Conference debates Europe’s progress and prospects for reforming vocational education and training

The conference, entitled "Continuity, consolidation and change: towards a European era of vocational education and training", will take place in Thessaloniki, Greece, on 16-17 March. Ján Figel’, European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth, will open the event. At the centre of the debate will be the results of Cedefop's Policy Report, a biennial review of progress on the implementation of the European priorities in vocational education and training (VET). These have been agreed by European ministers, the European Commission and the European social partners within the Copenhagen process. The aim of this process is to foster European cooperation with the aim of making vocational education and training more attractive, more relevant and more effective. This conference, which is an official event of the Czech Presidency, will address three main topics: 1) how to implement common European tools and principles that support lifelong learning for all (with a focus on the European Qualifications Framework, EQF, and national qualifications frameworks, and on the validation of non-formal and informal learning) 2) how to best promote excellence and innovation in vocational education and training.