Creation of the edvance branch
Germany strengthening its position on the international market for vocational education and training
Germany plans to strengthen its position on the international market for vocational education and training (VET) with the creation of the edvance brand. In future, edvance will be a sign of quality in German VET cooperation.
By creating a common umbrella brand, the edvance initiative aims to give German actors in the vocational education and training field a single 'face' and thus improve their chances on international education markets. edvance will boost the visibility of Germany's contributions in the area of development cooperation.
Education is a product that is also in ever-growing demand at international level. The market for education services is a growth market. Today's global market for education exports is already estimated to be worth a total of US$ 60 billion. Germany has an excellent reputation for vocational education and training worldwide. The edvance initiative will help strengthen this reputation and expand the market shares held by German providers on the international education market.
edvance - An initiative of the German government
The Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development will be in charge of the initiative which will be coordinated by the ministries' executing agencies: the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB), the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) and InWent - Capacity Building International, Germany.
Federal Education Minister Schavan presented the edvance initiative to the public at the didacta 2008 trade fair for education and training.
Outlook
Besides the institutions represented in the coordination group, other German actors from trade, industry and further public-sector institutions are also to be integrated into the initiative's work.
A marketing campaign will be conducted to make edvance known to the trade public in Germany and abroad. In Germany, an experts forum on VET collaboration will be held at the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training in the autumn of 2008. Plans foresee conducting this forum every year as a milestone in the development of joint positions.
Further information is available at http://www.edvance-net.de/ or from the edvance Coordination Office, Sonja Rademacher, Tel. +49 (0) 228 4460 1278.
