The Torino Process: A systematic, holistic, participatory approach to evidence-based policy making in VET European Commission, Brussels, March 2011.

The “Torino Process”:A systematic, holistic, participatory approach to evidence-based policy making in VET

European Commission, Brussels, March 2011

THE " TORINO PROCESS "

1. Overview

2. Methodology

(process and content)

3. Results

4. Achievements 2010 and next steps

The "Torino Process"

WHAT? a participatory analytical process of the whole VET system

part of the ETF Work Program 2010 and inspired from the Copenhagen policy review process.

& a participatory study on education and business cooperation

WHAT FOR ?• For Partner Countries to reinforce evidence-based policy making • For ETF to serve as a basis for planning• For ETF to support the delivery of Community assistance

WHO? All key stakeholders of the VET system (policy makers from E&T, Labour and

employment, social partners, practitioners, researchers)

1. OVERVIEW (1/3)


WHERE?

in ETF/EU partner countries :

3 countries involved in the Bruges Review (Croatia, Turkey, fyroMacedonia)

3 countries involved in the HRD Reviews for DG Employment (Serbia, Montenegro, Albania)

22 participating countries

No participation from Algeria

WHEN?

every 2 years (2010, 2012…)

Main steps in 2010-2011:

1. OVERVIEW (2/3):

Jan-March: desk research

March-May information and data collection – field missions and focus group meetings

May-June first drafting of the country report(s)

June-Oct national validation/discussion seminar on the report’s findings

Dec final country report(s) available

March-April 2011

cross-country reports available

May 2011 international conference on the Torino process results


HOW? METHODOLOGY:

1. OVERVIEW (3/3):

PROCESS/APPROACH: a tailor-made country-led, review process :- Broad participation/consultation of stakeholders- (Guided) self-assessment in 7 countries

CONTENT: common analytical framework Double dimension:

- VET systems’ assessment - VET policy analysis


No common policy agendaDiversity of contexts > diversity of approaches

Example:

Letter of invitation of partner countries to participate with not always obvious added value

Setting up of a national multi-ministerial, multi-stakeholder team/task force (SP)

Diversity of national institutional arrangements

> diversity of work organisation

Evidence collection, including data

Discussion workshops to process information, or review analysis

Validation workshop to endorse the analysis

Donor meeting to discuss policy priorities

>> Policy learning approach

>> capacity building exercice for evidence based policy making

>> policy dialogue guided by ETF

2. Methodology (1/3): Approach with PC

6 MONTHS/ 1 YEAR


Analytical framework

– Covering the whole VET system (IVET, CVET, formal, informal, …)

– Organized in 5 building blocks (closely linked to the themes of the Bruges questionnaire) and guiding questions for each

Various types and sources of evidence used (statistical data, indicators, good practices, qualitative assessment, national and international studies)

A tool for identifying policy priorities, for possible support(s) to be provided by ETF, EU or other donors

2. METHODOLOGY (2/3): content

ChallengesVETpolicy measures

Barriers to changeActions(to be) foreseen


Innovation & entrepreneurshi

p

External economic efficiency

External social

efficiency

Internal efficiency

Vision & state of art in

VET

2. METHODOLOGY (3/3)

Analytical framework

Torino process

The "Torino Process" 3. Results by building block (1/5)

Vision & state of art in VET

Analytical thread• Expressed vision in national strategies

• Consistency with economic and industry policies or social policies?

• Links with general and HE policies ? With the architecture of the education and training system?

• Links with resourcing budget allocations?

• Links with the institutional setting, accountability framework

Sources of evidence• National strategy documents

• National budgets, finance laws

• Organigrams

• Focus groups with social partners (EBS)

• But limited evidence

Key messages and policy priorities - VISION • PC visions make VET a key vehicle for economic competitiveness and to a

lesser extent social cohesion – not connected to sustainable development• Vision hampered by a narrow scope for VET (too often IVET and formal),

institutional fragmentation, rigid E&T architecture in some contexts, centralized governance, uneven budget allocation

• Need for more direct articulation with other eco, edu, social policies • Need for multi-level and inclusive governance supported by social

partnership and institutional capacity


3. Results by building block (2/5)

External economic efficiencyAnalytical thread• GDP/Sector > Employment/Sector >

VET provision/sector

• Involvement of social partners in the present and future skills needs identification?

• ‘Relevance assurance’ mechanisms of skills per target groups (IVET, CVET, ALMP training components)?

Sources of evidence• National economic/industry/PRS/growth

strategies

• Int. economic data sources (IMF, UNDP/HDI, WEF Competitiveness reports)

• Employers surveys, WB/EBRD-BEEPS, WB Doing Business

• Employability reports, HRD reviews

• Tracer studies

• But limited evidence

Key messages - Main policy gaps and priorities • type here

Key messages - Main policy gaps and priorities • Common challenge of employt/employability – esp. of youth, women (eg: ENP S)• Awareness on the need to shift from supply-driven to demand-driven VET systems

• Role of social partners for increased relevance, quality and responsiveness recognized but not fully operational

• National qualifications systems/frameworks opted for as a key reform expected to improve external efficiency (both eco and social)

• Lack of data, information system, method, instruments to ensure matching > Skills needs identification, anticipation and matching : a policy priority


External social efficiency

Analytical thread• VET as a response to the social

demand for education and training

• VET capacity to respond to groups with special needs and ensure equal training opportunities

Sources of evidence- Systems architecture

- Gender gap report (WEF)

- M&E requirements of national action plans

- Dropout rates and other educ data

- Public employmt services data


Key messages - Main policy gaps and priorities

• High demand for HE vs Low attractiveness of the VET system (absence of job prospects, of ET pathways in some countries)

• Unequal access of women to labour market

• Reaching out strategies for specific, vulnerable groups exist but not mainstreamed

• Promising Developments in post-secondary and tertiary education

• Adult education (including CVET) still needs a proper strategy


Internal efficiency

Analytical thread• Quality assurance and management

• Quality and pedagogical elements • Qualifications system

• Teaching profession state of the art

• Governance

• Financing

Sources of evidence• Finance law, public expenditure

review, public expenditure tracking surveys

Key messages - Main policy gaps and priorities • type hereKey messages - Main policy gaps and priorities

• Quality usually remains to be addressed in a systematic, holistic way

• Financing of VET, especially CVET deserves shared efforts from ministries

• Interesting practices of decentralization of VET management (eg: ENP East)

The "Torino Process"3. Results by building block (5/5)

Innovation, entrepreneurship & policy cycle

Analytical thread- Innovation potential of VET policies

- Management of the policy cycle in general (leadership, donor pilots’ mainstreaming, policy design…)

Sources of evidence- Small Business Act / Charter for

enterprise- Entrepreneurial learning project policy

index- Curricula documents


Key messages - Main policy gaps and priorities •Innovation : a highly relative notion - Little consideration for the innovation potential, forward looking dimension of VET policies

•Growing attention to entrepreneurial learning as part of key competences

•Evidence based policy making : a new concept - Need to reinforce evidence collection, use and communication

•Need to foster an evaluation and accountability culture

•Institutional capacity building around the policy cycle is a must in most countries

•EU: a strong driver for change

The "Torino Process"3. Sample results by region (1/3): ENP East

Governance mechanisms to ensure accountability -Education and business cooperation

CVET

Institutional capacity building

Repositioning of VET in relation to HE

Sharing European instruments (on QA, career guidance, EL…)

Regional dialogue on skills needs

• Labour emigration and brain drain within the region

• Academic drift in education at secondary and higher level

• Pronounced skill shortages vs heterogenous enrolments in the various VET levels & (HE) graduates employability issues

• Public expenditure on education and training still low

• CVET underdeveloped

Challenges Policy priorities Policy achievements

• New visions for VET emerging

• Post secondary VET gaining importance (but decreasing vocational higher education)

The "Torino Process"3. Sample results by region (2/3) : ENP South

Qualifications Social partnership for good

governance and accountability

Skills matching

SMEs

Local development

HE graduates employability

Institutional capacity building for EBPM

• Demography – illiteracy, migrations

• SMEs and informal sector- skills mismatch

• Unemployment rates – youth and women

• Institutional fragmentation

• Rigid education and training systems’ architecture

• Low attractiveness of VET

Challenges Policy priorities Policy achievements

• From supply driven to demand driven VET systems

• Workbased learning/apprenticeship schemes

• National qualifications frameworks

• Independent VET bodies

• Sectoral approaches

The "Torino Process"3. Sample results by region (3/3): DCI

Challenges Policy priorities

Multi-level, inclusive governance model

Qualifications Quality assurance VET data and

statistics

* Transition to free market economies

* VET attractiveness

Policy achievements

• Political momentum for VET (higher in policy agendas)

• Qualifications systems


In terms of Content : TOP 5 of priority policy areas

3. Results

1. Multi-level Governance, Social Partnerships and Education and Business Cooperation

2. Qualifications

3. Education and training architecture & Pathways

4. Matching LM skills needs and VET provision

5. Adult learning -CVET


In terms of Process:- Political momentum and commitment to assessment exercise

- Ownership (leadership)– guided self assessts

- New/reinforced space for sector-wide and multi-stakeholder dialogue in VET

- Driver for greater donor coordination

- Enhanced interest for EU VET framework ….BUT…

- tension between ownership and objectivity

- Inclusiveness of the appraoch to be broadened

- Self assessment guidance to be further defined

In terms of Content: Policy priorities identified, & in line with EU E&T 2020 strategic objectives …

BUT…

Shortage of evidence in most countries

(availability and/or use for policy making)

4. Achievements (1/3)


As Analyst, Facilitator, Mediator, Broker of policy debate, Catalyst…

4. Achievements (2/3)Competitive advantage of ETF within the Torino Process

1. Specific expertise on VET and employment policies

2. Country intelligence and presence in 29 PC - Comparability

3. Long-term engagement – trust and continuity over time

4. Recognition as a technical (public) partner -Neutrality and non-commercial approach

5. Analytical support for identifying policy gaps and assistance needs – key step of programming cycle (SPSP)

6. Capacity building support for increasing absorption capacity for further EU assistance

7. Networking between PC and MS

8. A way for the EU to shape the global education and training agenda


In 2011: ETF WP based on the findings of the Torino Process (country and

regional projects)

Lessons learnt exercice of the first round, involving Partner countries and ETF staff

Flagship publication

Corporate conference 10-11 May Torino

Refinement of the methodology based on the lessons learnt

Preparation and Launching of the TRP 2012

Gradual institutional capacity building for evidence-based policy making (Torinet)

4. Achievements and next steps (3/3)


For further information:

http://www.etf.europa.eu

Thank you!

The Torino Process: A systematic, holistic, participatory approach to evidence-based policy making in VET European Commission, Brussels, March 2011.

Documents

torino process results

policy priority slide

vet higher

policy dialogue

methodology process

vet management

evidencebased policy

vet european commission