Division 4.2

The work of the division concentrates on innovations for the modernisation of vocational education and training and related knowledge transfer. Concepts for sustainable solutions to problems are developed and tested in practice within the scope of main funding priorities (including the statutory remit to support pilot projects and implement evaluation research pursuant to Section 90 Paragraph 1d [GST21] of the Vocational Training Act, BBiG) and via research and development projects.

This approach has its basis in close collaboration with the participating stakeholders from the fields of practice, academic research, and policy making. Results and findings are processed and disseminated for use in vocational education and training practice. They are further used to inform the VET research discourse and are evaluated for the purpose of policy guidance.

Meta reflection and programme research on educational innovations, knowledge transfer, and impact analyses also take place, and these mainly relate to extra-school pilot projects pursued by the Federal Government as part of research projects.

Division 4.2 processes the following main focuses:

• Innovative approaches to future-oriented continuing training
• The Continuing Education Grant – funding for occupation-related continuing training
• Fostering permeability between vocational training and higher education
• Aligning vocational education and training with the goal of sustainable development
• Quality development and assurance in vocational education and training.

The “Innovative approaches to future-oriented continuing vocational training” research and development programme (InnovatWB)
Division 4.2 at BIBB has been charged with programme management of and provision of evaluation research and administrative support for the BMBF-funded programme “Innovative approaches to future-oriented continuing vocational training”. The aim is to help to achieve a contemporary alignment of continuing vocational education and training in light of technological and socio-cultural changes.

The Continuing Education Grant
The Federal Government has introduced a new financing model in the form of the Continuing Education Grant in order to facilitate participation in lifelong learning by workers with lower incomes. The Federal Government uses the Continuing Education Grant to fund individual vocation-related continuing training. Vocation-related means that the continuing training selected must be important for a person’s occupational context, either in terms of their current job or with regard to future employment plans. Individual means that the focus is on the person’s own educational interests, irrespective of the interests of the employer.

Permeability
Various approaches towards encouraging permeability between vocational training and higher education are being investigated and piloted within the context of research and development and funding programmes run by the BMBF. The emphasis is on structuring the transition between vocational education and training and higher education and vice versa.

Activities in the area of permeability are also linked with issues relating to integration and inclusion within the vocational education and training system.

Sustainability
in the current main funding priority of “Vocational education and training for sustainable development”, specific measures aimed at strengthening VET for sustainable development are currently being developed and tested across 18 pilot projects. This main funding priority is divided into three thematic areas.

•  Development of domain-specific sustainability competencies in commercial occupations
• Creation of sustainable learning venues
• Development of domain-specific sustainability competencies in craft trade occupations in the food industry and in industry

Quality
The “National Reference Point for Quality Assurance in Vocational Training” (“DEQA-VET”) promotes a common understanding of quality and the application of quality assurance measures on the basis of the European Quality Strategy (EQAVET).