany is concerned, an early and cross-border approach to the exchange of information will be both important and useful.
The Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training expects that this much-discussed theme will be lent impetus by this meeting of partners.
The participating institutions, mostly represented by their heads, come from the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Spain, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. They are joined by experts from CEDEFOP, the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training based in Thessaloniki/Greece. The aim of the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training is to use this top-class group of participants to provide a forum which will allow existing contacts to be renewed and new links and opportunities for cooperation to be established whilst also representing a starting point for regular exchange.
Contact partner at BIBB: Hans-Joachim Kissling, Tel.: 0228/107-2002, e-mail: kissling@bibb.de
