Luxembourg 
September 1997
 

Document prepared by the Luxembourg Ministry of Education at CEDEFOP's request for the meeting of the Directors-General of Vocational Training, held in October 1997 Introduction General information The economy The initial vocational training system Higher Institute of Technology (IST) Post-primary education Introduction The monograph on the vocational training system in Luxembourg was published in French in 1994 and in several languages (DE, EN, PT, ES). The system has developed since the appearance of this monograph. CEDEFOP plans to incorporate these changes in the new version to be prepared during 1998. The text below refers to specific sections of the 1994 publication. [Back to the top] General information The total population is steadily growing, due mainly to the influx of immigrants, and amounts at present to about 412,800 (in 1996). Population trends - Luxembourg nationals Total population (Luxembourg and foreign nationals) Foreign residents in Luxembourg Population trends - Luxembourg nationals 1 January Population Births - deaths Net migration Options Naturalizations Trend 1987 272 100 - 646 + 217 + 512 + 83 1988 272 100 - 249 + 161 + 917 + 829 1989 273 000 - 412 + 10 + 780 + 378 1990 273 400 - 89 + 155 + 893 + 959 1991 274 400 Source: STATEC [Back to the top] Total population (Luxembourg and foreign nationals) 1 January Total population Luxembourg nationals Foreign nationals % of foreign nationals 1987 369 400 272 100 97 300 26.3 1988 372 000 272 200 99 800 26.8 1989 375 800 273 000 102 800 27.4 1990 379 300 273 400 105 900 27.9 1991 384 400 274 400 110 000 28.6 1992* 390 500 275 500 115 000 29.5 1996 412 800 274 800 138 000 33.4 * preliminary estimate Source: STATEC [Back to the top] Foreign residents in Luxembourg Nationality 1/1/87 1/1/91 1/1/96 Total foreigners, of which: 97 300 110 000 138 000 French 12 600 12 950 15 000 Belgian 8 500 9 500 11 800 German 8 900 8 750 9 700 Italian 20 700 19 900 19 800 Portuguese 29 000 37 600 51 500 Source: STATEC [Back to the top] The economy The unemployment rate in Luxembourg has traditionally been very low and has ranged around 1.5%. Nevertheless, in the last two years, the unemployment rate has risen without, however, reaching an alarming level. The Government of Luxembourg set up a tripartite commission (trade unions/employees, employers and public authorities) to discover the reasons for this unemployment and to find remedies for the present situation. Unemployment rate in 1997 January February March April May 4.0% 3.9% 3.7% 3.7% 3.5% Job seekers 6 969 6 845 6 439 6 429 6 103 Finally, the high proportion of frontier workers in the Luxembourg labour market should be noted. On 1.1.1997 the working population of the country totalled 205,139, of whom 61,744 (or 30.1%) were frontier workers. Their share is constantly rising (May 1979: 209.239 employed persons, of whom 64,016 or 30.6% were frontier workers). [Back to the top] The initial vocational training system In January 1995 a law was passed transferring the responsibility of training for health occupations from the Ministry of Health to the Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training (Law of 11 January 1995 on the reorganization of public and private schools for male and female nurses, which also regulates collaboration between Ministry of National Education and the Ministry of Health). Through this law a number of initial training courses (nurse, technical medical assistant, etc.) have been placed under the authority of the Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training. This shift has implied some amendments to a number of articles in the law of 4 September 1990. This also, obviously, means that the advanced stage of technical secondary education now contains several new divisions and sections (chapter 2.3.10.). The technical education branch can contain the following divisions: Administrative and commercial division Sections: management secretariat Health occupations and social professions division Sections: training of technical medical assistants training of instructors (male/female) training of nurses (male/female) General technical division It should, however, be noted that the length of the studies (in the advanced stage mentioned above) for the health sector does not have the usual duration of 2 years, but 3 years. The final examination therefore takes place after the 14th class. [Back to the top] Higher Institute of Technology (IST) Chapter 2.3.33 (new chapter) On 11 August 1996 a law was passed on the reform of higher education. This law will be in force from 1 September 1997. This law has the aim of reforming public higher education in Luxembourg in general, and in particular, the University Centre and the Higher Institute of Technology. Tasks Legal status Management bodies of the Institute Objectives and tasks of the Higher Institute of Technology Tasks The tasks in the field of higher education are: initial and continuing training; scientific and technological research and utilization of the results; dissemination of scientific and technological culture and information: interregional, European and international cooperation. The public institutions providing higher education are: the Luxembourg University Centre; the Higher Institute of Technology; the Higher Institute of Educational Studies and Research; the Institute of Educational and Social Studies. [Top] Legal status The legal status of the above-mentioned institutions has changed. Formerly, they were a part of public education and administered as public sector bodies, but from 1 September 1997 these institutions will acquire financial, administrative, pedagogical and scientific autonomy. They will be administered as bodies governed by private law. These institutions are placed under the supervision of the Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training. [Top] Management bodies of the Institute Several bodies have been set up the Management Board the Scientific Council the Department Councils the Administrative Director These management bodies, with precisely defined tasks, are responsible for the administrative and educational functions of the Institute under the authority of the Government; the Management Board and the Scientific Council are made up of leading personalities from outside (world of work) selected for their competence, representatives of the students' departments, and one representative of the Government, called the Government Commissioner. [Top] Objectives and tasks of the Higher Institute of Technology The Higher Institute of Technology has the task of: organizing short-term higher technical studies for a profession; providing higher education at university level to prepare students for senior technical posts in industrial production, applied research and the services sector; participating in third-cycle training provision and organizing such training in case of need; organizing specialized training courses in the framework of practical training periods and seminars; participating in continuing vocational training; maintaining relations with the industrial world; developing scientific and applied research in its areas of activity. The Institute awards a university-level engineering degree entitled industrial engineer. The studies at the Institute preparing students for this degree are made up of two cycles. These studies consist of 8 terms of which one term is devoted to professional practical experience and one term is devoted to work for the completion of studies. The first cycle, with a duration of two years, has the following objectives: enabling the student to acquire, intensify and diversify his knowledge of the fundamental disciplines, thus opening up a large area of activity; giving guidance to the student to prepare him for the training which will follow in the second cycle. Candidates who successfully complete the first cycle are given a first-cycle certificate. The second cycle, with a duration of two years, has the following objectives: enabling the student to complete his knowledge and get more in-depth culture, and introducing him to scientific research; giving the student the general and vocational education which will prepare him for a profession or a group of professions. The degree of industrial engineer is awarded to the student who has successfully completed the second cycle. Holders of the technician-engineer's diploma who acquired this diploma before the current law came into force, may opt for the conversion of this diploma into an industrial engineer's degree provided they can prove that they have five years of professional job experience. [Top] [Back to the top] Post-primary education The admission examination enabling pupils to move on to classical secondary education or technical secondary education or failing both, to so-called extended primary education, takes place at the end of the 6th class in primary education. Extended primary education was integrated in technical secondary education by the law of 3 June 1994 in order to enable children who in the past were not admitted to technical secondary education, to enter a new type of education based on studies for a crafts, industrial or commercial occupation; this is a modular type of education enabling pupils to progress at their own personal pace with the objective of achieving the level of studies required to learn a trade. This type of education which is called preparatory education is at present a part of technical secondary education. This merging of two types of education which were clearly separated in the past, makes it possible to provide training which is better adapted to the educational situation of the students, and to direct them more efficiently to an occupation or profession which corresponds to their personal inclinations and aptitudes. (The reform mentioned on page 18 of the monograph has thus been completed). Secondly, taking effect from the start of the 1997/98 school year, a new guidance procedure has been introduced in June/July 1997 to channel primary education pupils to post-primary education. This change is based firstly on a better knowledge of the pupil (observation during the 6th class of primary education) taking account of the totality of his competences, performance, aptitudes and interests, and secondly, on more positive guidance, i.e. directing him towards the specific 7th class which will offer him the maximum chances of making further progress and thus preventing, as far as possible, demotivating failures. The basic concept underlying the new procedure consists of A. observation of the pupil and assessment of his 6th year of studies, B. dialogue (between partners) and concertation, C. the assessment-for-guidance report Re. A and B The marks in the school report are given on the basis of class tests. Moreover, standardized tests in the main subjects are held for all pupils. In addition to these school results, the teacher draws up an assessment of the learning behaviour of the pupil observed in the course of various school activities. If the parents express the wish, a psychologist is asked to look for additional information in order to complete this guidance process. However, guidance should not be the concern only of specialists in the school environment. As parents are the best persons to evaluate the capabilities of their children and are familiar with their aspirations for their future professional life, they can best follow the progress of their children and supply all the information required to guide the child. [Top] Re. B The teacher organizes an information meeting on the guidance procedure. In this meeting the psychologist offers the parents his assistance. In the course of the school year, the teacher meets the parents regularly to inform them of the progress of their children. [Top] Re. C Access to post-primary education is regulated by an assessment-for-guidance report. This report is drawn up by a guidance committee consisting of the school inspector for that district, the child's teacher, a teacher from secondary education and a teacher from technical secondary education. The members of the committee take the following elements into account: * an evaluation of the school work of the pupil based on three components: the marks in the school report the results of the standardized test the teacher's report on the learning behaviour of the pupil * the opinion of the parents The assessment-for-guidance report sent to the parents at the end of the school year gives the right of admission to one of the following classes: 7th orientation class in classical secondary education 7th class in technical secondary education modular class in the preparatory system for technical secondary education After receiving the assessment-for-guidance report, the parents and their child must accept and comply with this report. Nevertheless, if a child is guided towards the 7th class in technical secondary education, against the opinion of the parents who wish to see their child go to classical secondary education, it is possible to resolve this difference of opinion through a mediatory examination. The same applies in the case of a child which has been guided towards the modular class in the preparatory system for technical secondary education but wishes to join technical secondary education. In this case the parents can submit an application to the Mediatory Committee in the Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training. This committee, after examining the dossier, draws up a final assessment report. [Top] [Back to the top]