VYTAUTAS MAGNUS UNIVERSITY Centre for Vocational Education and Reserach

1. VYTAUTAS MAGNUS UNIVERSITY Centre for Vocational Education and Reserach THE VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING SYSTEM IN LITHUANIA Vidmantas Tūtlys 12November, Kaunas 2007

2. Reform of VET System • The 1st stage (1988-1992) A new vision of VET was created, VET policy and strategy were formulated and international cooperation was developed. Organizational restructuring of the vocational schools. • The 2nd stage (1993-1996) It is a stage of decentralization. The renewal of teaching and learning curriculum, development of social partnership, etc. • The 3rd stage of the reform started in 1997 Main goal - to achieve a level of VET in Lithuania that would correspond to international standards; to assess the quality of study programmes; to work out teaching/study standards.

3. Documents regulating Education in Lithuania • 1991 – Law of Education • 1992- The General Concept of Education in Lithuania • 1997- Law of VET • 1998 – White paper of Vocational Education and Training • 2000 – Law of Higher Education • 2007 – Ammendment of the Law of VET introducing the national Qualifications System of Lithuania • Other: Classification of levels of Vocational Education, the Structure of the National Vocational Standard, Law of Special Education, Law of Non-formal adult Education • On-comming legal regultions: in 2008 Law of Qualifications for the legal approval of the National Qualifications System and NQF

4. VET Administration structure • Ministry of Education and Science (SMM) is responsible for the development of a general policy and strategy of VET (http://www.smm.lt) • Ministry Social Care and Work (SADM) is responsible for labour market vocational training (http://www.ldrmt.lt) • The Methodological Centre for VET guarantees didactical provision of VET and develops vocational education and training standards (http://www.pmmc.lt) • Lithuanian Labour Market Training Authority (LDRMT) implements the policy of labour market vocational training and counseling, expertise and coordination functions through regional authorities and training centres (http://www.ldrmt.lt) • Centre for Vocational Education and Research at Vytautas Magnus University (VDU PRSC) is an institution that performs VET research (http://www.vdu.lt/prsc)

5. Vocational Education and Training • Vocational schools • Colleges • Professional colleges

6. HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS UNIVERSITIES 18 COLLEGES 17 PROFESSIONAL COLLEGES 16 15 14 13 12 VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS GENERAL SECONDARY EDUCATION SCHOOL 4STAGE 14 13 3 12 2 STAGE TECHNOLOGICAL GYMNASIUM GYMNASIUM SECONDARY SCHOOL 11 10 1 STAGE 9 8 BASIC SCHOOL 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 PRIMARY SCHOOL 3 2 1 PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION LEGEND TOWARDS LABOUR MARKET MATURITY CERTIFICATE MAJOR ROUTE OPTIONAL/POSSIBLE ROUTE

7. Vocational schools Teaching programmes • I stage vocational training For children under 14 years of age. Duration - 2-3 years. Opportunities are created for those who desire to acquire basic education and obtain a vocational qualification. First stage curricula lead to a Level 2 vocational qualification (ISCED 2) • II stage vocational training For basic school leavers who wish to obtain vocational qualification. Duration - 2 years. This curricula lead to a Level 3 qualification (ISCED 3) • III stage vocational training For young people from the age of 16 who have already acquired a basic education. It provides an opportunity to obtain both professional qualification and a secondary school education. Duration - 3 years . Vocational qualification correspond to a Level 3 qualification (ISCED 3) • IV stage vocational training For secondary school or gymnasium leavers who wish to obtain a vocational qualification. Duration - 1 - 2 years.The studies lead to Level 4 qualification (ISCED 4)

8. VET financing

9. Creation of the National Qualifications System of Lithuania • On 7 March 2005, the Lithuanian Labour Market Training Authority commenced the implementation of a national level project “Creation of the National Qualifications System” as financed by the European Social Fund of the European Union. • The principal aim of this project is to create a uniform and transparent qualifications system which would cover all levels of qualifications, secure transition between the levels, ensure the variety of ways of acquiring a qualification, and provides a possibility to flexibly respond to the requirements of the changing environment.

10. What is the contents of the national qualifcations system ? The NQS is composed of the following sub-systems: 1. National framework of qualifications 2. Processes: - designing of qualifications; - supply / acquisition of qualifications; - evaluation and recognition of qualifications; - management and quality assurance of the NQS.

11. What are the basic principles of the NQS ? - Relations between the system of activities and system of education. - Consideration of the education system of Lithuania : its structure, development, experience, traditions, development trends. - Methodological validity. There is established the unified theoretical understanding of the qualifications and qualifications framework. The concepts of qualifications and framework of qualifications match the European Qualifications Framework. - Social partnership. - Transparency and comprehensibility of qualifications. - Compatibility of the processes and measures composing the NQS.

12. QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK 8 levels BOARD OF QUALIFICATIONS QUALIFICATIONS SERVICE ESTABLISHMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF THE LEGAL BASIS ASSESSMENT / RECOGNITION OF QUALIFICATIONS DESIGNING OF QUALIFICATIONS MANAGEMENT OF NQS RESEARCH OF ACTIVITIES ASSESSMENT REGULATIONS STANDARD SETTING INSTITUTIONS ASSESSMENT METHODS ASSESSMENT AND RECOGNITION INSTITUTIONS NATIONAL OCCUPATIONAL STANDARDS AND QUALIFICATIONS ACQUISITION OF QUALIFICATIONS CURRICULA OF FORMAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING (VET, HIGHER EDUCATION) INFORMAL AND EXPERIENTAL LEARNING QUALIFICATIONS PROVISION INSTITUTIONS National qualifications system

13. TASKS OF ACTIVITIES SYSTEM OF ACTIVITIES Definition of the qualification units – groups of competences needed for the execution of the tasks of activities. Designing of competences and qualifications Attribution of the newly designed competences and qualifications to the levels of qualifications in the NQF Competences (functional, cognitive, general) constituting the qualification unit and defined by the research of activities. Role of the NQF in the processes of the System - Designing of qualifications National Qualifications Framework

14. SYSTEMS OF VET AND HE AIMS OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING National Qualifications Framework Provided knowledge Provided functional skills Provided key skills Provision of the learning outcomes leading to the competences and qualifications Ensures continuinty in the transition of learners from the IVET to HE and from the IVET to CVT. Acquired (achieved) learning outcomes – knowledge, skills and key skills. Role of the NQF in the processes of the System - Provision of qualifications

15. SYSTEM OF ACTIVITIES Evaluation and the learning outcomes National Qualifications Framework Evaluation and recognition of competencies and qualifications Recogntion of acquired competencies and qualifications Information for the evaluation of the learning outcomes, provision of the criteria for evaluation Role of the NQF in the processes of the System – Evaluation and Recognition of qualifications

16. Challenges of the implementation of the integrated NQS and NQF – System of Education • Integration of the higher education qualifications (especially provided by the universities) in the common framework. • Institutional improvement of the transition pathways from the IVET to higher education and from the IVET to CVET.