FINAL REPORT


Recipients:
Ana Maria Bacalu
Project Manager,
Ministry of Regional Development and Housing (Contracting Authority)
Madlen şerban
Director of National Centre for Technical and Vocational Education Development
Ministry of Education Research and Innovation (Project Implementation Unit)
Date submitted:
June 2009 /
FINAL REPORT
JUNE 2009
(Duration: 29thof MAY 2008 – 28thof JUNE 2009)
Project financed under PHARE
Economic and Social Cohesion
sub-programme
Romania
Project Title:Training and Advice for Further Development
of the TVET Sector
Contract No: RO2006/018-147.04.01.02.01.03.01
Consultant:

Scottish Qualifications Authority

ABBREVIATIONS & ACRONYMS

ACPART / National Agency for Qualification in Higher Education for Partnership with Economic and Social Environment
ARACIP / Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Pre-University Education
ARACIS / Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education
CA / Contracting Authority
CNEAA / National Accreditation Agency
CQAF / Common Quality Assurance Framework for VET in Europe
CVT / Continuing Vocational Training
CVTS / Continuing Vocational Training Survey
DL / Distance Learning
EAQA / European Association for Quality Assurance
ECVET / European Credit Transfer System for Vocational Education and Training
ENQA / European Network for Quality Assurance
EQF / European Qualifications Framework
ERDF / European Regional Development Fund
ESF / European Social Fund
EU / European Union
HE / Higher Education
HEI / Higher Education Institution
HRD / Human Resource Development
ISCED / International Standard Classification for Education
ICT / Information & Communication Technology
IVET / Initial Vocational Education and Training
KE / Key Expert
LCD / Local Curriculum Development
LEAP / Local Education Action Plan
LM / Labour Market
MoERI / Ministry of Education, Research and Innovation
MoRDH / Ministry of Regional Development and Housing
MoLFEO / Ministry of Labour, Family and Equal Opportunities
NAQ / National Authority for Qualifications
NATB / National Adult Training Board
NCDTVET / National Centre for the Development of Technical Vocational Education and Training
NKE / Non-Key Expert
ODL / Open and Distance Learning
PIU / Project Implementation Unit
QA / Quality Assurance
REAP / Regional Education Action Plan
RNFIL / Recognition of Non/Informal Learning
SAP / School Action Plan
SQA / Scottish Qualifications Authority
STE / Short Term Expert
TA / Technical Assistance (usually means “the project”)
TNA / Training Needs Analysis
ToR / Terms of Reference
TP / Technical Proposal
TVET / Technical Vocational Education and Training
VAT / Value Added Tax
VET / Vocational Education and Training
VLE / Virtual Learning Environment
Training and Advice for Further Development in the TVET Sector
PHARE TVET RO2006/018-147.04.01.02.01.03.01 / Page 1 of 97

FINAL REPORT

CONTENTS

1 / Project synopsis
1.1 / Project objectives and purpose
1.2 / Planned results
1.3 / Project activities, outputs and results
1.4 / Target groups
1.5 / Modalities
2 / Summary of project progress and results
2.1 / Project administrative progress
2.2 / Description of activities performed during the reporting period and strategies for achieving objectives by the end of the project
ANNEXES A
A1 / Key expert day usage schedule
A2 / Local Consultant Requirements
A3
A4 / Training chart
Training plan
A4 / Training plan
ANNEXES B
1 / Materials produced for Task 1
2 / Materials produced for Task 2
3 / Materials produced for Task 3
4 / Materials produced for Task 4
5 / Materials produced for Task 5
6 / Materials produced for Task 6
7 / Materials produced for Task 7
8 / Materials produced for Task 8
9 / Materials produced for Task 9
10 / Materials produced for Task 10
11 / Materials produced for Task 11
Training and Advice for Further Development in the TVET Sector
PHARE TVET RO2006/018-147.04.01.02.01.03.01 / Page 1 of 97

FINAL REPORT

1Project synopsis

Project Title: / Training and Advice for Further Development of the TVET sector
Project No: / RO2006/018-147.04.01.02.01.03.01
Country: / Romania
Starting date: / 29th of May 2008
End date: / 28th of June 2009

1.1Project objectives and purpose

The objective of the project is:

To increase the access to, and participation within vocational training in Romania;

Further support the adjustment and improvement of the VET sector by contributing to enhanced adaptability and employability of the labour force at the regional and local level.

The purpose of the project is:

  • To consolidate reviewed responsibilities, governance and accountability mechanisms in the provision of initial TVET based on its recent developments in correlation with CVT and HE, in line with the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and Lifelong Learning (LLL) strategy.
  • To assist in the consolidation of a system ensuring open access and equal chances for young people to obtain a relevant professional qualification corresponding to European Framework (EOF), by providing quality education and training which responds flexibly to the needs of each individual and contribute to its professional mobility.
  • To reduce regional disparities and strengthen the institutional capacity of ail schools to innovate and offer alternative VET methodologies by means of distance and online learning, in order to educate young persons capable of contributing to the regeneration of their local economy.

1.2Planned Results

  • Improved coherence and quality of the distance and online education offer in the fieldof TVET, including through their correspondence to the requirements of the labour market;
  • Increased capacity of the relevant Romanian authorities and actors in designing integrated andcoherent distance and online education packages for TVET;
  • Increased networking capacity of the relevant TVET Romanian institutions, and increased visibilityof their educational offer to the interested public;
  • Consolidated impact of the reform measures by integrating the qualification framework at TVET incorrelation with CVT and HE, and improving the HRD measures for better integration of the youngpeople through education and training in the areas with economic potential, as well as in the ruralareas.

1.3Project activities, outputs and results

Project activities and task outputs for the whole of the project’s duration, consistent with those listed in the ToR, are summarised in Table 1 below:

Task / Activity / Outputs & Results
1 / Revision and improvement of TVET online and e-learning modules and practices in the field /
  • Report on the open distance and e-learning modules already developed, and their consistence with the rest of the curriculum.
  • Training needs identification.
  • Review of the existing e-learning courseware used by the 16 distance education centres together with the schools of their network
  • Assessment report on the results achieved by school that have applied distance and online alternative learning tools.
  • Update of the strategy for distance and e- learning in VET.

2 / Development of e-learning packages /
  • 50 electronic packages (containing curricula and guidebooks, new and revised versions of the existing ones) developed
  • 1 training session of 2 days for a total of approximately 100 teachers

3 / School staff training in e-learning methodologies and tools /
  • 2 training sessions of 2 days/session for a total of 16 teams of authors/developers for online courses for vocational training
  • 2 TOT sessions, of 2 days each for a total of 16 teams of authors/developers for online courses

4 / Training of staff of 16 regional support centres /
  • 1 training sessions of 3 days/session, for the 32 directors and deputy directors of the 16 regional support centers
  • Organize the monitoring of activities in the 16 regional support centres

5 / Training for TVET school staff in e-learning /
  • 3 training sessions of 2 days/session for a total of around 100 IT staff
  • 3 training sessions of 2 days/session for a total of about 100 foremen and vocationalteachers.
  • 1 training session, of 2 days/session, for the 32 persons coming from the regional support centres

6 / Assistance in using Quality Assurance Instruments /
  • Develop benchmarking methodology for TVET schools

7 / Review of regional management of HRD /
  • 1 monitoring visit to each of 8 regional consortia
  • 1 monitoring visit to each of 42 LDCs
  • organize peer learning visits of Regional Consortia staff to 150 pilot schools and 16 support centres
  • 8 revised REAPs, 42 revised LEAPs and 272 revised SAPs

8 / Training in Quality Assurance /
  • 6 training sessions, of 2 days each, for a total of 242 VET and HE teachers
  • 2 strategic papers, on QA and credit transfer

9 / Training in Assessment methods and procedures /
  • Revision / elaboration of documentation for curriculum development
  • Assessment report on existing assessment methodologies procedures
  • 7 training sessions of 2 days each for a total of 332 persons
  • Methodology for certification mechanisms in HE

10 / TVET publicity and dissemination /
  • Strategy for information and communication reviewed/updated
  • Drafting position papers for promoting TVET reform; monthly media monitoring reports
  • 2 thematic newsletters to be issued in both English and Romanian 1000 copies (500 English/500 Romanian)
  • Documentation from project to be sent to TVET website administrator for constant updating during project
  • 1 international conference of 2 days duration, for around 200 participants

11 / Revision of TVET and HE qualifications /
  • training of 126 qualification developers in TVET for conduction the analysis of TVET qualifications,
  • 200 for TVET qualifications elaborated and revised
  • 125 participants were trained to be familiar with the instruments and mechanism for analysis and identification of professional training standards
  • 200 curriculums were revised and updated
  • 200 modules for the specialised knowledge were developed
  • 144 participants were trained for development of learning materials for transition from school to work
  • training of 80 qualification developers for HE
  • elaboration of 16 qualifications for HE from 4 sectors
  • revision and/or development of about 150 training standards
  • drafting policy recommendation document

Note that:

Section 2.2 below summarises by individual task number the final situation regarding progress in each task; in most cases this account is based on a revision of the initial paper contained in the Inception Report and details any subsequent change in approach.

Appendix A is the final detailed outlay of the revised Training Plan. This shows that all training and other activity was completed; all of them (apart from those altered by PIU request) completed on schedule.

1.4Target groups

The main beneficiaries of the TA are:

  • Ministry of Education, Research and Innovation;
  • Central level institutions with role in the TVET field such as: the NCDTVET; the NAQ /NATB; ARACIS; ARACIP; ACPART etc;
  • MDPWH (as the Contracting Authority);
  • Regional consortia and other local/regional structures of social partnership in VET;
  • The 150 schools targeted for assistance under this contract;
  • An additional number of 16 TVET schools acting as support centres;
  • Jobseekers of all ages, including students of the schools and universities, their families and their local communities.

1.5Modalities

The TA team has endeavoured to assist the PIU in meeting the objectives of the project. This has been realised through very close contacts between the TA team and the expert members of the PIU resulting in consensus on the objectives and contents of the extensive training and development programme, reported in this document. Also, in the first half of the project, intensive liaison took place between the members of this project and the preceding Phare 05 Project.

2Summary of project progress, results and recommendations

Recommendations

All major task sections of this Report contain recommendations. The following list is a short summary; please refer to each task section for details.

Task
1 / Develop and use a set of elements needed in development of e-learning materials
  • Guide for teachers/tutors
  • Guide for learners
  • Mixture of different activities
  • Combination of assessments activities
Feedback for learners
Continuous professional development for teachers and managers
2 / Developing one complete qualification with blended approach
Replicate training in implementation, design and development of e-learning materials for teachers from other groups of schools
3 / Extend network of local experts and replication of conducted trainings for experts
 Continuous capacity building of existing local experts
4 /  Replication of management training for other schools’ managers
Inclusion of managers in every training about e-learning in own school
Regular update of management teams with e-learning trends and developments
Conduct monitoring on regular basis
5 / VET e-learning strategy should include a national teacher development programme
The national e-learning platform should support the bank of tutorials and assessment questions that will be developed by VET school teachers
6 / TVET sector:
  • Strong need for more training on QA processes and mechanisms especially for the regular teaching staff
  • A permanent forum for discussion of findings from external monitoring and evaluation needed
  • Implementing measures for institutionalization and professionalization of QA Committees needed
  • Terms of reference of the CEACs needed, including job descriptions of the members’ roles and responsibilities needed
  • Code of good practice for external monitors needed
  • Enrich the present mandate of all school inspectors with quality monitoring responsibilities and the associate change of the legal basis and the RODIS regulation needed
  • Reduce the accountability pressure on schools by streamlining the quality monitoring process with the monitoring of strategic planning and RIPs and LIPs
  • More power to individual schools to draft their own procedures for QA and to create and adopt their own plans for improvement
  • Improved communication between QACs at county and larger levels needed
  • Development of and support to Inter-assistance networks as an improved communication approach
  • Better use of ICT for dissemination purposes
  • Improved collaboration with the social environment and the local business in particular, with clear focus on improving the quality of student learning and graduate employability
  • Attracting extra funding for improved quality through involvement in project development and application process
  • Improved relevance of the legal framework for school collaboration with the business needed
  • Creating VET resource centers
  • Strong support- both financial and methodological-for dissemination of information on good practices needed
  • Benchmarking process needs to be incorporated into the existing quality assurance framework to support quality improvement policies at institutional and system level
HE sector:
  • Further guidance and support for institutional QA committees are needed to improve their capacity for annual self-review and production of self-assessment reports
  • Proactive institutional approach is needed to further establish effective procedures for student guidance and support and in particular mechanisms for dealing with student complaints
  • Activity of the commissions responsible for quality assurance at institutional level should be correlated more effectively with ARACIS commissions
  • The standards and performance indicators should be analyzed to ensure their periodical improvement
  • The promotion of institutional good practice in QA needed

7 / Coherent educational planning with other regional actors
Offering forums for participatory governance
Effective national and regional coordinating and cooperation mechanism for educational needs:
  • further development the institutional capacity of the regional and local partnership structures involved in the strategic planning of TVET supply (Regional Consortia, LDC)
  • further improvement, updating and implementation of the instruments needed to inform the process of updating REAPs LEAPs and SAPs, such as: forecasts of demands and supply, enterprise surveys, tracer studies for TVET graduates, in order to better match the labour market needs and TVET supply

8 / Participants’ feedback on all the 6 training events anonymously point to the need for more regular training seminars and more training opportunities not only for the staff responsible for coordinating QA processes, but also for regular teaching staff and students, as well as for administrative staff and staff supporting the teaching and learning at schools and universities;
Specific training is needed for project development and project management to improve schools’ and universities’ capacity to attract additional resource and support their quality assurance strategies and action plans.
Further efforts are needed to support VET schools’ development through inter-assistance school networks in order to enable them to sustain their quality achievements and continuously improve their training provision;
The framework for credit transfer and recognition need to be institutionalised and further developed in order to be able to satisfy needs and expectations of learners;
Existing authorities and key stakeholders in quality assurance in VET and higher education should consider updating and clarifying their roles and responsibilities in view of the growing demand for professionalization of staff involved in policy implementation.
9 / Develop clear policy and procedures for assessment at institutional level.
Introduce compulsory initial teacher training for all VET teachers that reflects modern pedagogy and didactical practice and includes:
Development of reflective practitioner skills
  • European concepts of lifelong learning and key skills
  • Student centred learning strategies in action
  • The giving of constructive feedback to improve learning
  • Summative assessment procedures in action
  • A significant period of mentored class room training.
Continue to train all existing teachers and university lecturers in student centred learning and teaching strategies and the rudiments of assessment
Train quality coordinators in TVET and higher education in assessment procedures
In the long term consider training one teacher from each school and one lecturer from each university faulty as a qualified assessor
Review the curriculum provision to ensure that it reflects the level of the key skills, in particular communications and numeracy, of the learners. Pitching the curriculum level at unrealistic levels leads to shallow learning.
Support the implementation of a domain based support network for teachers to sustain the development of sharing of good practice in assessment within domains and in particular
10 / Develop a central PR Unit / PR Manager to:
  • Implement and manage national PR strategy
  • Develop and organise national PR activities (events, print and other media) for TVET
  • Coordinate and support regional and local activities through the development of a National PR Network of officers
  • Train PR officers in schools
  • Provide a one-door access for TVET information
  • Produce a quarterly newsletter
  • Maintain an effective website for TVET in Romania
  • Evaluate PR activities

11 / TVET
 Ensure a provision of systematic research on present labor market needs, as well as of forecasts about future requirements, which result in better correlation between the enrolment of young graduates in various occupations and actual economic needs.
Develop and maintaining a structure of national vocational education and training qualifications in accordance with labour market needs.
Provide continuity of process for adaptation the national qualification system and definition of qualification levels compatible with European Qualification Framework.
Design the occupations classification for the purpose of TVET system
Further improvement of training standards in relation to development of framework programmes
Establishment of mechanism for functioning of independent. National Authority for Qualifications as a specialized institution providing quality performance in its area of operation – development and validation of occupational standards for acquiring vocational qualification
Higher Education
Relevant national authorities should undertake the responsibility for updating the National Classification of Occupations in order to overcome existing obstacles to development of new qualifications in response to labour market demands.
Continuous practice and refinement of learning outcomes approach is needed in defining qualifications with clear link to internal and external quality assurance.
The processes and procedures for recognition of qualifications and provisional accreditation of associated study programmes must be made fit for purpose.

2.1Project administrative progress

2.1.1Approvals of Non-Key Experts

Table 1below gives an overview of the approved Non-Key Experts in the reporting period, broken down by Activity, letter of notification number and date, and name of experts.