Browse by: "O"

In many OECD countries, tertiary education systems have experienced rapid growth over the last decade. With tertiary education increasingly seen as a fundamental pillar for economic growth, these systems must now address the pressures of a globalising economy and labour market. Within governance frameworks that encourage institutions, individually and collectively, to fulfil multiple missions, tertiary education systems must aim for the broad objectives of growth, full employment and social cohesion.

In this context, the OECD launched a major review of tertiary education with the participation of 24 nations. The principal objective of the review is to assist countries in understanding how the organisation, management and delivery of tertiary education can help them achieve their economic and social goals. New Zealand is one of 14 countries which opted to host a Country Review, in which a team of external reviewers carried out an in-depth analysis of tertiary education policies. This report includes:

• an overview of New Zealand's tertiary education system;
• an account of trends and developments in tertiary education in New Zealand;
• an analysis of the strengths and challenges in tertiary education in New Zealand; and
• recommendations for future policy development.

This review of tertiary education in New Zealand forms part of the OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education, a project conducted between 2004 and 2008.

In many OECD countries, tertiary education systems have experienced rapid growth over the last decade. With tertiary education increasingly seen as a fundamental pillar for economic growth, these systems must now address the pressures of a globalising economy and labour market. Within governance frameworks that encourage institutions, individually and collectively, to fulfil multiple missions, tertiary education systems must aim for the broad objectives of growth, full employment and social cohesion.

In this context, the OECD launched a major review of tertiary education with the participation of 24 nations. The principal objective of the review is to assist countries in understanding how the organisation, management and delivery of tertiary education can help them achieve their economic and social goals. Poland is one of 14 countries which opted to host a Country Review, in which a team of external reviewers carried out an in-depth analysis of tertiary education policies. This report includes:

• an overview of Poland's tertiary education system;
• an account of trends and developments in tertiary education in Poland;
• an analysis of the strengths and challenges in tertiary education in Poland; and
• recommendations for future policy development.

This review of tertiary education in Poland forms part of the OECD Thematic Review of Tertiary Education, a project conducted between 2004 and 2008.

Learning for Jobs is an OECD study of vocational education and training (VET) designed to help countries make their VET systems more responsive to labour market needs.

The Australian VET system has many strengths including strong engagement of employers, a well established national qualification system, extensive VET data and research. The system is flexible and allows for a fair degree of local autonomy and experimentation. But at the same time there are a number of challenges, including a lack of clarity and potentially duplication in the respective roles of Commonwealth, states and territories in planning and delivering VET, a lack of clear and simple rules for entitlement to funding, difficulties in providing a reliable foundation in skills forecasts, some gaps in the data base, somewhat complicated and cumbersome training packages and an ageing teacher and trainer workforce.

The OECD review assesses the main challenges faced by the VET system and presents an interconnected package of policy recommendations. For each recommendation, the report describes the challenge, the recommendation itself, supporting arguments, and issues of implementation.

Learning for Jobs is an OECD study of vocational education and training (VET) designed to help countries make their VET systems more responsive to labour market needs.

The Flemish VET system has a good range of vocational options at different levels. The system is underpinned by strong academic standards reflected in the performance of 15-year-olds and compulsory education up to age 18. Commendable attention is given to entrepreneurial training. Policy development is dynamic and evidence is used extensively in reforms. At the same time the system faces a number of challenges, including early tracking, weaknesses in literacy and numeracy skills among some students, and too many unqualified school leavers. The use of workplace training is very variable, and some training provision inadequately reflects labour market needs. The quality of career guidance in compulsory education could also usefully be improved.

The OECD review assesses the main challenges faced by the VET system and presents an interconnected package of policy recommendations. For each recommendation, the report describes the challenge, the recommendation itself, supporting arguments, and issues of implementation.

Learning for Jobs is an OECD study of vocational education and training (VET) designed to help countries make their VET systems more responsive to labour market needs.

The government’s commitment to develop and reform the VET system is illustrated by the recent work of the VET Commission and the creation of the National Council for VET. Chilean society places a high value on education and training, with fast-increasing participation in post-compulsory education. At the same time, the various elements of the VET system are weakly connected to each other, the literacy and numeracy skills of 15 year olds in Chile are not as good as they should be, and workplace training, as part of VET programmes, is weakly developed.

The OECD review assesses the main challenges faced by the VET system and presents an interconnected package of policy recommendations. For each recommendation, the report describes the challenge, the recommendation itself, supporting arguments, and issues of implementation.

Learning for Jobs is an OECD study of vocational education and training (VET) designed to help countries make their VET systems more responsive to labour market needs.

This special report looks at the system in China. China’s education system has made dramatic advances: almost all children in China now complete lower secondary education. Around three quarters continue into upper secondary schools, with fast increasing numbers in tertiary education. At upper secondary level about half the cohort enter vocational schools – more than 20 million students.

At the same time the system faces significant challenges. The government is seeking to make the system accessible to all students – by removing the fees barrier, ensuring minimum quality standards in all vocational schools, and in providing adequate high quality workplace training opportunities.

The OECD review assesses the main challenges faced by the VET system and presents an interconnected package of policy recommendations. For each recommendation, the report describes the challenge, the recommendation itself, supporting arguments, and issues of implementation.

Learning for Jobs is an OECD study of vocational education and training (VET) designed to help countries make their VET systems more responsive to labour market needs.

In England and Wales, a substantial commitment, backed by increased resources, has been made to the enhancement of workplace skills. Policy-making is self-evidently dynamic and innovative and governments are making conscious attempts to improve employer engagement – the particular topic of this report. At the same time there are a number of challenges – in particular that of linking enhanced employer engagement to a strong apprenticeship system, and of overcoming the obstacle of a complex and unstable institutional environment.

The OECD review assesses the main challenges faced by the VET system and presents an interconnected package of policy recommendations. For each recommendation, the report describes the challenge, the recommendation itself, supporting arguments, and issues of implementation.

Learning for Jobs is an OECD study of vocational education and training (VET) designed to help countries make their VET systems more responsive to labour market needs.

Germany has a very well developed and widely respected VET system with a strong dual component integrating learning in schools and workplace training. VET policy, design and delivery are strongly supported by social partner engagement and institutionalised VET research capacity. At the same time the German system confronts several challenges: the transition system is costly and suffers from undue fragmentation; more attention could be placed on adequate career guidance and basic skills provision; assessment is dominated by the Chamber exam; and only very few VET graduates take up university studies despite reforms to open access considerably.

The OECD review assesses the main challenges faced by the VET system and presents an interconnected package of policy recommendations. For each recommendation, the report describes the challenge, the recommendation itself, supporting arguments, and issues of implementation.

Learning for Jobs is an OECD study of vocational education and training (VET) designed to help countries make their VET systems more responsive to labour market needs.

Since 1989, Hungary has made significant efforts to restructure its VET system and it now has many strengths, including a strong national qualifications framework. But there are significant challenges, including weak links between VET and the labour market, early tracking and multiple selection mechanisms in the school system, and the low status of VET.

The OECD review assesses the main challenges faced by the VET system and presents an interconnected package of policy recommendations. For each recommendation, the report describes the challenge, the recommendation itself, supporting arguments, and issues of implementation.

Learning for Jobs is an OECD study of vocational education and training (VET) designed to help countries make their VET systems more responsive to labour market needs.

Ireland has a wide range of VET provision targeted at different client groups. The national qualifications framework is comprehensive and includes a strong commitment to the avoidance of dead-ends and pathways of progression. At the same time, the economic crisis is making intense demands on the Irish VET system, particularly on the apprenticeship system, which focuses on a narrow set of occupations. Weak literacy and numeracy are serious problems for many learners, and many of those looking after VET students, in particular those in companies, lack pedagogical training.

The OECD review assesses the main challenges faced by the VET system and presents an interconnected package of policy recommendations. For each recommendation, the report describes the challenge, the recommendation itself, supporting arguments, and issues of implementation.

Learning for Jobs is an OECD study of vocational education and training (VET) designed to help countries make their VET systems more responsive to labour market needs.

The Korean VET system is part of a system of education which has achieved huge advances in a very short time; school results and educational attainment levels are now among the highest in OECD countries. At the same time, the rapidity of change has presented the Korean VET system with some significant challenges, including weak involvement of industry in VET, lack of quality standards for workplace training, weak linkages between VET degree and national technical qualifications and lack of practical work experience among VET teachers.

The OECD review assesses the main challenges faced by the VET system and presents an interconnected package of policy recommendations. For each recommendation, the report describes the challenge, the recommendation itself, supporting arguments, and issues of implementation.

Learning for Jobs is an OECD study of vocational education and training (VET) designed to help countries make their VET systems more responsive to labour market needs. VET in Mexico plays an important social role and numerous recent initiatives illustrate the country’s will to address the challenges faced by its VET system and integrate VET into a broad framework of lifelong learning. At the same time, the Mexican VET system faces some challenges, including ineffective co-ordination and coherence within the VET system, weak linkages between employers and VET, and insufficient pedagogical preparation of teachers and trainers.

The OECD review assesses the main challenges faced by the VET system and presents an interconnected package of policy recommendations. For each recommendation, the report describes the challenge, the recommendation itself, supporting arguments, and issues of implementation.

Learning for Jobs is an OECD study of vocational education and training (VET) designed to help countries make their VET systems more responsive to labour market needs.

The Norwegian VET system has many strengths including strong and trustful co-operation between employers, unions and VET authorities and high-status VET tracks in upper secondary education. Many employers are keen to attract apprentices and there is a high level of adult literacy. But there are significant challenges, including an ageing workforce of school-based trainers, weak quality assurance mechanisms, high levels of dropout and concerns that the priority accorded to student choice may make the system unresponsive to labour market needs.

The OECD review assesses the main challenges faced by the VET system and presents an interconnected package of policy recommendations. For each recommendation, the report describes the challenge, the recommendation itself, supporting arguments, and issues of implementation.

Learning for Jobs is an OECD study of vocational education and training (VET) designed to help countries make their VET systems more responsive to labour market needs.

Sweden has a well-established VET system at upper secondary level, grounded on strong outcomes in basic schooling, with high-status VET tracks and modest rates of dropout. The challenges to the system include relatively high rates of unemployment for young people, an ageing workforce of school-based trainers, and very limited engagement by the social partners.

The OECD review assesses the main challenges faced by the VET system and presents an interconnected package of policy recommendations. For each recommendation, the report describes the challenge, the recommendation itself, supporting arguments, and issues of implementation.

Learning for Jobs is an OECD study of vocational education and training (VET) designed to help countries make their VET systems more responsive to labour market needs.

The Swiss VET system is very impressive. Its many strengths include strong employer engagement within a well functioning partnership of Confederation, cantons and professional organisations. School and work-based learning are integrated; the system is well-resourced, flexible and comprehensive, including a strong tertiary VET sector. VET teachers and trainers, examiners and directors are well prepared, quality control is ensured, career guidance is systematic and professional. Evidence is well developed and routinely used to support policy arguments.

But at the same time there are a number of challenges. The global recession may reduce the provision of apprenticeship training, the entry of international companies may threaten dual system arrangements, competition between academic and vocational education could be sharpened by demographic changes, and there are some equity concerns.

The OECD review assesses the main challenges faced by the VET system and presents an interconnected package of policy recommendations. For each recommendation, the report describes the challenge, the recommendation itself, supporting arguments, and issues of implementation.

Learning for Jobs is an OECD study of vocational education and training (VET) designed to help countries make their VET systems more responsive to labour market needs.

The Czech Republic has done much to improve its VET system through the introduction of a new qualification system and a national standardised exam in apprenticeship programmes, among other initiatives. The Czech VET system is supported by an impressive date base on labour market outcomes of education and training. At the same time, the general skills of apprenticeship graduates are poor and their situation in the labour market is fragile. Students also need better information about career choices, and the provision of workplace training is highly variable.

The OECD review assesses the main challenges faced by the VET system and presents an interconnected package of policy recommendations. For each recommendation, the report describes the challenge, the recommendation itself, supporting arguments, and issues of implementation.