Strong demand abroad for SFIVET expertise
The interest shown in other countries for services from the Swiss Federal Institute for Voca-tional Education and Training (SFIVET) continues to grow. Various partners in several countries relied on SFIVET's expertise in the months of September and October.
Kyrgyzstan (OECD)
With the help of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Kyrgyzstan has embarked on a series of reforms to improve its competitiveness, including one reform project dealing with vocational education and training (VET). Commissioned by the OECD to act as a peer reviewer in this project, SFIVET sent Erik Swars to Bishkek to take part in a workshop led by Deputy Minister of Economy of Kyrgyzstan, Mr. Imanaliev. The results will be presented at the OECD Eurasia Week to be held in Paris on 24 November 2016.
Press Release OECD
Greenland
Following its visit to Switzerland, the board of the 'Greenlandic Vocational Education Center' invited SFIVET to a symposium in Greenland. Emanuel Wüthrich from SFIVET and Ben Hüter, Director of IDM Thun, attended as experts and led a workshop there. In addition to education ministers, there were also many vocational school teachers present. The great distance between learning locations and homes is one of the most serious challenges that Greenland faces, resulting in a dropout rate of around 50%.
Slovakia
For several years, SFIVET has been involved in a VET project in Slovakia at the behest of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). In cooperation with the Slovakian State Vocational Education Institute (SIOV), three-day training courses for vocational school teachers were designed and carried out for five different occupations. In addition to pedagogical content, training included vocational didactics and technical instruction in the fields of chemistry, baking/confectionary, electronics, hairdressing and construction. SFIVET was able to leverage its large network and successfully work with several vocational schools in Switzerland.
China
The China Education Association for International Exchange (CEAIE) invited SFIVET to take part in the 17th China Annual Conference for International Education in Beijing, which was devoted to the theme of 'Path to the cultivation of talents for sustainable innovation and entrepreneurship: Partnership of Schools, Business and Society'. Mergim Jahiu from SFIVET presented the Swiss VPET system at the 'International Forum on Vocational Education', explaining the important role that the Swiss VPET system plays in driving innovation and entrepreneurship in Switzerland. The CEAIE and SFIVET intend to intensify cooperation in the future.
In addition, SFIVET welcomed delegations from Spain, China, South Korea and Austria in the months of September and October.