European Research Network in Vocational Education and Training (VETNET)

Scope and organisation

The Vocational Education and Training Network (VETNET), founded in 1996, covers a broad range of research and development activities in vocational education and training (VET). The field of VET-related research includes both initial VET and continuing vocational training, both school-based and workplace-based learning provisions as well as the development of pedagogic expertise for vocational and professional education.

VETNET provides an open platform for basic (discipline-based) research that deals with some aspects of VET as well as for more specialised (interdisciplinary) research approaches that are more closely involved in the development of VET systems. The topics that have been covered by VETNET are related to several thematic clusters such as:

  • VET-related policy studies and cross-cultural comparisons between different VET systems,
  • studies on current developments in working life and in the labour markets (as preconditions for the shaping of VET provisions),
  • studies on the uses of VET by diverse target groups and on the impact of training measures on the career development of the users,
  • studies on the shaping of curricula and learning environments for VET and evaluation of educational impact of pilot projects.

The objectives of the VETNET network in promoting a common European research culture are:

  • to promote the discussion and dissemination through mutual learning of research and the use of research results;
  • to explore the relationship between research, policy and practice;
  • to foster the highest quality of research in the field of Vocational Education and Training; and
  • to encourage cooperation under VET researchers in the European research area and beyond.

VETNET Convenor and Co-convenors form the Board of VETNET. The Board organizes the double blind review process for the papers submitted. Based on these reviews the annual VETNET programme is defined. The Convenors are elected for three years by a general assembly of the VETNET members (ca. 500).

Other functions are:

  • to promote research cooperation in the European research area and beyond;
  • to develop the VETNET programme in ECER as a stimulating research forum for discussion and debate
  • to organise other European conferences and workshops as appropriate;
  • to report annually to EERA;
  • to administer VETNET affairs and any financial matters concerning VETNET efficiently;
  • to support good communications within the European research area by the use of the web (link in the blue box) and electronic and other newsletters as appropriate and
  • to launch an academic journal of international standing (IJRVET).

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