Cedefop's plans for 2022

The European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop) defines its strategies and planned activities up to 2022. 

The Centre is focussed on three overarching areas of operation. Cedefop is seeking to shape and assess vocational education and training (VET) systems, and to provide information about initial and continuing vocational education and training. 

Focus on workplace learning

In addition to the assessment of guidance and validation systems in initial and continuing VET, Cedefop will focus in particular over the coming years on learning in the workplace. The primary goal is to examine trainee learning in companies.

Cedefop is also seeking to increase awareness of individuals' and businesses' attitudes, expectations and opinions on continuing VET and adult learning.

It aims to collate the views of companies and individuals and determine needs and opportunities.

Analysis of training requirements in new digital employment relationships

Cedefop is also seeking to provide information on trends in the labour market and in the context of training requirements.

The Centre also wants to establish a broader understanding of the impacts of technological, social and economic changes on training needs and learning requirements. The focus in this case is primarily on the increasing digitalisation in the labour markets. For this Cedefop will also provide insights into an analysis of learning practices and training requirements of adults who are employed in the new types of digital employment relationships.

 In the programme planning document, Cedefop also specifies that it is seeking to support countries and stakeholders which are aiming to develop their own knowledge and data relating to qualifications and employment requirements. For this purpose, Cedefop is seeking to develop further methodological guidelines and handbooks over the coming years for EU countries.

Analysis of VET systems and continued EQF monitoring

In the coming years, Cedefop will continue to rely on one of its core activities: the analysis and monitoring of political strategies and programmes. This is intended to support EU member states in the development of training policy measures for initial and continuing VET and to provide the European Commission with a basis for country-specific recommendations.

Cedefop also aims to continue monitoring the implementation of the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) and the national qualification frameworks (NQF) in the member states. According to the programme planning document, the Centre will advise the Commission on the design of the new Europass which shall take into account the validation of non-formal and informal learning and the recognition of qualifications.

The Centre also aims focus more closely on what vocational education and training might look like in the future. For this, Cedefop is seeking to analyse the influence of a range of factors, such as educational approaches and institutional models, on initial and continuing vocational education and training. However, labour market developments, new technologies and demographic changes are also expected to play a role in the analyses.

About Cedefop

Cedefop supports the European Commission and member states in the ongoing development of initial and continuing VET systems. The Centre provides numerous analyses on VET systems and on policy-making, research and practice. The overarching objective is to train people in Europe for the labour market.


Source: EPALE E-Platform for Adult Education in Europe, revised by iMOVE, September 2020