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The Danish Approach to Quality- in Vocational Education and TrainingColophonTitle: The Danish Approach to Quality - in Vocational Education and Training Table of contents
The Danish approach to quality in VET Quality policy measures The next steps in the Danish approach to quality Annex 1: CQAF policy priorities and the case of Denmark Annex 4: Relevant institutions and organisations
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Preface
The Copenhagen process was initiated in 2002, under the Danish EU Presidency. One of the aims of the Copenhagen process is to promote cooperation in quality assurance and development, in order to enhance mutual trust among Member States. The increased focus on quality in VET is common across Europe, as framework governance and decentralisation of the VET systems have become mainstream policies. Granting providers greater autonomy in adapting the VET they provide to local needs and demands (and thereby ensuring greater flexibility for VET) accentuates the need to implement national quality strategies which find a balance between control and mutual trust among VET stakeholders. Denmark has experienced this situation over the past fifteen years, where the majority of efforts have been focussed on promoting a more systematic approach to quality assurance at provider and system level. One of the tools that has been developed at European level with the aim of promoting transparency and a common basis for quality assurance and development, is the Common Quality Assurance Framework (CQAF). The CQAF was developed by the European Forum on Quality, in cooperation with the Technical Working Group (TWG). Its aim is to inspire stakeholders in VET at national, regional, and local levels in their work with quality. The CQAF describes the various elements in a quality model, and raises a number of key questions to be considered by the major stakeholders when assuring and developing quality in VET. In this publication, focus is on the Danish approach to quality assurance and development. The publication deals with quality assurance in both initial vocational education and training (IVET) and continuing vocational education and training (CVET). The CQAF has been chosen as a framework for the description of the Danish approach to quality, and to describe the state of affairs in regard to the overall policy priorities: employability, matching and access. One of the characteristics of the Danish approach to quality in VET is that quality is not necessarily a policy issue per se, i.e. policy measures dedicated specifically to quality. Quality is built into the very fabric of the Danish VET system by involving all the major stakeholders, and entrusting them with the power to continuously adapt and renew the system in light of social, technological and economic changes. It is our hope that this publication can contribute to the European knowledge sharing within the field of quality, and that it will become part of the overall process of promoting transparency and cooperation within VET. Roland Svarrer Østerlund The Danish approach to quality in VET
The Danish perception of qualityThe focus of this publication is on quality, and on quality approaches in the Danish vocational education and training (VET1) system. Systematic quality assurance with focus on objectives such as completion rates, employability, satisfaction among stakeholders, and societal value, etc., is a relatively new issue in education, and did not appear on the political agenda until the late 1980s. Quality is not an absolute concept, however; it is rather a complex concept, which depends on the stakeholders' values, objectives, resources, policies and context. As such, quality in education and teaching is continuously defined through political debate and by the democratic process2. As to a national definition of quality, the Danish Ministry of Education has formulated it as follows in its description of the quality strategy for the VET sector: "[...] it is not possible to say anything definitive and universal about quality in an education system. It is neither possible nor desirable to authorise one specific concept – be it in regard to methods or objectives and values. This is a basic democratic principle, which takes into consideration the fact that it is possible to achieve the same goals by different routes and with different means and methods" 3. In Denmark, quality in VET is perceived primarily in regard to providers and learners, with the aims of ensuring correspondence between the national VET objectives and the local VET programmes, and of securing the quality of the individual providers4. The perception of quality and the approaches to quality in the Danish VET system reflect the values upon which it has been built, its structure, the role of the stakeholders, the prevailing governance principles, and of course, the overall historical and cultural context. When describing the Danish approach to quality in VET, it is important to emphasise three main characteristics of the VET system:
This means that procedures for quality assurance and development are integrated into the VET system.
The VET contextThis publication does not include a description of the Danish VET system, or the structure of IVET and CVET8. However, in regard to IVET and CVET, it is important to mention that:
Quality policy measures
In Denmark, there is no single, nation-wide, quality approach, but common principles and measures at system level, and different approaches at both system and provider level. The Danish Ministry of Education has defined nine common principles/measures concerning the policy on quality issues: Nine quality measures
And a tenth These measures apply to the entire Danish education system, but are given different weight, and take different forms, within the education system. A tenth measure should also be included for the VET system: the funding of innovation and development projects. The Common Quality Assurance FrameworkCQAF In the following, these ten measures will be described within the framework of the CQAF model9, which is based on the quality circle. The model consists of four elements:
Core quality criteria have been identified for each of the elements. The criteria are presented as possible answers to specific questions, which are universal when reviewing existing policies in any VET system10. A number of questions have to be answered for each stage.
Figure 1. These questions, and the overall model, have formed the basis for a classification of the ten Danish quality principles; e.g. in the implementation stage, one of the key questions is "How do you implement a planned action?" In the Danish VET system, one answer is "by initiating innovation and development projects at the colleges". In the review stage, another key question is "How do you organise feedback and procedures for change?" The answer in a Danish context could be: "by reviewing the results of innovation and development projects". Figure 2 shows the classification of the Danish quality principles within the CQAF.
Figure 2. The various stages can only be separated analytically. In reality, the stages overlap, and the quality principles and measures described in this publication may cover several stages of the model. However, the figure gives an overview of how quality assurance and development are dealt with in the Danish VET system. Involvement of stakeholdersInvolvement in all stages of the CQAF Quality policy measures As already mentioned, the involvement of stakeholders is a very important feature of the Danish VET system. The three main stakeholders are the learners, the enterprises and the social partners. The system is based on continuous dialogue, and on the idea that all the stakeholders in the system are able to contribute to the continuous innovation and development of VET in Denmark. In this way, the stakeholders contribute to all stages of quality assurance and development. Social partners The social partners play a particularly major and significant role (please see figure 3, p. 15). A network of councils, committees and advisory bodies, with an equal representation of parties, works closely together with the Danish Ministry of Education on almost all aspects of VET, and at all levels of the VET system. In regard to quality, the social partners are involved in all phases of quality assurance and development, from laying down objectives for the VET programmes, cooperating with VET providers, examinations and certifications, and continuous monitoring of labour market development, to adapting the programmes to new conditions and requirements. One of the main objectives of involving the social partners is to ensure the relevance and quality of VET programmes in relation to the labour market. The trade committees are responsible for the continuous adaptation and development of the VET programmes. The committees monitor the skills development in the labour market, and recommend changes to existing programmes on the basis thereof. They may also recommend the establishment of new VET programmes, or the discontinuation of out-dated VET programmes. The role of the social partners is to ensure that VET matches the needs and demands of the enterprises and the labour market at both national and local levels. Another important aspect of the trade committees' quality assurance is the approval of training places. The trade committees are responsible for approving and inspecting enterprises that want to take in trainees, on the basis of defined criteria. To be approved, an enterprise must have a certain level of technology, and a variety of tasks to be performed that will ensure the trainee a full range of activities and tasks corresponding to the qualification requirements of a skilled worker. Learners The learners also play an institutionalised role in the Danish VET system. According to the Danish Act on Vocational Education and Training11, the trainees should be able to influence both their own training and the overall school environment. This is done, partly by involving the trainees in the planning of the teaching and training, and partly via student councils. In the day-to-day training activities, the teachers may involve trainees in laying down overall themes for a specific subject, or letting them choose between different assignments (this is also part of the overall differentiation of teaching). The student council is another means of influence, where a trainee representative is, for example, represented in the board of directors, whereby the trainees have the possibility of voicing their opinion. Furthermore, the Ministry of Education initiates surveys among the trainees, e.g. in connection with major reforms, whereby the trainees are able to provide feedback to national VET policies.
Figure 3. Enterprises The enterprises are the third major stakeholder in the Danish VET system. They are represented at national level, via their employers' organisations, and at local level in the local training councils and in the board of directors of the local VET colleges. In both IVET and CVET, the enterprises are able to "colour" the local education plans/CVET courses so that they meet the specific needs and demands of the local or regional labour market. According to some observers of the Danish VET system, the overall need for independent external quality control is considerably reduced, thanks to the involvement of the stakeholders at all levels of influence12. Common national guidelinesPlanning, process, evaluation The overall objectives for VET are planned and laid down in legislation. A number of laws, regulations and guidelines lay down the aims, structure, content, competence levels, examination requirements, rules for complaint, teacher competences, etc., as common national standards. In IVET, these regulations and guidelines provide an overall framework for the programmes. Since 1991, the requirements relating to content have become less detailed, in order to make the provision of IVET more flexible and more adaptable to local needs and demands. The IVET providers, in cooperation with the social partners represented in the local training committees, are responsible for drawing up detailed local education plans. In CVET, approximately 140 joint competence descriptions have been drawn up by the social partners, in cooperation with the Danish Ministry of Education (2003). These are divided into approximately 2,200 different CVET modules of a week's duration. The competence descriptions also provide a framework within which the CVET providers are obliged to adapt their courses to the needs of local commerce and industry, in order to meet the needs of the enterprises. So the laws, regulations and guidelines provide framework standards for all VET programmes in Denmark, thus ensuring nation-wide homogeneity for the provision of VET, as well as minimum standards and quality. The funding of innovation and development projectsProcess, evaluation, review The funding of innovation and development projects is an important tool when considering quality assurance and development from the process side. Each year, the Danish Ministry of Education stipulates a number of political priority areas, which are described in two programmes. It is then up to the VET providers to formulate local or regional projects within these priority areas, and to apply for funding from the Ministry. Quality assurance and development is an excellent example of a FoU priority area. Pilot projects on quality assurance and development were initiated at a number of colleges in the early 1990s. Afterwards, the results from these colleges were integrated in an overall quality strategy. The overall aim of the strategy was to improve and develop the VET that was provided, and to make the VET programmes more attractive. This was to be achieved by motivating the VET providers to integrate the principle of "self-evaluation" into their overall management philosophy, so that this would comprise an on-going, internal quality assurance and development, and a continuous evaluation of activities and results. So in order to promote the quality strategy at the colleges, quality became one of the FoU priority areas by the mid-1990s, and all colleges were able to apply for funding for quality assurance activities. These funds are an important tool in the continuous innovation and development of VET. They provide the Ministry with a means of promoting and monitoring activities at the VET institutions in a process characterised by dialogue and openness, and with a tool for continuously reviewing VET policies on the basis of project results. Output monitoringImplementation, evaluation and review One element in the Danish quality strategy that has become increasingly important over the years is "output monitoring". Whereas the focus in the 1990s was primarily on the process, and motivating the VET providers to set up quality assurance and development systems, the trend is now to promote quality by providing incentives. The VET providers have to fulfil specific policy goals in order to receive earmarked financial grants. In IVET, this new principle is called "value for money". The Danish Ministry of Education specifies the priority areas, and offers the providers additional funding if they attain a number of goals within fields such as quality. The providers are encouraged to initiate activities within these fields. In 2004, the Ministry defined four priority areas concerning quality:
At the end of the year, the colleges have to document the local quality activities that have been initiated, and their results, in order to release the quality grants. The documentation has to be published on the institution's website, and a report (questionnaire) must be sent to the Ministry. In CVET, a "supply policy" has been introduced vis-à-vis the CVET providers approved to offer joint competence descriptions13. As of January 2004, the providers are obliged to draw up a policy stating how the institution will ensure that the region's labour market needs will be fulfilled, within its budget target. This "Supply Policy" will be a precondition for the providers' receipt of financial grants14. Internal evaluationThe "backbone" of the Danish quality strategy is self-evaluation by the VET institutions. All providers are required to evaluate their own performance and the courses they provide on a regular basis. Quality rules Legal requirement for self-evaluation methodology The law stipulates that all VET providers must have a quality management system and a quality plan15. The national quality rules furthermore stipulate that the quality plan for self-evaluation should include a number of priority areas, which have been decided on a national level. Self-evaluation plays a major role in the quality rules. All VET providers must themselves evaluate the quality of the courses they provide on a regular basis. The results of these self-evaluations must then be made public on their websites. In IVET, providers are required to have16 A. a quality management system; However, the colleges are free to choose their own quality concept, and there is no national model or system which the individual provider is obliged to use. One of the reasons for this is that VET providers vary considerably in terms of size, organisational culture and the VET they provide, so they must have the possibility/freedom to adapt a quality strategy to the local needs and the local culture. In order to observe the quality rules, most colleges have set up a new function of "Quality Coordinator", with particular responsibility for quality management.
Figure 4. The quality rules for IVET also apply to the in-company training, whereby the trade committees are responsible for the ongoing quality assurance and development of the in-company training, in cooperation with the local education committees. However, the ministerial focus has been on the school-based part of the IVET programmes, as the in-company training is under the jurisdiction of the social partners.
Figure 5. CVET providers are also obliged to set up a quality management system, formulate a follow-up plan and a plan for dissemination, and self-evaluate on a regular basis. However, since 2000, CVET providers have been required to carry out comparable evaluations of all the CVET programmes that they provide. For this purpose, a national self-evaluation tool18 has been developed, and now constitutes a compulsory element of the providers' quality strategies. The aim is to measure both the participants' satisfaction and learning outcomes, and the satisfaction of the enterprises whose employees have participated in CVET modules. It is a flexible tool that offers the possibility of inserting optional questions at regional and local level, so as to include other aspects of interest to parties such as the providers and the regional councils. The advantage of this system is that it is possible to establish quantitative aggregated data on quality in CVET at a national level. External evaluationAlthough internal self-evaluation constitutes the "backbone" of the Danish quality strategy, external evaluation is also essential, and is gaining importance. The focus is on how to improve the external, national evaluation of VET, based on the information given by the providers (please see "Next steps in the Danish approach to quality"). Ministerial approval, monitoring and inspection of VET providers Ministerial evaluation and review The Danish Ministry of Education is the main authority on education and training in Denmark, and has overall responsibility for the way the system functions. In regard to VET, the Ministry plays an important role in both the approval and inspection of the VET that is provided: The Ministry confers upon institutions the right to provide specific VET programmes. The providers must fulfil a number of conditions, and if these are not fulfilled the approval may be revoked. Secondly, the Ministry continuously monitors VET providers/provision, by systematically collecting data on educational results (intake, trainee flows, completion rates, marks, employment, etc.) and finance. Thirdly, the Ministry of Education undertakes a legal, financial and pedagogical inspection of VET. The process of inspection takes various forms, and is based on several inputs. These include desk research and analysis on the basis of selected data, and meetings and/or visits to selected institutions with specific colleges and trade committees. The following information is included in the Ministry's inspection of quality at the vocational colleges: annual reports, websites, and data on completion rates, drop-out rates, grades, and transition rates to employment and further education. Indicator based inspection The inspection is not conducted in the same way as in the British system, for example, where a national body inspects educational institutions on a regular basis. However, the Ministry is in the process of tightening up on monitoring, by introducing a new form of monitoring based on six quality indicators concerning output and outcomes. These indicators are: 1. Test and examination results; The aim of the new system is to make the overall monitoring of quality in the Danish education system more systematic, and to provide a better foundation for the external evaluation of quality. The new system makes it possible to screen all educational institutions on an annual basis, and hereby identify institutions showing dissatisfactory results or quality in the training they provide.
Figure 6. This indicator based monitoring system will encompass the entire education system. Within the scope of VET, the indicators have been adapted to IVET and CVET. In IVET, all six indicators are considered relevant, whereas in CVET, only completion rates are relevant for the short CVET modules. So here, other indicators will be developed, most likely on the basis of the current national self-evaluation tool, with greater focus on the effect of the training. General external quality measuresGeneral quality measures A number of more general quality measures, i.e. those not only related to the VET sector, can be identified in addition to those mentioned above. Testing and examination Firstly, a well-established quality measure in the Danish VET system – as in most education systems - is testing and examination. In general, the Danish system is based on a principle of "objective" testing and examination, where an external examiner is appointed. The external examiner is a way of preventing bias. In IVET, for example, the trainees have to take a final vocational test (in many programmes a specific journeyman's test) where the professional skills of the trainee are tested. For these examinations, representatives from the local trade/industry act as external examiners. This ensures that the knowledge, the skills and the academic standards attained by the trainees are relevant, and live up to the demands of the IVET programmes, and to the requirements of the labour market. Act on Transparency and Openness One of the new (2002) general elements in the Danish quality strategy is the Act on Transparency and Openness20 in the education system. This aims at providing access to comparable information on education and educational institutions for the stakeholders and the public, in such a way as to qualify the dialogue. All institutions are obliged to publish information about the courses they provide on their website. This includes their pedagogical values and practice, strategy plans, and quantitative data on grade averages for individual subjects and levels. Although grade averages may be an indicator of quality, they cannot stand alone. Therefore, the institutions must publish overall21 evaluations of their teaching, etc. The legislation also stipulates that the institutions must publish all information relevant for an assessment of the quality of the instruction provided22. This initiative should be seen in connection with the quality element concerning output monitoring, because it can supply further information about an institution. Evaluations by the Danish Evaluation Institute External evaluation and review The Danish Evaluation Institute (Danmarks Evalueringsinstitut – EVA) was established in 1999 as an external, independent body for quality assurance and the development of Danish education and teaching. The Institute is responsible for evaluating all fields of education in Denmark, from basic schooling to higher education. As such, the EVA has a very broad field of education and training to cover. Each year, the EVA submits a plan of action outlining evaluations and other activities to be undertaken in the year to come. The Ministry ensures that the plan is in line with the objectives set out for the EVA. The EVA's job is to evaluate education and teaching, whereas evaluations of educational institutions' overall activities only can take place on prior approval from the Danish Ministry of Education. It should be mentioned that all evaluations comprise a self-evaluation performed by the 10-15 colleges normally participating in one of the approximately 12 evaluations carried out by the EVA every year. The EVA is also a knowledge centre on evaluation in Denmark. The EVA conducts research and surveys, develops methods of evaluation, and disseminates its knowledge among all stakeholders in the Danish education system. The EVA also cooperates and exchanges knowledge with evaluation institutes all over the world. Since 1999, the EVA has conducted a number of evaluations within the field of VET, most recently on quality assurance and development in IVET. These evaluations have led to specific actions in regard to the colleges involved in the evaluation, and to the Ministry of Education. In their evaluations, the EVA forwards a number of recommendations targeted at the stakeholders in question, who are obliged to follow up on the recommendations. International cooperation and surveys In Denmark, participation in international surveys, such as the OECD surveys, is also perceived as an important element of the national quality strategy. International surveys offer a valuable contribution to the evaluation of the quality of the Danish education system, insofar as they shed light on important indicators such as participation rates, proficiency levels, returns on investments, etc. The Copenhagen process and the cooperation on the CQAF have had an impact on the Danish quality policies in VET. They have increased focus on the use of indicators in IVET, and on the issue of a central inspection of providers and the quality of the education and training they provide.
The Danish approach to quality within the CQAFThe Danish principles concerning quality cover different stages of the CQAF, and provide answers to different questions raised during the course of the various stages. In this way, the model helps to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the national quality strategy. In the case of Denmark, the strengths are the involvement of stakeholders at all levels of the system, the quality rules which apply to all VET providers, and the external evaluations carried out by the EVA. The weaknesses have been the lack of documentation showing that VET providers have actually implemented a systematic quality assurance system, and especially the lack of clear national quality indicators, thus resulting in a lack of basis for external evaluation (and inspection) in a highly decentralised system. However, the Danish Ministry of Education is now taking the next step, by introducing six quality indicators for the entire education system. So when analysing the Danish approach to the quality of VET within the framework of the CQAF, the following overall status can be ascertained: First wave from 1990 to 2000 During the 1990s, systematic quality assurance and development was introduced as a compulsory element for all VET providers, and the Danish Ministry of Education initiated numerous activities aimed at promoting quality "thinking" in the VET system. Systematic quality assurance and development was implemented by means of a bottom-up process, which became the national strategy in 1995. Today, all VET providers are required to self-evaluate the VET they provide; and they should all have implemented quality systems, and use models/frameworks very similar to the CQAF. The overall policy aim of the "first wave" was to establish a quality system for systematic self-evaluation and follow-up within framework governance – at provider level. This process was supported by continuous local and regional quality development, where the task of the Ministry was primarily to offer support and inspiration to local initiatives. The role of inspection and external evaluation was toned down until the late 1990s. The first sign of a change of policy was the establishment of the Danish Evaluation Institute (Danmarks Evalueringsinstitut – EVA) in 1999, as an external, independent body responsible for quality assurance and the development of Danish education and training. Second wave from 2000 to ? In the second wave, output monitoring has gained greater importance in the Danish approach to quality. Thus, it became important to set up clearly defined national indicators for quality. For this reason, the Danish Ministry of Education lay down six quality indicators formulated for the entire education system (please see page 16). These indicators have subsequently been adapted to match the specificities of the different fields of education. With the introduction of quality indicators and indicator based inspection, the Ministry has strengthened the overall external monitoring of the system. This enables the Ministry to more actively identify quality problems at specific educational institutions and branches of the system. CQAF indicators in a Danish perspective However, quality approaches alone are insufficient. They are tools or measures for attaining the overall objectives for a VET system. So when focusing on quality in the Danish VET system, it is important to analyse how the system meets overall policy priorities, such as those defined in the CQAF. Besides the model, the CQAF also comprises a measurement tool, i.e. a set of reference indicators aiming at facilitating the Member States to monitor and evaluate their own quality systems. These indicators include the following three areas: employability, access, and matching. The following sections provide a qualitative description of how the Danish VET system matches these indicators, and the problems it is facing:
Employability An intrinsic quality of the Danish IVET system is the fact that it is built on the dual training principle. Trainees have to enter a contract with a company in order to complete their training programme. The dual training principle ensures that the trainees acquire both theoretical and practical competences within a profession, so that their skills are immediately useful when they enter the labour market. The result is that the employment rate in Denmark for trainees who have completed an IVET programme is very high; approximately 80% of all trainees are employed one year after completing an IVET programme23. The disadvantage of this system is the lack of training places. Too few enterprises employ apprentices, especially because of changes in the business structure and work organisation. Today, many production processes are highly specialised, and furthermore, too expensive to slow down or leave to apprentices. Consequently, many enterprises do not employ apprentices, or cannot be approved as a training centre, because they provide an inadequate learning context. However, many measures have been initiated to solve this problem. Matching Involving all the stakeholders in a continuous dialogue on VET and its development ensures that the Danish VET system matches the demands of the learners, the enterprises and the labour market. The social partners are responsible for monitoring the development within the various sectors, and contribute to the continuous updating of VET programmes. For example: each year, the continuing training committees in CVET develop or change approximately 500 CVET programmes, in order to ensure that the programmes meet the demands of the labour market. The VET providers also play an important role in ensuring the flexibility and adaptability of the Danish system. They lay down the local educational plans in cooperation with the local representatives of the social partners, hereby ensuring that local needs and demands are taken into consideration at the VET institutions. Furthermore, the learners are also involved in the dialogue about VET, via student councils and via on-going evaluations of programmes (e.g. in CVET), and evaluations conducted by the EVA. One of the main problems within the field of matching, is how to make the VET programmes more attractive to young people. Denmark shares this problem with most European countries. Many young people opt for the general upper secondary education programmes, and do not find VET to be an attractive option. One of the Danish Ministry of Education's main priorities is to find new tools dealing with young people's values and priorities, and how to "shift" them in the direction of VET. Access The VET system is organised as a flexible and modularised system, which ensures that it is accessible to trainees with different levels of proficiency and capability. In the technical training programmes, the trainees can build their own training programme, so-to-speak, to match their capabilities and their needs. Recently, new programmes have been set up to meet the needs and skills of young people with a low level of academic proficiency. These programmes are more practical in their scope, and ought to be able to match the needs of this group of learners. Furthermore, the guidance system for trainees has been revised, in order to provide more holistic and coherent guidance and support to young people in IVET.
However, the IVET system is still facing problems with the residual groups, and with trainees who drop out of an IVET programme. Immigrants find it particularly difficult to complete an IVET programme, and secure themselves an active status in the Danish labour market. The CVET system is also highly flexible and modularised, and the increased integration with the IVET system will improve the possibilities of unskilled workers achieving the competency level of a skilled worker. In many ways, the system offers the opportunity for life-long learning. CVET focuses specifically on providing training for adults with a low level of educational attainment, and marginalised groups. Another main priority is to motivate and inspire adults to enter a Life Long Learning pathway. LLL is easier in theory than in practice. Thus, when it comes to achieving the Lisbon goals, and introducing quality measures as described in the Copenhagen Declaration, the Danish VET system offers a number of examples of good practice, despite the challenges it is facing. Moreover, the Danish approach to quality offers an awareness that quality assurance and development can be fully integrated in a VET system at both system and provider level. The next steps in the Danish approach to quality
The Danish approach will be developed in a number of areas in the years to come. The Danish Ministry of Education has defined four main priorities in the fields of quality assurance and development: 1. All VET providers must document that they have, and use, a system for quality assurance and development Introducing and anchoring a systematic approach to quality in an organisation takes time. It is quite clear that VET providers in Denmark are at different stages in this process. The ambition is for all providers to document that they work systematically with quality assurance and development. They must meet the requirements laid down in the quality rules, whereby they will also meet the requirements of the CQAF. In the future, all providers must document that they have a quality system matching the four phases of the CQAF-model (please see figure 7, p. 35): Planning: the providers must draw up an annual plan for evaluation. Implementation: the providers must draw up procedures for how to evaluate at specific levels, and within specific VET programmes. These procedures must specify how users/ trainees/enterprises will be involved in the evaluations. Evaluation: the providers must write a report on the evaluation results within specific areas (i.e. the six indicators) and publish them on their website. Review: the providers must assess the results, and draw up a follow-up plan taking resources and time into consideration. This follow-up plan should be part of the next year's action plan.
Figure 7. 2. Further development of indicators The development of the Ministry's monitoring of education and training is conditional on the development of the indicators and the indicator based inspection. It is a great challenge to collect and systematise data, and to establish a basis for comparison, so the indicators will be further elaborated and developed in the years to come. Furthermore, the data management system will need to be further developed, especially in regard to completion and drop-out rates. This work will also enable the Danish Ministry of Education to contribute to the discussion and study of the indicators which have been laid down on a European level. 3. Voluntary benchmarking among VET providers In a decentralised education system like the Danish system, responsibilities have been distributed between the state and the local VET providers. The Ministry lays down objectives and frameworks, and the providers are relatively autonomous in their efforts to comply with the national framework. At the colleges, the board of governors, in cooperation with the management, is responsible for the day-to-day running and development of the VET provided. The colleges have a double responsibility concerning quality assurance and development: on the one hand, they must document their procedures and results to the Ministry, and on the other hand, they must ensure that quality is systematically anchored within the organisation, and that a culture of evaluation is developed. What goes on between the trainees and the teachers is the teachers' responsibility, and it is not desirable for the Ministry of Education to be involved at this level. Development is a question of commitment, and the desire to make things better. In this respect, experience from existing networks shows that cooperation among providers on benchmarking, i.e. comparing and discussing data, is a suitable method for furthering local quality assurance and development. The ambition is for ALL providers to be included in such networks, to ensure mutual and continuous inter-organisational competence development. 4. Active participation in the European cooperation on quality In the same way that local and national networks are excellent methods for assuring and developing quality, European cooperation is a precondition for knowledge sharing and dissemination of "good practices". The Danish Ministry of Education therefore aims to motivate Danish VET providers to get involved in European cooperation. This will be done by informing the providers about the possibilities for European cooperation, and encouraging them to participate in projects under the auspices of the Leonardo programme, for example.
The Ministry will also actively participate in the work that lies ahead, and which continues the ambition of the Copenhagen process to ensure up-to-date, relevant and high-quality VET programmes, allowing a comparison of qualifications across Member States. In addition, this will make it easier for EU citizens to have their qualifications recognised in other Member States. In the Copenhagen Declaration, quality was identified as an important area of cooperation. Denmark has played an active part in the work to complete the agenda. The CQAF is considered to constitute a fruitful basis for this work, both on a European level, and in Denmark. Annex 1: CQAF policy priorities and the case of Denmark
Annex 2: Quality rules24Regulation on IVET - Order no 1243 of 12/12/2004 Chapter 2 Quality in IVET § 4 The trade committee responsible for an IVET programme shall follow up on training, and ascertain whether it meets the quality requirements for the programme. Subsection 2. The trade committee shall assure and develop the quality of the practical training in IVET, in cooperation with the local training committees and the enterprises. Subsection 3. The trade committee shall be responsible for monitoring the development in employment, and shall, on the basis thereof, submit a recommendation concerning new needs or changes to the training. Subsection 4. The trade committee shall monitor the work of the local training committees on local education plans at the colleges approved to offer IVET. § 5 The vocational college shall have a quality system providing continuous quality assurance, and development of the school-based part of IVET. Subsection 2. This quality system shall include a procedure for continuous self-evaluation and quality development. The employees, the trainees and the local training committee shall be involved in this evaluation. Subsection 3. The procedure for continuous self-evaluation shall ensure that
Subsection 4. Based on the evaluation, cf. section 2, the college shall prepare a follow-up plan determining the areas for change, operational goals, and a time schedule for the follow-up. The follow-up plan shall be published on the college's website. Annex 3: Acronyms
Annex 4: Relevant institutions and organisationsGovernment Agencies Social Partners Landsorganisationen Danmark (LO) Others Danmarks Evalueringsinstitut Annex 5: BibliographyBetter Education – Action Plan, the Danish Ministry of Education, 2002. The Danish Approach to Quality Assurance 2002, the Danish Ministry of Education, 2002. Erhvervsuddannedes beskæftigelsesfrekvens, AER, December 2004. Faurschou, Kim et al.: Quality Development in Vocational Education and Training – Interim report of the European Forum, Cedefop, 2002. Fundamentals of a "Common Quality Assurance Framework" (CQAF) for VET in Europe, the European Commission, Directorate-General for Education and Culture, 2004. Kvalitet der kan ses, the Danish Ministry of Education, 2000. Kvalitetssikring og kvalitetsudvikling af erhvervsuddannelserne, the Danish Evaluation Institute, 2004. Lauridsen, Bente: Hvad er kvalitet i arbejdsmarkeds- og erhvervsuddannelser? – og hvordan ved vi det?, in Uddannelse 7, august-september 2002. New Adult Vocational Training Concept – Placing the User in the Centre, the Danish Ministry of Education, 2004. Nielsen, Søren P.: Quality in Vocational Training in Denmark, SEL, 1995. Nielsen, Søren P. & Visser, Karel: School-based quality measures at intermediate level: a Danish-Dutch comparison, Cedefop, 1997. Q-90 projektet – baggrund, proces og status på erhvervsskolernes kvalitetsprojekt, the Danish Ministry of Education, 1999. Q-strategi for erhvervsskolesektoren, 2. udgave, the Danish Ministry of Education, 1996. Pedersen, Philip: Kvalitet, in Uddannelse 3, March 2003. Ravnmark, Liselotte: A European Guide on Self-Assessment for VET-providers, Cedefop, 2003. Selvevaluering i praksis, the Danish Evaluation Institute, 2002. Shapiro, Hanne: Achieving the Lisbon Goal: Country Report Denmark, Danish Technological Institute, 2004. One of the three areas given high priority in the Copenhagen process is the promotion of European cooperation in quality assurance and development in order to enhance mutual trust among the Member States. The focus of this publication is on the Danish approach to quality in vocational education and training (VET). The Danish quality measures at policy level are described and assessed within the framework of the Common Quality Assurance Framework. Ten common measures for quality assurance and development are described from the perspective of VET: the involvement of stakeholders; common national guidelines; innovation and development projects; output monitoring, ministerial approval, monitoring and inspection; testing and examination; transparency and openness; evaluations by the Danish Evaluation Institute; and international cooperation and surveys. The overall aim of the publication is to contribute to the Copenhagen process, and to European knowledge sharing in the field of quality assurance and development. The hope is that this publication will become part of the overall process of promoting transparency and cooperation within VET in Europe. Footnotes1) In this publication, VET encompasses both the initial VET programmes called EUD (Erhvervsuddannelserne), and the continuing VET programmes (CVET) targeted primarily at unskilled and skilled workers (Arbejdsmarkedsuddannelserne = AMU). 2) Focus on Quality, p.3. 3) Quality strategy for the vocational college sector, 2nd edition, the Department for Vocational Colleges, Theme booklet 6-96, p. 7. 4) Be they vocational colleges, adult vocational training centres or enterprises. 5) The Advisory Council for Initial Vocational Education and Training (Rådet for de grundlæggende erhvervsrettede uddannelser – REU) and The Council for Vocational Adult Education and Training (Rådet for Erhvervsrettet Voksen- og Efteruddannelse - REVE). 5)IVET here encompasses the EUD programmes which are provided by technical, commercial and combined colleges. CVET encompasses the adult vocational training programmes which are provided by technical, commercial and combined colleges, and by adult vocational training centres. So the same providers may provide many different VET programmes. 7) Nielsen, Søren P.: Quality in Vocational Training in Denmark, SEL, 1995, p. 4. 8) For a description of the Danish VET system, please see: http://eng.uvm.dk/publications/engonline.htm 9) For a description of the CQAF, please see "Fundamentals of a "Common Quality Assurance Framework" (CQAF) for VET in Europe", by the European Commission, Directorate-General for Education and Culture, 2004. 10) Ibid. 11) Consolidation Act no. 183 of 22/01/2004, §28 and §40, section 4. 12) Nielsen, Søren P. & Visser, Karel: School-based quality measures at intermediate level: a Danish-Dutch comparison, Cedefop, 1997. 13) The 12 continuing training committees have developed about 140 competence descriptions aimed at easily recognisable job areas in the Danish labour market. The descriptions will provide the enterprises and the employees with a basis for entering into a dialogue about the need for specific competence development in the short and longer terms. New adult vocational training concept – Placing the user in the centre, the Danish Ministry of Education, 2004, p. 11. 14) Ibid., p. 30. 15) Consolidated Act on VET, no. 183 of 22/01/2004, §4, section 3. 16) Please see annex 2: Quality rules. 17) These are: strategic development (management tools, pedagogical tools, networks), resources (allocation and daily operation), and development activities. 18) Please see http://www.amukvalitet.dk. 19) The overall objectives for the Danish education system are for 95% (by 2015) of a youth cohort to complete a youth education programme at upper secondary level, and for 50% to complete an education programme at tertiary level. 20) "Lov om gennemsigtighed og åbenhed i uddannelserne m.v." Act no. 414 of 06/06/2002. 21) I.e. aggregated data on teaching, not evaluations of single teachers or courses. 22) The Danish Approach to Quality Assurance, 2002, p. 6. 23) The Employment Rate of Graduates of Vocational Colleges, AER, December 2004. Available on-line at: http://www.atp.dk/www/portal.nsf/mainfrms!readform&ExpandAlias=Menu-AER-Omaer-Videnbank&Area=AER-Omaer 24) Provisional translation.
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