Research
in VET and HRD is supported by a range of national associations and networks.
As the reports show (see Overview, aspect 6),
there are substantial differences between European countries in the extent
to which associations and networks are existing. Also, there are great
variations in the thematic field represented by these associations and
networks. This content aspect is taken up in the following analysis, drawing
on the information provided in the reports. As in the case of institutions
(see Profile 4), the thematic orientation of
the associations and networks is broken down into three types:
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Focus
on VET/HRD (single or combined);
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Close
context of VET/HRD (e.g. education, labour market, human resources, work
life);
-
Broad
context of VET/HRD (e.g. economics, sociology, statistics).
This typology
is used, in a first step, to characterise individual associations and networks
across countries. In a second step, the typology serves to identify national
patterns, defined by the specific types of associations and networks involved
in each case. The outcomes of the transnational comparison are presented
in the map below.
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DK
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FI
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NO
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SE
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AT
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BE
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BG
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CZ
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EE
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DE
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FR
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HU
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LT
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LV
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IE
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UK
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PL
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RO
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SI
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SK
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CY
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ES
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IT
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MT
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PT
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Thematic
patterns of associations and networks |
|
I
|
(No association or network
indicated) |
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I
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(1)
Broad context of VET/HRD |
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I
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(2)
Both close and broad context of VET/HRD |
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I
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(3)
Both focus on VET/HRD and close/broad context of VET/HRD |
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The
first pattern refers to associations and networks whose thematic field
is situated in the broad
context of VET/HRD (e.g. economics, sociology, statistics). These are likely
to include VET or HRD only at the fringe of their own field, which suggests
a low thematic relevance for VET/HRD research. As the map shows, this type
of association or network is fairly common across all European regions
(BE, BG, EE, ES, FI, IE, NO, PT, SI). Since associations and networks in
the broad context of VET/HRD can be assumed to exist in all countries,
this first pattern also includes those which are reported to have no VET/HRD
related associations or networks at all (LT, LV, MT, RO, SE).
The second pattern covers associations and networks of two types: while
some of them carry out professional activities in the broad
context of VET/HRD (see first pattern), others pursue their activities
in the close
context of VET/HRD (e.g. education, labour market, human resources, work
life). Included in this pattern are also those associations and networks
which are related to a minor part of the VET/HRD field in the country concerned.
Furthermore, national consortia of European VET/HRD networks, reported
for several countries, have been added to this group. Altogether, the second
pattern is fairly varied in its thematic relevance for VET/HRD research.
It can be found in several countries from all European regions (CY, CZ,
DK, FR, IT, PL, SK, UK).
A particular component of the third pattern are those associations and
networks that focus
on the thematic field of VET/HRD or on a major area within this field.
The third pattern provides a rich environment, by including associations
and networks of all three types, and is therefore regarded to be of high
thematic relevance for VET/HRD research. Only three countries can be allocated
to this pattern (AT, DE, HU).
NOTE:
The Profile of national research is based on a comparative analysis of
selected activities in 25 European countries (see Overview).
This data has been compiled from the national reports prepared by the Cedefop
ReferNet in 2006 and subsequently published by Cedefop (see Introduction
and Reference). |