National VET Team publications
Publications related to the National VET Team program
Practice Makes Perfect: A Handbook for Project-Based Learning
Revised publication (2024)In the 21st century, learners from the current Generation Z and Alpha are exposed to as much information in a year as their grandparents encountered throughout their entire lives. During traditional classroom organisation, it is no longer feasible to effectively teach how to absorb, comprehend, categorise, prioritise, and utilise the vast amounts of rapidly emerging new knowledge. Professionals working in various fields of education have long signalled the need for renewal in order to engage young people, capture their attention, motivate them, and teach them effectively.
When teachers reflect on the aim of teaching their subject, they tend to emphasize shaping students' competencies and personalities, as well as how the knowledge that is acquired while studying the subject can be incorporated into everyday practice, how our student becomes competitive in the labor market and a useful member of society. On the other hand, the labor market does not expect traditional professional knowledge from employees, especially from young applicants, but rather so-called transversal and soft skills, such as analytical and creative thinking, complex problem-solving, flexibility, technological literacy, and leadership skills.
When teachers reflect on the overarching aim of their subject instruction, they often begin listing the topics to be taught, which constitutes only a small percentage of the whole. Instead, we should emphasise the development of students' personalities and abilities, as well as how the knowledge acquired through studying a subject can be integrated into daily practice, ultimately rendering our students competitive in the job market and valuable members of society through this knowledge and skillset.
Monitoring the changes in public education and vocational training reveals that the project-based approach plays a significant role in the outcome requirements of qualifications and the reformed matriculation standards. Problem-solving within projects not only enhances students' collaboration but also fosters their reasoning techniques and critical thinking skills. Furthermore, through experience-based, practical tasks, students can attain a more enduring and profound understanding compared to traditional methods. Simplified, restructured educational materials cannot provide this; only real-life situations and the experiences derived from them can. Information no longer solely originates from a textbook and/or the teacher; it emanates from reality itself. The experiential teaching methods associated with projects spark students' curiosity towards new knowledge and increase their motivation to master the curriculum. Project-based learning unveils a new dimension of learning, as students learn from each other, the internet, their experiences, their research, and their hobbies—thus experiencing knowledge acquisition outside of school contexts, rendering the concept of lifelong learning meaningful for them.
Projects, from planning to idea generation and presentation of results, require thorough effort and thoughtful preparation. In this publication, alongside outlining the characteristics and benefits of project-based learning, we share several best practices with readers, aiming to encourage more teachers and educators to embark on project-based teaching and successfully guide their students through the project process together.
The publication in Hungarian language can be found by clicking on the publication image.
Mobility Compass
Preparation of Students and Accompanying Staff for Erasmus+ Mobility Programmes (2024)
Currently, there is no nationally established and universally accepted process or official documentation for preparing students and teachers for mobility programmes. However, at the institutional level, there exist best practices that can be shared among institutions to adequately prepare students for an abroad placement. Exchanging experiences and mutual learning are particularly crucial, as all applicants share a common goal: to successfully implement mobility programmes that provide students with lifelong professional and personal experiences.
This publication aims to support applicants and beneficiaries by highlighting the steps that can help prepare, implement, and finish the programmes in a properly elaborated and organised way that both students and participating colleagues feel comfortable. The objective of the booklet is to serve as a guide offering readers practical recommendations, from the selection period to the acknowledgment of the placement, that can be integrated into the processes and culture of the institution.
The structure of the publication follows that of the mobility process, from selecting participating students to disseminating the project results. The first major chapter provides useful suggestions for student selection; the second one discusses the preparation of students from various perspectives, such as administrative, logistical, cultural, linguistic, psychological, and professional. The tasks listed in the first and second chapters should be completed before and during the mobility. Moreover, they present situations and scenarios that students, teachers, accompanying persons, and even institutions may encounter from starting the organisation to the end of the abroad placement. The third major chapter details mandatory and recommended activities after the mobility, including the preparation and submission of mandatory and optional documents, as well as the project dissemination on various platforms and channels.
While the book primarily focuses on students, in most cases, students travel with accompanying staff for their abroad apprenticeship programmes. Therefore, it also essential for accompanying persons to prepare for extended periods abroad, as they have significant responsibility for the students and for the successful implementation of the programme. Consequently, we have included helpful advice and recommendations for accompanying teachers in each major chapter.
Although it is still relatively uncommon that students participate in long-term Erasmus+ mobility programmes, an increasing number of institutions take advantage of this opportunity. While most of these students are of legal age, their preparation often requires considering additional factors, as they spend for at least three months or even longer abroad, and typically do not have an accompanying teacher with them for the entire duration of the placement. Many of them spend such an extended period away from their beloved ones and familiar home environment for the first time, and they need to independently manage challenges. Therefore, we also wanted to focus on their preparation. Sections relating to accompanying staff and students participating in long-term mobility are separated: our suggestions directed at them are placed in coloured text boxes, with distinct icons indicating the two target groups alongside the boxes.
The publication in Hungarian language can be found by clicking on the publication image.
Internationalisation in Vocational Education and Training
Conference Volume (2023)The National VET Team, operating within the Tempus Public Foundation, is tasked to mediate the proposals of the European Commission and of the national policymakers, as well as new trends and opportunities emerging in vocational education and training to the stakeholders in the field VET. The conference titled "Internationalisation in Vocational Education and Training," was organised on 12 October 2023, aimed to serve this purpose. This volume contains studies of the presentations and session discussions. The structure of the volume focuses on the progress from general concepts to specific applications, from theoretical formulations to practical implementations, and from international trends to concrete processes and solutions occurring within vocational institutions.
The first study is authored by Kinga Szebeni, a national expert working at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs, and Inclusion. The author outlines the vocational education and training funding opportunities available through the European Union and supports these with statistical data. Following this, Dr. Zita Magyar, the President of the National Vocational Education and Training and Adult Education Office, presents her study, which introduces various projects (EQAVET, MER, SZPR, EPALE, AL Agenda) that support Hungarian VET providers, grounded in the vision and mission of the Vocational Education and Training 4.0 strategy and the three pillars of national vocational education and training.
István Verses, the Director of the Erasmus+ Programme at the Tempus Public Foundation, focuses on the opportunities provided by Erasmus+ programmes, emphasising that Erasmus+ is much more than a mere exchange programme, and highlighting various funding possibilities. Dr. Csilla Marianna Szabó, the Coordinator of the National VET Team, presents some results of an international study examining Erasmus+ student mobility and its impact, detailing the effects of mobility programmes on students, teachers, and on the teaching process.
The second part of the volume features studies related to the afternoon sessions. The authors summarise the themes and the methodology of the sessions, as well as the best practices collected during the sessions. The sessions were led by the National VET Team experts, who also are the authors of the studies. The first study is authored by Katalin Molnárné Stadler and József Marton, who explore the factors contributing to successful mobility. They categorise their experiences around four sub-themes: participant preparation, contract signing, learning outcomes, and quality assurance. The next study also addresses mobility grants, mapping how the European Commission's proposed priorities for the 2021-2027 programme period—such as inclusion and diversity, digital transition, environment and fight against climate change, as well as Participation in democratic life, common values and civic engagement —can be integrated into mobility activities. This study is authored by Marianna Palencsárné Kasza. The third study, authored by Emma Judit Tóth, focuses on novelties in the current programme period, offering ideas for the new types of activities in vocational mobility, including hosting experts and participation in vocational competitions. Finally, the fourth study examines partnership cooperation grants. The author, Éva Rozmán, structures her study around three focal points: designing successful KA2 grants, formulating objectives, and dissemination opportunities.
This volume provides valuable information for the ones who are interested in the international grants available in vocational education and training. It also serves as an excellent resource for institutions that still plan to submit an Erasmus+ application, that begin its implementation, as well as the ones that already possess considerable experience in this area.
The publication in Hungarian language can be found by clicking on the publication image.
Quality Assurance of Erasmus+ Mobility Programmes in Vocational Education Institutions (2023)
On 24 November 2020, the Council of the European Union adopted a new legal instrument—a Recommendation—aimed at ensuring high-quality and flexible vocational education and training (VET). Among the objectives outlined in the Recommendation, particular emphasis is placed on the rapid adaptability of vocational education and training to the demands of the labour market, as well as ensuring quality learning opportunities for both young people and adults. The legislation emphasises the increased flexibility of vocational education and training and the strengthened possibilities for work-based learning. The role of internationalisation in vocational education and training is highlighted as critical in achieving these objectives, particularly through student and staff (teachers) mobility, participation in international skills competitions, and collaborative development programmes. The Recommendation specifies a target that, by 2025, 8% of students participating in vocational education and training within the EU should engage in mobility for study purposes.
The "Vocational Education and Training 4.0" strategy, which underpins the development of vocational education and training in Hungary, dedicates a separate chapter to the international aspects of vocational education development. According to the document, "The development of Hungarian vocational education and training and adult education must take into account the results of the European Union's planned processes related to vocational education, as well as the commitments made by our country towards the implementation of the EU 2020 Strategy." This is reflected in the recognition of qualifications, the alignment of training content, and the development of modern digital curricula, as well as the enhancement of mobility for students and teachers. The development strategy of the vocational education and training identifies increased involvement of students and teachers in Erasmus+ mobility programmes as a key objective, along with reinforcing quality vocational education and training by adhering to the requirements of the European Quality Assurance in Vocational Education and Training (EQAVET) framework and facilitating effective foreign language education by increasing student participation in international study mobility programmes. Both the aforementioned European and national strategic documents confirm that Erasmus+ mobility programmes become an increasingly important component of the broader and long-term development and modernisation strategies of the institutions. Therefore, it is advisable to incorporate related requirements into the quality management systems of vocational education institutions.
This publication aims to support vocational education institutions implementing Erasmus+ mobility programmes in their quality assurance initiatives and developments. The intent of the publication is to encourage institutions to continuously improve activities related to Erasmus+ mobility programmes within the framework of their quality management systems. The publication intends to provide methodological guidelines on quality assurance for the vocational institutions that consider internationalisation strategy essential and view mobility programmes as an integral part of their training activities.
The publication outlines the policy background for quality assurance in vocational education and training at the European level, the European Quality Assurance in Vocational Education and Training (EQAVET) framework, the quality assurance rules for Erasmus+, and the quality management system introduced for Hungarian vocational institutions on 1 September 2022. Additionally, it demonstrates how the international mobility activities can be integrated into the quality management system and provides recommendations for effective process regulation in the implementation of mobility programmes. In formulating the guidelines, practical examples that were collected during the events organised by the National VET Team on quality assurance are presented.
The publication in Hungarian language can be found by clicking on the publication image.
Learning Outcomes in Dual Training and Erasmus+ Mobilities (2023)
The "Vocational Education and Training 4.0" strategy, published in 2019, is a fundamental document that outlines the systemic renewal and further development of vocational education and training and adult education. To achieve the objectives of the Vocational Education and Training Strategy, the modification of the Vocational Education and Training Act, also in 2019, fundamentally alters the conceptual framework and content regulation of vocational education and training. According to the law, the output requirements for vocational education and training are defined by the Qualification and Learning Outcomes Requirements (hereinafter referred to as KKK). The KKK describes, in terms of learning outcomes related to the Hungarian Qualification Framework (hereinafter referred to as MKKR), the skills, knowledge, responsibilities, and attitudes that a practitioner of a particular profession / trade must possess.
The approach to learning outcomes has become the most influential developmental tool in recent years and a key element of European educational reform, aimed at supporting the broader interpretation and recognition of student, and staff (including teacher) mobility. Learning outcomes ensure the recognisability, comparability, and transparency of qualifications that could be acquired both nationally and across Europe, eliminate the prioritisation of different forms of learning, support diverse individual career pathways for knowledge acquisition, and facilitate the recognition of qualifications and competences acquired through formal, informal or non-formal means.
The requirements and elements of the vocational education and training quality management system, as well as the rules for the introduction of quality management have been articulated in new legislation. Accordingly, the institutional Quality Management System for vocational education and training is based on the European Quality Assurance Reference Framework for Vocational Education and Training (EQAVET), comprising a) quality policy, b) comprehensive self-assessment conducted on identical criteria, and c) intervention and developmental activities built upon these. Learning outcomes and quality assurance interact with each other: the determination, documentation, evaluation, recognition, accounting, and review of learning outcomes can only serve to establish transparency and trust as a regulated, an effective, and quality-assured process. Nevertheless, applying learning outcomes in quality assurance systems shifts the emphasis from processes and procedures to outputs, that is, to learning outcomes.
This publication examines the relationship between key competences and the learning outcomes of dual training while providing an overview of the latest legislative changes affecting vocational education and training. Finally, it explores the potential applications of learning outcomes in planning the Erasmus+ mobility work programme and provides best practices for the readers.
The publication in Hungarian language can be found by clicking on the publication image.
Practice Makes Perfect
A Handbook for Project-Based Learning (2022)In the 21st century, learners from Generation Z and Alpha are exposed to as much information in a year as their grandparents encountered throughout their entire lives. During traditional classroom organisation, it is no longer feasible to effectively teach how to absorb, comprehend, categorise, prioritise, and utilise the vast amounts of rapidly emerging new knowledge. Professionals working in various fields of education have long signalled the need for renewal in order to engage young people, capture their attention, motivate them, and teach them effectively. When teachers reflect on the aim of their subjects, they often list the topics to be taught that should emphasise the development of students' personalities and abilities, as well as how the knowledge acquired through studying a subject can be integrated into daily practice, ultimately rendering our students competitive in the job market and valuable members of society through this knowledge and skillset.
Monitoring the changes in general education and vocational education and training reveals that the project-based approach plays a significant role in the outcome requirements of qualifications and the standards of the reformed matriculation examination. Problem-solving within projects not only enhances students' collaboration but also fosters their reasoning techniques and critical thinking skills. Furthermore, through experience-based, practical tasks, students can attain a more enduring and profound understanding compared to traditional teaching-learning methods. Information no longer originates only from a textbook and/or the teacher; its source is everyday reality. The experiential teaching methods associated with projects spark students' curiosity towards new knowledge and increase their motivation to acquire the curriculum. Project-based learning reveals a new dimension of learning, as students learn from each other, the internet, their experiences, their research, and their hobbies – thus experiencing knowledge acquisition outside of school contexts, which makes the concept of lifelong learning meaningful for them.
Projects, from planning to creating ideas and presenting the results, require thorough effort and thoughtful preparation. In this booklet, alongside outlining the characteristics and benefits of project-based learning, we share several best practices with readers, aiming to encourage more teachers to start project-based teaching and successfully guide their students through the project process.
The publication in Hungarian language can be found by clicking on the publication image.