From June 1 to June 12, 2026, the German Research Center for Comparative Vocational Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) welcomed Prof. Dr Carola Hommerich as a guest researcher at the University of Cologne. During her time at the institute, Carola Hommerich enriched Bachelor's, Master's, and doctoral seminars through a variety of interactive lectures on sociological issues in Japanese society. She presented her research on social and subjective well-being, education, work and social integration, as well as attitudes towards climate change in Japan, thereby providing participants with a basis for reflection and discussion regarding their own research and perspectives. 

Carola Hommerich is Professor in the Department of Sociology at the Faculty of Human Sciences, Sophia University, Tokyo. Previously, she was an associate professor of sociology at the Graduate School of Letters, Hokkaido University, and a senior research fellow at the German Institute for Japanese Studies (DIJ) in Tokyo.

Her research focuses on the relationship between subjective well-being and social status, as well as on attitudes towards climate change and environmental behaviour. Her work has been published in journals including Social Indicators Research, Applied Research in Quality of Life, Journal of Happiness Studies and Social Science Japan Journal.

The G.R.E.A.T. team would like to thank Prof. Hommerich for visiting our institute and for sharing her valuable insights, expertise, and research with our students and researchers!

On 2 March 2026, the German Institute for Japanese Studies (DIJ) Tokyo hosted a DIJ Round Table with Prof. Dr Matthias Pilz on the topic “Big in Japan? Recruitment and training strategies of German companies in Japan.”
At the roundtable, Prof. Pilz presented the findings of a study based on interviews with 25 human resource management experts from ten German companies operating in Japan, as well as four external experts.
The key questions addressed in the study are:
     A) What strategies do German multinational companies in Japan pursue to respond to recruitment challenges?
     B) To what extent do these strategies draw on practices from the companies’ home countries?

The results show that German companies in Japan neither emulate the strategies of larger Japanese companies nor implement their home country’s, global, or regional strategies. Instead, they strategically consider local contextual factors and pursue what can be described as 'independent localisation'.
The session was opened and moderated by Franz Waldenberger, Director of the German Institute for Japanese Studies (DIJ) Tokyo, and featured insights from Shigeki Egami (Group Chief Human Resource Officer at NOK Corporation) and Carolina Kawakubo (President and Representative Director at NRW.Global Business Japan) who participated as panelists.

The event was recorded and is publicly available here on the Youtube channel of the DIJ Tokyo.

The G.R.E.A.T. team would like to thank the DIJ and Franz Waldenberger for the opportunity and all the participants and attendees for their stimulating and insightful contributions!

On 20 and 21 November 2025, we hosted the international VET research workshop at the University of Cologne. The long-standing colloquium organised by the universities of Bremen, Cologne and Osnabrück was expanded this year to include TU Dortmund University and now operates under the joint name Nord-West-VET.

The colloquium is designed as a peer-to-peer format: doctoral students present their research work, receive feedback and openly discuss challenges, methods and experiences in the research process. At the same time, the event strengthens networking and visibility in international vocational education and training research. This year's contributions highlighted vocational education and training in Japan, Germany, Ireland, the Gulf States and India.

Thanks go to all participants who contributed to and enriched the colloquium with their commitment. Next year, TU Dortmund University will host the NORD-WEST-VET research workshop.

From 19 to 21 November, Ass. Prof. Dr. Matthias Hennings from Japan was a guest at the German Research Centre for Comparative Vocational Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.). During his stay at the institute, he discussed current challenges in the transition from education to employment with Master's students and reported on numerous professional and personal experiences from Japan. As part of the North-West VET Doctoral Colloquium, he also presented his research on recruitment practices of Japanese companies in Japan in times of demographic change in an expert input.

Dr Matthias Hennings is Associate Professor of Japanese business and society at Kwansei Gakuin University in Japan. His research focuses on HR management, employment and education, especially in the Japanese labor market, internationalisation of Japanese universities and the promotion of global human capital in higher education. In particular, he investigates recent trends in Japanese-style management and higher education concerning the recruitment of international and Japanese students to foster global human capital and internationalise the workforce.

The G.R.E.A.T. team would like to thank Matthias Hennings for his contributions and fascinating insights into the education, transition and employment system in Japan.

From 29 September to 1 October 2025, Annabell Albertz attended the conference ‘'Education Science and Sustainability – Addressing Resistance. Shaping Futures’ organised by the working group ‘Sustainability or Non-Sustainability and Planetary Futures’ of The German Educational Research Association (GERA/DGfE) at the University of Cologne.
The conference focused on the question of how sustainability can be anchored as a cross-cutting dimension in research, teaching and the Third Mission of Education Science. The varied programme combined panels, workshops, artistic-aesthetic formats and exchange forums on topics such as transformation, responsibility, emotions and Education for Sustainable Development.

Annabell had the opportunity to present her research on green skills at Indian Industrial Training Institutes from the perspective of teachers. The discussion that followed was particularly engaging: critical questions were raised about the extent to which the concept of green skills, which has been shaped by supranational organisations, fits into Indian VET and can be transferred – and how teachers themselves deal with international concepts such as green skills.

We are excited to announce that the 5th G.R.E.A.T. Conference will take place in Cologne, 21–23 September 2026, focusing on Sustainability in Vocational Education and Training (VET). 
The Call for Papers for Papers is closed.

Within the context of the conference, a broad understanding of the concept of sustainability will be applied, integrating scientific papers from a wide range of perspectives. Consequently, both conceptual and empirical contributions are welcomed. In addition to ecological topics, social and economic issues can also be the focus of investigation, whether at the macro, meso or micro-level of VET. Formal, non-formal or informal learning can also be addressed.

We are looking forward to receiving your submissions for an international exchange on shaping the future of sustainable VET!

From 23 to 26 July, G.R.E.A.T. participated in the JVET Summer School and the JVET Conference 2025.
At the JVET Summer School, which is dedicated to early career researchers in the field of vocational education and training, Annabell Albertz and Julia Dellori had the opportunity to network with other PhD students within the VET domain, learn from renowned researchers through keynote speeches and informal sessions, and exchange and discuss ideas about their own research.

On 24 July, Julia Dellori and Matthias Pilz gave a presentation on the transition from university to employment in Japan in times of demographic change, reflecting on the practices of students, employers, and universities during the transition process against the background of institutional logics within the transition system.
On 25 July, Annabell Albertz presented on the implementation of green skills at industrial training institutes in India, shedding light on the factors that are decisive for the implementation of green skills in teaching and learning practices from the perspective of teachers.
Former G.R.E.A.T. members also presented their work at the JVET Conference. Pujun Chen, TU Dortmund University, presented a comparative analysis of green skills in logistics vocational education in China and Germany, while Sebastian Schneider, IfM Bonn, examined the attractiveness of polytechnic colleges in India from the perspective of different stakeholders. Jun Li, Tongji University, presented on the mechanism and strategy of industry-education integration in megacities, offering insights into the construction of comprehensive skill ecosystems.
We want to thank the entire team of the JVET Summer School and Conference for a very enriching, valuable, and well-organised event, and for creating an inspiring space for academic exchange and international networking within the VET research community!

Dr. Jay Plasman was a guest at G.R.E.A.T. from 30 June to 11 July. Jay is an Assistant Professor at the College of Education and Human Ecology at Ohio State University in the United States and Associate Editor of the International Journal of Training and Development (IJTD). His research focuses on education policy and the transition between technical education and employment.

During his stay in Cologne, our guest gave a presentation on the education and training system in the USA in both the bachelor's and master's seminars. In addition, Jay spoke in the doctoral seminar about the opportunities and challenges of working and publishing scientific articles in the academic world. 

We would like to thank Jay very much for his insights and his humorous and friendly nature!

From June 6 to June 27, 2025, the German Research Center for Comparative Vocational Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) welcomed Prof. em. Dr Ann-Marie Bathmaker as a guest researcher at the University of Cologne. During her stay at the institute, Ann-Marie Bathmaker enriched Bachelor's and Master's seminars with various interactive lectures on the vocational education and training system in England. In another seminar, she introduced doctoral students to the topic of researcher positionality in a comparative research context based on her own research. This encouraged those present to reflect on their own doctoral projects.

Dr Ann-Marie Bathmaker is Emeritus Professor of Vocational and Higher Education at the University of Birmingham and a former member of the editorial team of the Journal of Vocational Education and Training (JVET). Her research focuses on issues of equality and inequality, diversity and social mobility in vocational and higher education with research projects in England, Australia and South Africa.

The G.R.E.A.T. team would like to thank Ann-Marie Bathmaker for visiting our institute and sharing her exciting experiences and research.

In February and March 2025, Prof Dr Matthias Pilz and Julia Dellori explored the transition from university to the employment system in Japan as part of two research projects. Both perspectives shed light on the topic in the context of demographic change.

As a visiting researcher at the German Institute for Japanese Studies (DIJ) in Tokyo, Prof Dr Pilz investigated current recruitment and training strategies of German subsidiaries in Japan. In this context, he also focussed on external contextual conditions, problems of strategy implementation and the exploration of internal logics of action.

Against the background of current developments in the Japanese transition system, Julia Dellori used interviews with Japanese students from various universities in Japan to analyse how they individually experience the transition from university to the employment system. The research stay was funded by a scholarship for doctoral students from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), and the DIJ provided a workplace during her time in Tokyo.

At the end of March 2025, G. R. E. A. T. took part in the conference ‘Hochschultage Berufliche Bildung’ 2025 in Paderborn, Germany. The Erasmus+ project TeC@ses was presented in the poster session.

This year, the conference focused on sustainability, digitalisation and equity. Perfectly placed, as the TeC@ses project is developing an online learning tool for vocational teachers to design and teach case studies, also incorporating their digital potential.

If you would like to stay up to date, you can subscribe to the newsletter “Case Studies & Online Learning".

Last week, the German Research Center for Comparative Vocational Education and Training (GREAT) took part in the annual conference of the German Association for Social Science Research on Japan (VSJF), which was held in Berlin from 15 to 17 November 2024.  This year’s conference theme was “Sustainability in Japan”, which was examined from the perspectives of economics, society, and politics.

As part of the Sociology/Social Anthropology, and Economics section, Prof. Dr Matthias Pilz presented the findings of a research project on recruitment strategies of Japanese companies in times of demographic change in Japan. This project was conducted in collaboration with Matthias Hennings (Kwansei Gakuin University) and Ralf Bebenroth (Kobe University).

The presentation was followed by an engaging discussion on the future development of Japan’s transition system against the backdrop of demographic changes.

The conference volume contains selected papers from the 4th International G.R.E.A.T. Conference, which took place at the University of Cologne in September 2022. This book was initiated to fill a gap in the understanding of informal learning in the context of vocational education and training (VET). It does so by examining a wide range of aspects and different objectives, levels and locations of informal learning. The authors, selected from different parts of Europe as well as Japan, Australia, India and Bangladesh, contribute to the topic from different country perspectives. As such, this volume makes a unique contribution to the study of informal learning in VET. 

You can find the conference volume here and the review of the book here.  

On October 23, the German Research Center for Comparative Vocational Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) welcomed Prof. Dr Stephen Billett as a guest researcher at the University of Cologne. Under the umbrella of the three focus questions ‘Why are vocational education systems often so different across nations?’, ‘What brings about changes to them?’ and ‘What constitutes a mature vocational system?’, he shared his expertise on the Australian vocational education system in a presentation at our institute.

Dr Stephen Billett is Professor of Adult and Vocational Education in the School of Education and Professional Studies at Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia and a National Teaching Fellow and Australian Research Council Future Fellow. After a career in garment manufacturing, he has worked as a vocational educator, educational administrator, teacher educator, professional development practitioner and policy developer in the Australian vocational education system and as a teacher and researcher at Griffith University.

The G.R.E.A.T. team would like to thank Stephen Billett for visiting our Institute and for giving us an insight into his exciting experiences and research.

The meta-project 'MP-INVET – Research on the Internationalisation of Vocational Education and Training' was presented at the 2024 annual conference of the Section for Vocational and Business Education (BWP) at the Technical University of Dresden in its own forum entitled 'VET transfer in the focus of VET research'.

Professor Dr. Matthias Pilz participated in this forum as an expert and engaged in a discussion of current developments and perspectives in international VET research with the participants.

From June 3 to July 12, 2024, Thanavit (Tar) Limpavittayakul from the Institute of Education (IOE), the Faculty of Education and Society at University College London, visited the German Research Center for Comparative Vocational Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.). During this time, he gained practical insights into the vocational education and training system in Germany with a focus on teacher training and also actively participated in the life of the chair.

Thanavit Limpavittayakul is a PhD student of Prof. Dr David Guile from IOE (Faculty of Education and Society, University College London) and his research focuses on the two main areas of policy borrowing and teacher education within the VET system in Thailand.

The members of G.R.E.A.T. would like to thank Tar for the exciting exchange and wish him every success in his future research work.

At the invitation of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), a high-ranking Egyptian delegation visited the University of Cologne on July 9th. On the occasion of the visit, Prof. Dr. Matthias Pilz gave a presentation on "Research on skill development, training and labor markets" in the presence of the Egyptian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and other Egyptian representatives and reported on selected research projects of the G.R.E.A.T. Institute.

The reason for the trip and the aim of the Egyptian government is to expand education and research capacities in the higher education sector and to strengthen the employability of graduates in Egypt. Part of the strategy for pursuing these goals is both the establishment of Egyptian universities and the opening of new branches of foreign universities in Egypt in order to respond to the needs and current trends of the labour market through new academic programmes and specializations.

On Wednesday, June 26, 2024, the panel discussion on “The transition from school to work in Japan and Germany in times of demographic change” was hosted by The Japan Cultural Institute in Cologne (The Japan Foundation), in cooperation with the Chair of Business Education and International VET Research at the University of Cologne. Dr Peter-Jörg Alexander (University of Osnabrück), who moderated the event, began by highlighting the relevance of the topic and the connection between Japan and Germany, particularly in terms of demographics and the shortage of skilled workers. Apl. Prof. Dr Mikiko Eswein (RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau) then presented the transition system in Japan, which was followed by a presentation of the German transition system by Prof. Dr. Pilz (University of Cologne). Prof. Dr. Bebenroth (Kôbe University) rounded off the presentations by linking the previous contributions of the Japanese and German experts to introduce the panel discussion.

Thanks to the lively participation of the audience with interesting questions and contributions on the topic, an exciting and lively discussion took place between experts and all those present.

The event was recorded and is publicly available here on the Youtube channel of the Japanese Cultural Institute Cologne.

In June 2024, the German Research Center for Comparative Vocational Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) welcomed Prof. Dr Ralf Bebenroth as a guest researcher at the University of Cologne. During his stay at the institute, he enriched courses at the institute with lectures on the school and employment system in Japan. As a Japanese expert, he was also part of a panel discussion on the transition system in Japan and Germany, organized by The Japan Cultural Institute in Cologne (The Japan Foundation) in cooperation with the Chair of Business Education and International VET Research (University of Cologne).

Dr Ralf Bebenroth has been Professor of International Business at Kôbe University in Japan since 2005 and is affiliated with the Research Institute for Economics and Business Administration. He initially held lectures in Japanese and later taught International Business and related fields in English. Previously, Prof. Bebenroth spent two years as a DAAD postdoctoral fellow in Tokyo and then another two years as a Humboldt Research Fellowship holder in Osaka. Prof. Dr Bebenroth has now been living and working in Japan for almost 25 years. In addition to comparative research between Japan and Germany, Prof. Dr Ralf Bebenroth's research focuses in particular on corporate governance, human resource management, marketing and finance.

The G.R.E.A.T. team would like to thank Ralf Bebenroth for visiting our institute and sharing his exciting experiences and research.

In June 2024, the German Research Center for Comparative Vocational Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) welcomed Ass. Prof. Dr Trent Brown as a visiting researcher at the University of Cologne. During his stay at the institute, Mr Brown gave a total of four lectures to Bachelor’s, Master’s and doctoral students, giving them an insight into his research on India and Japan. On the one hand, he reported on reforms in the field of vocational education and training (VET) in India with a special focus on the agricultural sector as well as on the informal sector of VET in India in the context of globalisation. On the other hand, his presentation on skill ecosystems from a conceptual perspective using the example of the silk manufacturing in Japan and agriculture in India provided an opportunity for discussion and a lively exchange with the audience.

Dr Trent Brown is Associate Professor at Tokyo College, University of Tokyo, where he convenes the Sustainablity and Society Research Group. Before, he worked in the School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Melbourne, Australia. His research focus is on contemporary India and Japan, food systems and agrarian change, skill development and skill ecosystems, craft production and sustainability.

The G.R.E.A.T. team would like to thank Mr Brown for his visit and the fascinating insights into his research in India and Japan.

The multiplier event of the RecoVET project took place on Tuesday, June 25, 2024 at the Chair of Business Education and International VET Research.
Dr. Junmin Li, University of Cologne, opened the event with a welcome speech and explained how the RecoVET project started. This was followed by a keynote speech by Dr. Katharina Wehking, University of Osnabrück, on "Current perspectives on the integration of refugees in vocational education and training", which was insightful and inspiring for all participants. Ekaterina Schlüter, University of Cologne, presented the project results (online tool, handbook and toolbox) to the target group. The way in which the online training can be used was presented and discussed in detail. The event was attended by quality inspectors, educational specialists, representatives of the chambers of industry and commerce and municipal institutions that deal with young refugees.  After a brief outlook, the event was rounded off by an exchange with experts from the fields of evaluation and education in a relaxed atmosphere. Thanks to the hybrid nature of the event, online participants were also able to fully contribute to the discussion.

Further information about the project at https://recovet.uni-koeln.de/en/ .

On 15 June 2024 the annual meeting of the doctoral students from the University of Cologne, University of Bremen and University of Osnabrück took place at the Institute of Technology and Education (ITB) in Bremen. One doctoral student from each location presented their work. The meeting therefore offered diverse and in-depth insights into various research projects in the field of international vocational education and training and gave the opportunity for a valuable peer-to-peer exchange.

The following meeting next year will take place at our institute at the University of Cologne.

On 6th June 2024, the regular Board Meeting of the German Research Center for Comparative Vocational Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) took place in the institute. The board members were informed about the extensive activities and new projects of the research center. Besides Prof. Dr. Matthias Pilz, Julia Dellori, Julia Regel and Ekaterina Schlüter of the University of Cologne, the Board Members Birgit Thomann of the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training, Dirk Matter of the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce, Prof. Dr. Gregor Lang-Wojtasik of PH Weingarten and Dr. Balasubramanian Ramani of Niedersachen.next-initiative of the government of Lower Saxony took part in the meeting.

On Wednesday, June 26, 2024, The Japan Cultural Institute in Cologne (The Japan Foundation), in cooperation with the Chair of Business Education and International VET Research at the University of Cologne, will host a panel discussion on “The transition from school to work in Japan and Germany in times of demographic change”. The panel discussion will compare the transition from school to the world of work in Japan and Germany. Against the backdrop of the demographic development with shrinking birth cohorts, problems arise in both countries in the course of the transition process. The event therefore addresses a highly topical issue and presents the current transition situation in both countries and compares the institutions, processes and challenges.

Japanese and German experts in the field of transition from school to employment will provide insights into the various facets of this topic. There will then be an opportunity to exchange views and ideas in a discussion round, which will also respond to contributions from the audience.

The panel discussion will take place from 5 to 7pm at the Japanese Cultural Institute, Universitätsstr. 98, 50674 Cologne, and will be followed by a small reception offering the opportunity for informal exchange.

Further information on the event can be found here.

On Tuesday, 25 June 2024, the closing event of the RecoVET project will take place. The RecoVET project - "Recognition of Good VET practice for refugees" - dealt with the development of a concept for the external assessment and recognition of specific quality in the integration of people with refugee experience. The project results (online tool, handbook and toolbox) serve to raise awareness for the design of VET programmes for refugees and people with a migrant background.you can find out more about the project at https://recovet.uni-koeln.de/en/

The target group of the RecoVET event are people who work in educational institutions and in the field of vocational integration as well as evaluators and experts in educational quality. The event consists of presentations and the demonstration of project results and is rounded off by an exchange with experts from the fields of evaluation and education in a relaxed atmosphere. 

The event will take place from 4:15 to 6:15 pm at the Institute for Vocational, Economics and Business Education, Herbert-Lewin-Straße 2, 50931 Cologne.

The programme can be found here.

From 22.09. to 22.12.2023 Julián Bell Sebastián from the Department of Didactics and School Organisation of the Faculty of Philosophy and Educational Sciences of the University of Valencia visited the German Research Center for Comparative Vocational Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.). During this time, he continued his participation in the Erasmus+ RecoVET project . He also carried out fieldwork as part of his research projects and actively participated in the life of the department.

Julián Bell Sebastián is a PhD student of Prof. Fernando Marhuenda Fluixá at the Department of Didactics and School Organisation and Dr. Carmen Carmona Rodríguez at the Department of Research Methods and Diagnosis in Education of the Faculty of Philosophy and Educational Sciences of the University of Valencia. He is also a member of the research group Culture, Diversity and Development (GIUV 2013-138) and Transitions (GIUV 2013-093), where he contributes as a collaborator.

Mr Bell's research focuses on the study of attitudes towards cultural diversity in vocational education and training as well as migration, governance and quality evaluation in vocational education.
He is also a member of the research group Culture, Diversity and Development (GIUV 2013-138) and Transitions (GIUV 2013-093), where he contributes as a collaborator.

The collaboration between G.R.E.A.T and Mr Bell has also resulted in a joint publication with Dr Junmin Li and Ekaterina Schlüter (Chair of Economics and Business Education): Li, J., Schlüter, E., Hautz, H., Bell, J., & Marhuenda, F. (2023). Quality management in vocational education and training: a reflection on educational governance in Austria, Germany and Spain. In V. Tūtlys, L. Vaitkutė & C. Nägele (Eds.), Vocational Education and Training Transformations for Digital, Sustainable and Socially Fair Future (pp. 265-272). VETNET. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7821912

The members of G.R.E.A.T. would like to thank Mr Bell for the exciting exchange and wish him every success in his future research work.

On 23 November 2023, the results of the DFG project "Multinational companies and the local knowledge base" were presented at the Federal Institute of Vocational Education and Training (BIBB). The Vice President and Director of Research, Prof. Dr Hubert Ertl, and the Head of the International Department, Birgit Thomann, welcomed Prof. Dr Matthias Pilz and M.Sc. Lena Finken in the presence of the thirty-five guests from BIBB. The presentation of the project results was followed by a lively discussion, in particular about the potential for integrating more foreign enterprises into the dual training system in Germany.

In the middle of November 2023, the German Research Center for Comparative Vocational Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) welcomed Prof Dr Franz Waldenberger. During his stay, Mr Waldenberger gave the Master's students an overview of his research on Japan in two lectures. On the one hand, Mr Waldenberger reported on the corporate careers of Japanese managers and the recruitment of young talent. On the other hand, Mr Waldenberger referred to comparative research and highlighted some differences between the Japanese and German employment systems. A lively discussion among the students rounded off the presentations. 

Prof Dr Franz Waldenberger is an economist and director of the German Institute for Japanese Studies based in Tokyo. He is also Professor of Japanese Economics at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. His research focusses on the Japanese economy and corporate governance. He is currently focussing on Japan's start-up ecosystem and the associated fundamental issues of digital transformation.

The German Research Center for Comparative Vocational Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) would like to thank Mr Waldenberger for his visit and the fascinating insights into Japanese culture and the Japanese education and employment system.

We are pleased to announce that you can now find the special issue of the IJTD on "Informal Learning in Vocational Education and Training" (2023, Volume 27, Issue 3-4) on the website of Wiley, London. Seven of eight contributions are available as open access.

The articles published here were selected by the editors of the IJTD from a large number of papers presented at the "4th International G.R.E.A.T. Conference" on "Informal Learning in VET" in September 2022 at the University of Cologne.

The selection of the contributions represented in this special edition was based on the criteria of quality, innovative perspective as well as relevance in the context of vocational education and training. The eight contributions published here cover a broad spectrum of aspects of informal learning and encompass different country contexts as well as different levels, goals and locations of informal learning.

From Thursday, 13th until 15th of July 2023, the 15th the Journal of Vocational Education and Training (JVET) hosted a conference that brought together leading experts, educators, and researchers from around the globe. The event, held at Keble College in Oxford, England, witnessed a diverse range of presentations, discussions, and valuable insights into the field of vocational education and training. 
JVET invited two distinguished experts in the field. Nandini Gooptu and John Buchanan took the stage as keynote speakers, sharing their profound insights and expertise, and leaving a lasting impact on the audience. Another highlight of the conference was the celebration of 75th anniversary of JVET from its beginnings to becoming a reputable platform for disseminating groundbreaking research in the field, JVET has played a pivotal role in shaping vocational education globally.
As well the team of Chair of Economics and Business Education from the University of Cologne has contributed to this inspiring event. Prof. Dr. Matthias Pilz moderated several sessions and contributed with his own presentation, sharing the latest research findings and offering a unique perspective on a study on training activities of British, French, US, Japanese and Chinese companies in Germany.
Dr. Junmin Li's presentation featured a collaborative effort with Elisabeth Knight from Victoria University, Australia elaborated the Anglo-saxony and German concepts of vocational competence and competency in context of policy transfer.
The exchange of ideas and experiences throughout the conference laid a strong foundation for future collaboration and research, ensuring that vocational training remains responsive to the evolving needs of society.

From 28^th November to 09^th December 2022, Professor Dr. Orr visited the German Research Center for Comparative Vocational Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.). During his stay he gave, among other things, lectures for students of the Master's programme "Business Education" and provided insights into his research on VET policy in England, subject-specialist pedagogy in VET teaching and the training of teachers in England. He also chaired a doctoral colloquium in which current developments of qualifications in the English vocational training landscape were discussed.

Prof. Dr. Kevin Orr is Professor of Work and Learning and Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning) at the University of Huddersfield. He also brings extensive experience in teaching at Further Education Colleges and specifically in training future teachers. He publishes on various topics, including vocational education and training, teacher education, professional development and quantitative research methods in educational research.

The cooperation between the German Research Center for Comparative Vocational Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) was also strengthened through individual discussions with staff members about current research projects.

The members of G.R.E.A.T. in Cologne would like to thank Professor Dr. Orr for the exciting insights. We are looking forward to further exchanges.

From 10th October to 21st October 2022, Professor Nokelainen visited the German Research Center for Comparative Vocational Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.). During this time, he shared comprehensive insights into his research in Finland with students of the Master's programme "Business Education". Additionally, he chaired a doctoral colloquium, initiating a lively discussion on his research results, but also on the doctoral students' own research.
Prof. Dr. Petri Nokelainen is a full professor at Tampere University in Finland, but also holds the position as an adjunct professor at the University of Helsinki, Finland and Tallinn University, Estonia. In addition, Prof Nokelainen has extensive and long-standing experience through his position as Head of the Professional Growth and Learning Research Group. He publishes on the topics of Engineering Education, Regulation of Learning, Emotions, Active Learning, Workbased Learning and Professional Growth.
The cooperation between the German Research Center for Comparative Vocational Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) and Professor Nokelainen has already existed for several years. In the past, a joint article with Dr Junmin Li (Chair of Economics and Business Education) was published: Pylväs, Laura; Li, Junmin; Nokelainen, Petri (2021), Professional Growth and Workplace Learning. In: Harteis, C., Gijbels, D., Kyndt, E. (eds) Research Approaches on Workplace Learning. Professional and Practice-based Learning, vol 31. Springer, Cham. (pp 137–155) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-89582-2_6
The members of G.R.E.A.T. in Cologne would like to thank Professor Nokelainen for the exciting insights. We are looking forward to further exchanges. 

In the study by Gessler, Nägele & Stadler (2021), a "scoping review" or "bibliometric mapping analysis" was carried out for the research field at the boundary between "learning and work For this purpose, a total of 5,474 peer-reviewed publications were taken into account, which were published between 2011 and 2020 and are listed in the Scopus database. The focus of the evaluation and structuring was, among other things, on the most frequently used keywords (e.g., the clusters "workplace learning", "apprenticeships", "teacher-training" etc.), the most frequently cited papers and authors as well as existing "collaborative networks" between countries, journals and authors. With a number of 28 publications between 2011-2020, Prof. Dr. Matthias Pilz was identified as the "most productive author" in this study. Of his papers, his typology approach in the context of international comparative VET research was cited most frequently. The study by Gessler, Nägele and Stadler was published in a special issue of the International Journal for Research in Vocational Education and Training and is available here (open access). 

We are pleased to announce that the 4th International Conference of the German Research Center for Comparative Vocational Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) will trake place from 28.-30. September 2022 in Cologne, Germany. 
The conference will deal with current issues and findings within the context of informal learning in vocational education and training (VET). Therefore, it is a great pleasure for us to invite you to submit a conference abstract by the 14th of February 2022. For more information, please have a look at the Call for Papers.

To mark the 160th anniversary of German-Japanese relations and the close academic exchange between the two countries, the University of Bonn, the University of Cologne and the Japan Foundation Cologne are jointly hosting an online lecture series in the summer semester of 2021 on the results of current and joint research from a wide range of disciplines, which will also be reflected against the background of societal developments in Germany and Japan. Together with Prof. Dr. Shinji Sakano from Tamagawa University, Prof. Dr. Matthias Pilz gave a lecture on "The transition from the education system to the employment system: Japan and Germany in comparison" on 05.05.2021. The focus was particularly on the structures and regulatory mechanisms in the education and employment systems of the respective countries, which were examined and compared in their respective contexts. A video of the lecture and the subsequent discussion is now available online. Further information and dates for the lecture series within the framework of the German-Japanese academic cooperation can be found here.

We are very pleased to inform you that the first issue of the IJTD under the newly formed Editorial Board is now published. Since July 2020, the journal has been edited by Prof. Dr. Matthias Pilz as the new Editor-in-Chief as well as Prof. Kothandaraman Kumar (Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, India), Ass. Prof. Dr. Jun Li (Tongji University, China), Ass. Prof. Dr. Jay Plasman (Ohio State University, USA) and Prof. Dr. Volker Wedekind (Nottingham University, UK) as Associate Editors.

The IJTD has a multidisciplinary orientation and focuses, among other aspects, on economic and political developments as well as scientific approaches and findings in the context of initial and continuing vocational education and training or training activities. With its claim to high-quality conceptual or empirical research, the journal's central objective is particularly to promote an international dialogue on the topic of "vocational education and training" and to strengthen cooperation between research, policy and practice.
The current issue can be found on the website of Wiley, London. 

In the time from 10.02.-24.02.2020, Prof. Dr. Matthias Pilz is on field research in Japan. This research visit is funded by the "Japan Society for the Promotion of Science". In the context of several interviews with school actors such as teachers, he is investigating the attitude of teachers towards vocational training. Several visits to schools, universities and companies are organized nationwide. On 10.02.2020, he already visited the Toyohashi Technical High School and interviewed the headmaster as well as other trainers regarding the motivation of the students, the satisfaction with school life, the employment status and the professional biography of the teachers - a Japanese article about this visit can be found here. Furthermore, he has already visited the "Aichi High School of Technology and Engineering" - There he met both Prof. Etsuo Yokoyama, who works at Nagoya University and has been a visiting fellow at the Department of Economic and Business Education, and the headmaster Mr. Yamaguchi Naoto. Similar surveys have already been conducted in India and China. In addition, Prof. Dr. Pilz also gave a lecture on vocational training in Germany at Nagoya University. A short report on the research visit of Prof. Dr. Matthias Pilz can be found here.

From 18.11. to 29.11.2019 Dr. Volker Wedekind visited the Institute for Vocational, Economic and Social Education. During this time, he gave individual courses for students of the master's programme "Business Education" and also chaired a colloquium for doctoral students. During these courses, he was able to provide students and doctoral students with interesting insights into his research work and to stimulate discussion. He was also available as a contact person for individual student theses focusing on the British and South African vocational training systems and was able to advise doctoral students on their research projects.

Dr. Wedekind is currently working at the University of Nottingham in the School of Education as deputy director, but has also spent a large part of his career so far in South Africa, so that he is distinguished by his great expertise for both the UK as well as the South African vocational training system. His current research interests include the relationship between education, social policy and economic development as well as vocational training practices and their differences with other forms of education. In the future, Dr. Volker Wedekind will focus on the field of migration and the associated challenges for vocational education and training. The staff of the institute are looking forward to further visits by Dr. Wedekind.

On 14 November 2019, the Chair of Economics and Business Education at the University of Cologne hosted an all-day research workshop on international comparative vocational education and training research. In addition to the staff of Prof. Dr. Pilz and international guests, other colleagues from the chairs of Prof. Dr. habil. Frommberger of the University of Osnabrück and Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Gessler of the University of Bremen, attended the research workshop.

The fascinating lectures, which dealt with the most diverse facets and questions within the internationally comparative vocational training research, stimulated fruitful discussions as well as a professional exchange. In addition, the workshop participants had the opportunity to exchange views on their current research projects and questions. All in all, it was an extremely enriching day for all participants, which will be repeated in the near future.

The Chair of Economics and Business Education of Prof. Dr. Matthias Pilz was pleased to welcome Prof. Dr. (em.) Roger Harris from the School of Education (University of South Australia) from the 4th to the 15th of November 2019. Prof. Dr. Harris is a renowned scientist in the field of international comparative vocational education and training research and has published numerous journal and book articles in the field of vocational education research and teacher training. Despite his retirement, he remains committed to his field of research and was a guest at the Chair of Business and Social Education in July 2016, where he provided students and staff at the institute with interesting insights into the Australian vocational training system. In September 2018, he also took part in the G.R.E.A.T. Conference on International Comparative Vocational Education and Training Research.

During his current stay, Prof. Dr. Harris continued to share practical tips, experiences and insights into his research work and the Australian vocational training system with both the Master's students and the Institute's staff through several courses. Furthermore, he participated as an external guest in the workshop "International Comparative Vocational Education and Training Research".

The further development of vocational education and training is a pressing political issue, as demonstrated by the work of the current Enquete Commission "Berufliche Bildung in der digitalen Arbeitswelt", among other things.
Following a meeting of the Enquete Commission, Prof. Dr Matthias Pilz held an in-depth expert discussion with Dr Jens Brandenburg, Member of the German Bundestag, spokesperson for studies, vocational training and lifelong learning and spokesperson for LGBTI issues, and subsequently with Dr Maren Jasper-Winter, Member of the Bundestag, spokesperson for vocational training for the Free Democrats' parliamentary group in the Berlin House of Representatives, among others

Prof. Yokoyama was a guest at the Institute for Vocational, Economic and Social Education from 24.06.-05.07.2019. Through various lectures and numerous discussions he was able to provide insights into his field of research and into the Japanese VET system. Besides he showed large interest in the German vocational education system, he visited the Federal institute for vocational training in Bonn and the Berufskolleg Alfred Müller Armack in the Südstadt of Cologne.

Prof. Dr. Yokoyama is based at the Institute for Educational Science at the Graduate School of Education and Human Development at Nagoya University. He is a renowned scientist in the field of international comparative vocational education and training. One of his central research areas is in the field of handicrafts. Among other things, he has dealt with vocational training in the craft trades in the Scandinavian countries and their influence on other countries. Another focus is on domestic vocational education and training and the origins and history of Japanese crafts and trades as well as women's education in Japan. 

On Monday, 3 June 2019, the Enquete Commission met for the eleventh time and held a public hearing on the topic of "Beruflichen Bildung in der digitalen Arbeitswelt". Experts from politics and research had a lively exchange on the current state of digitalisation in the world of work in an international comparison. Prof. Dr Matthias Pilz from the Chair of Economic and Social Pedagogy at the University of Cologne was also invited as an expert, as were Konstantinos Pouliakas and Rita Siilivask from the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP). Mr Pilz reported to the committee, chaired by Dr Stefan Kaufmann (CDU/CSU), on the vocational education and training systems in Japan, China and India, focusing in particular on their differences and the extent to which the German vocational education and training system can be expanded to include hybrid forms in order to prevent even greater academisation. 

Auf der internationalen Konferenz des BiBB vom 03.-04.04.2019 in Siegburg wurde die Bedeutung der Kooperation von Sozialpartnern und Staat stark hervorgehoben. Ca. 60 Bildungsexpert*innen nahmen an der zweitägigen Tagung teil und tauschten sich rege in Workshops aus. Prof. Dr. Matthias Pilz beteiligte sich in seiner Funktion als Beiratsmitglied des Projektes an der Konferenz und moderierte einen der Workshops.
Im ersten Teil der Konferenz stand das Forschungsprojekt "Entwicklung nationaler Ausbildungsstandards - Akteure, Verfahren und Gestaltung im europäischen Vergleich" des BiBB im Fokus. Im zweiten Teil wurde eine Untersuchung des CEDEFOP über die Zukunft der Berufsausbildung in Europa vorgestellt.
 

Vom 11. bis 13. Februar 2019 traf sich das gesamte GoodVET-Projektteam bei G.R.E.A.T. an der Universität Köln.
Das internationale Team aus Dänemark, Italien, Österreich und Deutschland arbeitete drei Tage lang an wichtige Qualitätsindikatoren für die Integration von Geflüchteten in die berufliche Bildung. Die Erstellung des  Qualitätshandbuches sowie des Online-Analysetools war der Hauptkern dieses Treffens.
Weitere wichtige Meilensteine für das Projekt wurden in äußerst fruchtbaren Diskussionen erfolgreich erarbeitet.

Weitere Information zum Projekt GoodVET finden Sie unter: http://www.goodvet.uni-koeln.de/

Mit einer Bevölkerungszahl von 1,3 Milliarden ist Indien das zweitgrößte und aus europäischer Sicht ein exotisches Land mit vielen Gegensätzen und einer ganz anderen Kultur. Seit den 1990er-Jahren greifen umfangreiche Reformen und die wirtschaftliche Entwicklung des Landes hat auf vielen Ebenen Fahrt aufgenommen. Auch die berufliche Bildung in Indien ist damit in den Fokus gerückt und muss den daraus erwachsenen Herausforderungen Rechnung tragen. Sowohl deutsche Unternehmen wie auch die Akteure der Berufsbildungskooperation sind in der beruflichen Bildung in Indien tätig. Neben den kulturellen Besonderheiten des Landes prägen die Berufsbildungslandschaft auch angelsächsische Konzepte, eine starke Tendenz zur Hochschulbildung, eine geringe Beteiligung der Wirtschaft und eine komplexe Steuerungsstruktur.
Rezension von Uma Gengaiah - Indira Gandhi National Open University, India

Das Fachforum of Vocational Education for Mid-Age and Youth ist eine der größten Fachkonferenzen für Berufsbildungsforschung in China. Von 18. Bis 20. November 2018 fand in der Stadt Suzhou das 13. Fachforum mit mehr als 450 Teilnehmenden statt. Frau Dr. Junmin Li stellte die Ergebnisse eines sino-deutschen Forschungsprojekt zum Einsatz des Peer-Review-Verfahrens der Berufsbildung in chinesischen Berufsschulen vor. In diesem Zusammenhang wurde sie vom örtlichen Fernsehsender CUTV zur Thematik interviewed (http://www.csztv.com/doc/2018/11/19/365582.shtml?from=groupmessage).

Im Rahmen der BMBF-Konferenz zur Internationalisierung der Berufsbildung in Berlin konnte Sebastian Schneider in einem Workshop die Ergebnisse der wissenschaftlichen Analyse zum Kooperationsformat der Auftragsausschreibung dem interessierten Fachpublikum präsentieren.

Prof. Matthias Pilz visited several Japanese companies in different regions of Japan during his research visit in context of Vocational Education and Training in June 2018. The visits were strongly supported by Prof. Sakano from the Tamagawa University, Tokio.

Lecture by Prof. Dr. Matthias Pilz about the German Vocational Education and Training System at the Teacher Training Center at the Keio University (Prof. Kazuhisa Fujimoto).

Muthuveeran Ramasamy shows that the formal way of vocational education and training (VET) in rural areas often ignores the illiterate, the less educated, and the poor. The author demonstrates that VET programs need to be demand-driven and consider the socio-economic aspects of particular regions. Therefore, the significance of the study at grassroots level helps customize VET programs to respond to the demand of the individuals’ vocational training needs of rural people by keeping their endogenous needs at the centre of vocational skill development processes. The findings and lessons learnt from action research are also intensively discussed as guiding principles of demand-driven approaches from the learners’/societal perspectives.

For further information about the book, please visit www.springer.com .

For further information about the book, please visit

The chair for Economic and Social Education of Prof. Dr. Matthias Pilz is happy to announce two guest lectures hold by Prof. Dr. Roger Harris. Prof. Harris is a recommended expert from the School of Education, University of South Australia. His research interest focuses on curriculum development and evaluation as well as educational policy and reform. Those interested are welcome to attend the session.

Lecture 1:
“What part of the elephant are you touching? An overview of VET, HRD and workforce development in Australia.” 
•    6th July 2016, 2:00 pm
•    S102, IBW-Gebäude 
Lecture 2: 
“The big issue in Australian VET: quality – what has been happening?”
•    17th July 2016, 10:00 am
•    S102, IBW-Gebäude.

From 25 to 26 May 2016 a joint workshop of the Chairs of Prof. Frommberger, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg and Prof. Pilz, University of Cologne, took place in Magdeburg. The workshop focused on “Vocational training in international and international-comparative perspective”.

In the course of this workshop four junior researchers took the advantage to present their research projects. There was a lively exchange between the participants and the professors Dietmar Frommberger and Matthias Pilz. Further cooperations between the two institutions are already in planning.

In the period from April to September 2016 Prof. Shinji Sakano from the Graduate School of Education, Tamagawa University Tokyo, Japan will stay at the Chair for Economic and Social Education / at the German Research Center for Comparative Vocational Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.). During his stay he will dedicate to his research project.

In the context of the lecture "Innovation of the Vocational Training" he led a seminar on the subject of the Japanese vocational training system.

lead a  seminar on the subject of "The United States Vocational Education System

lead a  seminar on the subject of "The United States Vocational Education System

After his stay at the University of Cologne he will continue his research at the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB).

„Germany, we´ll come!“ answered the Indians to our visit in Pune, India in March 2016.
Seven students of the Symbiosis International University were accompanied by their Professor Ms. Khushbu Thadani. The Summer School in Cologne took place from the 17th to 30th of April 2016. A varied program including excursions to neighboring towns, side visits, company visits and interesting lectures was offered.

Our Indian friends saw the variety of the typical April weathe – from sun, to rain and up to snow. But this could not stop the good mood about the visit.

Our Indian guests explored the University of Cologne, got to know basic knowledges about German language, history and educational system. According to this they had a side visit at the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training in Bonn and a lecture about the role of the German Chamber of Commerce in Cologne.

Cultural highlights were the side visit of the Duisburg inner harbour, the Zeche Zollverein in Essen and the traditional German Castle Schloss Augustusburg in Brühl. Furthermore they had guided walking tours through Bonn and Cologne. Bonn was amazing due to its cherry blossoms and in Cologne we got surprised by an Indian guide who also came from Pune.

Moreover we had company visits at Bayer AG and the chemical park in Leverkusen and German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Cologne.

A special highlight was the lecture about „Indian IT migration to Germany“ by Dr. Sumeet Mhaskar who is currently a Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellow at the Centre for Modern Indian Studies (CeMIS), University of Göttingen.

Curious about the typical German food a dinner in a traditional brewery was obligatory for our Indian guests.

Regardless of the wind and weather conditions we climbed the Cologne cathedral with its 533 steps as part of our Tandem Day. From the top the Indian and German students got a wonderful view over the city.

Finally the German-Indian friendship was demonstrated in the joint elaboration and presentation of a case study which was a fun and nice ending of the Summer School program.

We want to thank all participants and involved persons for a successful Summer School 2016. We are looking forward to see us again – if in India or in Germany.

As production processes become increasingly complex, multinational companies in the manufacturing sector are in increasing need of skilled workers at their production sites. Especially in emerging economies, German direct investors face challenges in finding appropriately skilled workers. The answer how they meet this challenge is a key issue of the project “Global Strategies and Local Forms of Vocational Education and Training in German Mulitnational Companies – a Comparison across Emerging Economies”. The project is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). The research team consisting of Prof. Dr. Matthias Pilz and Kristina Wiemann (Chair of Economics and Business Education) and Prof. Dr. Martina Fuchs and Judith Wiemann (Department of Economic and Social Geography) was in Bangalore in India and Shanghai in China from 9th to 20th of February in order to find first answers to this question. In expert interviews with plant managers and HR or training managers of German Global Players but also with smaller transnational German companies, they discussed about how the companies organize their training activities and to what extend there is an influence of headquarters or the local plant. In addition, they focused on the way in which the companies develop local arrangements for training activities in their subsidiaries and whether they transfer parts of the German dual system – with which they are familiar. These interesting insights will now be evaluated and compared to the findings, which were identified in the first study in Puebla in Mexico.

During this year, Judith Wiemann and Kristina Wiemann will stay longer in these three countries for a more profound consideration of these issues. First publications are in progress and will appear in the near future.

„India, we’ll come!“, eleven students of the Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Science and their supervisor Kristina Wiemann thought on Saturday, 27th February 2016. In the context of the CMIS Summer School they will attend an exciting program on “Indian Culture, Economy and Education System”. Next to side visits to urban as well as rural areas they visited a factory for Indian spices, a school as well as old ruins and picturesque gardens.

Friendships were quickly made with students from Symbiosis International University. Luckily they don’t have to wait for a reunion for too long. In April eight students from Pune will come to Cologne to get to know the German “Culture, Economy and Education System” including the German weather, cuisine as well as great hospitality.

For sure, the students of both universities will keep the many interesting impressions and experiences in mind for a long time.

On 12th February 2016 Prof. Matthias Pilz (Ed.) invited to introduce the book "India: Preparation for the world of work - Education System and school to work transition". This book gives a perfect overview of all stages of the education and labour market system in India on the one hand. On the other hand the reader gets the opportunity of being informed about latest research finding on this topic in India. The distribution of the book is now possible.

In cooperation with Prof. Tara Nayana and Prof. K. Kumar the event took place at the renowned Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore. We welcomed more than ten authors and also Consul General Jörn Rohde from the German Consulate General in Bangalore. More information about the book launch can be found here: www.india.diplo.de/Booklaunch, www.iimb.ernet.in/Booklaunch.

For further information about the book, please visit www.springer.com.

An article about the book can be found here.

On 2nd February 2016 five delegates from India (CSTARI, MSDE, NSDA and FTI) along with Maren Verfürth (BIBB) and Dörte Merk (DLR) participated in a workshop on "Teachers' Training at the academic level” hold by Prof. Matthias Pilz and Antje Wessels. After a presentation on teacher training in Germany, Ms. Wessels gave also an overview on benefits and status of VET teachers in Germany as well as an insight on the teaching practice of our Masters’ Programme. Prof. Matthias Pilz presented past research projects to highlight the importance of cooperation between academia and government.  The workshop ended with a discussion on possible future projects.

From 19 January to 5 March 2016 Associate Prof. Dr. Chris Zirkle from the College of Education and Human Ecology, The Ohio State University Columbus will stay at the Chair for Economic and Social Education / at the German Research Center for Comparative Vocational Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.).

During his stay he will conduct research on "Work readiness in Anglo-Saxon areas" in collaboration with Prof. Matthias Pilz and Lea Zenner. Furthermore he will lead a seminar on the subject of "The United States Vocational Education System".

Dr. Jun Li from Institute of Vocational and Technical Education, Tongji University has an academic stay as a visiting professor at the Chair of Economics and Business Education/ the German Research Center for Comparative Vocational Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) from 07.January to 24 March 2016.

Dr. Li is conducting the research project “Social mechanism of firm involvement in Vocational Education and Training (VET)” during his stay at the University of Cologne. The purpose of the research project is to investigate the socio-economic factors influencing the participation of firms and their representatives in vocational education in Germany and possibly draw some policy implications for the Chinese vocational education system, in which the reluctance of firm to invest in VET was widely regarded one of the major challenges.

The project is financially supported by the China Scholarship Council (CSC) and Chinese Ministry of Education.

In his report “Reinvigorating VET: Best Practice in Trade Apprenticeships” the Australian researcher Peter Jacobson, Director Training, Trades, Hair and Beauty at Victoria University in Melbourne, provides full details of his experiences as participant and speaker at the 2nd International G.R.E.A.T.-Conference at the University of Cologne from 22nd – 24th September 2014.

Peter Jacobson presented and shared his knowledge of the Australian VET environment through his presentation entitled ‘Pre-vocational programs and Pre-Apprenticeships: The Australian Experience’ at the conference.

Professor Lorna Unwin from the Institute of Education, University College London, was a guest of the chair for Economic and Social Education of Prof. Matthias Pilz from 05 to 13 November 2015. As well as advising PhD students, the renowned Professor from London led two PhD seminars on the topics of “Publishing in English language journals” and “Critical reflection on research papers”. She also gave a lecture on the topic: “Why VET needs to change: towards a more fluid concept of skill formation“.
She will continue her visit in the middle of December for a few days in order to continue the seminar on “Publishing in English Language Journals”.

 

In October 2015 Muthuveeran Ramasamy from the Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) came to the University of Cologne to finish his dissertation. After about 5 years of work and recurrent research stays, he successful defended his thesis "Demand-driven Approaches in Vocational Education and Training: A Case Study of Rural Population".

From August 09 to September 04 2015 Lea Zenner stayed with Prof. Dr. Paul Ryan at the King’s College in Cambridge. In her thesis she works on the lack of readiness for initial training of young school leavers. She compares the discussion of this topic in Germany and England. The purpose of her research in England was on the one hand to gain a deeper understanding of the English system and on the other hand to conduct interviews with key players of the English discussion.

In total Ms. Zenner carried out explorative talks with six Professors from different areas of specialization in VET. Next to that she interviewed nine key actors from the business, politics, interest groups (employers, employees and further education colleges).

The research was financially supported by the IPaK Mobility Grant.

From 2nd to 4th September the International Conference “Crossing Boundaries in Vocational Education and Training: Innovative Concepts for the 21st Century” has taken part in Bremen. On the first day of the conference, Prof. Dr. Matthias Pilz has given a keynote speech, addressing the topic “A Comparative Perspective: In-Company Vocational Training in USA, India, China and Japan“. He presented the findings of an international comparative research project to the over 100 conference participants, coming from 29 countries.

Together with Mrs Junmin Li, Prof. Dr. Pilz also presented a lecture entitled “Modularisation and VET: The Quiet Revolution Crossing European Boundaries“.

At the second day of the conference, Dr. Susanne Berger presented parts of her recently finished PhD-thesis and discussed them with the international expert audience: “‘Living’ the Curriculum at School and Classroom Level. An International Multilevel Study on Pre-Vocational Education in Germany, France and Great Britain”.

Further information about the conference you will find here.

All papers of the conference can be looked up in detail in the conference proceedings.

From 14 to 16 October 2014 the global forum “Skills for Work and Life Post-2015” took place in Bonn. Organised by the UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), the forum offered over 200 delegates from 71 countries from all continents a platform to discuss the role of technical and vocational skills in addressing two major global challenges on the post-2015 development agenda: making youth employable and achieving sustainable development. The event aimed to develop recommendations for policy-makers in the areas of youth employability, skills development and “greening skills and competencies” through TVET.

The forum was attended by two representatives of the G.R.E.A.T.: Antje Wessels and Dr. Susanne Berger were actively involved in the debate at the plenary session.

The discussions of the forum resulted in a report which has been published recently.

Visit of Prof. Pilz at Shyamal Majumdar (Head of the UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre).