Education export generates new contracts

In the context of a meeting of experts with consultants to and representatives of the crafts organisation, three experts from the Institut für Technik der Betriebsführung (itb - Management Technique Institute) in Karlsruhe - Research Centre for Technique, Organisation and Qualification, a member of the Deutsches Handwerksinstitut e. V. (German Crafts Institute) - presented the results of their study on the topic of "Export of Educational Services", that was commissioned by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

The aim of the study was to produce a review of the BMBF's first funding period, which now is coming to an end, and to develop a structural approach for future funding measures. In doing so, the itb experts concentrated their investigation efforts in particular on possibilities and instruments allowing for a sustained utilisation of export potential and resulting in realistic multiplier effects.

"Two core statements form the result of our status quo review", explains Ewald Heinen. "On the one hand, we identified a need within the crafts organisation, since the chambers usually are also the bodies responsible for educational institutions. The export of education, and here I obviously primarily think of our dual system of vocational training in Germany and its world-wide acknowledgement, therefore opens up a wide range of new topics and contracts." itb Head of Project Dr Giuseppe Strina adds, that, on the other hand, they were able to establish a model allowing for the further development of the methodology of systematic design of services for the export of education, a field of intensive research at the itb. "In a next step", says Strina, "we intend to adapt the know how we gained here to the subject-matter of education export." The BMBF, it was said, now had at its command a model including the instruments for the future structuring of funding measures.

An intensive market research preceded these efforts. Peter Winkler presented three cases of good practice to the panel of experts. Moreover, the results from interviews were edited and augmented the status quo review. Key issues of these interviews were the success factors for the export of educational services, yet also the stumbling blocks, and future potential and risks were discussed. Furthermore, questions were answered with regard to potentially already available facilitator services as well as those pertaining to the demand for supporting services, in order to gain an overview of relations between service providers and demand.

In a final step, the results of the study now are being edited to provide practical recommendations for action for future funding measures by the Federal Ministry of Research. The focus here is on an increased cooperation between national intermediaries (e.g. chambers of crafts) and foreign intermediaries as well as foreign enterprises.