live&learn issue 19

NEWS, VIEWS AND INITIATIVES FROM ACROSS THE ETF COMMUNITY

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE07 Promoting social inclusion

Country focus: Republic of MoldovaSocial partnership supportFrom occupational standards to vocationalqualificationsA social laboratory in southern Turkey

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CommissionerŠtefan Füle:

Moving steadily towardsnew policies

INSIDE

02 Live&Learn January 2011

Profile

08Black Seacountriesdocument

10Country Focus:Republic ofMoldova

04Inspiring reformbenefits EU andits partners

07Promotingsocial inclusionat the EuropeanParliament

23In the nextissue…

18Fromoccupationalstandards tovocationalqualifications

20A sociallaboratory insouthern Turkey

16Socialpartnershipproduceswin-win-winsolutions

15ETF projectsreach out to theoccupiedPalestinianTerritory

COMMENT ON OUR BLOG

We’d love to know what youthink. You can comment onany of our articles online at

www.etfliveandlearn.eu

CONTACT US

Further information can befound on the ETF website:www.etf.europa.eu

For any additional information,please contact:

ETF Communication Unit

European Training FoundationADDRESS Villa Gualino,Viale Settimio Severo 65,I – 10133 Torino, ItalyTELEPHONE +39 011 630 2222FAX +39 011 630 2200EMAIL [email protected]

To receive a copy of Live&Learn pleaseemail [email protected]

The European Training Foundation is theEuropean Union’s centre of expertisesupporting vocational and trainingreforms in the context of the EuropeanUnion’s external relations programmes.

www.etf.europa.eu

Cover photograph: ETF/EUP Images

Please recycle this magazinewhen you finish with it.

REFLECTING ON QUALITY IN VETWriting an editorial is not an easy task. Iam tempted to report on progress, but Iwould rather invite you to reflect on thedefinitions and goals of vocationaleducation and training (VET) in the light ofdevelopments in 2010.

The EU wants to provide a new impetusfor VET through the contribution it canmake to the EU2020 agenda leading tosmart, sustainable and inclusive growth.

At the G20 summit in Seoul in November,leaders identified structural reform as akey policy area:

“We will implement a range of

structural reforms to boost and sustain

global demand, foster job creation,

contribute to global rebalancing, and

increase our growth potential, and

where needed undertake labour

market and human resource

development reforms, including better

targeted benefits schemes to increase

participation, education and training to

increase employment in quality jobs,

boost productivity and thereby

enhance potential growth.”

Moreover, the Seoul Consensus aims toresolve the most significant bottlenecks toinclusive, sustainable and resilient growthin developing countries - the so-calledlabour income countries (LICs) - focusingin particular on:

“Improv(ing) the development of

employable skills matched to employer

and labour market needs in order to

enhance the ability to attract

investment, create decent jobs and

increase productivity. We will support

the development of internationally

comparable skills indicators and the

enhancement of national strategies for

skills development, building on the

G20 Training Strategy”.

The Nobel Prize for Economics in 2010was awarded to Peter Diamond, DaleMortensen and Christopher Pissarideswhose models help us understand theways in which unemployment, jobvacancies, and wages are affected byregulation and economic policy.

They conclude that more generousunemployment benefits give rise to higherunemployment and longer search times.

This may be so, but I believe the way tobecoming more productive is through thepromotion of a shift in attitudes ratherthan exclusively focusing on mathematicalmodelling.

The question is, what does it mean foremployment and VET policies in general?

VET must become relevant, quality-drivenand attractive - some say it needsrebranding. It’s all about getting the rightmix of portable skills which can be usedby employers immediately, but still beingable to adapt to new job requirements orother jobs in this volatile labourenvironment. But VET providers alonecannot solve this issue of quality in VET.

The influence and credibility of VETtraining institutions are, therefore,strengthened when integrated into anation’s human and fiscal resources.

Nations, and employers alike, arerecognizing that an innovative andknowledgeable workforce is truly acompetitive advantage in the globalmarketplace and the terms learner andworker are becoming synonymous in aneducated society. VET systems canbecome catalysts for this transformation,bringing community groups and nationstogether to promote workforcepreparation reform.

And what is the ETF’s role?

For sure, policy dialogue and institutionalsupport can empower policy makers andpractitioners to produce efficient andeffective VET and employment policies.Looking ahead, our mission continues tofocus on stimulation of reflection ratherthan just presenting models - business asusual is no longer acceptable if equity andquality of VET systems are missing.

In closing, I would like to express myheartfelt gratitude to colleagues in the EUand Member State institutions, andcounterparts in our 29 partner countries,for their advice, support and cooperationand invite you to become reflectivepractitioners ensuring successful lifelonglearning for all.

Madlen Serban

Director, ETF

03Live&LearnJanuary 2011

Guest editor

Guest editor:

Madlen SerbanDirector, ETF

INSPIRING REFORM BENEFITSEU AND ITS PARTNERS

Štefan Füle, Europe’s Commissioner for Enlargement and theEuropean Neighourhood Policy (ENP) talks to the EuropeanTraining Foundation (ETF) about the importance of investing inneighbouring countries.

Nothing could be further from thearchetype of a Brussels-based civilservant than Štefan Füle. Inmid-November Commissioner Füle wasin Montenegro encouraging thegovernment to further improve the ruleof law. A few days later he was to befound in Belgrade facilitating preparationsfor Serbia’s application for membershipof the European Union (EU).“I amconvinced that [their] preparation … willgive further impetus to Serbia’s processof European integration,” he says.

Füle’s motivation for inspiring reform incountries around the EU stems from hisdeep commitment to the role that Europecan play on the world stage. “Europeanintegration started because of the need toconsolidate peace and reconciliation inpost-war Europe. Over the years, the EUhas evolved into a geopolitical player, byintegrating its foreign and security policy,trade and cooperation agreements withindividual countries or regional groups. Ithas done so because it increasingly hasglobal interests to defend,” he says.


Profile

Füle’s vision is to use theEU’s influence to helpshape the world order

Photo: European Union2010

Who is Štefan Füle?

Štefan Füle, 48, studied at CharlesUniversity in Prague and theMoscow State Institute ofInternational Relations. Füle servedas First Secretary of thePermanent Mission of the CzechRepublic to the United Nations inNew York from 1990 to 1995. Helater returned to diplomatic workbefore taking up the post ofMinister for European Affairs in thecaretaker government of JanFischer. In 2009, Füle wasappointed European Commissionerfor the Czech Republic, and on 10February 2010 he became theCommissioner for Enlargement andthe European Neighourhood Policy.

He is married with three children.

He sees the EU as a world player both onaccount of its economic strength and thesize of its population. It therefore has aresponsibility “to use its influence to shapethe world order, to make it more peaceful,more equitable and more consistent withour common values,” Füle argues. “This isthe vision I have for the EU. Myresponsibilities are the Enlargement andNeighbourhood policies, and if throughthese, we can move steadily towards thisvision, then I will be satisfied.”

Investment in neighbouring

countries

Europe’s stability, peace and growth needsto be built in close partnership with itsneighbours, not by erecting new barriersbetween them. Füle emphasises the factthat the European Neighbourhood Policy(ENP) has a strong human dimensionbecause without well educated people,Europe will not be able to establish goodrelationships with its neighbours. “How canwe develop mobility and promote trade,investment and cultural exchange if there isa gap in terms of economic developmentand living standards?” he asks, “this is whywe also need strong human capital in ourneighbouring countries.”

However along with this potential forgrowth and exchange in new areas,neighbouring regions also bring freshchallenges, such as migration, minoritiesand political instability. Füle argues thatthese issues call for a co-ordinatedresponse. “Our partners’ attitudes need toreflect the understanding that socialcohesion, political stability and sustainableeconomic development are conducive toenhancing our relations. For example,developments in employment policy,labour rights, social inclusion, socialprotection, gender equality and thebusiness climate are essential to furtherdevelop links with the EU,” he says. “Oneof the most important ways to tackle thesechallenges is to develop training andeducation. And we have many instrumentssuch as active participation in EU educationprogrammes and specific schemes in thefield of training and lifelong education inorder to achieve this,” Füle adds.

The role of the ETF

When asked about the ETF’s strategicpriorities in neighbouring countries, Füle isclear about the part the agency must play.

“In 2010-2013 the ETF should supportpartner countries by placing vocationaleducation in a lifelong learning context;help link training closely to the labour

market; improve individuals’ employabilityand help to develop a quality labour force.It is also essential to encourageenterprises to invest in human capitaldevelopment through education andbusiness partnerships that focus onknowledge-sharing, entrepreneurshipskills and support for the transition fromschool to work.”

Turning to the future of the financialinstruments to support theimplementation of EU policies, Füleemphasises that new proposals will beput forward in 2011. “I hope we will beable to gather a full range of comments tohelp us design the new financingframework for the period 2014 andonwards,” he concludes, “I look forwardto receiving contributions from the ETFand its partners, based on their in-depthknowledge of their sector.” �

Words: Paul Rigg, ICE


MY RESPONSIBILITIES ARE ENLARGEMENT ANDNEIGHBOURHOOD POLICIES, AND IF THROUGHTHESE, WE CAN MOVE STEADILY TOWARDS THISVISION, THEN I WILL BE SATISFIED

What are the Enlargement and European Neighbourhood

policies?

For more than 50 years, the EU haspursued deeper integration while at thesame time bringing in new members.Today the EU has 27 Member Statesand a population of close to 500 million.

Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina,Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republicof Macedonia, Kosovo (as defined inUnited Nations Security CouncilResolution 1244), Montenegro, Serbiaand Turkey are all official candidates orpotential candidates to join the EU.

Through reform and improvingstandards, accession brings benefitsboth to the EU and the countries thatjoin.

The ENP began to be developed in2004 with the aim of promoting closerrelations with the countries around theEU. The policy currently includes 16partners. It is based on the premisethat encouraging greater prosperity,stability and security in these areas canbenefit both the EU and its neighbours.

Füle argues for a coordinatedresponse from Europe toissues such as migration,minorities and politicalinstability

Photo: European Union 2010

NEWS FROM ETF.EUROPA.EU


27 SEPTEMBER 2010 | ASTANA, KAZAKHSTAN

Kazakhstan and ETF to reinforce cooperation in vocational education

A declaration of intent between the ETF and the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republicof Kazakhstan was signed in Astana. The parties agreed to focus in the next three years onenhancing cooperation in education policy-making through the Torino Process, and to promotelinks and social partnership between the vocational education system and business sector.

18 OCTOBER 2010 | TUNIS, TUNISIA

ETF shares Torino Process with international education experts

More than seventy education practitioners and aid agencies experts from Africa, Asia and Europe,and the ETF gathered in Tunis on 18-20 October 2010, to discuss ‘sustainable and effectivetechnical and vocational skills development’. The ETF presented the Torino Process as a soundand stable framework for analysing economic and social effectiveness of VET systems.

25 OCTOBER 2010 | TURIN, ITALY

Commissioner Vassiliou stresses strategic role of vocational education

European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, Androulla Vassiliou,and representatives of 33 countries, from Morocco to Uzbekistan - ministers, experts, membersof professional organisations - met in Turin for a two day education policy conference. ‘Vocationaltraining has a strategic role to play in helping our economies get out of the crisis and in putting usback onto a sustainable growth path’, said Ms Vassiliou.

News

3 NOVEMBER 2010 | TURIN, ITALY

MEPs say ETF is a critical tool for EU2020 strategy

A delegation of Members of the European Parliament lead by Pervenche Berès, chair of theCommittee on Employment and Social Affairs, visited the ETF from 3 to 5 November. The MEPssaid the ETF is a ‘critical tool regarding the recent decisions of the European Parliament in favourof long-term thinking in economic governance to meet the targets set in the EU2020 strategy onsocial inclusion and poverty reduction’.

5 NOVEMBER 2010 | TURIN, ITALY

Apprenticeship - a tested means for school-to-work transition

Apprenticeship, i.e. combining learning in the classroom with learning in the workplace, helps theeconomy and is good for students. Experts from the EU and neighbouring countries brought togetherby the ETF in Turin agreed that apprenticeship should be promoted as it reduces youth unemployment,is self-financing, and is one of the best ways of making people proud of their occupations.

16 NOVEMBER 2010 | DUSHANBE, TAJIKISTAN

Entrepreneurial learning takes hold in Central Asia

Tajikistan‘s government, in cooperation with the ETF, held a workshop on entrepreneurial learningin Dushanbe. This was the first activity of this kind in Central Asia. Tajikistan‘s authoritiesrequested the ETF‘s advice as to how to develop lifelong entrepreneurial learning in a strategicway.

PROMOTING SOCIAL INCLUSION ATTHE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

The ETF held a conference at the European Parliament in Brussels on2-3 December 2010. Entitled Promoting social inclusion and combating

poverty through cooperation in education, training and work in EU

neighbouring countries, the conference was organised by the ETF with thesupport of the European Commission’s Directorate General for Education andCulture, and in cooperation with the Belgian Presidency of the EuropeanUnion.

The event is part of the European Year forCombating Poverty and Social Exclusion. Itwill bring together policymakers, officialsand experts from the EU, the countries ofthe Western Balkans, the EuropeanNeighbourhood and Central Asia.

The purpose is to encourage discussionsamong policy makers and fostercooperation to promote social inclusionthough education, training and work. Allparticipants will bring their knowledge,cultures, values, policy priorities andexperience from different contexts.

Live&Learn talked to Lida Kita, ETF expertwho was in charge of the organisation ofthe conference.

You have been doing research on the

issue of social inclusion for years. You

often travel to countries where this

problem is especially serious. Tell us

what it means in practice for a person

to be socially excluded?

To be socially excluded means, for example,not to have an ID card. And because youdon’t have an ID card or a birth certificate,something that most of us take forgranted, you are not able to register forschool, you are not able to participate inelections, and decide about the issues thatconcern you. To be excluded means not tobe able to go to school because you don’thave money to buy books or shoes to walkfor miles. Or it means not to be able to goto school because the school teaches in alanguage that you don’t understand. I could

go on like this, giving more examples ofexclusion.

Schools can include or exclude people.

What’s education’s positive potential to

create inclusive societies?

We have only recently started seriouslydiscussing the role of education in socialinclusion. At the ETF we believe thateducation has the potential to build moreinclusive societies. It is true thatsometimes education can divide people,create exclusiveness. Even with goodintentions you can do harm.

Can you give an example?

For example, you set up special classesfor language minorities so that they canmake use of their fundamental right toeducation in their own language. Andwhat you get is that afterwards thestudents are not able to integratethemselves in the labour market, which isdominated by the majority’s language.

So where can education make a

positive difference?

Education can broaden the access for allpeople to further training and to jobs; itcan make people more employable.What perhaps is even more important isthat education can create civicengagement, civic participation and civicethics in the society. But, let’s be clearon one thing - education can’t solve allproblems. Social exclusion is a complexissue, tackling it is a process, and itrequires understanding, and alsoresources and skills at the disposal ofteachers, principals, communities,parents, and politicians.

What does the ETF do to make social

inclusion a reality?

Within our mandate we try to fosterdiscussions on this topic, for example, atconferences such as the one in Brusselsin December. We support links betweencountries, we gather togetherinternational experts, local specialists,teachers and students. In our contactswith the decision-makers we promotepolicies that help make education systems

overall more inclusive. Finally, we learn,collect evidence.

And what does the ETF do with this

knowledge?

We share the knowledge withorganisations in all 29 partner countries; webring EU experience to the countries wework with. We also pass the informationonto the European Commission, so thatvarious EU services know where help isneeded, where the EU can support thecountries to enhance the quality ofeducation, to improve access, to makeeducation better and fairer. �

Words: Marcin Monko, ETF


GET INVOLVEDIt is possible to participate indiscussions about the event, as theconference made use of web-basedinteractive tools (e.g. social media)for communication in order toinvolve, virtually, more participants inthe debates.

Should you think about joining the

conversation, please have a look

at:

Promoting social inclusion Posterousblog -http://etfpsi.posterous.com/

Promoting social inclusion Facebookpage -http://bit.ly/9deZ65

Promoting social inclusion Twitter feed -http://twitter.com/search?q=%23etfpsiLida Kita, ETF expert

Photo: ETF/A.Ramella

“EDUCATION CAN CREATECIVIC ENGAGEMENT, CIVICPARTICIPATION AND CIVICETHICS IN THE SOCIETY”

Feature

The ETF will soon publish a new report on 20 years of transition in six post-Soviet countries with aspecial focus on education and employment. The report is based on a ‘Black Sea Labour MarketReview’, project implemented in Belarus, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Georgia, Armenia andAzerbaijan. Live&Learn spoke with Ummuhan Bardak, ETF expert, coordinator and one of theauthors of the report.

The title of the new ETF report on

labour markets in six post Soviet

countries is somewhat modest because

the document covers two decades and

an impressive range of issues covering

political changes, economic policies,

migration and the labour market and

education. Is it at all possible to

summarise the findings?

Indeed, the new report is a result of verycomprehensive work, which resulted insix separate country reports and acomparative regional study. First of all, thereport shows that these six countrieswent through huge changes. And ofcourse, the change is not bad or good initself, but we need to recognise that it isalways difficult. Any policymaker needs tokeep this in mind. These changes wereenormous and the hardship wasenormous, too. Changes on this scalewould be an immense challenge for anycountry, whether highly developed or not.

Did you find out anything new that

surprised you during the research?

Frankly, I was surprised by the diversity ofthese countries. They are often calledpost-Soviet, transition economies, butthey are so different. In fact, they weredifferent from the beginning, from thevery start of the transition. Ukraine hadindustry, Azerbaijan had oil, the Republicof Moldova had agriculture, etc. And thenthey experienced different conditions asthe years passed - for example: countriesin the southern Caucasus experiencedarmed conflicts. Governments fromBelarus to Georgia made different policychoices, based on national preferences orother factors.

In general, it is a grim picture that you

paint in the report - declining

populations, continuing poverty, rising

inequality, limited jobs, migration,

corruption, relatively low human

development levels due to low GDP per

capita. It seems that the transition has

not yet produced the expected results.

There is only one exception: education.

It is one of the few areas that brings

hope.

It is true that education and human capitalare still positive elements. Around theworld, similar countries in terms of GDPper capita, perform less well in education.

High literacy rates and educationattainment levels seem to be a good legacyof the Soviet system. There is also a revivalof vocational education and training.

People are literate and they value

education, but does it actually pay to be

educated in these countries?

On the macro level, it is very difficult tofind evidence that better education leadsto better economic performance in aparticular country. One thing is having welleducated citizens; another is whether theeconomy is able to use them. And weactually think that our eastern partners’economies are underutilising their humancapital. So skills that people acquire duringtheir long education are not used later orare used to a lesser extent. People workin jobs that do not require their highquality skills. Still, the authors of the studythink that even if underused, bettereducation has a positive impact in theseeconomies.

Everywhere young people leaving

school face a difficult transition to

work. Is it different in the six countries

analysed in the report?

Not very different. But here, on this microlevel, education plays a crucial role. Thereis no doubt that if you attain a higher levelof education, you will have a betterchance of finding a job. This is the positiveside. Unfortunately it is not always astraight-forward situation in othercontexts. In southern Mediterraneancountries, for example, it is quite theopposite: when you stay at school longer,you have a higher probability of facingunemployment.


BLACK SEACOUNTRIESDOCUMENT20 YEARSOF UNIQUETRANSITION

Educated citizens must be usedin the right places to benefit theeconomy

Photo: ETF/A.Jongsma

Ummuhan Bardak,ETF expert


“CHANGE IS NOT BAD ORGOOD IN ITSELF, BUT WE

NEED TO RECOGNISE THATIT IS ALWAYS DIFFICULT”

The findings of this report are

extremely interesting, but are you

making any practical recommendations

as to how to tackle the problems which

you identified?

As I said the study is wide-ranging andcovers very different countries. It wouldbe difficult to give a one size fits-allrecommendation. Nevertheless, we areidentifying certain key issues that need tobe addressed.

What are these issues?

First, the urgent need for job creation. It’sclear for us that these jobs will have to becreated in the private sector and thatgovernments should enact policies thatmake it easier to do business and employpeople. Second, it is employment policiesthat often seem to be mere rhetoric. Theresources for passive (e.g. unemploymentbenefits) and active (e.g. training or jobseeking advice) employment measuresmust be better used in a more targetedmanner.

The organisation, resources and skills ofpublic institutions need improvement.Then social partners, especiallyemployers’ organisations, should bebetter involved in policy making, and the

legislation should create a good balancebetween security and flexibility. The thirdissue is migration, which, if well managed,can bring benefits (flow of remittances,less pressure for jobs), but it can also leadto ‘brain drain’ back home and ‘brainwaste’ of the migrants who can’t use theirskills abroad.

What about education?

Yes, this is the final issue we raised:human capital stocks and how to maintainhigh flow levels. There are some worryingtrends. In all countries, there is a lack ofproper public funding for education. Weregistered rising dropout rates in some

countries, and there are problems withaccess to schools, for example in ruralareas. There are also signs that the qualityand labour market relevance of educationneed considerable improvement. Finally,as these countries’ populations age, thereis a critical, not yet addressed need fortraining for adults.

To whose attention would you like to

draw these important issues?

We would like to reach policy makers andpoliticians. And not only in these sixcountries but also in the EU and beyond,in all institutions that cooperate with oursix eastern partners on economic andsocial development. To make the reportmore digestible for less technicalreaders, we published a short report thatselects and summarises the findings. Inaddition, the ETF disseminated thefindings and promoted debate aboutthem during a series of conferenceslaunched officially in Odessa on20-21 October 2010. �

Words: Marcin Monko, ETF


Feature

FURTHERINFORMATIONLabour markets andemployability: trends andchallenges in Armenia, Azerbaijan,Belarus, Georgia, Republic ofMoldova and Ukraine (short report)-http://bit.ly/cx3YzE

Individual country labour marketreports available fromhttp://www.etf.europa.eu/web.nsf/pages/Publications_catalogue_EN

Government policies should createjobs in the private sector


VET is experiencing a revival inthe Eastern Partnershipcountries


“IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND EVIDENCE THAT BETTEREDUCATION LEADS TO BETTER ECONOMICPERFORMANCE IN A PARTICULAR COUNTRY”

THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA:PARTNER IN LEGAL MIGRATIONThe Republic of Moldova is probably the European country most affected by migration. In peakyears, more than 20% of the population live and work abroad. Large numbers work in the EU,many of them as illegal immigrants. What they have learnt in Moldova is wasted because EUemployers do not accept or recognise their degrees. What they learn in the EU is wasted whenthey return, because their credentials are not acknowledged back home. The ETF is helping tochange this by means of a pioneering project to make skills more transparent.

To improve the mutual benefits oflabour migration, the EU and theRepublic of Moldova signed theirMobility Partnership in 2008. One of itspillars covers labour marketdevelopment. The Moldovan economydepends largely on agriculture andefforts to change this have beenhampered by a rigid and antiquatededucation system. Many diplomas carryoutdated descriptions that cannot beused in the labour market.

Companies such as Italy’s Cedacri,which outsources softwaredevelopment to Moldova, have foundtheir own solutions.

“We chose Moldova principally becauseof the high level of education here,”says Chisinau manager Francesco Pipio,“but that doesn’t mean we can simplygo by student qualifications. In thiscountry, it is impossible to know whatlies behind a diploma so we never lookat the degrees of new applicants. Wetest them ourselves.”

The problem is not limited to EUemployers. The prime beneficiary ofmore transparency in Moldovanqualifications will be the country’s ownlabour market.

The ETF therefore kills two birds withone stone with a project that in threeyears’ time will develop two models;one for the definition of broadly

accepted occupational profiles andstandards and another for therecognition of prior learning. Itconcentrates on two pilot sectors -agriculture and construction.

Leonard Palii is Vice-President of theNational Federation of Trade Unions andchairs a sectoral committee on VET inagriculture. He is one of the drivingforces in the policy dialogue groupwhich is developing a national systemfor the recognition of prior learning.

Mr Palii thinks that one of the biggestproblems in the Moldovan labourmarket is that social partners have notradition of working together on issuesrelated to learning and accreditation.

“Employers and employees mustcooperate with the education sector,”he says.

“Our committee encourages them to,but this is all new and pro bono workoften done at evenings and overweekends. But here we are and at leastwe have identified the key problems.Employers think the education systemdoesn’t deliver the goods. Schooldirectors say that this is becauseemployers do not want to get involvedin internships and because theirequipment is out of date, which in turnis a result of the lack of funds becauseschools are not allowed to operate in anentrepreneurial way.”

At the end of the day however, mostsources believe that the system overallis in need of update. Laws have beenadopted to address many of theseproblems but they are fragmented andsome have never been implemented,with the government usuallyoverwhelmed by many priorities.

So, no, Mr Palii’s sectoral committeedoes not work with the government atthe moment. Quite the contrary.

“We are getting ready for engagingthem! And the ETF is involving themfrom the angle of legislation andgovernance and that’s what is so goodabout the project.”

“Moldovans look to EU projects as asource of money but we should look tothem as a source of expertise. Normallywhen a project ends, everything thathas been set in motion comes to agrinding halt. But when this project isdone piloting, I hope that at least inagriculture we will have our employers,trade unions and schools ready with ateam to start implementing the modelsdeveloped and define the occupationalstandards we need.”

That should just win the necessarysupport from the authorities who, fromthe outset, have been involved in thedevelopment of these procedures. Itcould also swing the balance ineducation where reform-hungry


Country Focus � Republic of Moldova

educationalists stand ready and keen totranslate earlier successes in generalsecondary education reforms intovocational training reforms. It wouldbenefit the EU, which seeks highlyskilled workers but currently employsthem at well below their capacity. Andthat in turn would benefit Moldova oncemore, with higher remittances senthome and, eventually, with skillsdeveloped abroad coming back tobenefit the domestic economy. �

Words: Ard Jongsma, ICE


Young people at work forCedacri in Chisinau


FURTHER INFORMATIONEU-Moldova Mobility Partnership - http://bit.ly/crR7rJ

“MOLDOVANS LOOK TO EU PROJECTS AS A SOURCEOF MONEY BUT WE SHOULD LOOK TO THEM AS ASOURCE OF EXPERTISE.”

The Republic of Moldova shows how a change in governmentapproach and commitment can dramatically changeinternational relationships.

The inauguration of a new governmentin the Republic of Moldova last yearsignalled the intensification of politicaldialogue between Brussels and thenational authorities in Chisinau. Thecoalition cabinet of Prime Minister VladFilat has decisively locked its sightsonto the European Union. According tothe man in charge of relationships withMoldova at the Directorate General forExternal Relations in Brussels, there is alot more than rhetoric to theintensification of links.

“Two of the new government’s keypolicy aims are reducing the country’spoverty, which is severe, and movingcloser to the European Union,” saysJohn Kjaer, the Head of Unit forRelations with Ukraine, Moldova,Belarus and Southern Caucasus.

“Cooperation with the EU hasintensified in a number of areas in thepast year. Living in the poorest countryin Europe, the Moldovans face hugechallenges but the good thing is that


MOLDOVA HOMES IN ON EUROPE

The Republic of Moldovais the poorest country inEurope and faces hugechallenges



many of these are shared with othercountries that aspire to closer links withthe EU: the need to reform theireconomy, the need to work towardslegal and regulatory convergence, andthe need to protect human rights andfundamental freedoms.”

“Moldova is a small country and that isan advantage. When the political will isthere, it is possible to get things donequickly.”

John Kjaer knows from personalexperience how swiftly small countriescan move under dedicated guidance.He was the Head of the EU Delegationin Tallinn in the four years leading up toEstonia’s accession to the EuropeanUnion.

“The enthusiasm and dedication of thecurrent government is significant,” hesays. “They address with vigour thecore issues that will need to be clearedbefore we can sign an associationagreement.”

A good example of this is the work injustice and in mobility, where ETFsupport to Moldovan labour marketdevelopment fits in.

“The activities under the MobilityPartnership (see p. 10) are not a strictrequirement for more formalcooperation, but they will become animportant part of a future associationagreement. The vigour with which theMoldovans approach these issues tooreally shows their determination.”

“Another thing that will featureprominently in a future associationagreement is cooperation in specificsectors where we need what we call‘approximation and convergence withEU legislation’. This is very important,for example in fields such as theenvironment and energy.”

“Finally, a key element of our workwith Moldova is clearing the road for adeep and comprehensive free tradearea, or ‘DCFTA’. This is one of thenovelties of the Eastern Partnershipthat goes much further than we ever

went before with non-MemberStates.”

In the meantime the EuropeanCommission and other Europeaninstitutions are helping the Republic ofMoldova to prepare the ground forcloser links with Europe, such asthrough the Mobility Partnership whichwas set up to better manage migrationflows. It is part of a much wider train ofactions that has been set in motion.

Most of these actions are sector-relatedbut they also include broader initiatives,such as human rights development andstructural reforms, and support to thedevelopment of the institutionalinfrastructure through theComprehensive Institution BuildingProgramme - another novelty broughtby the Eastern Partnership.

But there is more work on humancapital in the pipeline too and quitelikely in fields that make possiblefurther ETF involvement in helping toprepare the Republic of Moldova forassociation negotiations.

“In the National Indicative Programmefor 2011-2013 we have foreseenactions aimed at labour market reformsand an education component.”

According to John Kjaer, progress withreforms has been very good this year.

“We are not quite there yet. We have aset of conditions that must be met forfull negotiations to be launched on aDCFTA.”

It may not seem like much, but there isa very clear horizon for the relationshipwith the Republic of Moldova to unfold.

“We now have a framework documentfor supporting institution-buildingprojects that is literally only waiting tobe signed and we are very closelymonitoring progress to see if theconditions for the launch of DCFTAnegotiations are in place. Once theyare, we are ready to roll.” �

Words: Ard Jongsma


“MOLDOVA IS A SMALL COUNTRY AND THATIS AN ADVANTAGE. IT IS POSSIBLE TO GET

THINGS DONE.”

John Kjaer believes progress in the Republic ofMoldova has bettered his expectations


TOWARDS ACOMPREHENSIVESTRATEGY

The main article in this country focus describes how ETFexpertise is employed in the Republic of Moldova to developone of the core prerequisites for successful labour migration:transparency of qualifications. But ETF involvement in Moldovadoes not stop here. Together with Tajikistan, the countryfeatures in the ETF’s recent twin studies on human capitaldevelopment. This study quite clearly exposed one of thebiggest problems in current education and training in Moldova.

“There is no comprehensive strategyfor human capital development,” saysSiria Taurelli.

She is the country manager for Moldovaat the ETF, where she began work in1995 and has been responsible forcountry activities in Armenia, Georgiaand the Russian Federation. But herfamiliarity with EU Neighbourhoodcountries dates back to 1991 when shejoined the European Commission’s DGExternal Relations as the newcooperation agreements with theformer Soviet Republics were beingsigned.

Her mandate was never limited toEastern Europe but also covered otherregions, such as in 2007, when shespent over a year on secondment to theWorld Bank in Washington DC to writea VET country analysis on Morocco, andto identify areas for cooperationbetween the two organisations. Overthe years she has also worked onmanagement development - highereducation cooperation, and projectevaluation.

She enjoys working with Moldova,partly because of its proximity withEurope.

“There are only some 75 vocationalschools in Moldova, so change is quiteattainable.”

But change will require a paradigm shift?

“Initial education is still viewed as onething, adult education and training ofthe employed as a different thing. Thisis not helpful.”

The authorities are aware of this, asbecame clear when a new education lawwas debated last spring. The ETFcontributed to this by inviting adelegation led by deputy minister LorettaHandrabura to Turin for discussions.According to the latter, the ETF studywill be of great benefit to the country.

“Human capital development is a toppriority for the Republic of Moldova andthis study covers all the pillars that wemust build our development strategyon,” she said when the ETF presentedthe study in Chisinau earlier this year. �

Words: A.Jongsma, ICE


One of the Republicof Moldova’s toppriorities is a humancapital developmentstrategy

Photo:

ETF/A.Jongsma

Siria Taurelli, ETFcountry manager,Republic of Moldova

Photo: N.Ionacsu


2010 was a year of great change for the ETF in the occupied Palestinian Territory. Until now,Palestinian ministries and experts have mainly been involved in regional projects, such asMEDA-ETE.

That all changed earlier this year, whenthe Palestinian Ministry of Labour tookresponsibility for Torino Process activities,the Ministry of Education took charge ofthe Palestinian contribution to theEducation and Business study and thePalestine Technical University in Khodoristarted to participate in the ETF‘sentrepreneurial learning project.

On 17 October, ETF director MadlenSerban and country manager MariavittoriaGarlappi met with Ministers Lamis Alami(Education and Higher Education) andAhmed Majdalani (Labour) of the PalestineNational Authority in Ramallah. They werejoined by the new EU representative inEast Jerusalem, Sergio Piccolo.

Both ministers stressed the importance ofTVET for the occupied PalestinianTerritory, where higher education is apriority for most students, despite the factthat the highest proportion of unemployedpeople is to be found among universitygraduates.

“It is important that we promote TVET,”said education minister Lamis Alami whowas head of a TVET college beforemoving on to positions at the Council forHigher Education and UNRWA.

“We cannot force it onto those who don‘tpass the 10th grade exam. That wouldonly reinforce prejudices about TVETbeing a last ditch option. We must presentit as an alternative with a real return oninvestment, investing our energy incounselling and improving the relevanceof TVET,” she said.

The latter will be quite a challenge asmost of the Palestinian economy is builtaround very small companies wherefamily ties play a far more important rolein employment considerations thanqualifications from a sector that enjoys alow status among young Palestinians.

Labour minister Ahmed Majdalani saidthat the Torino Process in particular hadhelped to plot a road map that fits inwith other current developments in theoccupied Palestinian Territory, such asthe development of a higher council forTVET which will offer a platform formore structural cooperation with theMinistry of Education, a new costingassessment mechanism to encourageprivate sector involvement andinternational cooperation with Moroccoand Tunisia and with Germany throughGTZ.

“We now have a strategy, we almosthave a council and we have advancedblueprints for international cooperation.The timing for this study was quite rightindeed,” said Mr Majdalani.

Madlen Serban also used the meetingswith ministers to discuss the fourth strandof the agency‘s 2010 work that covers theOccupied Palestinian Territory: a €4Mprogramme to support the TVET sectorwhich the ETF has designed for theEuropean Commission with the help oflocal stakeholders.

“The European Commission wanted thisto be a local development project thatputs vocational schools centre stage,” saidcountry manager Mariavittoria Garlappi.

“It builds on earlier German activities byGTZ, which have a good reputation here.In three of the Palestinian governorates(Nablus, Bethlehem and Hebron), aEuropean Social Fund -style project will callon consortia of schools and privatepartners to submit proposals. The bestproposals will be supported - not withfunds, but with know-how and equipment.”

While the ETF wrote the proposal, GTZ willmanage the actual project. The latter willalso move the project into its second phase,when more sectors or more governoratesmay be involved and the best results of thefirst phase will be introduced intomainstream education in the country. �

Words: A.Jongsma, ICE


ETF PROJECTS REACH OUT TO THEOCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY

FURTHERINFORMATIONEducation and Business:Occupied Palestinian Terrirory -

http://bit.ly/9hTbrW


The OPT can now boast a strategy for encouragingprivate sector investment and international cooperation


Project focus

Gérard Mayen of the ETF tells Live&Learn how pioneering ETFwork on supporting social partnership is helping create a newvision of the future for VET for the southern Mediterranean.

Euro-Mediterranean ministers of foreignaffairs and labour held two meetings in2008 that have now led to an ambitiousnew three-year ETF project on socialpartnership.

The meetings in Marseille and Marrakechunderlined the critical importance of‘effective social dialogue for enhancingemployment, employability and decentwork in the Euro-Mediterraneancountries.’ “The ETF took that statement

very seriously and decided it was time toanalyse the situation in depth,” saysGérard Mayen, a human capital specialistat the ETF.

The resulting study, called ‘Socialpartnership and VET in the southernMediterranean region (SMR)’ the first ofits kind, was presented recently at theEducation and training for employability in

the SMR conference held in Rome on10 December. The aim of the report is to


SOCIAL PARTNERSHIPPRODUCES WIN-WIN-WINSOLUTIONS

Feature

contribute to the EU’s work instrengthening the bargaining power ofsocial partners in the field of humanresources development.

The timing of the report could hardly bebetter. The global economic crisis,increased international competition, thedemographic boom and, for somecountries, the move away from acentralised economy have made the needfor both quality products and for moreresponsive VET systems that much morepressing.

“As the ETF study shows, southernMediterranean economies have a highproportion of small enterprises and familybusinesses. Trade unions and employersmay not be highly organised and VET isoften perceived having a as low status,”explains Mayen. “Now however there is agrowing realisation that you need awell-trained workforce in order tocompete, and that this calls for theinvolvement of social partners.”

A second result of the research has beento produce a snapshot showing up thedifferences between the variouscountries. Some of this can be tracedback to either French colonial rule incountries like Morocco and Tunisia or todiverse influences in Egypt, Jordan andSyria. The latter tend to focus oninvolving employers, while the formerhave more balanced forms of socialpartnership. However, Mayenemphasises another significantdifference: “It is not just about historybut about the vision each country has forits future. Tunisia and Morocco areengaging strongly with the EU and sothings are likely to move faster there.”

Employers and trade unions have alsooften played limited roles. “In Jordan forexample, the tradeunion federation hadonly worked ontraditional areas suchas wages, labourconditions or safetyand did not see arole for itself in VET.However we sharedexamples of tradeunion participation inthe Netherlands andGermany with themand they reconsidered. Now three of thesocial partners are preparing a policypaper on their role in VET.”

“We know that in some countriesgovernments do not like to involve tradeunions because they see them astroublemakers,” says Mayen “but withVET we are speaking about a win-win-winsituation because parties can more easilyagree than in other areas of collectivebargaining.”

The ETF is in a strong position tocontribute to this development through itsmandate. “All the countries know about

our experience and make use of ourservices and expertise,” says Mayen.

One proven method that will be employedis peer learning in order to exchangeknowledge and promote understandingbetween partners. Proposed milestonesfor the project include setting up anadvisory committee to monitorimplementation, peer reviews andthematic workshops in each region.

“Every day we gain a little more supportfrom policy makers and social partnersbecause they see that they need to worktogether to find solutions to the problemsthey are facing,” says Mayen. “It is veryexciting because it is a new field andsome key actors are going to be broughttogether for the first time. After that eachpartner will have to work to build theirown vision.” �

Words: Paul Rigg, ICE


Gérard Mayen, ETF expert on social partnership


Decent work is critically important for thepeople economies of countries in thesouthern Mediterranean

Photo: ETF/A.Salih

FURTHERINFORMATIONThe Social partnership and VETin the southern Mediterraneanregion, report will be available onthe the ETF website from early 2011www.etf.europa.eu

“THERE IS A GROWING REALISATION THAT YOUNEED A WELL-TRAINED WORKFORCE IN ORDER

TO COMPETE”

“EVERY DAY WE GAIN A LITTLE MORESUPPORT FROM POLICY MAKERS ANDSOCIAL PARTNERS”

Occupational standards describe thecompetences people must have in theworkplace - the requirements foremployment.

Setting these standards defines minimumexpectations for a worker in a specificoccupational role in a sector. Employersand in particular sector bodies, which arestrong in Turkey, have been asking for thismove as they often lack confidence in theexisting vocational qualifications.

The aim is to make these qualificationsmore relevant and of greater use for

people as a passport to finding a job oracquiring more education and training.

“Qualifications systems are not only aboutcertifying people’s competences; theyaffect the way qualifications are designedand maintained, how they are delivered,mainly through training, and how peopleare assessed, how qualifications in thesystem are coordinated and linked,” saysArjen Deij, a senior ETF qualificationsexpert.

“This requires involvement by manydifferent stakeholders and can thereforehave widespread consquences. The mostdifficult part of reforming qualificationssystems is actually agreeing how to goabout it.”

Many standardsdeveloped in Turkeyin the past 15 yearshave not been usedto inform qualifications and educationprogrammes to ensure these are morerelevant to the labour market. So in 2006 anew law set up a Vocational QualificationsAuthority (VQA) to approve occupationalstandards, making them nationalstandards published in the official gazette.

“The VQA started operating in 2007 andduring the last two years many newoccupational standards have been preparedby sectors and validated by sectoralcommittees of stakeholders from thepublic and private sector and approved bythe vocational authority,” says Arjen Deij.

The ETF has been working with the VQAsince 2008 to assist in implementing itsstrategic planning and policy. Seminarsand training sessions have drawn on theexperience of professionals from a rangeof Member States so Turkish colleaguescan compare different approaches anddecide on which options are the mostappropriate for Turkey.

The Turkish stakeholders and theDelegation of the European Union inAnkara asked the ETF to help prepare foran integrated national qualificationsframework (NQF) that can be measuredagainst the European QualificationsFramework. This will enable comparison


FROMOCCUPATIONALSTANDARDS TOVOCATIONALQUALIFICATIONSLike many countries Turkey has taken an interest in developingoccupational standards and has been doing so since the early1990s. This activity involves an industry-led approach tofine-tuning the offer of education institutions with demand in thelabour market.

“THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF REFORMINGQUALIFICATIONS SYSTEMS IS ACTUALLYAGREEING HOW TO GO ABOUT IT”

Qualifications systems affect the wayqualifications are designed


Arjen Deij, a senior ETF qualifications expert


Feature

of Turkish qualifications with EU countriesand support the mobility of skilled labour.

The ETF has discussed with the Turkishstakeholders the basic principles of such aframework and used internationaldevelopments and examples to illustrateoptions. It worked with the Council ofEurope, the Ministry of Education, theHigher Education Council and the EUDelegation to prepare European fundedprojects to link the NQF developments toquality assurance of the provision.

“The example of Turkey is important.Turkey is ahead of around 20 partnercountries that are moving towardsreforming their qualifications systems andthe Turkish participatory approach, with astrong role for sectors, is an example that isuseful for other countries,” says Arjen Deij.

“Turkey has strong sectors and is a bigcountry with strong regional disparities. Itis also a rapidly expanding industrialisedeconomy with a growing population and islooking for integration into the EU.

Turkey is trying to find appropriatesolutions for the new framework andtaking practical steps. It is not copying

what other countries have developed butinforming itself and looking for ways tomove forward with solutions that canreally work in Turkey.” �

Words: Jane Marshall, ICE


ANKARA SEMINAR SHARPENS THE FOCUS

Seeing how existing occupational standards could be used to produce learningoutcomes that could be used for training, assessment and certification was theaim of a VQA seminar in Ankara last September.

“There was discussion of the dilemma that the labour market is constantlychanging its requirements for thousands of job titles, while the education systemfor organisational reasons is slow to respond and has to cluster these needs intoa limited number of programmes,” says Arjen Deij.

Seminar participants decided the vocational qualifications for which the VQA isresponsible should not move too far from the occupational standards as thismight erode trust in the qualifications.

They proposed a prototype for qualifications consisting of a basic qualificationclosely linked to the requirements of the occupational standard, but which wouldallow additional units for mobility, progression and employability to be built in.

“Occupational standards often repeated the same requirements in differentunits,” says Deij. “Sometimes the difference between learning outcomes andthe assessment criteria was not clear. Identifying common units would help thequalification developers focus their work.”

A SOCIAL LABORATORYIN SOUTHERN TURKEY


Feature

Quite unaware of the current discourse on inclusive education,one Turkish governorate is setting an example of how to act, nottalk or, worse, wait for the national authorities to drop by with awad of banknotes, when thousands of children lack access tobasic education.

Less than three decades ago, Sanliurfawas just a speck on the edge of thedesert, locked in a futile struggle forvisibility behind the map legend in thebottom right corner of most topographicdepictions of Europe. In dusty, hotsouthern Anatolia, the Great Urfa from thedays of oriental glory and sustainableagriculture had become a ghost of itsformer mighty self.

Then came the GAP regional developmentproject for Southeastern Anatolia and thehuge Atatürk dam in the Euphrates river. Itsoaked the parched plains of northernMesopotamia so thoroughly that theregion soon produced half of Turkey’scotton. With the cotton came newindustries and migrant labourers.

With the migrant labourers came a needfor education that was not answered.Sanliurfa occupied a lowly position inTurkey’s education attainment rankings.But then, the task facing it was alsoenormous. Between 1990 and 2010, thepopulation of the province almost doubledto 1.7 million.

In 2003, one of the years with the moststaggering demographic statistics in theprovince, a mindboggling 44.2% of thepopulation were under the age of 15,placing an immense strain on theeducation system. Those who lost outwere the usual suspects: children ofmigrant labourers and from poorbackgrounds and rural families. And girls.

By 2009, there was a huge unmet needfor education. Then came a new governor.He had pulled it off in Trabzon before. Hewas going to pull it off in Sanliurfa oncemore. His name was Nuri Okutan, age 48,

Türk bürokrat by profession, according tohis Wikipedia page in Turkish.

“We produce 50% of Turkish cotton. Weproduce 15% of the country’s lentils. Ourpower to produce is good, but ourdevelopment is lagging far behind,” hetold the participants at the ETF meetingon inclusive education in the city inSeptember this year before hitting the‘play’ button on the overhead screen.

His video was a jumble of pictures ofnew schools in fertile soil under old olivetrees and three-digit figures of newfacilities and teachers, one seeminglymore unlikely than the other. More than1000 classrooms built with the barehands of the people of Sanliurfa asparents, politicians and businessmenstood united. It is the kind of thing youdo not show to an audience mainly fromEastern Europe. Propaganda - those whodid not whisper it had it written acrosstheir faces.

The thing is though, it was notpropaganda. Or at least it was truepropaganda, if such a thing can be said toexist.

“This is my fourth district,” Okutancontinued unperturbed. “In every provincewhere I have worked so far, I have startedout with a survey. The one in Sanliurfashowed that more women than menbelieved in the importance of education.So the schooling of girls became our firstpriority.”


“[THE SURVEY] IN SANLIURFA SHOWED THAT MORE WOMENTHAN MEN BELIEVED IN THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION”

Development of schools will lead to development ofbusinesses in the region

Photos: ETF/A.Jongsma

More than 1000 classrooms were built by locals tomeet school needs

Sanliurfa’s rapid growth brought major educationchallenges

He used the right words: “minorities”,“Kurdish”, “girls”, “disadvantaged”. Heasked the right questions: “Doeseducation affect employment or doesemployment affect education?”

Okutan gambled on the latter. He didn’thave a choice anyway. There was neithermoney nor time to test whethereducation could affect work. Work wouldhave to affect education. Unfortunatelyhe didn’t share the extraordinary detailswith the participants. We had to ask hisdirector of education, a day after theconference.

“We gathered all the rich people in town,”says Hanifi Sahin matter of factly, as ifthat is what everyone does when theireducation system needs an enormousinjection of capital.

“The governor invited them for lunch in avery expensive restaurant. Then he gave aspeech about how Sanliurfa would onlydevelop if we educated our children, andhow they could only develop theirbusinesses if they helped to develop theschools in the city. He promised that hewould find the funds for teachers if theybuilt the classrooms. Pre-primary educationwas the first target in his sight.”

They did. They built eight whole schools intown and Okutan not only kept his side ofthe bargain, but he really put his moneywhere his mouth was by introducing half

an hour’s reading at the close of workinghours in all public buildings to supportgeneral literacy. Every day. But that wasstill the easy bit. The town had alwaysbeen better educated than thecountryside.

“Outside Sanliurfa we basically did thesame thing,” says Sahin. “We set upmeetings with village elders and made thesame promise: build a classroom and we’llfind you a teacher. We organised schoolnights with parents. We went round theentire province.”

All in all they built 430 new classrooms andrefurbished three times that number. Notbetween 1990 and 2010. Not in the lastfive years. No, in the summer of 2010. Atthe same time libraries were built inmosques and existing schools were soldoff at prime downtown rates to build newup-to-date facilities in the huge suburbsthat are mushrooming all around Sanliurfa.

Pre-primary, which had been virtuallynon-existent in the region, was the one tobenefit the most from the building frenzy.

“Before we started the campaign, we had160 classrooms for pre-primary education.Afterwards we had 1,330.”

But all forms of education have received amassive boost, including VET with newschools and much improved facilities andhigher education with the splendidly lush

modern facilities of Harran University justeast of town.

Leaving the offices of the governorate fordinner with Sahin, together with hismobile phone and all the other people hestill needs to speak to and drink tea withbefore his working day is over, we crossthe yard which had been formerly empty.In the twilight of the early evening loomsa large van with speakers on the roofwhich has just come back from a missionin the Harran plains. On the back is aphoto of a girl in the cotton fields saying:“I don’t want to be a farm worker, I wantto be a farm engineer.”

“We have three of those,” says Sahin,“the other two are still out.”

“Sanliurfa is a social laboratory,” governorOkutan had said during the ETF meeting.“In the next year or two we will seesignificant results.”

True, but the odd thing is they make itsound as if Sanliurfa is not a sociallaboratory but a social playground. Whichbrings us back to inclusive educationbecause, when our interview comes to aclose, Sahin asks if he can ask a questiontoo. Of course he can.

“This inclusive education thing,” he says,“what is it really all about?” �

Words: A. Jongsma, ICE


Nuri Okutan (left)and Hanifi Sahin

Photo:

ETF/A.Jongsma

“THERE WAS NEITHER MONEY NOR TIME TO TESTWHETHER EDUCATION COULD AFFECT WORK.WORK WOULD HAVE TO AFFECT EDUCATION”

Feature

IN THE NEXT ISSUE…SKILLS FOR SUSTAINABLEDEVELOPMENTThe word sustainable is used as a prefix to manyconcepts, and the ETF is involved in discussions onsustainable development from a partner countryperspective. To this end, a two day meeting washeld in Turin last 22-23 November with a view toobtaining input on the state of the art ofsustainable development, examples of goodpractice and concepts and lessons-learned fromother international organisations working topromote sustainable development in their work.The meeting also provided an opportunity forparticipants to learn about perspectives onsustainable development from ETF partnercountries following the distribution of the ETF’sdraft position paper. �

PROMOTING SOCIAL INCLUSION ANDCOMBATING POVERTY THROUGHCOOPERATION IN EDUCATION,TRAINING AND WORK IN EUNEIGHBOURING COUNTRIESThis conference, held on 2-3 December 2010, examined how enhanced cooperation ineducation, training and work can improve social inclusion and combat poverty. Theexpected outcomes of the conference:

� enhanced awareness of the issues, challenges and policy approaches at all levels forpromoting social inclusion and combating poverty;

� innovative policies, programmes and actions of ETF partner countries, the EU andbeyond, shared to support mutual learning;

� conclusions on the main challenges, lessons learnt and suggestions for the ETF’s workin its partner countries,

will be brought to you in the next issue of Live&Learn together with interviews withparticipants and more information on the network of bloggers which was built up aroundthe event. �

COUNTRY PROFILE:OCCUPIED PALESTINIANTERRITORYFollowing this issue’s article on the PalestinianEducation and Business Study, Live&Learnspeaks to ETF country manager for the occupiedPalestinian Territory, Mariavittoria Garlappi, andinvestigates EU education and training policythere. �


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