Dual vocational training system offers enormous potential for international cooperation
BIBB and GIZ sign cooperation agreement
Source: BIBB/ES
From left to right.: Michael Wiechert (BIBB), Dr Andreas König (GIZ), Professor Friedrich Hubert Esser (BIBB President), Ms Cornelia Richter (member of the GIZ Management Board), Professor Reinhold Weiß (Head of Research, BIBB), Ms Birgit Thomann (BIBB)
The German vocational training system with its hands-on 'dual' learning in enterprises and vocational school enjoys an excellent reputation internationally and is in increasing demand. In light of this growing international interest, the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH have now strengthened their tried-and-tested collaboration in the international vocational training advisory services field through a cooperation agreement. "The agreement that was signed today bundles the expertise of our two institutions," BIBB's President Esser underscored at the signing of the agreement. "Our shared goal is to improve the quality and effectiveness of vocational training in partner countries through innovative, tailor-made solutions."
Many countries are facing the task of modernising their vocational training systems in order to respond to the growing need for qualified labour. Germany's proven vocational training system offers a good point of departure for this. "BIBB and GIZ agree that the German dual vocational training system has enormous potential for international cooperation," BIBB's president emphasized.
The two institutions' competences will complement each other in their collaboration. BIBB offers the GIZ access to its expertise in connection with establishing and advising institutions involved with VET research and development, in the development of legal frameworks and governance structures in the vocational training field, in the development of national qualification frameworks and in establishing vocational, training and examination standards. Lastly, BIBB will contribute its experience with monitoring and evaluating vocational training systems.
The GIZ particularly offers BIBB its development policy expertise, access to and participation in specialist development policy forums and advanced and continuing training programmes that it provides on the subject of international cooperation. In order to increase familiarity with each other's expertise and improve interconnectedness when implementing vocational training projects in partner countries as part of Germany's international cooperation activities, the agreement provides for facilitating visits by BIBB staff to GIZ's head office and stays at BIBB in Bonn for GIZ staff members working on GIZ vocational training projects.
Source: BIBB/ES
Ms Cornelia Richter, member of the GIZ Management Board, and BIBB's President Esser at the signing of the cooperation agreement
Background:
BIBB is recognised as a centre of excellence for vocational research and for the progressive development of vocational education and training (VET) in Germany. It identifies future challenges in VET, stimulates innovation in national and international vocational systems, and develops new, practice-oriented solutions for both initial and continuing vocational education and training. BIBB advises partner countries in connection with the modernisation of their vocational training systems and has cooperation agreements with institutions in the initial and continuing vocational training field in more than 30 countries.
The GIZ has bundled the competences and many years' experience of the German Development Service (DED), the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) and InWEnt (Capacity Building International, Germany) since 1 January 2011. Being a federally-owned enterprise, the GIZ helps the German government achieve its goals in the area of international cooperation for sustainable development and is also active in education work throughout the world.
