Specialists from Greece, Sweden and the Netherlands, collaborating for the Erasmus+ project QC-VET, participated in the project’ s final conference which took place in Larissa, Greece and it was organised by DIMITRA Educational Organisation in collaboration with the Municipality of Larissa. The conference highlighted the importance of promoting the Quality of Vocational Education and Training philosophy at both national and European level. The interest was great and more than 140 people had the opportunity to get valuable insights on the subject “Quality in Vocational Education and Training (VET) - Current Situation and Challenges: The European Reference Framework”. The audience had also the chance to attend the presentation of the e-tools that were created during the project at European level and support the motivation and involvement of VET staff in implementing quality initiatives.
Ms. Anastasopoulou Vaso, Director of Development & International Projects Department of DIMITRA Educational Organisation, opened the conference by analyzing and explaining the current situation and the challenges that educational institutions are called to address in the context of the quality of Educational Services. Mr. Deligiannis Dimitris, Deputy Mayor of the Social Policy and Welfare of the Municipality of Larissa, spoke about the importance of providing inclusive quality educational services to all. The Regional Manager of OAED (Greek Public Employment Organisation), Ms Olga Tsiourva, analyzed the importance of ensuring the quality of Work-Based Learning programs.
Thereupon, Mr. Bagakis Georgios, Professor of Methodology and Policies for Lifelong Learning and Training at the University of Peloponnese, presented the self-assessment efforts in education that have taken place in Greece over the last twenty years. This first part of the conference was concluded with Ms. Georgia Gonou, Director of Research, Education and Lifelong Learning, Hellenic Society for Local Development and Self-Government (EETAA) with her presentation on Vocational Education and Training Program Planning and Evaluation in Greece.
During the second part of the conference, experts specializing in Vocational Education and Training from Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands presented the European path of Quality Assurance in Vocational Education and Training and the Importance of the personnel of Vocational Education and Training Centers (VET) in the implementation of quality initiatives by presenting the results of similar initiatives. Mr. Kim Faurschou, Director of FACO, International Sciencepark in Denmark presented the European pathway regarding Quality in VET. Mr. Ali Rashidi, Director of Development and European Projects of Folkuniversitetet Uppsala in Sweden analysed the aims and results of the “Quality Culture in Vocational Education and Training” project. The conference closed with Mr. Roger Van De Winkel, Expert of Revalento at the Netherlands, who presented the four web tools that were developed and implemented during the QC-VET project.
A cocktail reception and networking event followed the completion of the conference and the participants had the opportunity to further exchange ideas and practices regarding the Quality Culture in VET in Europe and the importance of the employees’ involvement.