On September 26, 2013, all partners of the Leonardo da Vinci project “Common Quality Assurance Framework-VET, a provider online model” (CQAF-VET online) attended the Conference that puts the finishing touch to a of long-way project. Based on a previous project which also counted with support of DOCUMENTA, CQAF-VET online has been developed as a self-evaluation tool for vocational training and training centers based on a common framework of Quality Assurance aimed at operating in the European level. The model also provides support to ensure the quality of the training programmes in Vocational training and Adult education by addressing the strategic aspects pointed out by the experts of the sector in each country (Contents of the training and learning, management of the organization, the learners, etc.). In this way the model can be a support in jointly working on the continuous improvement of education.
The event was held at the Aros Conference Centre in Västerås (Sweden), and counted with the participation of experts in Vocational Training and Lifelong Learning at European level, as well as authorities in the areas of Education and Culture from the European Commission and the Swedish National Agency for Higher Vocational education.
The Conference was organized by the project coordinator, Folkuniversitetet Upsala. Ali Rashidi, Director of the Department of International cooperation led the ceremony, which was opened by the Director General of the National Swedish Agency, Johan Blom; and the speech of welcome by the Swedish National Board of Universities and Higher education.
Then, the event hosted two lectures by Kjell Gyllensward, of the Agency’s educational inspection of Sweden (QANRP) and Staffan Bolin, Senior Adviser of the Swedish National Agency for HVE. In Sweden, the link between the needs of the labour market and curricula development are of great importance. One of the fundamental tasks of the innovative-VET framework was the adaptation of this model to the European framework and the educational systems of each country. Kim Farschou, EQAVET expert with extensive experience working for the European Commission and CEDEFOP pointed out in his speech that “the quality of the training must be a way of thinking, an attitude or philosophy,”and the need to implement in a practical and systematic way quality control models from measurable indicators.
Arturo Campanella, from the Italian Ministry of Education, addressed the challenges on the the introduction of s quality systems at the provider level. Then, Ali Rashidi reviewed the work process in CQAF-VET online, highlighting its main results.
During the afternoon parallel workshops were developed which were moderated by some of the lecturers. The results of each workshop were presented by each moderator at a subsequent round table.
Presentation of the CQAF-VET online tool
After closing the conference, project partners shared with the public its main outcome: the assessment online tool, which now is available free of charge to educational institutes in the different partner countries. The tool consists of three series of questions (max 40 questions each): one series regarding Content and Learning, one regarding the Organization and one regarding the Learner. While answering the user will be asked for each question to consider also whether one is able to give proof. Feedback is presented in the form of spider web diagrams. These diagrams indicate the level of quality assurance for each of the indicators as well as the room for further improvement.
