Wim J. Nijhof, Anja Heikkinen & Loek Niewenhuis (eds) 
2002
Kluwer Academic Publishers

The book treats flexibility as a system characteristic of VET in analysing key conditions for flexibility:
- economic context of VET and the organisational and institutional design of VET;
- educational tools and resources for the flexibility of delivery and pathways at national level;
- VET professionals as promoters of flexibility, mobility and transferability.

The book is an outcome from the COST A11 action. 

For further information and orders of the book, the following addresses should be useful:

North&South America
Kluwer@wkap.com 

Rest of the world
Orderdept@wkap.nl 

and website www.wkap.nl 
http://www.wkap.nl/prod/b/1-4020-1145-8

Table of Contents

Section I: Introduction. 
1. Shaping conditions for a flexible VET; L.F.M. Nieuwenhuis, W.J. Nijhof, A. Heikkinen. 

Section II: Institutional and Organisational Aspects of Flexibility. 
2. Vocational education and training in transition: from Fordism to a learning economy; K. Mayer. 
3. Learning organisations for VET; L.F.M. Nieuwenhuis. 
4. Perspectives on institutional and organisational flexibility in VET; L. Hommen. 

Section III: Educational Tools and Resources for Flexibility. 
5. Institutional responses to a flexible unified system; C. Howieson, D. Raffe, T. Tinklin. 
6. Demand and supply of qualifications: systems' change towards flexibility; L. Ribolzi. 
7. Developments in vocational education in Ireland; D. Tuohy. 
8. From a unified to a flexible vocational system: the Hungarian transition case; L. Zachar. 
9. Design and effects of a flexible VET system: a case study in Dutch agricultural education; J. Geerligs, W.J. Nijhof. 
10. Valuing learning outcomes acquired in non-formal settings; G.A. Straka. 
11. Resources for flexibility: critical comments; F. Marhuenda. 

Section IV: Professional Conditions. 
12. Professionalism as a path for the reform of VET systems; L. Lassnigg. 
13. Transforming VET policies and professionalism: a view from Finland; A. Heikkinen. 
14. HRD as a professional career? Perspectives from Finland, The Netherlands, and the United Kingdom; T. Hytönen, R. Poell, G. Chivers. 
15. Challenges of supporting leaming of newly qualified professionals in health care; A. Brown. 
16. The practice of a new VET profession; P. Hodkinson. 

Back to top