The Education Reform Initiative ofSouth Eastern Europe – regional cooperation for

development

Aspasija HadžiščeExecutive Director of the ERI SEE Agency

Content:

2. ERI SEE supported regional cooperation in the priority areas– Lifelong Learning

– European Qualifications Framework and national qualifications frameworks

– Quality and Equity in Education

– The “Knowledge Triangle”: education, research and innovation

1. About ERI SEE

3. Challenges for future development

Commitment to regionalcooperation - policy level

Nicosia 2003 – Memorandum of Understanding on strengthening regional co-operation

initiated by the Ministries of Education and Higher Education in SEE and the Task Force Education and Youth

May 2007 - Istanbul Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministers responsible for education, science and research in SEE, the Stability Pact and the Task Force Education and Youth

Membership and context

SEECP

European Integration Process

Lisbon strategyEducation for All

Millenium DevelopmentGoalsEducation and

Training 2010

BolognaProcess

CopenhagenProcess

The Initiative2004 - Education Reform Initiative of South Eastern Europe (ERI SEE) was proposed as a regional platform for co-operation in the education area & an interface between on-going national reforms in SEE and current trends and developments in the education sector at EU level

Governing Board: ERI SEE members and Austria as Co-chair of the TFBHC

Consultative Body: RCC, donor countries Austria, The Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland and relevant international organisations, institutions andassociations: CoE, ETF, EUA and OECD.

Croatia hosts the ERI SEE Secretariatsince 2004.

In 2006 the ERI SEE Agency started its work.

Thematic Areas 2005 - 2010

• Lifelong Learning

• European Qualification Framework and national qualifications frameworks in SEE

• Quality Education and Equity in Education

• The “Knowledge Triangle” – education, research and innovation

Lifelong Learning: activities 2004-2009

2004• Seminar on creation of strategies for LLL in Europe

2005-2008:• Series of seminars and workshops on Community

programmes in education and training as preparation for the LLP

• Study visits to the National Agencies for EU Mobility Programmes in Romania, Slovenia and Norway

2009: • Workshop on preparation of Terms of Reference and project

fiche for Sector Wide Approach projects under IPA and ENPI

2008: First networking conference of VET agencies of SEE – On the agenda:

• Qualifications frameworks

• Lifelong learning

• Entrepreneurial learning

• Networking day

– Follow-up: Cooperation agreement between VET institutions of the SEECP region for creation of a regional VET network

• Collection and dissemination of comparable information on the VET sector in SEE.• National Qualifications Frameworks.• Quality assurance and improvement in the VET sector.• Lifelong Learning and VET (including mainstream, non-formal and in-formal

education)• Social partnership enhancement in the VET sector

Activities in close cooperation with ETF.

Lifelong Learning: activities 2004-2009

2009:Meeting of the SEE VET network:‘Quality of Education in the Context of Lifelong

Learning and its Role in the Development of National Qualifications Frameworks’

• Establishing a forum of SEE experts in LLL

• Provision of relevant information on the ERI SEE website

Lifelong Learning: activities 2004-2009

Lifelong Learning challenges ahead

• Encompassing human capital development in a LLL context: development of different sub-sectors of education not to be considered in isolation and link to labour market to be ensured.

• 2009 - contribution of lifelong learning to creativity and innovationin society and on strengthening the innovative approaches andculture of better learning to be addressed;

•Widening the concept of capacity building, not only to training, but also to strategic development, HRD policies and strategies, organisation management and tools, etc.

• Strengthened capacities in leadership, HRD management, and preparation of policy related documents.

• Capacity building for participation in the Community ActionProgramme in the Field of LLL 2007-2013

Capacity building for development and implementation of projectswith Sector Wide Approach

EQF and national qualification frameworks in SEE: activities 2005 - 2009

2007 - 2009: Special sessions of the ERI SEE Governing Board and Consultative Body on the developments at

European and national level

Special session in framework of the Romanian Conference “Education and Training: social and economic benefits within a lifelong learning perspective” in 2007

2009• Project concept on sectoral qualifications in tourism covering IVET,

CVET and HE. To adress credits for transferability and accumulation of prior learning.

• Provision of selected information on QFs on the ERI SEE website

• ERI SEE forum on qualifications frameworks

EQF and national qualification frameworks in SEE challenges ahead

Recommendations:• NQF development to be based on permanent dialogue between the education

sectors, the labour market, trade unions and other stakeholders

• Joint work of the VET and HE sector is crucial for covering the LLL span of education and training for each citizen

• The NQF to be flexible, simple, applicable and visible

• Credits that allow transfer and accumulation to be allocated in order to assure progress and recognition of prior learning

• National structures and proper financing of NQFs development and implementation to be ensured

• Reliable assessment and certification

• Nation-wide information and transparency of the work Develop trustworthy NQFs

Quality education and equity in education:

activities 2005-2009

Regional networking of experts in assessment and evaluation in primary and secondary education:

2006: Assessment and evaluation-important tools for promoting quality in education

2007: National and international assessments

2008: Matura exams

2009: Assessment and evaluation in SEE versus future challenges.

2005• Seminar on investing efficiently in education• Use of ICT in education and training.

Quality education and equity in education: activities 2005-2009

2007

OECD and TFEY International conference “Education Policies for Inclusion in SEE: Challenges and Opportunities”

2009• Seminar on teacher training for inclusive education/teacher

training for diversity. • Continuation of ERI SEE fora on assessment and evaluation in

primary and secondary education and in quality assuarnce

• Provision of relevant information on ERI SEE website

2007Regional seminar “Equity in Education – a Challenge for SEE”Capacity building supported by the OECD and Norway

Quality education and equity in education: activities 2005-2009

2008• Fourth Conference of EDC/HRE Network of SEE

CoE document “Empowering Teachers: Core Competence for EDC/HRE”

• Study visit to Croatia to be acquainted with the ICT supported information system for QA in HE.

• Dissemination of the results of the EU funded project “MHADIE”

Recommendations:Building quality culture • Strenthening the quality assurance systems at all levels• Closing the quality loop – nurturing institutional self-evaluation culture• Internationalisation of quality assurance processes – use of regional expertise • Professional development of teachers and trainers• Continuation of involvement of SEE countries in international assessments• Strengthening the dialogue among different levels of mainstream education, non-

formal and in-formal education in quality assurance processes (QA for LLL).

Efficiency• Capacity building and policy learning for evidence-based policy and practice• Good governance - capacity building support on organising and facilitating the policy

learning process, strategy formulation and policy action.

Equity• Design of national policies, practices and resourcing to reduce failure and dropout• Educational disadvantage to be addressed by quality education and targeted support,

combined with properly managed inclusion in mainstream education and training• Promotion of intercultural skills, democratic values, the respect for fundamental rights

and fight against discrimination

Quality education and equity in education: Challenges ahead

The “knowledge triangle”: education, research and innovation – activities 2005-2009

2005• Seminar “The Bologna Process after Bergen.

2007• Round table on accreditation in higher

education in SEE• Seminar “The Bologna Process after London: the challenges for

implementation in SEE”

– Co-organiser• Regional conference on education for sustainable development

KulturKontakt Austria• Dubrovnik conference on institutional reforms in creating the EHEA

2008

• CEE Network General Assembly meeting and Workshop on Regional cooperation; special SEE meeting

• ERI SEE forum on the Bologna Process

• Relevant information on the “knowledge triangle” provided on the ERI SEE web site

2009

• Peer learning for staff members of newly established agencies on QA in HE to experienced onse in SEE

• Follow-up to the Bucharest conference: seminar co-organised with KulturKontakt Austria ‘The role of teacher education and the pre-university sector in building human capital by fostering creativity and innovation’

The “knowledge triangle”: education, research and innovation – activities 2005-2009

The “knowledge triangle”: education, research and innovation – challenges

Firmly address brain drain by creation of favorable environment, international cooperation and networking with the diaspora.

Higher education sector:

• Opening-up towards the wider society, cooperation with the business and other sectors.

• Synergy among the Bologna actors, actions and activities• Organisational challenges:

– Enforcement of the recently adopted national legislations on integtated universities– Diversification of HE education supported by strong quality assurance

• ECTS and curricula reform: enabling smooth selection of modules from different faculties within the same university, more profound curricula reforms, increased student mobility

• Application of the recommendations from the UNESCO/OECD Guidelines for Quality Provision in Cross-border Higher Education

• Mutual cooperation and development of joint programmes leading to joint degrees• Strenghtened role of universities in LLL• Student involvement• Increased internationalisation of educational and scientific cooperation.

Well informed and involved in the “beyond 2010” preparations

• The Lisbon agenda and beyond …follow-up of the “Education and Training 2010”

• Bologna process beyond 2010

• Copenhagen process beyond 2010

Challenges ahead..

Enhance innovation and creativity, including entrepreneurship,at all levels of education and training

• Integrate transversal key competences into curricula, assessment and qualifications

• Promote creativity and innovation through developing specific teaching and learning methods (including ICT and teacher training)

• Develop partnerships between education and training providers and businesses, research institutions, cultural actors and creative industries.

• ERI SEE to become a SEE learning community in education and training

Challenges for strengthening the Initiative

• Establishment of National ERI SEE Contact Points

Thank you for your attention.

Contact details: Education Reform Initiative of South Eastern EuropeAgencija za obrazovno reformske inicijative za jugoistocnu Europu

Ivana Lucica 510 000 Zagreb, Republic of Croatia

Email: secretariat@erisee.orgPhone+385 1 6310 678Fax+385 1 6310 680Web page http://www.erisee.org