Skills on the move: global trends, local resonances

Transcription

1 Skills on the move: global trends, local resonances General Report of the International Conference on Technical and Vocational Education and Training, Tangshan, People s Republic of China, 4 to 6 July 2017

2 Copyright of all images belongs to: Publicity Department from Beijing Caofeidian Vocational Education City Investment Co., Ltd.

3 Introduction More than 500 participants from 65 of UNESCO s Member States met from 4 to 6 July 2017 to discuss Skills on the move: global trends, local resonances at the Tangshan Southlake Convention and Exhibition Centre. The purpose of the occasion was to take stock of progress and challenges since the Third International Congress on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Shanghai in The Conference focused on the quality and promotion of skills mobility in the context of the fast-changing labour market. It also devoted time to several contextual factors that are shaping the future of the TVET landscape. These factors included a shift in the development paradigm towards sustainable development, and changes in demography, economic trends, the labour market and migration patterns. The timeliness with which TVET systems transform and respond to the above-mentioned trends and facts will result in these systems being highly appreciated by individuals, enterprises and society at large. The opening ceremony conveyed this message clearly through the loud voices of four distinguished speakers: the President of the 38th session of the General Conference of UNESCO; the Vice-Governor of the Hebei Provincial Government; the Head of the Education and Science Unit of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in the People s Republic of China; and finally the honourable Vice-Minister of Education of the People s Republic of China. This opening ceremony was moderated by the Secretary-General of the National Commission of the People s Republic of China for UNESCO, with welcoming remarks by the Mayor of Tangshan Municipal Government. During the conference, four plenaries and six parallel sessions were organized. A General- Rapporteur and a Drafting Group were assigned. We are pleased to report on the conference s deliberation as follows. 1

4 Conference agenda and discussion points The role of skills in sustainable development The first plenary session reflected on the role of skills in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with the perspective of the host country, the People s Republic of China, of UNESCO, co-convener of the conference, and of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). This session addressed the main initiatives taken by countries to foster skills development in light of the 2030 Agenda. It also examined how skills can be defined and measured in a cross-country comparable approach. Skills for youth employment and entrepreneurship The second plenary session elaborated on viable solutions to boost youth employment. It discussed the ways in which employers and employment services can support young people to fulfil their professional potential through the development of innovative strategies for promoting entrepreneurship and equipping young people with the relevant skills to flourish within the current labour market and prepare them for future jobs. The session highlighted the importance of strong cooperation between employers, educational institutions and employment services. It also called for strong support for the transition from school to work. 2

5 Anticipating skills demand and leveraging data for decisionmaking This parallel session presented international, regional and national case studies on how relevant data and information have been collected, analysed and used for decisionmaking in policy areas that are critical for skills development for employment. It established an understanding of the broad trends of changes in skills needs and future challenges for industries and economic sectors in various regions of the world. This understanding is crucial for projecting the level of policy discourse and related development that needs to be carried out to increase TVET relevance. It also pointed out the implications for the international, regional and national monitoring of the progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Improving governance and enhancing partnerships This parallel session explored significant examples of skills governance models, including employers, unions and youth representatives. It also examined effective approaches for TVET coordination. For instance, it was explained that the Prime Minister s Advisory Council (PMAC) of Iraq is a mechanism for inter-ministerial coordination in the context of this country. The German dual system was explored as an approach to enhance partnerships with employers, unions and youth representatives who have traditionally been under-represented players in other countries. The discussion concluded by emphasizing the importance of effective and transparent funding mechanisms to enhance partnerships as well as strong engagement by sector councils to improve TVET governance. 3

6 Greening skills: TVET for sustainability This parallel session shed light on wide-ranging strands of work leading to policy reforms, capacity development, establishing the implications of sustainability for qualifications, and mobilizing public private partnerships in promoting greening skills. The session provided concrete examples from South Africa, France and Canada on the mainstreaming of greening skills in TVET policies, research and programmes. Altogether, they make up an integrated TVET response to climate change. The Greening of TVET, a practical guiding framework for implementing Education for Sustainable Development in TVET institutions, was introduced by the UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre. Charting new territories for TVET In this parallel session, the changing needs of economies and societies as well as the implications for TVET were discussed. It highlighted the new types of skills that are emerging and becoming increasingly necessary in a wide range of occupations, including digital, entrepreneurial, green and innovation skills, and mentioned other skills that are becoming obsolete. It also looked at the way education and training systems are responding to these changes, and the implications in terms of the diversification of learning pathways, institutions and programmes with specific reference to the Republic of Korea and Germany. 4

7 Skills for equity and gender equality In this plenary session, there was discussion of the increase in inequalities between men and women, young people and adults, urban and rural communities, and among people from different ethnic backgrounds, all of which are driven by technological change, globalization and organizational changes. It highlighted examples of policy measures that have successfully addressed equity and gender equality, and looked at the key elements of skills development policies and programmes that have proved successful in addressing inequalities faced by rural communities, women and girls, and people with disabilities. The discussion touched upon the important role of employers in addressing such inequalities. Skills for mobility: Strengthening the recognition of skills and qualifications This plenary session highlighted lessons learned from the implementation of two different qualifications frameworks (QFs): at the national level in South Africa and at the regional level in Europe. It discussed the difficulties in adapting qualifications and developing pathways. The session also presented measures taken by countries in recognizing the skills and qualifications of refugees and migrants. In addition, it presented recent trends in certification and the growing importance of digital credentials in an era where the acquisition of knowledge and skills through online learning is becoming a general trend. 5

8 Fostering creativity and innovation skills This parallel session debated to what extent education and training systems have met the rapid change in digital skills needs, while simultaneously discussing the value of new opportunities made possible by digital, creative and innovative technologies in reshaping education and training delivery. The implications for TVET teacher training and pedagogies were discussed in respect of introducing and mainstreaming innovation skills. The session presented an example of how the industry is changing towards more innovation and creativity in the workplace. It also presented measures taken by countries in introducing and mainstreaming innovation skills. Specific examples from Kenya, Chile and Germany were elaborated on. Enhancing entrepreneurship skills This parallel session examined international and regional experiences in introducing, mainstreaming and recognizing entrepreneurship skills in TVET and creating an entrepreneurial learning continuum. It also discussed the impact of entrepreneurship skills on employment and 6

9 job creation, and the role of business and industry in the promotion and implementation of entrepreneurship skills education in schools and TVET institutions. The session presented available mechanisms that measure skills in a cross-country comparable perspective. TVET in China: development and challenges Representatives from China made a series of presentations to highlight the development in implementing the Shanghai Consensus. In 2014, the Central Government of China released a Decision on Accelerating the Development of a Modern Vocational Education System, which set the goal of constructing a modern vocational education system. In general, China s vocational education and training have achieved a breakthrough in the last five years. Facing the need for economic and social development, China has taken concrete measures to strengthen TVET to nurture highly qualified labourers and skilled technical talents. In particular, China promotes TVET access, gender equality, quality assurance and the broadening of international cooperation. 7

10 The ways forward During the conference, the commitment of participating Member States to work closely with UNESCO in achieving SDG TVET-related targets within the Education 2030 Framework for Action was reaffirmed. The importance of the anticipation of skills needs to understand the future TVET landscape and take proactive action to meet these needs was highlighted. It is a mutual responsibility of all stakeholders, including governments and non-government actors, to transform TVET to serve the purposes of employment, sustainable development and job creation. The active engagement of the international community, including multilateral and bilateral development partners, as well as the private sector, NGOs and civil society, is crucial in this process. Given the paradigm shift in development and unpredictable challenges in the future, Member States need to take the necessary actions to support an integrated national economic, social and environmental agenda for TVET that would make it more robust and responsive. On behalf of all the participants, we would like to give our thanks to UNESCO, the government of the People s Republic of China, the Hebei Provincial Government, the Tangshan Municipal Government and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research for organizing and hosting the Conference. 8

11 Cultural activities and visit to TVET institutions in Caofeidian The local hosts generously offered participants an Official Dinner Reception on the 4th of July and an art Gala entitled Build the Dream with Craftsmanship on the 5th of July, with musical and dancing performances around the theme of crafts. On the 6th of July, participants were invited on a tour including a visit of the Beijing Caofeidian International Vocational Education City, which is expected to host 17 internationalized vocational institutions once completed, and a trip to the Eastern Tombs of the Qing Dynasty, an imperial mausoleum complex of the Qing dynasty, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in

12 Education Sector United Nations Cultural Organization Stay in touch UNESCO Education Sector 7, place de Fontenoy Paris France en.unesco.org/international-conferencetvet (join UNESCO s Group on Education) #TVET