Regionally based occupational and qualification standards – in full swing in SEE
Following the sucesfull implementation of the Towards regionally-based occupational standards -TO REGOS project the Austrian Development Agency with the funds from the Austrian Development Cooperation supported its continuation and expansion by funding the Enhancements in the quality of education and training in SEE – the EQET SEE project. The VET and qualification agencies and chambers of commerce from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia gathered again to continue with supporting the regional cooperation in the field of VET.
The EQET SEE project is looking at ensuring the sustainability of the regional development of occupational standards and at moving towards developing regionally based qualification standards, national curricula, regional teaching and learning material and trainings aimed at supporting schools and business in implementing curricula.
The 2022 was marked by the development of a regionally based occupational standard in the field of agriculture. The EQET SEE implementing partners from six economies organised 24 national meetings and involved over 35 business and education experts in order to develop national proposals for the agricultural technician of traditional and organic cultivation occupational standard.
The national inputs were then compiled into a regional proposal which was further on consolidated and validated at regional level by business and education experts from six economies. The Agricultural technician of traditional and organic cultivation occupational standard is available in English language with translations to Albanian, Macedonian and Serbian language.
The EQET SEE implementing partners guided by the ERI SEE continued towards developing the regionally based qualification standards for the first time in the region of Western Balkan.
Utilising the experience of the education experts from the VET and qualification agencies from six EQET SEE economies, the regional working group finetuned the methodology produced within the TO REGOS project and developed the first regionally based qualification standard for the Agricultural technician of traditional and organic cultivation (ATTOQS). The standard is available in English with translations to Albanian and Serbian.
The next year, 2023, is expected to bring the finalisation the second regionally based occupational and qualification standard in the metal sector and the development of the national curricula, regional teaching and learning material and the workshops for the implementation of curricula.
* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNCSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
