“High Vocational Education & Training excellence supporting growth, innovation, competitiveness”
SHINE targets actors governing and managing HVET programmes, as well as students, aiming at bridging the gap among local economic contexts and goals set by corresponding regional Smart Specialization Strategies, by acknowledging the role and innovative potential of high-level technical professional profiles.
The “High Vocational Education & Training excellence supporting growth, innovation, competitiveness” multiplier event had a focused on the European level. The first panel discussion was focused on the presentation of SHINE tools and Innovative Governance Models for HVET in Europe. According to the user –oriented innovation models, innovation doesn’t just happen top-down, but bottom up through the contribution of active users. Project SHINE has created its own model of how this can come about in HVET governance. The four level quadruple helix model (please see the infographic below)
The event counted with high-level speakers from CEDEFOP, the European Commission and other stakeholders. In particular, Mr. Jens Bjornavold from CEDEFOP underlined that a majority of European countries operate with differentiated higher education systems where traditional universities live ‘side–by-side’ with institutions addressing clearly defined vocational or professional objectives (Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Finland &etc.). And a few countries (like Norway & the UK) have developed ‘unified’ higher education sectors with reference to the traditional university sector. After his presentation the discussion revolved around the EQF revision and skills profile tools.