First Euro-Mediterranean Forum on technical and vocational education and training

Euro-Mediterranean Forum participants reiterated the challenges of adapting and modernising technical education and vocational training systems in the region. These include: the modernisation, diversification and development of the economies of the Member States of the Union for the Mediterranean, the response to the demographic and social challenges of EU partner countries, and the strengthening of complementarities between the economies and industries of EU countries and Mediterranean basin partner countries. Participants of the Forum drew the common conclusion that the systems for initial vocational training and further training in the countries of the region were not currently able to tackle these challenges.

The forum also enabled ministers to broadly outline the vocational training agenda for the Mediterranean basin along the following axes:

• development of a regional overview of training needs and resources by conducting prospective surveys on the jobs and qualifications required;
• systematic exchange of experiences and best practices, notably through the regular assessment of recorded progress, involving the systematic development of indicators and data relating to the vocational training sector;
• pooling of the work conducted in the area of training, through for example, the creation of regional training platforms in areas corresponding to the 6 key initiatives identified at the Paris Summit, and in particular, to the three priority projects selected at the joint meeting between the EU economy and finance ministers and the Facility for Euro-Mediterranean Investment and Partnership (FEMIP) on 7 October 2008 in Luxembourg: de-pollution of the Mediterranean, sea and land “highways”, and the Mediterranean Solar Plan; 
• development of professional mobility within the Euro-Mediterranean area. The existing mobility of the workforce, while respecting the concerns of countries of immigration and emigration, is crucial for strengthening the qualifications and competencies of workers of the Union for the Mediterranean. Mobility will be facilitated by the creation of regional transferable skills and competencies programmes, designed to assure mutual recognition between member countries of the Union for the Mediterranean, including transfer mechanisms, the capitalisation and recognition of prior learning, regional accreditation of prior education and training, a regional “pass” system providing a harmonised description of qualifications, etc.);  
• increased coordination efforts of funding and actions dedicated to modernising vocational training systems.

The Forum of 18 December is the first in a series of regular vocational training meetings in the Mediterranean basin, and reflects the determination put the social dimension at the centre of the Euro-Mediterranean project.

Press Contacts:
Office of Laurent WAUQUIEZ - Nicolas DIAT: +33 (0)153 184 389

Euro-Mediterranean Forum on technical and vocational education and training : announcement

• Updated: 05.01.2009

• 
• Gallery
• Back to the top