Last year’s Annual Conference paper on learner feedback from John Berkeley of the University of Warwick provoked a great deal of interest and the subject is certainly attracting increasing political attention in several countries. EfVET is now looking at how we might do more to encourage this important area of activity.

As in many other aspects of VET, policies and practice vary widely and our first priority is to identify the ways in which learners’ views are currently gathered and used by EfVET member organisations. We will shortly be distributing a brief three-page survey by e-mail and hope that all EfVET members will take the few minutes necessary to complete and return the questionnaire.

This is, as far as we know, the first time such information has been sought on an international scale and the results will help identify opportunities for sharing good practice. They may also reveal the potential for a major EU-funded development project. A national survey is currently being conducted amongst more than 1500 schools, colleges and training providers in England and we will also be able to compare some of our results with this large UK sample.

Do please complete and return your questionnaire to John Berkeley as quickly as possible and we look forward to reporting our findings at this year’s Annual Conference.