Governance
The EQAVET Network is chaired by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL) and is supported by the EQAVET Secretariat.
The EQAVET Network operates with a ‘bottom-up’ approach, encouraging members to take ownership of activities and decisions through the active involvement of EQAVET National Reference Points (EQAVET NRPs) and national representatives from ministries and other responsible bodies.
A Steering Committee, composed of elected members of the EQAVET Network and key European stakeholders, collaborates closely with the European Commission and the EQAVET Secretariat to:
- Provide guidance for ongoing activities.
- Inform about policy needs and contextualise policy developments within the Member States
- Ensure proper coordination, strategic development, and alignment with other relevant policy areas and processes.
This governance structure fosters collaboration and mutual learning, creating a strong foundation for the EQAVET Network's work.
Work Programme 2024-2026
The European Commission and the EQAVET Network, represented by the Steering Committee, jointly develop a multiannual EQAVET work programme. The 2024-2026 work programme outlines the key activities and thematic priorities for discussion and collaboration at EU level.
The thematic priorities for 2024-2026 include:
- Reinforcing Quality Assurance beyond all VET sectors (initial vocational education and training, continuing vocational education and training, apprenticeships, upskilling and re-skilling of existing staff, higher VET, non-formal and informal learning, work-based learning, and the blended and digitalised learning environment etc.)
- Reinforcing Quality Assurance for all formats of VET delivery, including work-based learning, individualised and digital learning (e-based/blended learning), and its assessment/recognition/certification
- Reinforcing Quality Assurance for non-standard forms of learning (outside the formal education system), like validation of non-formal and informal learning and microcredentials
- Actively supporting the development and integration of indicative descriptors to promote flexibility and mobility in VET
- Actively supporting the process of building capacity and knowledge on standards for VET graduate tracking at national and EU level
Actively exploring new ways to disseminate EQAVET Network knowledge and learning to other stakeholders, including VET/adult learning providers, Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs), the development and use of the European vocational core profiles (EVCP), and national/regional policy developments introduced by members of the EQAVET Network, etc.
EQAVET Network
The EQAVET Network develops knowledge and capacity through intensive exchange and mutual learning activities that explore the current thematic priorities. The exchanges and mutual learning activities are organised as part of a work programme.
Such activities include Peer Learning Activities, which allow EQAVET NRPs to compare and contrast approaches to specific topics, and Peer Reviews, which aim to support the EQAVET Network in reviewing national VET systems' quality assurance and deciding how to take it forward in the EQAVET context. The manual for the EQAVET Network’s approach to VET system level Peer Reviews is available to download from the virtual library.
The EQAVET Annual Network meeting allows to take stock of the progress and discuss future activities. The Annual Network meeting usually takes place each June in the country that holds the EU Presidency. Read the summary report from the latest Annual Network meeting, available here.
The EQAVET Network showcase the work and developments in the EQAVET Newsletter as well as in country factsheets, case studies and other publications available from the virtual library.
Further information
Interested in learning more about the latest work of the EQAVET Network?
The most recent Peer Learning Activity focused on the quality assurance of democratic citizenship in VET. For more details, you can read the Flash Report.
Visit the virtual library to explore the latest Flash Reports from Peer Reviews, covering topics such as quality assurance and qualification of in-company trainers in IVET (dual system) and CVET; how to better answer to the training and competence needs of the labour market; ensuring labour market relevance; and much more.
The EQAVET Network work programme is available to download:
- Download the work programme for 2024 here.
- Download the work programme for 2023 here.
- Download the work programme for 2021-2022 here.
The peer review was the opportunity for the Malta Further and Higher Education Authority to discuss their draft ‘external quality assurance accreditation manual for further education institutions’ with EQAVET members in the view of finalising it
The peer review brought together the Bulgarian VET Directorate of the Ministry of Education and Science (MES), Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs) and EQAVET members to discuss the role of CoVEs in the ongoing VET reform in Bulgaria
The peer review gathered Latvia’s State Education Quality Service, Ministry of Education and Science, VET institutions, stakeholders and EQAVET members to discuss governance, quality culture, and the impact of change management on VET institutions.