EFFORTS IN THE HUNGARIAN VET SYSTEM FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF QUALITY ASSURANCE

1. EFFORTS IN THE HUNGARIAN VET SYSTEM FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF QUALITY ASSURANCE Dr. Magdolna Benke National Institute for Vocational and Adult Education INAP Conference, September 17-18, 2009 Turin

2. I. Actual situation: parallel employment of different systems • From the mid-nineties: VET institutions introduced and still employ different quality assurance systems • Comenius 2000 I. and II., Quality Award in Public Ed., EFQM adaptation, ‘SzMBK’ (QAF on VET), TQM, ISO 9001: 2000, Adult training accreditation, Vocational School Self-Assessment Model • Equal evaluation is restricted • Difficulties in ensuring coherent, equal assessment of the efficiency of the institutions • An equal quality-picture and quality assurance system is needed, self-assesment with permanent, standardized external evaluation

3. II. General and sector specific quality models • General approaches and models • TQM • ISO 9000 • EFQM adaptation • Sector specific quality models • Comenius 2000 • instituion-level Quality Management Programme (IQMP) • Adult training accreditation • Vocational School Self-Assessment Model • Quality Award

4. III. School-based quality management systems_1 - Development on basic principles of TQM • ISO 9001: 2000 • EFQM, between 1995-1998: 28 VET instutions • Benefits: evaluation, comparison, continuous development of achievement is ensured • Difficulties: understanding the concepts of the model, interpretation of the special characters of institutions - ISO 9001 from the 90’s (significant use in VET institutains and adult training companies)

5. IV. School-based quality management systems_2 • COMENIUS 2000 public ed. quality development program • 1985: schools’s inspectorate closed down • Changing culture of contol of institutions • Demand for evaluation and control with positiv feedback adn support • The introduction of COMENIUS 2000 • I. Inst. Model: partner-centered operation • II. Inst. Model: Total quality management The aim of COMENIUS 2000: • Creation of partner-centered approach • Creation of ability of process-regulation • Creation of the ability of consciuos institition-development • Creation of ability of continuous development of activities of institutions • Creation of the ability of learning from each other

6. V. School-based quality management systems_3 • Total number of 1735 institutions: • COM I model: 14% vocational sec. school, 10% vocational school • COM II model: 21% vocational sec. school, 10% vocational school • Since 2003: all public education institutions must prepare and develop an instituion-level Quality Management Programme (IQMP) • Quality policy specification • Operation of quality development system • Specification of principles and processes of operation • Total institution-level self-assesment • Creation and operation of performance-evaluation system • Evaluation of IQMP on annual basis • 11.5 % of VET institutions do not have quality management system

7. VI. School-based quality management systems_4 • Unique professional development in international level comparison • Quality Award in Public Education since 2002 • Based on EFQM • Instutional level self-assesment • Two prize-categories • Indepentdent evaluators • 148 applications in 5 years • Vocational School Development Programme • 2003: VSDP • 2006: VET Self-assesment model • Benchmarking • Participation of 160 institutions

8. VII. School-based quality management systems_5 • 2006: adaptation of CQAF (‘SZMBK’) • Institutional level • Regional level Introduction in 89 institutions (VSDP I. and II.) Professional products for supporting the introduction: • General documents • Documents related to framework (model,guidance,tables for comparison) • Self-assesment (Methodology) • External evaluation (Monitoring) • Indicators (measurement)

9. VIII. School-based quality management systems_6 • 2002: Adult Education Law: the declaration of legal regulation of quality of adult education and training • Accreditation of institutions and later of the programs • Basic requirements of quality management • Asses to state and EU financ. sources only for accredited inst.s • the institution- and programme-accreditations as central elements of qualification policy of VET (prior assessment of input factors) • Conditions of accreditation is the operation of QM system based on rules • TQM-based approach • Continuous self-assesment • ‘PDCA’ principle • Operation under the given conditions • To ensure measurable key-performance indicators • 1400 accredited adult training institutions

10. IX. External evaluation in some QM systems_1 • COMENIUS 2000 program – Monitoring system • Document analyses • Local inspection (1-day local visit and discussion) Adult education accreditation – Control of accredited institutions and programs - if the institution is able ensure the given requirements continuously - document assesment related to the accreditation - if the inst. is able to ensure the conditions for the fulfilment of the accredited program, fixed in the training plan of the inst. - if the practice of the inst. follows the regulations related to the accreditation - the evaluation of the efficiency of the quality development activity of the institution

11. X. External evaluation in some QM systems_2 • Quality Award in Public Education – assesment by external evaluators • Individual evaluation of applications • Group-level evaluation of applications • Local inspection • Final evaluation Vocational School Development Programme - 2 Peer in institutional level - 1 person from the Chamber as stakeholder (mostly provides supports related to professional questions and practice) - 1 person evaluation expert

12. XI. Indicators • VET indicators • 2005. Specification of key-indicators • Appropriatness of the operation of the institution • Efficiency of the operation of the institution • Factors influence the efficiency 40 key-indicators in 4 fields (in structure preferred by CQAF) • Education and training outcomes • Outcomes related to employees • Labour market and societal outcomes • Financial outcomes 28 valid key-indicators in VET institutions

13. XII. Clear rules for approving VET providers • VET outside the school system: accreditation of training institutions and programmes ensures some kind of quality assessment based on self-evaluation • This process is available for filtering the very low quality programmes • Long term improvement of the quality level of accredited training programmes can be achieved only by implementing independent examination centers • Development of quality of adult education and training should include the regulation of further education of VET teachers and also, the increase of the culture of methodology related to adult learning and training • Since 2007 the precondition of accreditation of institutes requires min. one accredited programme

14. XIII.The role of communication and partnership • More and more discussion on the quality and the efficiency of VET in Hungary in the last 10-12 years • Chambers: the most influential actors of the economy, with increasing role, especially after 2004, after gaining some responsibility from the state • More important role in the assessment of the quality of VET, nominating the head of the examination committee • Actors of the economy: getting determinant role in the development of the regional VET policy. Their tasks in the Regional Development and Training Committee-s is increasing. Proposal, evaluator, decision-making roles. • Debate: to focus on protecting everyday economic interest instead of substantially influencing strategic decisions?

15. XIV. Summary of the passed processes • Implementation of arrangements of strategy documents (introduction of coherent QA system, adaptation of CQAF,new NQR and examinationrequirements) created the framework for the development of quality of VET • 2006: adaptation of the CQAF: the introduction of ‘SZMBK’ plays an integrated role between the different quality development approaches • Preparatory project started in 2006, aiming the adaptation of CQAF in the field of Adult education, with further development in QA based on the accreditation process • Appreciation and encouragement of institutions and students with outstanding achievements ensured by Quality Award for Public Education, the annual National Vocational Study Competition, “Outstanding Student of the Trade” and World Skills competition.

16. XV. Development works in progress • NIVE as the actor to realize main EU programs • Backgrounds: • Vocational School Development Programme • HEFOP 3.2.1 • HEFOP 3.5.1. • Organisation of exams • Preparation of examination topics • Publishing og books • Organisation of further training of teachers New Hungary Development Plan, TÁMOP 2.2.1. The development of quality and content of education and training The aim is to introduce a QM system which fits to the EQAF system, with internal and external evaluation.

17. XVI.Development ideas for the future Increasing importance of quality in two fields: • The quality of the activity of teachers and their personalities • Further training is not enough for achieving the targets - The importance of developing the social status of teachers • It is neccessary to develop the ‘overall knowledge’ and professional culture of all the stakeholders, those who are involved and interested in VET • Developing and modernisation of VET-management • Efforts on fulfilment of thinking focused on the Lifelong learning approach • The development of ‘transparency’ (EQF, NQF)

18. Thank you very much for your kind attention! benke.magdolna@nive.hu