Erasmus+ Project EXPOVET - Joint VET Course for Export Experts

International cooperation is not only promoted among future graduates of the programme with dual elements in foreign trade. It is an integral part of the two-year (January 2019 - December 2020) EXPOVET project itself. Under the leadership of Greece (University of Thessaloniki, Faculty of Economic and Political Sciences), organisations from four countries are working together on the concept of the curriculum: the Greek Association for International Trade, a Greek consultancy firm for small and medium-sized enterprises, the Bulgarian Institute for Higher Studies (University of National and World Economy, Sofia), the Bucharest Academy of Economics, the Association of Business Universities of Southern and Eastern Europe and the Black Sea Region (ASECU) and the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB).

The study programme in foreign trade is of great importance for the internationalisation of VET. In addition to a common qualification profile in foreign trade, a largely common curriculum and shared evaluation standards in Bulgaria, Greece and Romania, another  aim of the project is to establish sustainable cooperation structures. This is intended to strengthen cooperation between universities and training companies and to develop mutually recognised quality standards and processes for accreditation procedures.

BIBB (Division 3.1 and 2.2) will assume the following tasks within the EXPOVET project:

• Consulting and support in the analysis of the qualification needs (skills needs) for the occupation "Management Assistant in Wholesale and Foreign Trade" (international commerce);
• Organisation and implementation of a European workshop to compare the qualification needs in the field of foreign trade for the occupation at BIBB;
• Advice and support in the development of a joint qualification in the field of wholesale and foreign trade for the other partners;
• Advice and support in the development of training schemes;
• Advice and support in the development of guidelines for cooperation and coordination between the two learning venues (universities, training companies);
• Dissemination activities, among others the transfer of project progress to the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) or round tables of the BMBF and the German Office for International Cooperation in Vocational Education and Training (GOVET).

For BIBB and division 3.1 in particular, the project provides the opportunity to further expand methodological skills and specialist knowledge. The project is also an opportunity to make a contribution to bilateral cooperation with Greece within the framework of the BMBF's initiated specialist dialogue on cooperation approaches across education sectors (VET, universities).