Making best use of EQAVET - the Romanian NRP experience 27/09/2012 Making best use of EQAVET - the Romanian NRP experience Carmen Mușat Dana Stroie NCTVETD - Romania

Presentation outline Context: 1.1. Romania’s VET system 1.2. Quality assurance in education and training in Romania 2. Benefits of Romania’s engagement in EQAVET developments The management infra structure for EQAVET implementation Customizing EQAVET to adress national realities Lessons learnt and challenges seen

1.1. Romania’s VET system Initial VET (IVET) by the school based pathway - medium and long term oriented in support of the career perspective, having both academic and professional recognition (upper secondary TVETgraduates passing academic examination (baccalaureate) are entitled to continue studies through tertiary university education) by apprenticeship - short term oriented for in time demand of employers Continuing VET (CVET): short term oriented for in time demand of employers // short term duration; adapts skills and qualifications to the dynamic needs of the jobs

1.2. Quality assurance in education and training in Romania 27/09/2012 1.2. Quality assurance in education and training in Romania FRAMEWORK: the QA Law (2006) sets common regulations for quality assurance in the Education and training system (preuniversity – initial VET included, continuous VET, Higher education (HE) QUALITY GOVERNANCE: INSTITUTIONAL ROLES: the National Group for Quality Assurance in Education and Training - GNAC), informal structure that functions as a national reference point for quality assurance in education and training, coordinates the harmonization of quality assurance in education and training two National Agencies for QA in education, one for HE (ARACIS) and one for pre-university education (ARACIP), responsible for: external evaluation for authorization and accreditation of all education and training providers external evaluation of the quality of education offered by accredited education providers , on a regular basis (every 5 years) the county school inspectorates responsable for external monitoring and validation of self assessment reports

1.2. Quality assurance in education and training in Romania 27/09/2012 1.2. Quality assurance in education and training in Romania All education providers have to establish an internal Quality Assurance and Evaluation Commission, which: coordinates the institutional self-assessment; elaborates an annual self - assessment report, which must be submitted to all beneficiaries: students, parents, employers, local community formulates quality improvement - Legal proposals to be approved by the school’s management team

The selff-assessment report is public, on-line

1.2. Quality assurance in initial VET quality assurance is based on self-assessment Self-assessment sheet are three assessment areas with 38 performance indicators A. Institutional capacity ( 23 performance indicators about material resources (facilities, equipments), human resources, security, communication system) B. Educational effectiveness (10 performance indicators about research and methodical, financial activity, curricula, learning outcomes) C. Quality management ( 5 performance indicators about accessibility to learning resources, database, quality assurance functionality structures, procedures functionality) THERE ARE 5 LEVELS OF EVALUATION: unsatisfactory, satisfactory, good, very good, excellent includes external monitoring and validation of self assessment reports

2. Benefits of Romania’s engagement in EQAVET developments Fostered a culture of cooperation, sharing and exchange of good practice at European level: EQAVET activities and outputs (Guides, IT tools etc) inspired Romanian developments (e.g. a very succesful Sectoral based peer learning programme was implemented at VET providers level) EQAVET provided a platform for mutual sharing and learning among Member States and facilitated the transfer of innovation (e.g. Romania applied for a LdV Transfer of innovation project from Austria, on developing a blended learning system for TVET providers QA staff)

Inter assistance networks 16 IVET school networks (96 schools) were set up on a sectoral base - peer learning and peer review activities are organised, a website and online platforms are developed to facilitate online communication (http://parteneriatpentrucalitate.tvet.ro)

Actions to support implementation Inter assistance networks

Dissemination of good practice 27/09/2012 Dissemination of good practice Good practice examples at european and national level were be published: Guide of institutional practices in quality assurance of vocational education and training programmes (2006) – national examples (elaborated with the support of ETF) http://www.tvet.ro/Anexe/4.Anexe/4.8.4.%20Anexa%202.pdf Toolbox for supporting quality assurance development of VET providers (LdV -2007) - examples from 4 Member States: Austria, Finlanda,Greece, Romania http://www.tvet.ro/Anexe/4.Anexe/4.8.4.%20Anexa%203.pdf Guide of good practice in quality assurance of IVET schools – 1 (2009) and 2 (2013) http://www.tvet.ro/Anexe/4.Anexe/4.8.4.%20Anexa%201pdf Compendium of good practice - Successful Stories(2016) http://www.alegetidrumul.ro/uploads/gnac/povesti_de_succes_08.pdf Peer Learning Activities (2016-2017) – Romania, Austria, Croatia, Finland

Compendium of good practice - Successful Stories NATIONAL LEVEL It is a best practice collection demonstrate the attractiveness of vocational education and training The compendium was sent electronically to over 3,000 VET schools, secondary schools, VET stakeholders http://www.alegetidrumul.ro/uploads/gnac/povesti_de_succes_08.pdf

3. The management infrastructure for EQAVET implementation - NRP a national QA coordination structure was set up in 2006 – the Romanian Quality Assurance Reference Point (the National Group for Quality Assurance in Education and Training - GNAC), based on Inter-institutional Agreement between the: Ministry of Education Ministry of Labour Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Preuniversity Education National Authority for Qualifications National Centre for TVET Development and with the participation of social partners

GNAC activities keep a wide range of stakeholders informed about the activities of EQAVET Development of the GNAC site www.gnac.ro

27/09/2012 GNAC activities provide active support for the implementation of the work programme of the framework network Presentation of case studies to illustrate QA developments at system and provider level

GNAC activities take concrete initiatives to promote further development of the framework in the national context Development of a national strategy for implementing EQAVET in the Romanian initial VET

4. Customizing EQAVET to adress national realities - Provider level Self assessment Self-assessment report Development Teaching and learning process Internal monitoring Revision Improvement plan Development Quality Manual, procedures, regulation etc Strategic and operational planning School Action Plan Development

5. Lessons learnt and challenges seen Quality assurance and improvement is a tranversal process and should be holistically approached Coherency of quality assurance approaches for the whole education and training system (including general preuniversitary education, IVET, CVET, HE) is important Legal framework and instruments are needed but not enough for securing the success Empowerment of main actors is crucial Quality improvement is a long term construction and is giving long term return Allocation of clear responsabilities and involvement of all parties (national authorities, local communities, school inspectorates, VET providers) is necessary

5. Lessons learnt and challenges seen - 2 Ownership among all relevant actors is of crucial importance Moving from quality asurance to quality improvement and to quality culture is a long term process; there are incentives but it can not be imposed or set up only by law Quality assurance and improvement should be primarly secured in the teaching, learning and training process; commitment of teachers and trainers to quality is a prerequisiste of every succesful approach European developments serve of particular inspiration, but sustainability is achievable through national solutions

Thank you for your attention 27/09/2012 Thank you for your attention Contact information www.tvet.ro www.gnac.ro Tel 004.021.311.11.62 Fax 004.021.312.54.98 Email: dana.stroie@yahoo.com, carmen.musat@tvet.ro