A Global Renaissance in Postsecondary Vocational Education?

Please join us on the morning of Tuesday, April 12 for a lively discussion on international trends in skills-based education and training policies. The event will feature experts from Latin America, Europe, Australia, Canada and the United States and will include two panel discussions, one on “pathway models” that will look at the context of vocational education in each country, and the other will critically examine “new” strategies such as competency based education and apprenticeship programs. Specific topics will range from Germany’s efforts to combine vocational and academic education, England’s “higher vocational education” pathways, new apprenticeship programs in Latin America, Australia’s vocational qualifications and labor market connections, and apprenticeships in Canada and the United States. All speakers will address concerns on how emerging pathway models support academic progression, social equality, and economic mobility.

Presenters:

Ann-Marie Bathmaker, University of Birmingham, England 
Debra Bragg, University of Illinois, USA
Ariel Fiszbein, Inter-American Dialogue, Washington DC
Allison Fuller, UCL Institute of Education, England 
David James, Cardiff University, Wales 
Nneka Jenkins, Aspen Institute, Washington DC 
Greg Matte, Helmets to Hardhats, Canada 
Mary Alice McCarthy, New America, Washington DC
Justin Powell, University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg 
Michele Simons, Dean, School of Education, Western Sydney University
Leesa Wheelahan, University of Toronto, Canada

Agenda:

9:00 Introductions 
9:20 Panel 1: Higher Vocational Education: What Is It and Where Is It Working?
10:20 Break
10:30 Panel 2: Critical Perspectives on What’s “New” in Apprenticeship, Competency-Based Education and Work-Based Learning 
11:50 Conclusion

This event is brought to you by New America and the International Pathways Collaborative (IPC). IPC was formed in 2013 by a group of scholars who research vocational education policies and programs in different regions of the world, with a particular emphasis on the role that pathway approaches can support greater mobility for students. Goals of the Collaborative include expanding knowledge about pathways policies and programs, encouraging dialogue among researchers, policy analysts, and policymakers, and promoting research to ensure pathways result in equitable outcomes for all populations of learners.