IVET indicators
Following up on the 2011 ‘Youth on the Move’ Recommendation, the Mobility Scoreboard provides a framework for monitoring progress made by European countries in promoting, and removing obstacles to, learning mobility. In initial vocational education and training (IVET), 14 thematic indicators provide the basis of such monitoring in areas specified by the Recommendation. Information is collected by Cedefop.
Below is an overview on the indicators. For more details, you can consult Cedefop’s Mobility Scoreboard database.
1. Information and guidance
The indicator for monitoring the provision of information and guidance, and how it is improved, is defined based on the following four criteria:
- Countries have a process for setting up countrywide policy targets (whether quantitative or qualitative) in the area of information and guidance for the international learning mobility of IVET learners;
- A mechanism to provide IVET learners with information and guidance on international learning mobility is in place;
- The provision of information / information and guidance to IVET learners for their international mobility is coordinated countrywide thus ensuring consistent and convergent policies and practices; and
- The provision of information / information and guidance to IVET learners for their international mobility is evaluated.
2. Administrative and institutional issues
The indicator for monitoring this field of action is based on the following four criteria:
- Countries have a process for setting up countrywide policy targets (whether quantitative or qualitative) in the area of removing the administrative and institutional barriers which may hinder the international learning mobility of IVET learners;
- Countries have taken steps to allow and facilitate the international learning mobility of IVET learners through:
- Allowing the integration of international learning mobility experiences in the curricula of IVET programmes;
- Putting in place – where necessary – measures to ensure the delivery of visas and residency permits without difficulties to IVET learners from third countries, or assist learners (and/or their institutions) in their application process;
- Putting in place – where necessary – measures to alleviate the administrative burdens that may hinder the international mobility of IVET learners, or assist learners (and/or their institutions) in their application process;
- Putting in place – where necessary – measures to remove the legal obstacles that may prevent the international learning mobility of IVET learners aged below 18, or assist learners (and/or their institutions) in their mobility process.
- The existing facilitation actions are coordinated countrywide so as to ensure their consistency, convergence and effectiveness;
- The existing facilitation actions are subject to evaluation oriented to improving the next generation of this policy strand;
3. Recognition of learning outcomes
The indicator for monitoring developments in the recognition of learning outcomes is based on the following seven criteria:
- Countries have a process for setting up countrywide policy targets (whether quantitative or qualitative) in the area of recognition of learning outcomes acquired abroad by IVET learners;
- The recognition mechanism can take into account the six following types of learning components and outcomes: courses, credit points, units, modules, programmes, and qualifications / diplomas / degrees;
- The approach to recognition is coordinated countrywide;
- The existing approach to recognition is subject to evaluation oriented to improving the next generation of this policy strand;
- After the end of the mobility period or upon submission of a request for recognition, there is a short (six weeks or less) regulatory time limit for granting recognition or processing applications for recognition;
- Where necessary, there is an evaluated policy for making more visible contact points where IVET learners can obtain information on how learning outcomes and qualifications acquired abroad can be recognised and certified;
- The Europass Mobility Document, Europass Certificate Supplement, ECVET, the EQF/NQF, and the learning outcomes approach are in use in the country for purposes of visibility, transfer and recognition in IVET international mobility.
4. Partnerships and funding
The indicator for monitoring the development of partnerships and funding in countries is based on the following four criteria:
- Countries have a process for setting up countrywide policy targets (whether quantitative or qualitative) in the area of Partnerships and funding;
- Countries have in place actions to
- Support companies and institutions in the creation of mobility partnerships and networks;
- Fund the international learning mobility of IVET learners;
- Provide companies and IVET institutions involved in organising mobility projects with financial and/or non-financial support;
- The existing partnerships and funding actions are coordinated countrywide so as to ensure their consistency, convergence and effectiveness;
- The existing partnerships and funding actions are subject to evaluation oriented to improving the next generation of this policy strand.
5. Motivating for mobility
The indicator for measuring how motivating for mobility is applied is defined based on the following four criteria:
- Countries have a process for setting up countrywide policy targets (whether quantitative or qualitative) in the area of motivating IVET learners for going on mobility;
- Countries have in place actions to
- Raise awareness of IVET learners and stakeholders on the added value of learning mobility; and
- Foster a ‘mobility culture’ in IVET;
- The existing awareness raising and/or mobility culture actions are coordinated countrywide so as to ensure their consistency, convergence and effectiveness;
- The existing awareness raising and/or mobility culture actions are subject to evaluation oriented to improving the next generation of this policy strand.
6. Long-term preparation for mobility
The indicator for measuring how long-term preparation for mobility is applied is defined based on the following five criteria:
- Countries have a process for setting up countrywide policy targets (whether quantitative or qualitative) in the area of preparing IVET learners for going on mobility;
- Countries have in place actions to:
- Encourage quality linguistic and intercultural preparation of IVET learners for mobility from the early stages of education;
- Foster the acquisition of basic digital competencies by IVET learners;
- Encourage internationalisation of IVET curriculum through introducing methods and practices that are in use abroad;
- The existing linguistic, intercultural, digital and internationalisation actions are coordinated countrywide so as to ensure their consistency, convergence and effectiveness;
- The existing linguistic, intercultural, digital and internationalisation actions are subject to evaluation oriented to improving the next generation of this policy strand;
- Involvement of learners and stakeholders in making the Preparation policy effective and better over time is ensured through:
- A visibility and access policy by which learners and stakeholders are informed about the actions/mechanisms put in place for them and how to access them;
- Learners and stakeholders surveys are carried out to check their satisfaction with the Preparation policy and get their feedback in view of taking account of it in the evaluation process;
- Impact measurement / Assessment of the extent of use of the Preparation mechanisms is in place and part of the evaluation process.
7. Quality of mobility
The indicator for measuring how the quality of mobility is ensured is defined based on the following five criteria:
- Countries have a process for setting up countrywide policy targets (whether quantitative or qualitative) in the area of quality learning mobility in IVET;
- Countries have in place actions for:
- Ensuring language / intercultural preparation and setting up learning agreements during the phase of preparing the stay abroad (“Before” period);
- Monitoring the stay process, providing learners with assistance / mentoring / guidance and ensuring their integration in the host country or institution during the stay abroad (“During” period);
- Collecting feedback for future improvement and helping with reintegration as necessary upon return from mobility (“After” period);
- Ensuring access of mobile learners to convenient and affordable facilities for housing, catering and transport all along the stay process (“All along” period);
- The existing Before, During, After and All along actions are coordinated countrywide so as to ensure their consistency, convergence and effectiveness;
- The existing Before, During, After and All along actions are subject to evaluation oriented to improving the next generation of this policy strand;
- Involvement of learners and stakeholders in making the Quality policy effective and better over time is ensured through:
- A visibility and access policy by which learners and stakeholders are informed about the Quality mechanisms put in place for them and how to access them;
- Learners and stakeholders surveys are carried out to check their satisfaction with the Quality mechanisms and get their feedback in view of taking account of it in the evaluation process;
- Impact measurement / Assessment of the extent of use of the Quality mechanisms is in place and part of the evaluation process.
8. Portability of grants and loans
The indicator for measuring the portability of grants and loans is defined based on the following five criteria:
- Countries have a process for setting up countrywide policy targets (whether quantitative or qualitative) in the area of the portability of grants and loans in IVET;
- Apart from the specific mobility-oriented funding provided to mobile learners, countries have in place mechanisms that ensure the portability of IVET learners’ personal and study-related grants, loans and benefits;
- The existing portability mechanisms are coordinated countrywide so as to ensure their consistency, convergence and effectiveness;
- The existing portability mechanisms are subject to evaluation oriented to improving the next generation of this policy strand;
- Involvement of learners and stakeholders in making the Portability policy effective and better over time is ensured through:
- A visibility and access policy by which learners are informed about the portability mechanisms put in place for them and how to access them;
- Learners and stakeholders surveys are carried out to check their satisfaction with the Portability policy and get their feedback in view of taking account of it in the evaluation process;
- Impact measurement / Assessment of the extent of use of the portability mechanisms is in place and part of the evaluation process.
9. Disadvantaged learners
The indicator for measuring how disadvantaged learners are supported is defined based on the following five criteria:
- Countries have a process for setting up countrywide policy targets (whether quantitative or qualitative) in the area of the specific support to disadvantaged IVET learners;
- Countries have in place peculiar actions to provide disadvantaged learners with support tailored to their specific needs, in particular in the areas of
- Information and guidance for international learning mobility (including provision of targeted information on available programmes);
- Funding supporting mobility (including portability);
- Motivation to participate in mobility;
- Preparation for mobility;
- Use of multipliers (people with mobility experience who inspire and motivate not yet mobile learners to become mobile).
- The existing support actions to disadvantaged learners are coordinated countrywide so as to ensure their consistency, convergence and effectiveness;
- The existing support actions to disadvantaged learners are subject to evaluation oriented to improving the next generation of this policy strand;
- Involvement of learners and stakeholders in making the support to disadvantaged learners effective and better over time is ensured through:
- A visibility and access policy by which learners and stakeholders are informed about the support mechanisms for disadvantaged groups and how to access them;
- Learners and stakeholders surveys are carried out to check their satisfaction with the support mechanisms for disadvantaged groups and get their feedback in view of taking account of it in the evaluation process;
- Impact measurement / Assessment of the extent of use of the support mechanisms for disadvantaged learners is in place and part of the evaluation process.
10 Involving multipliers
The indicator for measuring how multipliers are involved is defined based on the following five criteria:
- Countries have a process for setting up countrywide policy targets (whether quantitative or qualitative) in the area of using multipliers to promote learning mobility in IVET;
- Countries have in place actions to:
- Encourage the use of ‘multipliers’, such as teachers, trainers, families, youth workers and young people who have participated in a mobility experience, to exchange with not yet mobile learners and inspire and motivate them to become mobile;
- Encourage IVET institutions to recognise and value teachers’, trainers’ and youth workers’ commitment to learning mobility;
- Mainstream learning mobility as a component in the initial training and continuous professional development of heads of IVET institutions, teachers, trainers, administrative staff and youth workers;
- The existing initiatives to develop and involve multipliers are coordinated countrywide so as to ensure their consistency, convergence and effectiveness;
- The existing initiatives to develop and involve multipliers are subject to evaluation oriented to improving the next generation of this policy strand;
- Involvement of learners and stakeholders in making the Multipliers initiatives effective and better over time is ensured through:
- A visibility and access policy by which learners and stakeholders are informed about the initiatives to develop and involve multipliers and how to access them;
- Learners and stakeholders surveys are carried out to check their satisfaction with the initiatives to develop and involve multipliers and get their feedback in view of taking account of it in the evaluation process;
Impact measurement / Assessment of the extent of use of the initiatives to develop and involve multipliers is in place and part of the evaluation process.
11 Transversal indicator for policy target setting processes
The transversal indicator for policy target setting processes takes into account the extent to which the country has a complete process for setting up overall targets for mobility policy in general, and whether target-setting mechanisms are in place in all ten thematic areas of mobility.
12 Transversal performance in coordinating mobility policy
The transversal indicator on performance in coordinating mobility policy takes into account the extent to which the country has a complete process for coordinating mobility policy in general, and whether coordination mechanisms are in place in all ten thematic areas of mobility.
13 Transversal performance in evaluating mobility policy
The transversal indicator on performance in evaluating mobility policy takes into account the extent to which the country has a complete process for evaluating mobility policy in general, and whether evaluation mechanisms are in place in all ten thematic areas of mobility.
14 Transversal performance in terms of strategy
Transversal indicator 14 measures countries’ performance in terms of the presence of a national overall strategy in mobility policy. It adds up indicators 11 to 13, and accounts for the performance in terms of having at the same time target setting, coordination and evaluation processes.