Germany supports the continued development of dual education and training in Mexico

In a preliminary workshop, the stakeholders involved in the Mexican and German cooperative arrangement established the priorities for the bilateral collaboration over the next three years. They put together seven areas for action for the continued development of the Mexican model of dual education and training (Modelo Mexicano de Formación Dual, MMFD):

1. Improvement in the cooperation between government and business, and of the legal framework for dual vocational education and training
2. Adaptation to dual vocational education and training at institutional level
3. Extension of standards development for dual vocational education and training
4. Qualification of vocational education and training staff for dual vocational education and training
5. Implementation/improvement of dual vocational education and training in schools and Business
6. Improving the recognition of dual vocational education and training in society
7. Implementation of research and development in dual vocational education and Training

The Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training and the German Office for International Cooperation in Vocational Education and Training in the BIBB (BIBB/GOVET) will support the continued development of the MMFD on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) with three work packages in action areas one and two:

• Creation of a governance model at a legal and institutional level (Action area 2)
• Establishing a vocational education and training monitoring system (Action area 2)
• The development of financing and cost-benefit models (Action area 1)

The German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) will also take an active role in several action areas on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). In line with the Federal Government's strategy paper from 2013, local German stakeholders are adopting a coherent approach to their activities.

Workshop participants included around 20 senior representatives from the Mexican Ministry of Education (SEP), the National Employer's association (COPARMEX), the Mexican Agency for International Collaboration and Development (AMEXCID) and the National College of Technical Professional Education (CONALEP) along with BIBB/GOVET, German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), and the German - Mexican Chamber of Industry and Commerce (CAMEXA). The Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) and the German Office for International Cooperation in Vocational Education and Training in the BIBB (GOVET) were represented by project leaders Diana Cáceres-Reebs and Ilona Medrikat.

The MMFD was implemented between 2013 to 2015 on a pilot basis. Education and training is currently organised under the MMFD in 14 Federal States. All relevant education and training systems are included in the dual system following a decree passed in June 2015. The Mexican government is thus seeking to expand the training places on a huge scale.

The basis of the bilateral cooperation is the joint declaration of intent between the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Mexican Foreign Ministry (SRE) and the Mexican Ministry of Education (SEP), which was signed on 9 June 2015 in Berlin.

In addition, an institutional cooperation agreement for collaboration in vocational education and training has existed between the BIBB and CONALEP since 2009. As part of this, the BIBB has so far provided advice and support to CONALEP in the area of legal frameworks and with the introduction of dual elements in the Mexican vocational education and training system. CONALEP is under the control of the national Ministry of Education. CONALEP has also been a UNEVOC-Center since 2015.