Quality assurance and quality development in vocational education and training

Aleksandra Grašič and dr. Katja Jeznik

Summary:  First, this article summarizes the history of quality assurance (QA) in Vocational Education and Training (VET) on a European and also on a national level in Slovenia. This is followed by a synopsis of the existing national reports on QA in VET and the example of the current method employed for the total quality assurance system, the peer review method, used for educational organizations. In the final section, European and national developmental directions undertaken by QA in VET are summarized. The authors present a critical view towards learning about the outcomes of oriented learning, which is also promoted through systems of QA. The text is supported by examples of projects, international examples, and the messages of crucial documents for development policies, which have contributed to the development of QA in VET in Slovenia. QA in VET is a long-term process that can only become valuable if there is suitable systematic support through legislation, analysis of quality indicators, and international collaboration and also on the level of VET providers (monitoring of the work of quality teams by the system, inclusion into networks, and care for self-evaluation, etc.). The special characteristic of VET in comparison to other pre-university forms of education is the partnership with the employers, who are providers of work based learning in VET. This partnership is an area of VET in which the endeavors for QA should be strengthened in the near future.