Based on 2023 Spotlights on VET, this brochure provides a concise overview of the VET system in each country of the EU, Iceland and Norway. Next to a system chart, it outlines key features of VET as well as challenges and policy responses on two pages per country.
The Cedefop ReferNet database with detailed information on VET systems in the EU, Iceland and Norway, has been updated. It is worth taking a look at the diagrams, as they provide an excellent overview of the variety of systems in Europe; generate reports or compare by country and topic!
Transparency is crucial in shaping a European Education Area. Its aim is to facilitate communication between the different national education systems. BWP issue 2/2025 “European transparency instruments” takes a look at different instruments, reflecting their origins and relevance to VET in Europe.
An overview of vocational education and training initiatives and programmes in Germany in 2023, successful approaches and challenges from the perspective of European priority setting.
On 20 and 21 June, colleagues from the higher VET department at the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills gained an insight into higher VET qualification in Germany. The agenda included talks at BIBB but also at a chamber of skilled crafts and a company.
How do we understand early leaving from VET in Germany? The situation is presented based on two indicators. Further, factors that can lead to a premature termination of training are addressed and preventive measures are presented. The impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on ELVET concludes the report.
National Implementation Plans (NIPs) on VET in Europe available online
In their NIPs, EU member states and candidate countries present measures taken at national level in the field of vocational education and training to achieve common goals at EU level. Specifically, goals and priorities set in the 2020 EU Council Recommendation on VET and the Osnabrück Declaration.
European “Peer Learning Activity”: VET and the green transition
On 24-25 October, 41 experts from across Europe discussed the role of vocational education and training for the ecological transformation. To get insight into German best practices, the European Working Group was invited to Bonn by the BMBF and the European Commission.
The Cedefop ReferNet database with detailed information on VET systems in the EU, Iceland and Norway has been updated. Have a look at diagrammes, generate reports or compare by country and theme! Since 2019, the contents of the "VET in Europe" reports are available online.
The European network is turning 20 years in 2022! In the national teams, experts not only provide information on the national VET system, they also act as a broker of information on VET across Europe through the network.
Teams of VET learners can share their experience related to green or digital skills in a photostory or video clip for a chance to win trips to the European Vocational Skills Week 2022 or to the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival.
Erasmus+ Project EXPOVET - European joint further qualification for export experts
The project ‚Export Expert‘ held its final forum on 26 March 2021 presenting its EQF level 6 qualification for international trade. Three universities and business representatives developed this joint qualification, building up on expertise across borders of Greece, Bulgaria, Romania and Germany.
The "Developing Skills for Employability with German Partners – 8 Case Studies from the Mobility and Logistics Sector " brochures presents eight vocational education and training success stories of German and international partners. Download the publication!
BIBB has set itself the goal of strengthening cooperation between the national VET research institutions in Europe. The role of research is to be worked out by means of a survey and in various events and possibilities for cooperation are to be discussed.
30 high-ranking representatives of national VET institutes and research facilities from 14 European countries met at a virtual conference at the invitation of BIBB to exchange views on VET research in Europe and in its international environment.
European Vocational Skills Week: ‘VET for Green and Digital Transitions'
The European Vocational Skills Week 2020 will take place digitally across the European Union from 9 to 13 November 2020. It is organised by the European Commission in partnership with the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, as part of the German Presidency of the Council of the EU.
Strengthening and connecting VET research in Europe
At a virtual conference hosted by BIBB, representatives of national vocational education and training institutes and research facilities from 14 European countries spoke out in favour of further developing and strengthening VET research in Europe.
This animated video is based on the new ReferNet Spotlight brochure. It gives an overview of the state of play of Germany’s education and training system, its distinctive features, the particular challenges the country faces and the policy responses it has been developing.
This detailed report describes the German VET system. It presents the key features as well as the challenges and policy responses, e.g. an attractive VET for all and how to deal with the challenges of digitalisation and the commitment to sustainability.
This issue of BWP marks the beginning of Germany’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union by looking at the current challenges being faced with regard to structuring the European Education Area and creating attractive vocational education and training in Europe.
This short brochure describes the German VET system. It outlines the key features as well as the challenges and policy responses, e.g. an attractive VET for all and how to deal with the challenges of digitalisation and the commitment to sustainability.
The report focuses on the responsiveness of the German VET system to the challenges of digitalisation, AI and the future of work. What are the policy strategies and initiatives to modernise VET and how can digital technologies and media support learning practices?
The new Cedefop ReferNet database is the main source of information about vocational education and training (VET) systems in the EU, Iceland and Norway. It includes diagrammes, generates reports and allows comparing by country and theme.
What’s the future of apprenticeships in Europe going to look like?
On October 7, 2019, Cedefop and OECD invited international experts from the field of economics and education to discuss “the next steps for apprenticeship”. Head of division Isabelle Le Mouillour and Dr. Philipp Grollmann represented the BIBB at the symposium in Paris.
gives an overview of the vocational educational and training (VET) system in Germany: external factors influencing VET; providing VET in a lifelong learning perspective; shaping VET qualifications and promoting participation in VET.
At an international conference staged by BIBB in Siegburg on 3 and 4 April 2019, educational experts from the fields of politics and research highlighted the significance of cooperation between social partners and the state in vocational education and training.
BIBB and its French partner institute CÉREQ have concluded a new cooperation agreement. In light of growing global challenges, BIBB and CÉREQ will pool their expertise via such vehicles as joint comparative and cross-border research projects.
Teams of vocational training and education learners in the European Union, Norway and Iceland can share their photo stories with Cedefop for a chance to win a trip to the European Vocational Skills Week in Helsinki or to Thessaloniki for the opening of the International Film Festival.
More than 300 participants from the European Union and neighbouring countries accepted the invitation of the European Training Foundation (ETF) to discuss changes on the labour market from a skills perspective in Turin/Italy from 21 to 22 November 2018.
The two-year vocational project “JoinVET”, run in four Spanish cities, has demonstrated that elements of inter-company vocational education and training are able to contribute to increasing the readiness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to provide training.
From 5 to 9 November 2018, the European Vocational Skills Week takes place for the third time in a row. The European Commission’s initiative aims to make VET more attractive, to demonstrate the benefits and diversity of VET and to highlight the commitment of the various actors in VET.
Kick off meeting of the “WellTo Skill” project funded by Erasmus+
The launch meeting of the project "WellTo Skill" took place on 10 and 11 October 2018 in Sofia. Organisations, schools, competent bodies and companies from Bulgaria, Slovenia, Slovakia and Latvia have come together for the project to develop a joint qualification in the area of wellness tourism.
The EU working group on initial and continuing vocational education and training has published their final report “Teachers and Trainers Matter. How to support them in high-performance apprenticeships and work-based learning. 12 policy pointers”.
ReferNet Germany has a new, user-friendly website! It provides extensive information on many aspects of vocational education and training in the EU member states (as well as Norway and Iceland) in English and German. ReferNet has been the European network for VET since 2002.
6th Austrian Vocational Education and Training Research Conference
With the title of “Education = Vocational Education and Training?!” the main focus of the event was accordingly placed on the changing nature of the relationship between VET and general education. BIBB took part in the debate on the future of VET systems in the German-speaking countries.
Groups of vocational education and training (VET) learners can share their photo stories with Cedefop (European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training) for a chance to win a trip to Vienna or Thessaloniki. Don't miss out on your chance to take part! Submit your entries until 15 July 2018.
Final conference and last project meeting "New WBL"
On 21 and 22 March 2018, the final conference and the last project meeting of the project "New Models in Workbased Learning" funded under Erasmus+ Key Action 3 (Supporting Political Reforms) took place in Ljubljana/Slovenia.
During the European Vocational Skills Week, this year again, events will be held throughout Europe to highlight the quality and excellence of VET. At a panel discussion in Brussels, Head of Division Isabelle Le Mouillour answered questions on the subject of "digitalisation and training personnel".
The two-day conference held on 4 and 5 September with international experts from ministries, institutions and VET practice focused on pilot projects for the pedagogical continuing training of training personnel in companies from Portugal, Italy and Greece.
Groups of vocational education and training (VET) learners can share their VET photo stories with Cedefop (European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training) for a chance to win a trip to Brussels or Thessaloniki. Entries may be submitted until 15 July.
The country report "VET in Europe – 2016 Country Report Germany" belongs to a series of country reports that provide an overview of the VET systems in all EU member states plus Iceland and Norway. The current report focusses on the importance of lifelong learning for vocational education and training.
On February 7 BIBB and Céreq brought together in Brussels researchers and policy makers from all over Europe to discuss research results and the potential of VET research for policy making.
Using education and training to master structural change in the craft trades
Digital transformation is already leaving its mark on the craft trades sector. Speaking at an international conference in Brussels, BIBB President Friedrich Hubert Esser emphasised that education and training are necessary in order to cope with structural change.
Increased quality in company-based education and training in Italy
In collaboration with Italian stakeholders, the BIBB has developed general training plans for dual vocational education and training in the restaurant sector as a pilot project for the Veneto region.
The new "Apprenticeship Toolbox" provides information on the dual education systems in Austria, Denmark, Switzerland, Germany and Luxembourg - online and in English.
Look it up: VET terminology in German and English by the BIBB
The aim of the German-English Glossary of Vocational Education and Training Terminology is to assist VET experts with the understanding and translation of specialist texts and thus facilitate communication at an international level, an aspect of work that is becoming increasingly important.
Almost 100 participants from seven European countries discussed current developments in, and the outlook for, VET organisation in border regions as well as across borders during a symposium held at the BIBB.
Nine experts from different education and training providers within the French-speaking community in Belgium visited the BIBB as part of the Erasmus+ project, Alter+. The aim of the study visits was to gain a better understanding of the German education and training system.
Supply of skilled workers: "The more international, the better for all!"
Vocational education and training in Germany with the greatest possible international focus contributes to ensuring the supply of skilled workers in the future. This was underlined by BIBB President Professor Dr. Esser at a meeting in Berlin.
Israel Programme: Contribution to 50 years of German-Israeli relations
The German-Israeli Programme for Cooperation in Vocational Education and Training, a bilateral cooperation and funding programme between the Israeli Ministry of Economics and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, promotes co-operation in the field of VET since 1969.
Youth unemployment in the EU – Vocational education and training as an opportunity for industry and society?
"We need to further develop vocational training and academic education on an equal footing!", BIBB President Esser emphasised when speaking at a conference in Brussels. In addition to the prospects, he highlighted in his speech the characteristics and performance capability of the dual system.
