INTERNATIONAL VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ASSOCIATION

VICE PRESIDENT’S REPORT

EASTERN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA (ECA)

2015

NEWS AND DEVELOPMENTS IN EASTERN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA (ECA) RELATED TO TVET IN 2015

The EU and Member States has set up a European Education Initiative for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (ECA) in order to contribute to the adaptation of the vocational education systems of Eastern Europe and Central Asian States to the needs of the globalized world for about 15 years. In the framework of partnership between the EU and Central Asian States Initiatives have ranged from those giving individuals work-related training abroad to large-scale co-operation efforts, which are expected to support and contribute TVET policies and reforms in those countries.

With the partnership between the EU and Central Asian States, VET is now also expected to be innovative in terms of helping learners to gain a wide range of transversal as well as technical skills and competences, and to respond to changing labor market skill needs. However, in ECA countries VET is not yet regarded highly by learners, their families or employers across the region. Thus, all partners had better be aware of the difficulties and problems which are likely to affect the prestige and attractiveness of TVET schools negatively in order to create an improved, up-to-date, well organized TVET high schools according to the requirements of the changing labor market needs and thus more attractive to prefer. Therefore, promotional activities and introductions to prospective students for technical and vocational upper secondary schools are essential to attract more students to TVET high school education and thus to decrease the number of unemployment of educated adults.

According to World Bank 2015 report, doing business indicators based on strength of investor protection rates in EAC are still promising, which is expected to support the rate of employment of TVET graduates as the rate of unemployment is higher in ECA countries compared to other countries of Europe. In terms of strength of investor protection rates ECA countries are third in rank with the rate 5.7 following EU 5.8 and OECD high income countries 6.2 -higher scores indicate strength of stronger investor protections. Those rates are lower in East Asia and Pasific (EAP) with the rate of 5.3, Middle East and North Africa 4.5 and Latin America 4. However in terms of doing regulatory reforms making it easier to do business, Europe, East Europe and Central Asia ranked the largest number with 85% in 2400 reforms all over the world- sub Sahran Africa 74%, OECD High Income 65%, East Esia and Pasific 60%, Middle East and North Africa 55%, Latin America and Caribbean 50% and South Asia 50% (World Bank Report Doing Business 2014). In order to promote competitiveness among and support entrepreneurs to do business in ECA, 25 countries (Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyz Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, FYR, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan) have changed business regulations by reducing the minimum capital requirements, eliminating the requirements to have the signatures of company founders notarized, creating a one-stop shop that consolidates registration with the state and the tax authority and reducing delays in property registration at the land registry etc. Those regulations will be good to supply employment opportunities for TVET graduates in the long term.

The most important event in East Europe and Central Asia region in the field of TVET was 4th International Vocational Schools Symposiums organized by Yalova University Vocational School between May 21-23, 2015 at RIZOM Resort in Turkey in order to share the academic knowledge with the sector and determining the benefits of TVET schools to the young people and the society. The main theme of the symposium was “The Role of Vocational Schools in Regional Development”. International participants’ sharing cultural, social and academic discipline, understanding and conveying their knowledge contributed each participant’s both personal and professional development. 400 participants from 15 different countries attended the symposium. The following topics related to TVET were presented and discussed by the academic and administrative staff in all professional areas in the symposium.

1- The Importance of Vocational Education and Turkey’s Current Situation

2- Sector’s Perspective on Vocational Education and Cooperation between Sector and Vocational Schools

3- Opportunities and Threats Encountered in Vocational Education

4- The Relation among Vocational Education, Employment and Sector

5- Vocational Education in Instructor, Student and Sector Triangle

6- The Problems of Vocational School in Today’s World and Possible Solutions

7- Educational Technologies in Vocational Education

8- Creative Educational Techniques and Methods

9- Graduates and Job Opportunities

10- Bologna Process

11- International Cooperation

12- Graduates’ Employment

13- Academic Studies in Applied Sciences

14- Other ( Studies in all fields in Vocational Schools e.g. Health, Social, Technical)

MEMBERSHIP

I took the position of Vice President for East Europe first term in 2011-2012 and second term 2013-2014 I have agreed to work in cooperation with Olga, ex-vice president of East Europe and Central Asia during my period. I attended all annual meetings- 2011 in Saint Louise, 2012 in Atlanta, 2014 in Nashville except in 2013 in Las Vegas. I have also distributed our brochure at all the conferences, workshops and events I have attended to attract more members to IVETA. This year On the IVETA website, we have total 25 members - 12 organizational members and 14 individual members- from EAC countries. I attended 4th International Vocational Schools Symposium in Yalova in Turkey on May 21-23 2015 and there I presented a topic called An Introduction to International Vocational Education and Training Association (IVETA): What is IVETA? Why join IVETA? in order to attract more members to IVETA. As seen in IVETA web site Yalova Vocational School has become organizational member of IVETA and Hakan Kahhramaner represents this organization since May, 2015. I have also emailed vocational and technical private and state institutions to invite prospective members to IVETA and existing members for VP position in my region.

As I promised, I have agreed to stay on an additional year or until a replacement can be found rather than leave the office open as IVETA Vice President for East Europe and Central Asia. Now I have found a replacement for IVETA Vice President for East Europe and Central Asia from Turkey. His name is Hakan Kahramaner who also invited me 4th International Vocational Schools Symposium in Yalova in Turkey. He works at Yalova University as senior lecturer in Yalova Vocational College and he is also Head of Department of Transportation Services and a master mariner. He is also willing to become IVETA Vice President for East Europe and Central Asia and if you all executive members also agree, I strongly recommend him for my replacement after IVETA annual meeting to which I have submitted a proposal and I will attend in New Orleans Louisiana in November 2015.

I hope that in the following years more new members will join with IVETA from ECA countries.

ILHAN GUNBAYI

VP EAST EUROPE and CENTRAL ASIA