Live & learn
Description
News, views and initiatives from across the ETF communityIssue 9, April 2008
Vocational training
Activities of the institutions and bodies
Target audience: Education
Vocational training
Activities of the institutions and bodies
Target audience: Education
Sujets
Informations
| Publié par | ETF-EUROPEAN-TRAINING-FOUNDATION |
| Nombre de lectures | 34 |
| Langue | English |
| Poids de l'ouvrage | 1 Mo |
Extrait
NEWS, VIEWS AND INITIATIVES FROM ACROSS THE ETF COMMUNITY
EU Science Commissioner: Good education key to innovation
Moving calls for mutual benefit Egypt Special: A woman with manpower ETF bent on fighting corruption
2Live&Learn
Letter from the editor LEARNING TO INNOVATE
Innovation and learning are two essential elements of successful education reform strategies. Innovation and learning combine to create a virtuous cycle in which increased knowledge and understanding creates insights for how learning can be applied in new ways. At the same time, applying knowledge in new ways creates new knowledge.
The ability to develop and apply new knowledge is critical to the contemporary economy. It is an outcome of improvements in human capital. The more human capital that an economy can draw on, the more likely it is that it can
CONTENTS
adapt to and take advantage of the opportunities available in the global economy. Making use of human capital means an effective relationship between education on the one hand and the economy on the other. How the economy and the education sector can relate is at the heart of many current policy discussions. The skills and competencies that individuals need to be effective in labour are changing. In many cases, the specific skills are hard to predict. Education communities interested in providing the skills that are useful for individuals in the
04 Science is a great communication tool and can be more effective than politics
Cover Photo: European Commissioner for Science and Research, Janez Potočnik.
06 Small loans to farmers
economy are finding it harder to identify the competencies people need. Similarly, economic sectors themselves are finding it difficult to identify the skills required and, in many cases, even the occupations that are expected to be in demand. The skill sets and occupations that were the hallmark of the industrial economy are a diminishing element in the relationship between education and the economy. In the absence of predictability, the need is for skills that people can use in many different contexts and build on over time – skills that enable people to both specialise and broaden their capabilities.
08 Moving calls for mutual benefit
12 A woman with “Manpower”
THE ETF HELPS TRANSITION AND DEVELOPING COUNTRIES TO HARNESS THE POTENTIAL OF THEIR HUMAN RESOURCES THROUGH THE REFORM OF EDUCATION, TRAINING AND LABOUR MARKET SYSTEMS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE EU’S EXTERNAL RELATIONS POLICY.
www.etf.europa.eu
Please recycle this magazine when you finish with it.
This need is increasingly being addressed by a stronger emphasis on entrepreneurial related skill sets that are based on the ability of individuals to adapt to different contexts and to learn to learn. These capabilities provide individuals with very strong foundations for meeting the requirements of ongoing learning. Similarly just as there are new skill needs there are new requirements for how these skills can be developed by individuals and provided by educational institutions. Modernising education and training systems is about solving this problem. In response education and training
15 Egyptian Observatory steps into adulthood
systems are increasingly moving towards the use of frameworks. These frameworks aim to discover different ways for people – whatever their age or circumstances – to achieve their economic, social and personal potential through participation in learning. They provide tools that can be used by providers to innovate and develop new opportunities for learning. The frameworks offer possibilities for increasing the number of learning opportunities in an education system, developing new content suitable for the new economy and offering learning opportunities to broader groups of people. This includes exploring ways in which learning
16 Christmas shopping for reform ideas
17 A digital map of MEDA
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gained outside of education programmes can be recognised by the education sector, or how to make pathways in education so that people are able to build on what they have already achieved to access more learning.
One of the most interesting features of current reform strategies is seeing how frameworks lead to the design of diverse solutions in different contexts. This diversity among innovations creates increased opportunities for learning by providing many examples that can be shared between different systems. Muriel Dunbar, ETF Director
18 ETF bent on fighting corruption
CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE
20 Education is an essential tool in shaping the new South Africa
Fernando Heller Quinterio, ETF Nick Holdsworth, International Correspondents in Education Ard Jongsma, International Correspondents in Education
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Commissioner Potočnik demonstrates the link between science and music
“WE NEED TO PROMOTE CREATIVITY FROM THE EARLY STAGES OF LIFE“ SCIENCE CAN BE MORE EFFECTIVE THAN POLITICS European Commissioner Janez Potočnik on scientific cooperation and creativity
The EU Commissioner for Science and Research, Slovenian Janez Potočnik, began his career as an economist but very soon entered politics, one of his confessed “passions”. A member of Commission President José Manuel Barroso´s College of Commissioners since 2004, he underlines the EU´s political commitment to the partner countries and advocates an even stronger cooperation with them in the field of research. Live and Learn spoke to him about innovation and creativity and how these principles can benefit the EU´s future strategy.
In 2009, the “European Year on Creativity and Innovation through Education” the EU will create new , opportunities in the field of science and research for the partner
countries, with a special focus on the future Member States, Potočnik says.
“What we try to do in our research policy is to reinforce the European Research Area (ERA) and to strengthen cooperation across the borders of the existing Union. So we are also working with countries that have a European prospective (for example the Western Balkans and Turkey) and those that have a high research potential like Israel. The fact that some of the Western Balkans could become new members of the EU is an important factor, but not the only one in our strategy”.
Cooperation with the partner countries is “essential” for the
European Commission and Brussels “is preparing a new strategy for the future” with a brand new and flexible approach, taking into consideration “the new political reality in the EU”, he states.
Framework programme “Cooperation is essential. It is in the interest of the EU and the rest of the world that the scientific base in these countries improves. In our newFramework Programme(FP), the European Commission has substantially changed the approach to international cooperation: we would like very much to associate as many countries as possible to the FP. We now have 27 member and 11 associated states and we
have good examples of cooperation with Turkey or the Western Balkans. Bosnia and Herzegovina asked for associated membership and is a very good model too. What does it mean? It means that if youpay the feefor cooperation you also get the benefits from it. Theleitmotivfor cooperation is: equal rights and equal obligations. We are preparing a new international cooperation strategy with these countries. From the EU point of view there is a clear interest to step up the process.”
Considering the huge differences among these countries and between them and the EU, cooperation is not always easy. “We must find the right balance , ” Potočnik explains. “Very often we have an interest in cooperating but actually there is no possibility because of many existing problems on the ground. Even if we open up the EU programmes completely, they can not participate equally because of the different levels on both sides. We need to find a kind of approach through which we stimulate their research capacities. It means that the countries receiving EU support have to recognize capacity building in research as one of their priorities.”
Creativity But even if Potočnik describes himself as “a mild perfectionist” (“and a bit of aworkaholic”), he also likes to relax with,music, one of his hobbies: “Music and science are interrelated because they are the final result of creativity”, he says. “The concept of creativity is interesting because either you stimulate creativity from the very beginning, fromkindergartenuntil the end of your life, or you will kill it in a way. We need to promote creativity from the early stages of life. Science has always been related to culture and openness. We have seen in the past cases of
cooperation between countries that have been at war but scientific cooperation never stopped. This is so because science benefits everyone. Science has no frontiers; like music, and sometimes it is a great communication tool, even more effective than politics.” Education –the Commissioner says-is a “basic element” to foster creativity and innovation, because “without a good education, no achievement is possible”. “Education is the core of everything. You cannot do something you do not know and you can not innovate if you do not possess the right knowledge. If you asked a company today why they chose to invest in Europe, the USA or China their reply would probably depend on whether the knowledge they need exists there or not. The basis for everything is the right knowledge which you either possess or you don’t. That is why education is the basis of all the policies we have done so far in the EU.”
Brain drain In spite of the efforts being made by the EU, the number of European scientists that leave Europe to pursue their careers in the USA or Japan remains high. The question is: how can the EU stop this brain drain? “The first question we should try to answer is: do we think that we have in the EU enough knowledge capacities compared to the needs that we have? Well, I think here the answer will be no. But if you ask the Americans or the Japanese you will come to the same answer. Everybody is competing globally for the knowledge of their people. The EU is also involved in thatbattle for knowledge. It is a trend that is part of our life. If you look to the number of people that are educated in science, you will find that the figures globally
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are much higher in China than in Europe, that is true. China produces around 600.000 young scientists per year, India around 300.000 and Europe 100.000, but the trend in Europe is increasing. The increasing demand is based on the awareness of the importance of knowledge for the future of our life and also for the competitiveness of the EU markets.”
Fernando Heller Quinterio, ETF
JANEZ POTOČNIK: THE “HUMAN FACE” OF SCIENCE
Janez Potočnik (Slovenia, March 1958) is the expert putting a human face on science to make it more understandable for everyone. A quick look at his official webpage demonstrates his way of connecting with his audience. Texts like “A Stem Cell Story”, a short example of how science can fight diseases like diabetes are evidence of this. “I try to gather some fun ways to discover science…enjoy!”, he says. Potočnik, Slovenia’s former Minister for European Affairs, has a Ph.D. in Economics and headed the negotiating team for the Accession of his country to the EU between 1998 and 2004.
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“WE NEED TO EXPERTS“
CREATE
A
NEW
GENERATION OF
SMALL LOANS TO
Poverty Reduction in
KOCHKOR, KYRGYZSTAN – Bank manager Ulan Kydyraliev knows how to tackle rural poverty in this remote mountainous region four hours drive from Bishkek: give farmers small loans.
A key stakeholder in a pioneering ETF-backed poverty reduction scheme, Mr Kydyraliev, 44, understands that it is not as simple as merely throwing money at the problem.
His loans come with a catch – the farmers have to sign up to take short but intensive agricultural skills development courses that include drawing up business plans.
Taught through a novel outreach programme developed at a vocational education and training school, the five-month long courses are designed to equip small farmers to move beyond subsistence and into profit.
Teaching new veterinary techniques, optimum livestock feeding schedules, superior crop development or basic food processing and marketing techniques can bring swift and substantial benefits.
“The project helps these people improve their farming techniques and businesses,” Mr Kydyraliev, Kochor branch manager of state Ail Bank said.
Kyrgyzstan
FARMERS
“We now have very few good agricultural and veterinary specialists in this region – after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the ‘kholkoz’ collective farm system many of the best left,” he said. “We need to create a new generation of experts. We are pleased with the results – the farmers have increased their profits and we have had no defaults in repayments.”
Business plans
Providing credit lines to participants in the project – launched last year in a pilot involving 32 students divided
into two training groups involved in arable and livestock farming – is a safe bet, he admitted. The students were all farmers with some experience and a bank consultant helped them to create tailored business plans. The loans were small – a maximum of 20,000 Som (400 Euro) – and although no special terms were given, the 15% interest charged compares very favourably with rates of up to 32% charged by commercial banks for similar unsecured credit.
As a stakeholder in an 80,000 Euro project that involved a foreign donor, regional administration officials,
village government heads, adult learners and a key regional VET school, the bank role is probably the most traditional one. Not so that of Kochkor’s VET school No 15, lead institution for the project. Eduarda Castel Branco, the ETF’s Mozambique-born expert responsible for the three-country poverty reduction project – which has been running since early 2007 in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan – credits it with breaking the mould.
“VET schools have a very strange mission in post-Soviet countries,” Ms Castel Branco, a fluent Russian speaker, said. “They are more about social assistance than education. Passive, not participatory, their main function is to train young people according to state orders under outdated curricula with little or nothing for the wider population.”
Rural poverty
At a time when demand for skills-based, flexible market responsive training has probably never been greater in emerging economies such as Kyrgyzstan’s, VET schools are crying out to be used as open centres for learning. Addressing that challenge – as a way of tackling the wider issues of rural poverty – is a key component of the ETF project.
“Responding to local needs and local questions cannot be done without changes in the VET school approach too,” said Ms Castel Branco, whose work has involved her in education and training projects in countries as diverse as Russia, Jordan, Benin, Angola and Togo.
In this the ETF was fortunate in finding a VET school head with the experience, drive and attitude that was an exact fit.
Although Mr Tilemishov, 62, formally retired as head of school No. 15 last December (2007), he continues to lead the poverty reduction project. With 18 years experience as a school principal – and before that as boss of a local state freight truck repair and maintenance depot and a stint as a regional Communist party political instructor – Mr Tilemishov, who also farms a three hectare plot of land himself, brings a wealth of experience and local connections to the job.
“Until this project came along we did not think about what professional skills might be needed beyond the training we provided. We did not think about whether they would be in demand,” he admitted. All that changed when, with central government VET agency approval, school No. 15 began working with the ETF. A student-centred approach meant that Mr Tilemishov and his staff had to design the modular-based curriculum around the demands of the students, not the school. Group seminars So they took the lessons to the learners and provided largely practical training down on the farm for their busy students. Traditional ‘talk and chalk’ classes were ditched in favour of group seminars run as question-and-answer and discussion sessions. The learning curve was perhaps even steeper for the VET school teachers than for the small farmers. “We took advice from the student group and changed the study plan accordingly. That had never happened before,” Mr Tilemishov said. The course addressed crucial issues, such as how to swiftly run a blood test on an animal to determine its health, methods for growing top
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quality cereal crops, effective ways to fatten up livestock or produce rich, creamy milk.
The results are impressive. Average incomes have more than doubled to 70 Euro a month. A few dozen better educated farmers earning more money in a region with a population of 59,000 – nearly half of which are involved in agriculture – may not sound like much, but the Kochkor scheme can become an agent for change. Peer review seminars with the graduates of the Tajik and Kazakh projects and Kyrgyzstan’s still strong system of clan and village social assistance will help spread the new techniques. And a further 60 students will be trained this year. “We would like to see such training groups in every village, said Roza ” Adysheva, deputy head of the regional administration “This sort of training could be organised by our own government structures; if such an approach were applied across the country it would have a major impact on the Kyrgyz economy.” Nick Holdsworth, ICE
Ulan Kydyraliev, Kochor branch manager of state Ail Bank
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“MUCH MORE CAN BE DONE SKILLS“ MOVING CALLS F BENEFIT
Migration
as a
tool
ETF Migration project coordinator Natalia Popova
The potential of migrants is underused
for
TO
INCREASE
OR
development
MIGRANT
MUTUAL
The migration debate in the European Union tends to focus on security, culture, religion and integration. If education is taken into the equation at all, it is often limited to the need for equal access and opportunities for first and second generation migrant communities within the European Union. Very little is said or written about the role that education and training at home play in the decisions and performance of migrants and potential migrants. Equally little is known about how the skills of returning migrants are used in their home countries. These white spots in the migration debate lie perfectly within the remit of the work of the European Training Foundation. In the last two years it has therefore allocated increasing resources to contribute to this topical theme. In 2006, a chapter of the ETF Yearbook reviewed relevant literature. This was followed by a research project studying the relationship between human resources development and migration policies.
The project studied selected migration trends of four countries -Albania, Egypt, Moldova and Tunisia, concluding, in the words of its project coordinator Natalia Popova, “that although economic arguments remain the most important push factor, much more can be done to increase the benefit of migrants’ skills to their home countries.” Natalia Popova worked on the project with a large number of ETF staff, including Francesco Panzica, Jesús Alquezar Ummuhan Bardak, Elena Carrero Perez, ETF country manager for Egypt and other ETF country managers.
Mutual benefit
ETF work on migration passed another milestone when an
international conference discussed the results of this study in Turin in January 2008. The agenda of the conference was set to discuss the need to better harness the skills of migrants who return to their home countries. The interest in the subject was reflected by the high level of delegates at the conference which included Egypt’s Minister of Manpower Aisha Abdel Hadi whose ministry has intensified relations with the ETF on all fronts in 2007. She said that there was a need to “intensify the dialogue between sending and receiving countries, not just to curb migration, but also to find ways of achieving mutual benefit.” With that she moved the debate towards bilateral agreements between European countries and sending countries to steer migration into directions through which the highest level of mutual benefit can be achieved. Aisha Abdel Hadi quoted recent agreements between Egypt and Italy that can be used as a model for other countries to base negotiations on. Skills dynamics Extremely large youth cohorts have resulted in a surplus of labour in many countries in North Africa and the Middle East. At the same time, there is a significant labour shortage in many countries in Europe whose population is rapidly ageing. Controlled migration offers potential for mutual benefit, but political sensitivity surrounding the issue of migration still stifles constructive dialogue in this area. The skills shortage is also quite different in different EU countries. Some of the southern European countries face shortages in low-skill jobs as exemplified by Italy which in
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urgent need of qualified workers in building and manufacturing. In northern Europe, the picture is quite different, with public policies encouraging the immigration of workers in high-skill fields of employment while discouraging other kinds of immigration. As the situation is today, however, such labour shortages in high-skill work environments are unlikely to be easily mitigated through migration. As the ETF research shows, the reality is that the potential of migrants is still gravely underused. By and large, highly skilled migrants continue to be employed in low-skill jobs. Paradox
Several delegates commented on the paradox of our striving for free movement of capital while restricting the movement of labour. Commenting from the audience, Sukhdev Sharma of the European Economic and Social Committee called for a wholesale reconsideration of the role of migration in development.
Sukhdev Sharma of the European Economic and Social Committee
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“Can we notusemigration as a tool for development,” he asked. “Can we not useandtrain migrant workers – and not just those from our neighbouring countries, but also from those we aim to help develop, such as in Sub-Saharan Africa?”
Not disagreeing, Richard Black of the University of Sussex responded that there are already millions of people helping development through migration. In other words, migration supports development per sé.
In fact, the different countries also seem to have differing views on the benefits and threats of migration. Some, for example, lament the results of brain drain, while others prefer to refer to phrases such as “brain circulation” and even “brain gain”. Remittances are also often brought into the equation. But while
these may account for a sizeable a par with trade and foreign part of incoming foreign currency in investment.” some countries, there are much further reaching long-term benefits He did, however, acknowledge the to be gained from migration. core message of the work of the ETF when he said: “For us the gains are Development toolworth the losses, but we can still becomemuchbetter at using this During an ETF visit to Tirana some financial and social capital.” years ago, Education Minister Genc Pollo said that he was not afraid of The debate repeatedly veered brain drain. “Educated people who towards the potential for migration leave Albania provide a strong management as exemplified by the motivation for those who stay bilateral agreements signed behind to engage in education and between Italy and surrounding training,” he said in 2005. countries, but also quoted by Moldovan Deputy Miniter Sergiu In Turin, Kosta Barjaba of the Sainciuc whose Ministry of Albanian Ministry of Labour echoed Economy and Trade is engaged in Pollo’s comments in a strong continuing bilateral negotiations address during which he said: with a large number of countries. “Migration is a source of economic, Many agreements that aim at social and human development for steering migration through legal Albania. It is an economic factor on channels are already in place
Migration management proved a hot underemployed. Many return topic during the debate. Not disillusioned. The study documents everyone believed that the current this, but it doesn’t documentwhy focus on limiting migration would be they don’t get the jobs they are effective in the long run. qualified for. Are their skills not recognised? Or are they simply “Economic theory tells us that discriminated against?” migration is a natural process from regions with underused labour These are indeed important towards regions with labour questions and in her powerful demand,” said Richard Black. closing note of the panel discussion, “Perhaps governments should ETF Director Muriel Dunbar picked address the constraints, rather than up them, saying that if we do trying to make happen what already nothing at all to improve the happens anyway.” situation of people migrating into and out of the EU, “a lot of In the afternoon panel discussion in individual dreams will continue to be Turin, Richard Black made a strong shattered.” point when he referred back to the paradox, saying that a With that she responded to “schizophrenia” still haunted the repeated calls to remember that migration debate in the EU. “win-win” in migration issues should not just pertain to sending “The ETF research sheds light on a and receiving countries, but also to number of issues,” he said. “The the individual undertaking the one that stands out most is that important step of moving away migrants have high expectations from home to a far away and before they leave for an EU country. uncertain future. Thus, in this field They travel and then get severely we need “win-win-win” situations.
The ETF project
During the course of 2006 and 2007, the European Training Foundation carried out some groundbreaking research into the links between migration, education and work in Albania, Egypt, Moldova and Tunisia.
The work shows that in the four studied countries an overwhelmingly large group of people aged between 18 and 40 consider moving abroad. However, fewer than half of these are ever likely to be in a position to emigrate by acquiring the finances needed to move, sufficient knowledge of the destination country’s language and culture, and the necessary documents. Those that do migrate, typically do so to gain financial benefit. Having a job in their home country is no deterrent at all. Virtually regardless of their educational attainment and skills, they tend to end up in jobs that are well below their education level. And
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“We will continue to explore the issue and to push for taking human resources development into the equation when migration is discussed,” Muriel Dunbar said, quoting areas such as skills recognition and social inclusion as possible focal points. “We will also continue to ensure that migration is taken into account in education and training policies in our partner countries.”
In parallel, activities have already been launched in Ukraine where the ETF has carried out a similar study at the request of DG Justice. Activities in the pipeline include an Egyptian sectoral skill needs analysis that is cofunded by the Italian Trust Fund, a cross-country analysis carried out in cooperation with the World Bank on the basis of the results of the initial project, and a new study that will look at migration from Tajikistan.
Ard Jongsma, ICE
when they return they are welcomed with insufficient opportunities to harness what experience they have gathered abroad. Many become self-employed or even employers.
One of the key conclusions of the project is that more must be done in the sending countries to align education and training to the actual needs of the labour market. Migration should be focussed on areas where there are skills shortages and at the same time the learning benefits of working and living abroad need to be systematically captured.
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