Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung (BIBB)

The quality of vocational training

The reports for this issue's special focus document current developments and findings in the area of quality assurance and development. These reports direct their attention to a number of different levels: At system level, for example, the recommendation adopted by the European Parliament and European Council in June 2009 regarding the establishment of a European Framework for Quality Assurance is important for quality assurance and development. This issue of BWP outlines the content and aims of this recommendation and examines the options and outlooks for its implementation in Germany. Also in this issue, findings on quality development efforts being pursued at learning venue level (enterprises and educational facilities) and in the qualification of instruction personnel look at various aspects of structural, process and output quality. In his introductory comments President Manfred Kremer emphasizes that quality assurance is firmly anchored in broad segments of the vocational training field. As he points out, there is still a need for systematic approaches to quality development. He sees agreement on common standards - which is being encouraged by the European Reference Framework - as an opportunity to progressively develop vocational education and training and raise its profile at both national and international level. Further reports in this issue of BWP examine, for example, the DBG draft on quality assurance in the vocational upgrading training field, the occupational integration of teaching personnel from CIS states and the provision of advanced training for vocational school teachers