From "documentary information" to "reference and expertise" - more than a change of name?

The functions and the membership of the new and old networks may superficially seem very similar, but in effect this meeting marked a major change in how Cedefop carries out its work and how it relates to its partners in the associated and Member States. Processing information on vocational education and training (VET) is the essence of Cedefop's work. The need to increase the speed and efficiency with which this information is gathered and shared has led to the creation of the Refer network, which places European co-operation very firmly in the context of information exchange at national level.

A European network of national networks

Accordingly when Cedefop put the question of membership of the new network out to public tender, it emphasised that in each country it expected that a consortium of interested organisations would be established. If for administrative and financial reasons, there is a formal contract only with the leader of each national consortium, for Cedefop, the active participation of the members of the national consortium in supplying and disseminating information is of equal importance. Cedefop is therefore in the process of signing documents involving a commitment to exchange information with all the members of the consortia in all the counties concerned.

While the membership of the consortia will reflect the special situation in each country, Cedefop would wish it to be as broad as is practicable, including all the major partners, both governmental and social partner ones, in the field of VET development, research and practice. The main ministries (e.g. Education and Employment/Social Affairs) involved, regional authorities or the bodies co-ordinating them, labour market organisations, etc. should all be members of the consortia. So as to ensure synergy in relation to information on EU and international education and VET related activities, Cedefop believes it would be natural that national bodies and structures already participating in EU level education and training activities should be involved. Accordingly the National Units of Eurydice, the National Agencies for the Leonardo da Vinci programme, the National Resource Centres for Vocational Guidance, the national reference points for the transparency of vocational qualifications, etc., should all be invited to participate in the national consortia.

The consortia leaders

In addition, there is an undertaking to provide, and then update on a twice-annual basis, a short description of the VET system in the country concerned and to provide regularly information on developments in VET research. The Refer network will be the main providers of information for a new knowledge management system, which Cedefop is now developing and which should be constructed in a way that it can cover the fields of education and training and include not only the EU member and other EEA states, but also eventually the candidate countries. The information will be made available on-line through Cedefop's interactive European Training Village (ETV) web site Cedefop Info will report on this new information system in a future issue.

Membership of the Refer network is at present restricted to the EU Member States and Norway and Iceland, but will be extended to the candidate countries . Below is a list of the consortia leaders (arrangements in some countries have still to be finalised). All those interested in having more information on the network should contact either the consortium leader in their own country or, in Cedefop, Marc Willem , the Head of Cedefop's Library and Documentation service (mwi@cedefop.eu.int).

Source: Michael Adams, Cedefop (jma@cedefop.eu.int)