1. Presentation The International Network of Education for Work is a free and open entity of Vocational Training and Post-Secondary Education School Education devoted to generating a space for the exchange of educational experiences for the planning of a joint agenda of policies and lines of work in strategic areas at the regional and global levels, with an education- and- work approach.
2. Justification In a globalized world productive systems call for increased joint collaboration among the different actors that compose the system: international and transnational institutions, governmental and non-governmental (NGO) organizations. Borders have been erased; an event that takes place in a country in Asia affects America, Africa, Europe and Oceania due to the world’s interconnections. Thus, direct links between the local and global spheres are created. In this context, the education system is challenged to promote the inclusion of its students into productive processes. The new scenario aims at building solidarity ties that foster new relations between the worlds of education and work. In this sense, it has been necessary to develop cooperation relationships between educational institutions, business and union sectors, science and technology entities and governmental and non-governmental organizations, at the local and global levels. Today the coordinated work between institutions from different localities and countries facilitates the transmission of knowledge for mutual and sustainable development, allowing to better supplementing the education system for the requirements of the world of work. The alliance among companies, non-governmental institutions and vocational training appears as one of the strategies for facing new economic scenarios and challenges imposed by the market, through the reconversion of traditional patterns and the incorporation of renewed development processes. Because of its particularities (variety in its arts and crafts offer, flexibility, duration of courses, among other characteristics), vocational training offers an array of educational options for workers and the unemployed, promoting the emergence of small service companies and making workers to be updated in terms of education. Moreover, it is clear that developments in pertinence, relevance and quality of technical and vocational education are strongly subject to the necessary opening of spaces for dialogue between the social partners involved; these are the instances that can provide credibility, reliability and effectiveness to the actions. To open and sustain over time these dialogue dynamics “requires a complex political and programmatic device that can engage, transversally, diverse governmental and non-governmental organizations incorporating actors from the private sector and civil society”. The International Network of Education for Work was created as a response to the need of sharing new spaces of dialogue and joint work. It was, thus, constituted considering education centers and the productive system as key agents for the governance of the education-work dyad. Participation in the Network turns its members into actors that are decisive for their own development, enhancing their political and economic capacity within their local communities, empowering them vis-à-vis other actors.
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International Network of Education for Work The link between education institutions of Vocational Training and Post-secondary Education worldwide contributes not only to the strengthening of the institutions involved, but also to the local and global productive system. As network members, they work freely and horizontally, finding out that there are common for common problems, highlighting positive processes designed to generate the changes required by the system. Being a member of the International Network of Education for Work entails an individual commitment for the parties involved as concerns for the purposes of attaining collective results that through concrete actions can produce social transformations from the sphere of education for work.
3. The Network as an agent of transformation strives to achieve:
That the responsibility for the education of the young be shared by society at large.
That educational equity becomes real on a local and global level. That teaching abilities required for curricular development through training focused on collective production of teaching approaches be strengthened. That teachers develop their practical and reflexive knowledge through training focused on production, use and critical analysis of new teaching strategies, in the pursuit of the inclusion of students as more qualified workers. The contribution of the production process of new teaching strategies in the context of training, for the purposes of identifying priorities in curricular development on the local and global levels. The dissemination of teaching approaches generated during training aimed at creating common frameworks for curricular development on the local and global scales, and promoting peer-to-peer learning processes.
4. General Objectives To generate a cooperative work space among vocational training and post-secondary education schools on a global scale, aiming to improve the educational offer qualitatively and quantitatively, as well as the education-work alliance, collaborating with communities’ social and labor inclusion processes. To create joint strategies between the education and productive systems on a local, regional and global scale, in order to reinforce the role of vocational training schools as relevant actors for achieving more qualified workers, in collaboration with the system and businesses’ needs. To promote an education that prioritizes human values, solidarity and that develops a sense of responsibility and participation of all actors in student education for professional life, enabling each student to acquire an acknowledged competence, a job and a place within society.
5. Specific objectives To generate joint research among the different actors involved in issues related to technological development and its coordination with vocational training. To promote in each state of the countries of origin, the validation of certifications on regional and global levels, so that the training received in each country has as many points in common as possible regarding curricular design, thus allowing for the free circulation of workers globally.
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To agree on lines of work for Post-Secondary Education and Vocational Training at regional and global scales. To promote spheres of dialogue and collaboration with different productive sectors at a national, regional and global scale that strengthen the education-work link.
6. Actions Institutionalization of the Network and recognition vis-Ă -vis other organizations in order to promote the support and endorsement for access to international cooperation instruments that may give rise to the necessary improvements at the requiring school. Exchange experiences among different countries by organizing meetings on education, teacher training and visits to learn about specific projects in neighboring countries. Run joint projects regarding training topics, involving businesses and schools from more than one country. Conduct meetings with small, medium and large businesses grouped by sector with schools from the Network, in order to facilitate technological transmission, training and labor inclusion of the student body. Facilitate the exchange of students among schools that are part of the Network, through internships, pedagogic and educational activities for young students. Generate the exchange of teachers among Network schools, promoting interculturality, training and continuous updating. Organize meetings, conferences and seminars about Vocational Training and Post-secondary Education with the participation of educational institutions and local and global productive systems. Establish bi-annual board, teacher and student meetings from Post-secondary and Vocational Training educational institutions. Generate work proposals, dissemination material of educational experiences of Network members and a global diagnosis of Vocational Training and Post-secondary Education. Publication of results of common projects available to Network members, companies, international organisms and the community at large. Coordination of updating training actions for Network member instructors with higher education schools on a local and regional level. Joint planning of strategic areas for schools that are network members.
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International Network of Education for Work
7. The International Network of Education for Work deals with the following fields:
VOCATIONAL ORIENTATION SYSTEMS
KNOWLEDGE CERTIFICATION
TRAINERS TRAINING
OCCUPATION AND QUALIFICATIONS
ASSESSMENT, FOLLOW-UP AND IMPACT
8. Organizational Structure: INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE: it is composed of worldwide personalities with a vast experience in education and work in their country of origin, both at the academic and political levels, and also in connection with trade unions and businesses. A meeting is held once a year for the purposes of establishing the main lines of action, evaluating their results and establishing the seat of biannual international conferences. BOARD OF DIRECTORS: the riet s managed and conducted by a board of directors composed of 9 members, whose terms of office are renewed every two years. The board of directors is in charge of the general administration of the civil association at the legal and accounting levels. EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT: it is responsible for the operating management of the network and deals with adminis¬trative, communications, legal and institutional relations issues. Additionally, it supervises the local coordination division at the global level. LOCAL COORDINATION: each unit is charge of representing inew both at the local and/or regional levels. SIGNATORY ENTITIES: institutions related to education for work, namely: educational institutions, business organi¬zations, trade unions and governmental and non-governmental institutions
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