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Peer Learning Activity: 'Developing mobility support tools and services' 9-10 March 2017, Cyprus Synthesis Report March 2017
Peer Learning Activity: 'Developing mobility support tools and services'
9-10 March 2017, Cyprus Synthesis Report
March 2017
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A report submitted by ECVET Secretariat
Date: March 2017
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Document Control
Document Title Peer Learning Activity 'Developing mobility support tools and services’, 9-10 March 2017, Cyprus: Synthesis Report
Prepared by Monika Auzinger, Anette Curth, Paul Guest
Checked by Anette Curth, Karin-Luomi-Messerer
Date March 2017
This report is the copyright of DG EMPL and has been prepared by the ECVET Secretariat
under contract to DG EMPL. The contents of this report may not be reproduced in whole or in
part, nor passed to any other organisation or person without the specific prior written
permission of DG EMPL.
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Contents
1 Aims and objectives of the Peer Learning Activity ................................................... 3
2 European policies and tools to support VET learner mobility ................................... 4
2.1 Policies and concepts ............................................................................................. 4 2.2 Tools and services currently used ........................................................................... 5
3 Experiences with current mobility support tools and services .................................. 5
4 Benefits and constraints of current tools and services............................................11
5 Building on the benefits, addressing the challenges ...............................................12
5.1 Developing mobility support tools and services: Do’s and don’ts ...........................12 5.2 What follows? Points for further discussion ............................................................13
Part A: ANNEXES .............................................................................................................15
Annex 1 Agenda to the meeting ...........................................................................................16
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1 Aims and objectives of the Peer Learning Activity
This peer learning activity (PLA) was dedicated to the topic of ‘Developing support
tools and services for learner mobility in VET’. The PLA took the opportunity to reflect
on the experience gained with tools and services developed in the framework of the
ECVET and Europass initiatives, in particular on the opportunity for a coordinated
framework, which would support thorough preparation, structured implementation and
appropriate follow-up to assure both the quality and impact of the mobility experience.
The ECVET Learning Agreement and Memorandum of Understanding are already
broadly recognised as effective tools for supporting the preparation and
implementation of VET mobility, and Europass Mobility is already widely used to
document the results of all such experiences. The objective of the PLA was to discuss
technical issues of the option of joining forces for improving tools supporting mobility
to provide better mobility experiences to VET learners.
With the December 2016 launch of the ‘Investing in Europe’s Youth’ initiative, the topic
of learner mobility was given a central position on the VET policy agenda. As part of
this initiative, the Commission is planning to launch several activities, including the
proposal on ‘ErasmusPRO’, a quality framework for apprenticeships, apprenticeship
support services, and a proposal for tracking (VET) graduates. The key purpose of
ErasmusPRO is to increase the number of long-duration mobility (6 to 12 months) of
VET learners/apprentices in work placements abroad (target 50,000 new mobility
opportunities under Erasmus+ VET KA1, i.e. in addition to the existing Erasmus+
target figures). This increase in long-term mobility of VET learners shall be achieved,
amongst others, through improved E+ support/incentives and a dedicated budget and
through improved support structures for mobility preparation, implementation and
follow-up (through KA2).
In the host country Cyprus, ECVET is considered as one of the most valuable
European initiatives in the area of education and training – and an important
contribution to enhancing mobility across different VET programmes and levels. The
Cypriot Ministry is currently in the process of revising curricula for secondary technical
qualifications, based on ECVET units of learning outcomes. The ‘unitisation’ of
programmes at technical schools aims to provide individuals in second-chance VET
programmes with the opportunity to work and learn and the same time (part-time
programmes). Furthermore, Cyprus is working on improving the permeability between
its apprenticeship system and VET technical schools, allowing graduates to complete
secondary VET schools in one or two years instead of four or five years.
Participants of the PLA
The PLA was attended by 34 representatives from 11 countries: AT, BE-fr, DE, FI, FR, HU, IT, PT, NL, NO, and the host country Cyprus.
Participants included representatives of VET providers, National Agencies, National Europass Centres, social partners (Business Europe and ETUC), Cedefop, the ECVET Secretariat and the European Commission (DG EAC and DG EMPL).
Please note: The presentations given at the meeting were uploaded to the ECVET Secretariat website and are accessible here.
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2 European policies and tools to support VET learner mobility
2.1 Policies and concepts1
Learning mobility – defined as temporarily limited stays abroad consciously organised
for pedagogical purposes – has been an important topic in the European Union since
the beginning, expressed both in terms of policy initiatives for improving framework
conditions and programmes/initiatives which provide grant-aid to activities. In fact,
learning mobility was inscribed in the Treaty of Rome from 1957 (Art. 51) and the first
programme – the Young Workers’ Exchange Programme – became operational
already in 1964. The main objective of this programme was formulated in terms of
increased labour market mobility, i.e. enabling and encouraging ‘young workers’ to
pursue employment and career across borders in Europe. The first initiative to
promote learning mobility in a formal VET- context, however, was launched nearly 30
years after with the Petra II programme in 1993. This programme was subsequently
subsumed under what is now the Erasmus+ programme, but since then, the learning
objectives pursued by the activities have broadened considerably:
‘Learning mobility is an important way in which young people can strengthen their
future employability and acquire new professional competences, while enhancing
their development as active citizens. It helps them to access new knowledge and
develop new linguistic and intercultural competences. Europeans who are mobile as
young learners are more likely to be mobile as workers later in life. (…).Learning
mobility has also played an important role in making education and training systems
and institutions more open, more European and international, more accessible and
more efficient.’2
In its function as a credit transfer system for learning mobility, ECVET suggests tools
that were designed to support and promote validation and recognition of learning
mobility (Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Learning Agreement (LA), and
Personal Transcript). These documents are not new though. They have existed at
European level before the ECVET-launch and have been used for learning mobility
activities, albeit under different names; e.g. the Letter of Intent required for Leonardo
da Vinci-funded mobility (for the Memorandum of Understanding), the Learning Plan
from the 2006 European Quality Charter for Mobility3 (for the Learning Agreement)
and Europass (for the Personal Transcript, to document the outcomes of Learner
Mobility).
What is new in ECVET is the requirement to present learning objectives and outcomes
in terms of units of learning outcomes referring to the knowledge, skills and
competences contained in them to create a ‘mutual language’ to communicate
effectively about learning and qualifications in Europe. What is also new in ECVET is
the ambition to develop a coherent set of documents and procedures at European
level that can act as a common quality assurance method for ensuring learning and
recognition in transnational mobility projects.
1 This section is based on the background paper prepared as a technical input for this PLA by Dr. Søren Kristensen, member of the network of experts of the ECVET Secretariat. 2 European Commission: ‘Youth on the Move’ (Luxembourg, Publications Office of the European Union, 2010, p. 10). 3 http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=URISERV:c11085
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2.2 Tools and services currently used
VET-mobility practice shows that a broad range of tools and services is currently in
use. A pre-event survey among the participants to the PLA confirmed the importance
of the Memorandum of Understanding and the Learning Agreement, and that they are
used in mobility circles. There is no ‘European’ template for the Personal Transcript.
Europass Mobility, though, seems very popular as Personal Transcript. Those who
use it appreciate that Europass is a standardised instrument which is very well-known
across Europe, and easy to use.
Yet, as Europass does not belong to the ‘family’ of ECVET related documents, there
is currently no coherent set of documents to support the entire mobility experience
(before, during, and after mobility). Some respondents to the survey mentioned that
they developed their own instruments, which cover all stages of the process
Before the PLA, through the pre-event survey, participants expressed their potential
support for a one-stop shop service platform for VET mobility; potential benefits they
saw was greater coherence and connectivity between the different tools and services,
opportunities to share data, chances for more effective marketing across Europe
which would result in improved awareness for the tools and services, and for mobility
as such.
Yet, in the pre-event survey, participants also flagged up caveats for such a single
platform. A potentially high level of complexity, a need for flexibility to accommodate
different contexts, a need to develop a common language and terminology and the
demand for support from the political level were mentioned as challenges.4
The PLA offered an opportunity to explore these questions in more depth. More
specifically, the discussions focused on the following three questions:
■ What kinds of mobility support tools and services are currently in use?
■ How efficient and effective are the mobility support tools and services currently in
use? What works well, what works not so well?
■ What is needed to further improve the efficiency and effectiveness of mobility
support tools and services, in view of maximising the benefits of mobility
experiences for the learner?
3 Experiences with current mobility support tools and services During the PLA, several delegates presented the tools and services they are using.
In most cases, the tools and services were tailor-made to a certain project- or country
context.5 The matrix shown in table 3.1 below gives an overview on the context, the
key features, the success factors and challenges of the tools and services presented.
4 Cf. to a more detailed analysis of the responses provided in the background paper prepared as a technical input for this PLA by Paul Guest, member of the network of experts of the ECVET Secretariat. 5 The presentations to were uploaded to the ECVET Secretariat website
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Table 3.1 Success factors and challenges of mobility support tools and services
Project/organisation presenting the tool
Type of tool(s) offered Success factors Challenges
NETINVET is a mobility network, consisting of schools, VET centres, and companies, which was established in 2011 (as a follow-up activity to the ECVET pilot project RECOMFOR). The network covers two different sectors: international trade and wholesale and transport & logistics. NETINVET and has more than 75 members in 10 countries. NETINVET’s mission is to provide learners with recognised mobility opportunities during their vocational training pathway. In 2016, more than 600 mobility projects were carried out through the network.
■ Quality charters: network members must comply with quality charters, which set conditions for the work placement and the before-during-after process
■ ‘Shared references’ which can be considered as a ‘common body’ of learning outcomes related to a qualification, which is applicable across countries.
■ Eligibility criteria, which are to be met by institutions that want to join the network. These refer to their capacity to provide training that corresponds to the ‘shared references’.
■ Common professional profiles for the two sectors covered.
■ Templates for LA, MoU and PT ■ Online platform with interactive tools
(launch scheduled for March 2017).
■ The network and the tools succeed in enabling recognised mobility in International Trade and Transport & Logistics
■ The network developed continuously over six years, to become stable and attractive and establish mutual trust between members
■ The network succeeded in extending its activities and expand (number of members, geographical expansion, and inclusion of other EQF levels).
■ The draft MoU developed by the network has only ‘virtual value’ unless it is officially signed by the central competent authorities.
■ Further support to members is needed – in particular time-saving tools to facilitate the organisation of VET mobility for teachers/trainers, taking into account the fact that teachers/trainers often have very limited time available to organise VET mobility.
The German National Agency Erasmus+ and the National ECVET Experts Team provide a number of tools to support VET mobility.
■ Self-assessment instrument for VET providers to assess the quality of mobilities
■ Collection of units of LO ■ ECVET roadmap ■ ECVET quality label ■ Two short video tutorials ■ Guideline for describing LO ■ Guideline for the assessment of LO
New/soon to be launched: three training units for an active involvement of mobile learners, focusing on the following aspects: (1) Steps for describing comprehensive
Expected benefits of more active involvement of learners:
■ Learners are expected to gain a fundamental understanding of their desired LOs, and to be motivated to use the learning process for achieving the LOs.
■ Learners are expected to be better prepared for unexpected developments during their stay abroad, and to feel more responsible for their achievements.
Expected challenges of more active involvement of learners:
■ Will learners be able to cope with (unexpected) developments during their placements abroad?
■ Will teachers and trainers have enough time to do the preparatory work?
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Project/organisation presenting the tool
Type of tool(s) offered Success factors Challenges
learning outcomes (2) How to involve mobile learners in preparing a Learning Agreement (3) How learners can support the documentation of learning outcomes in Europass Mobility?
■ Learners are expected to develop the capacity to prepare and support the documentation of achieved learning outcomes.
Scuola Centrale Formazione (Italy) is a national association of training institutions and organisations, which provides support in management and project development of mobility initiatives. They have supported 2000 mobility projects (of both VET learners and staff). In 2013, they started to work with ECVET principles as part of the GORES mobility experience. They have also been holders of the Erasmus+ VET Mobility Charter since last year.
SCF applies the following tools for the implementation of mobility projects: MoU, LA, company letter (to define achievable learning outcomes), assessment model, self-assessment model, mobility diary, and guidelines for VET centres.
The application of the methodological framework of ECVET helps to improve the quality of transnational mobility projects.
Adapting the model to fit mobility projects of various durations is challenging.
The Hungarian National Agency Erasmus+ provides support to ECVET experts since 2012
The NA offers tailored training for mobility project promoters on ■ how to use the European LA/MoU
templates ■ how to develop their own LA/MoU ■ how to use Europass
The NA also organises tripartite PLAs (schools, companies, VET centres) to explain the concept of learning outcomes to all parties involved.
The training is important to enhance applicants’ chances to receive funding
Companies don’t grasp the concept of learning outcomes easily, a tailored approach is needed.
The Europass Centre in Belgium-fr supports organisations and individuals regarding all questions related to Europass.
■ Electronic platform ■ New Europass mobility template ■ Europass medal
In Belgium, the use of LA and Europass mobility is mandatory. Assessment is done using an evaluation grid.
Mobility promoters often have questions related to transversal competences acquired during mobility. How should these be recorded?
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Project/organisation presenting the tool
Type of tool(s) offered Success factors Challenges
At Kainuu Vocational College (Finland), more than 100 VET learners complete transnational mobility projects each year. Since 2016, they have been using its ‘WILMA’ student management programme to create MoU and LA online.
The WILMA platform is used for transnational mobility as well as for domestic training placements. Learners can make applications online through the system.
WILMA allows to search for open placements, by country, based on a register that includes more than 2000 institutions. Both MoU and LA can be prepared online, using the system. When completing the online LA, leaner and the responsible teacher specify the leaners’ current skills and the learning outcomes to be achieved during mobility, but also practical information related to health & safety, dietary requirements or insurance protection.
■ The LA clearly sets out the learning outcomes to be achieved by the learner.
■ This system has already been used for domestic placements, teachers are thus already familiar with it.
■ The data interface is in Finnish (because it is also used for domestic placements), but allows for documents to be printed in English.
■ The online completion of the documents helps to save time, and also to safeguard the information.
■ Not all teachers are familiar with computers.
■ Teachers sometimes feel that the topic of international mobility is not their concern.
■ Definition of the learning outcomes to be achieved during mobility.
The project THEME (Transfer of ECVET instruments into the fields of Trade, Hospitality, Electronics/Electrical Engineering and Mechatronics) was led by the EU-office of the regional government Northrhine-Westphalia (Germany). The project partners developed the THEME Smart Mobility Tool, a database which combines ECVET instruments, assessment tools and competence matrices.
The database can be accessed by learners, teachers and companies, specifying their particular access rights to the database.
The THEME database comprises the following tools:
■ Competence Matrices in the fields of trade, hospitality, electronics/electrical engineering and mechatronics with learning outcome description as a basis for the completion of the LA.
■ The database generates all ECVET and assessment documents: MoU, LA, Europass Mobility.
■ Instruments to assess work-related competences, social, personal and language competences as requirements for validation and recognition
■ The database can be extended to other sectors.
■ Great acceptance of competence matrices by practitioners (trainers) as a basis to define learning outcomes and tasks for internships.
■ Positive feedback from teachers who use the database for their mobility management.
■ Positive feedback from VET learners, especially concerning the self-assessment tools.
■ ECVET seems to act as a quality assurance instrument
■ For a broader use (beyond the fields currently covered), new competence matrices would be required.
■ Competences are especially suitable for long-term mobilities (possibility to achieve the learning outcomes related to one entire step of competence development) but less practical for short-term mobility.
■ Better connection with online tools in Erasmus+ mobility projects would be helpful.
■ Changes to ECVET documents and extension of the database require financial resources.
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Experiences with Learner Mobility at Intercollege, Nicosia (Cyprus)
The PLA included a site visit to Intercollege
in Nicosia. Intercollege is one of Cyprus’
largest VET providers, extending across
three separate campuses (Nicosia, Larnaca
and Limassol), providing tertiary-level
vocational education and training
programmes (Level 5 in the Cyprus NQF).
Intercollege offers its staff and students the opportunity to go abroad for a mobility experience
within the Erasmus+ programme. While initially there was limited activity, interest has now
increased to the point of establishing a formal selection process for staff and student mobility
participants. In the period 2012-2016, per year, 9-12 Intercollege students took part in a VET
mobility experience, going on a placement abroad. Mobility was offered in a broad range of
subject areas: culinary arts, aesthetics and beauty therapy, office administration, oil and gas.
In terms of host countries, successes were confirmed with host companies and institutions
in Greece and Spain, with partnerships also formed with a Business Incubation Centre in the
Netherlands, the latter providing for short entrepreneurship training programmes for
Intercollege students. More recently,
building on the delivery of numerous
successful mobility programmes,
Intercollege was successful in securing
the VET Mobility Charter.
Students from Intercollege undertake
placements predominantly in the
summer period, with academic
programmes taking place in the rest of
the year. Placement periods can be
either both short (two weeks) or medium
(four months) in duration.
According to staff members, the whole process of organising a mobility experience is fairly
complex with a need to meet the needs of many different user and beneficiary groups - for
example, convincing students to go; convincing staff to get involved and support learner
participation; convincing employers to get involved and provide placements. Students
returning from a mobility experience play an important part in promoting learner participation,
acting as mobility ambassadors. Regarding employers, intermediary organisations can play
an important part in promoting a ‘mobility culture’.
Learners are closely involved in the preparation, which is a three-party process, involving
the sending institution (Intercollege Erasmus+ office plus individual teaching staff), the
placement host (often the employer) and the learner. In some cases, teaching staff or
learning coordinators, from Intercollege, will also visit the student during their placement to
review progress and achievement. Students who go on short-term placement receive a
Europass Mobility Certificate, students on medium term placements receive a Certificate of
Participation from the employer.
In ensuing discussions, the PLA participants further reflected on the tools and services
currently in use, and on future needs. The following arguments were brought forward
to complement and/or emphasise the experiences of the presenters:
■ VET learner mobility across Europe works quite well already. Several European
tools were developed and are used, to a large extent, there is a common language
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and understanding. Mobility in the context of Erasmus+ is monitored, assessed
and quite often recognised as a part of a learner’s pathway. Hence, European
collaboration related to VET learner mobility is quite well-developed. However,
there is certainly also room for improvement in certain areas, especially
digitalisation, modernisation and accessibility.
■ All info should be digital, and easily accessible for all parties involved, especially
the learner. Ultimately, learners should be able to pull together their digital skills
portfolio.
■ ECVET is overall useful to quality assure VET learner mobility. However, tools and
templates are not sufficient: more is needed to quality assurance VET learner
mobility.
■ Companies tend to accept the Learning Agreement as the learning outcomes
approach is usually well-accepted provided it can be translated to concrete work
tasks that can be agreed for the mobility phase.
■ For VET providers, there would be merit in merging LA and Europass and having
a one-stop shop. If information would be stored digitally, it could be carried forward
more easily throughout the entire process and the related documentation.
Elaborate digital platforms are however only worthwhile to develop for providers
dealing with large numbers of mobile learners.
■ Regardless of what types of tools are used, economy of scale can be observed:
the bigger the numbers of learners going on mobility, the lower the bureaucracy.
■ Mobility providers should continue sharing their experiences. Yet, sharing empty
templates is not sufficient - questions often occur only while filling in the forms and
templates.
■ In countries that do not have a tradition of employer engagement in VET,
companies tend to be less clear about the value of taking on learners for a short
placement. Employer representatives like chambers and sectoral organisations
have an important role to play in raising awareness.
■ Companies often complain about excessive bureaucracy – the paperwork related
to mobility needs to be light touch. ■ Mobility in the framework of apprenticeships needs specific attention. Companies
may object to mobility, especially if it is long-term as they cannot miss the apprentices (who are employees). Moreover, specific quality criteria need to be developed for long-term placements (e.g. in the framework of ErasmusPRO).
Panel discussion with Dik Van der Wal (Europass Centre NL), Mika Saarinen (National Agency FI), Enrico Bressan (Eurochambers), Agnes Roman (ETUC) and Helene Hamers (Cedefop)
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4 Benefits and constraints of current tools and services Discussions then moved on to benefits and constraints of current tools and templates.
What works well, and what does not work so well, what is missing? The table below
(table 4.1) gives an overview on the benefits and constraints discussed, in relation to
each of the key tools used in ECVET mobility.
Table 4.1 Benefits and constraints of the key tools used in ECVET mobility
Benefits Constraints
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
+ Important in the context of quality assurance
- Need for competent authorities to sign
+ Ensures a well-documented process - Not required and not commonly used in Erasmus+
+ Helps to clarify roles
+ Helps to formalise commitment
Learning Agreement (LA)
+ Constitutes a multi-party commitment (learner, sending and hosting organisation)
- Limited learner involvement observed
+ Can be individualised for each learner/mobility case
- Great variety in practice of completion (guidelines needed)
+ Supports tracking and follow-up - Need to be realistic in relation to what LO’s are actually possible to achieve at the placement (need to adapt LO targets)
+ Creates transparency and learner reassurance
- Can be time consuming to fill in, hence needs simplification
+ Can include aspects of workplace security/insurance, hence protects all parties
- Assessment and documentation not always obvious or specified in the LA
Personal Transcript (PT)
+ Can record achieved LOs and more - Lack of connectivity with other tools (no data transfer possible)
+ Has an empowering character as it shows the learner what s/he has achieved in view of their employability
- Needs to be simpler (open text boxes may be a deterrent)
+ There is increasing awareness that Europass Mobility can be utilised as PT, as no ECVET template has been developed
- No single identity: many varieties of a PT are currently in use
The main points raised can be summarised as follows:
■ Awareness: All three instruments have achieved a high level of awareness
among VET providers and mobility promoters and are broadly used. ■ Quality: All instruments have an important role to play as part of the quality
assurance process related to VET learner mobility. ■ Range: There is currently a broad variety of MoU, LA, and PT in use, all of them
tailored to a specific context, hence with a limited range.
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■ Accessibility: In many cases, accessibility of the instruments could be improved
by integrating them into a digital platform. ■ Connectivity: There is lack of connectivity between the instruments used before,
during and after mobility, which hampers data transfer and coherence.
■ Simplicity: Tools should be user-friendly, hence easy and quick to fill in. For
instance, information could be carried forward throughout the different phases of
mobility to enable companies to tick boxes rather than having to write long text in
open text boxes.
Interestingly, no differences were observed in relation to the main target groups of
tools and services (learners, sending and hosting institution); the benefits and
constraints apply to all of them in equal measure. Yet, companies – as sending or
hosting institution – need special attention as they are expected to have particularly
high demands in in terms of simplicity and user-friendliness.
5 Building on the benefits, addressing the challenges
5.1 Developing mobility support tools and services: Do’s and don’ts
During the last part of the PLA, participants discussed how to move forward. Concrete
ideas in relation to greater range, connectivity, simplicity and accessibility of tools and
services included the following:
■ Tools should link between the Erasmus+ programme and the concrete mobility
experience: this is already possible, but there is the issue of ‘branding’: Too many
different labels are being used, this adds to confusion. As one participant stated:
‘You have to address a company, explaining that you plan to organise a work
placement using Erasmus+ funding, using Europass Mobility and describing the
units of learning-outcomes-based on ECVET principles.’
■ Tools should serve administrative as well as pedagogical purposes: E.g. the same
tool could allow learners to apply for mobility, indicate their interests, suggest LO
to be achieved, agree on LO with the teacher/trainer.
■ A database of learning outcomes related to qualifications would support tools, e.g.
for presenting the host organisation with a ‘requested’ set of learning outcomes to
be achieved during mobility. However, there are concerns about the feasibility of
European-level databases with standardised learning outcomes descriptions (e.g.
how and by whom would they be developed and updated).
■ Tools should be a combination of software tools + mobile apps with the following
technical features:
– Allow storage and transfer of data throughout the process;
– Allow to easily agree on learning outcomes for mobility related to a
qualification/professional profile, which are feasible to be achieved within the
host institution;
– Allow to automatically generate Learning Agreements through an online
system;
– Allows for continuous monitoring of the learners’ progress throughout the
process, and for regular dialogue between the sending and host institutions;
– Allow for shared assessment (between the host/company and the sending
institution, and involving the learner), possibly in connection with a Skype
interview;
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– Allow for the documentation of the learning outcomes achieved, including ‘un-
planned’ learning outcomes, even if they cannot be recognised.
■ Learners, host and sending institution should have access to the system
throughout the entire process.
■ At the end of the process, the learner should receive an easy-to-use one-page
document providing evidence of the learning outcomes gained during mobility, for
use in applications to jobs or learning programmes;
■ This one-pager should be easily understood by firms, for instance LO descriptions
should be based on work tasks.
■ Such system should be the backbone of VET mobility, ensuring that information
can be transferred from stage to stage, and that outcomes are recorded.
5.2 What follows? Points for further discussion
The following key points for further discussion can be summarised:
■ If MoUs and LAs did not exist, they would need to be invented. The ECVET
mobility tools can be considered as a logical extension of the mobility process and
will continue to play a pivotal role, in whatever form. Any further discussion should
be about improving and/or harmonising them; removing them is out of the
question. ■ There is support for a common approach at EU level, while leaving room for
differences. A common set of tools has many advantages, e.g. it would clear
confusion and entail better options for promotion to stakeholders. Yet there should
be room for flexibility (e.g. adaptation to national and local needs). It is possible
(although not necessarily the preferred option) that different groups of countries
progress at different speeds. ■ European tools must be broadly accessible and ready to use in various
contexts. Many current initiatives are more or less ‘gated communities’, designed
for specific contexts and with restricted accessibility. Any possible European initiative in this context must go beyond that.
■ Use existing platforms and tools as an inspiration and link with them: In
many countries, platforms and tools are already in place. Also in higher education,
many different tools and solutions for learner mobility exist. They could be
investigated and analysed as a source for inspiration. Moreover, interfaces to
Discussing benefits and constraints: Enrico Bressan and Karin Luomi-Messerer
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other systems (student databases, etc.) must be taken into consideration from the
beginning. ■ Enterprises are key. 75% of VET mobility carried out in Erasmus+ have
enterprises as hosting institutions. Enterprises are the key element in VET
mobility. Enterprises demand flexibility: in particular for short-term mobility it is
difficult to for them to accommodate very specific demands in terms of LO to be
achieved. Enterprises also demand simplicity: information needs to be presented
in a simple and condensed form. ■ Ambitions must go beyond Erasmus+. The use of ECVET for VET learner
mobility still seems to be confined to E+ funded mobility. Tools should be
conceived to cater for other mobility opportunities too. ■ ErasmusPRO is a game changer. ErasmusPRO is the first activity that
specifically targets long-term VET learner mobility. In that context, recognition at
home of learning goutcomes acquired abroad will gain higher importance. While
learners can catch up easily on learning outcomes they missed at home during a
short-term mobility of 2-4 weeks, this will not be possible for a mobility experience
of 6-12 months.
DG EMPL confirmed the importance of using national or project-level mobility tools
as a source of inspiration, pointing out that Europass had been developed 15 years
ago in a similar manner.
The guiding principle for any further activity
should be that transnational mobility for
learners should be just as simple to achieve
and implement as a traineeship in their own
country. It is important to keep in mind that the
key objective of all these efforts is to help
learners acquire the knowledge, skills and
competences they need as citizens and
workers.
It is too early to be specific about the
measure(s) that will be taken at EU level in
this particular context. As an immediate next
step, DG EMPL suggested to discuss possible
action to be taken at European level with a small follow-up group, with only a handful
of participants, to develop and form a clearer picture about the action to be taken, in
particular as concerns which services are better provided at EU level and which at
national level. Depending on the outcomes of this discussion, this could then lead to
a technical working group with the mandate to develop a European platform for
mobility support.
Guiding principle for further
work on VET learner mobility
support tools and services:
Sending a learner on a
transnational mobility should be
just as simple as sending a
learner on a work placement or
traineeship in their own country.
Indeed, the same tool could be
used in both cases;
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Part A: ANNEXES
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Annex 1 Agenda to the meeting
Peer Learning Activity: Developing mobility support tools and services
9 - 10 March 2017, Larnaca (Cyprus), Golden Tulip Golden Bay Beach Hotel
Time Agenda Item
Day 1: 9 March 2017
8:30 - 9.00 Welcome Coffee and Registration
9:00 – 9.10 Welcome address
European Commission
9.10 – 9.20 Welcome address
Dr Elias Markadjis, Director of Secondary Technical and Vocational Education, Ministry of Education and Culture, Cyprus
9.20 – 9.30 Introduction to the Agenda
Anette Curth, ECVET Secretariat
9.30 – 9.40 Erasmus pro: Supporting long-duration VET/apprenticeship mobility
European Commission
9.40 – 9.55 Key note speech: Learner mobility in VET: Policy and tools
Søren Kristensen, ECVET Secretariat
9.55 – 10.10 Introduction to the topic: ECVET and Europass: Tools and services to support mobility
Paul Guest, ECVET Secretariat
10.10 – 10.40 Supporting learner mobility in VET: Insights and experiences, part 1
Presentations of practice examples
Sarah Köneke, AFT - Transport and Logistics Research Department, FR/BE-fr
Kathrin Bittner-Szaukellis, College for Further Education and European school, DE
Lidia Ruffa, Scuola Centrale Formazione, IT
10.40 – 11.00 Coffee Break
11.00 – 11.30 Supporting learner mobility in VET: Insights and experiences, part 2
Presentation of practice examples
Julianna Lukács, Tempus Public Foundation, HU
Patrick Meuwissen, Europass Centre, BE-fr
11.30 – 12.30 Discussion: Towards a simplification and modernisation of ECVET tools and instruments for learner mobility – What is needed?
Discussants:
Enrico Bressan, Business Europe
Hélène Hamers, Cedefop
Dik van der Wal, National Europass Centre Netherlands
Agnes Roman, ETUC
Mika Saarinen, Finnish National Agency for Education, FI
Facilitated by ECVET Secretariat, Karin Luomi-Messerer
17
Time Agenda Item
12.30 – 13.30 Lunch
13.30 – 14.30 Transfer to Intercollege, Nicosia
14.30 – 14.45 Welcome at Intercollege
14.45 – 15.15 Experiences with learner mobility at Intercollege
Dr Stelios Mavromoustakos, Executive Director, Intercollege
15.15 – 16.00 Mobility support tools and services: What is needed?
Discussion with representatives of Intercollege (teachers, students, management)
Facilitated by Dr Stelios Mavromoustakos, Executive Director, Intercollege
16.00 – 16.30 Coffee Break
16.30 – 18.00 Discussions in working groups (held at Intercollege)
Ensuring quality in VET-learner mobility – before-during-after: What are the benefits and constraints with current tools and templates?
Two parallel working groups, facilitated by ECVET Secretariat
18.00 – 18.30 Transfer to Nicosia
As of 18.30 Social programme and evening dinner in Nicosia
21.30 – 22.30 Transfer to back to Larnaca, Golden Tulip Golden Bay Beach Hotel
Day 2: 10 March 2017
9:00 – 9.30 Welcome Coffee and Registration
9.30 - 9.35 Presentation of the programme of Day 2
ECVET Secretariat
9.35 – 10.00 Supporting learner mobility in VET: Insights and experiences, part 3
Presentations of practice examples
Risto Virkkunen, Kainuu Vocational College, FI
Dr Folene Nannen-Gethmann, Regional Government North-Rhine Westphalia, DE
10.00-10.15 Summary from Day 1
Paul Guest, ECVET Secretariat
10.15 – 11.15 Discussions in working groups
Tools and templates for VET learner mobility: Building on the benefits, addressing the challenges
Two parallel working groups, facilitated by ECVET Secretariat
11.15 – 11.30 Coffee Break
11.30 – 11.45 Reporting back from workshops
ECVET Secretariat
11.45 – 12.05 Final Discussion: Next steps and required action
Facilitated by ECVET Secretariat, Karin Luomi-Messerer
12.05 – 12.20 Key observations and learning points from the meeting
Søren Kristensen, ECVET Secretariat
18
Time Agenda Item
12.20 – 12.30 Closing remarks
European Commission
12.30 – 13.30 Lunch
As of 13.30 Departure of participants
