Benchmarking for Quality Assurance in Apprenticeships and Work Based Learning Erasmus Project

Project Title

Benchmarking for Quality Assurance in Apprenticeships and Work Based Learning

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for vocational education and training

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Quality Improvement Institutions and/or methods (incl. school development); Quality Assurance

Project Summary

The value of apprenticeships and other forms of work-based learning for students and unemployed people, such as internships and traineeships, has been recognised Europe-wide and is among the policy priorities of European Commission and Member States. Bequal.app project developed, tested and mainstreamed two online benchmarking tools for quality assurance in apprenticeships and work-based learning, one addressing VET providers and one addressing companies, involved in apprenticeships. Bequal.app project promoted the quality of apprenticeship and work-based learning.

During project was developed platform bequal.info based on:
1. Quality assurance framework for apprenticeship and work-based learning addressing VET providers and companies (indicators).
2. Self-assessment questionnaires for quality assurance in apprenticeship and work-based learning for VET providers and companies.
3. Online platform on quality assurance in apprenticeship and work-based learning with various resources, documents, links, articles, videos.
4. Two on-line benchmarking tools for quality assurance in apprenticeship and work-based learning, one addressed to VET providers and one addressed to companies. Using the benchmarking tools, users are able to compare their performance to similar organisations in the same country or other European countries, learn from each other and engage in promoting quality in work-based learning.
5. Bequal.app badge for VET providers and companies, engaged in apprenticeships and work-based learning and have scored higher in the benchmarking tools than others. This badge recognizes their engagement to develop quality assurance in apprenticeships and work-based learning in their country as well as in Europe. The badge is valid for one year from the date it is received. Bequal badge was awarded to 28 companies and 50 educational institutions (data from reporting period).

The project targets primarily VET schools (upper secondary vocational education and training schools), VET organisations providing post-secondary initial VET, VET organisations providing continuing VET, companies providing apprenticeship and work-based learning. At second level, it targeted VET stakeholders and policy makers, National representatives of European networks as well as VET practitioners and experts.

Project applicant: Kaunas Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Crafts (KCCIC) in Lithuania. Partners: Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Vocational Education and Training (CPI), the Agency for Vocational Education and Training and Adult Education (ASOO) in Croatia, the Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts (HOK), Effebi Association in Italy, IDEC in Greece (managing the www.bequal.info portal), the University of Regensburg (UREG) and the European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training (EVBB). The partnership therefore includes employers’ associations (KCCIC, HOK, Effebi), national VET organisations (CPI, ASOO), research and quality assurance/technical organisations (UREG, IDEC) and a European network (EVBB).

Intellectual outputs of project:
− O1 Benchmarking methodology and tools
− O2 Online benchmarking tools
− O3 Online platform

Other results associated with the intellectual outputs:
− Quality assurance framework for VET schools and organisations for VET schools and organisations in their quality assurance system, regarding the organisation of apprenticeships and work-based learning.
− Quality assurance framework for companies.
− Benchmarking questionnaires addressing VET providers and companies (can be used for self-assessment of organisations).
− Promotional videos and articles developed and posted in the online platform (for promotion of apprenticeship and work-based learning).
– Research on impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Work-based Learning in Europe (12-2020).

In online multiplier events (Zagreb, Ljubljana, Rome, Kaunas, Athens, Brussels) in 2020 were participating more than 330 participants.

All project results can be found on www.bequal.info, which is friendly to use from mobile devices, already visited by 2639 unique visitors and evaluated by 57 users.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 240319,08 Eur

Project Coordinator

Kauno prekybos, pramones ir amatu rumai & Country: LT

Project Partners

• EUROPAISCHER VERBAND BERUFLICHER BILDUNGSTRAGER (EVBB)
• UNIVERSITAET REGENSBURG
• CENTER REPUBLIKE SLOVENIJE ZA POKLICNO IZOBRAZEVANJE
• AINTEK SYMVOULOI EPICHEIRISEON EFARMOGES YPSILIS TECHNOLOGIAS EKPAIDEFSI ANONYMI ETAIREIA
• Finance & Banking, Associazione per lo Sviluppo Organizzativo e delle Risorse Umane
• HRVATSKA OBRTNICKA KOMORA
• AGENCIJA ZA STRUKOVNO OBRAZOVANJE I OBRAZOVANJE ODRASLIH