TEMPLATE FOR NETWORK DESCRIPTORS

(to be handed in before 20 November 2008)

Network: VETNET

Network Descriptors
Descriptors serve as first information for delegates to help them decide to which Network to
hand in a proposal. They therefore need to be as specific as possible. Networks are
therefore asked to read through their descriptors at the EERA website
(www.eera-ecer.eu/networks) and update them.

The template foresees a general network descriptor of 500 words for all networks, plus a list
of 5 – 7 keywords.
If you want to give in addition to that more information, the EERA office will arrange for
additional “pages” within your network website at www.eera-ecer.eu. However, your
networks’ starting page at the EERA website needs to follow the template

Network Objective/ Mission statement

(will be displayed on starting page of your networks section at www.eera-ecer.eu)

- General objective, what do you want to accomplish with the network

- Provide a definition of the thematic research field within the network. Please also
identify (related) research areas that will not be included in the network.
- If your network is very close in focus to other EERA networks, please identify what makes
your network distinctive.

The research network on vocational education and training (VETNET) was launched at
ECER'96 in Sevilla. Since ECER'97 the VETNET network has served as the joint platform
and umbrella network for European research in vocational education and training (VET).
The VETNET network covers a broad range of research and development activities in VET.
The VETNET board has defined seven main areas:
1. Globalisation, VET Systems and Innovation
2. Accreditation, Qualifications and Frameworks
3. Work Based Learning, Apprenticeship and Re-Training
4. Professionalisation, Competence Development and Life Long Learning
5. Boundary Crossing, Transitions and Transfers
6. Curriculum, Pedagogy and Learning Resources (including E-Learning)
7. Cultural Diversity, Learners and VET

The field of VET-related research covers 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
(1) to promote the discussion and dissemination through mutual learning of research and
the use of research results;
(2) to explore the relationship between research, policy and practice;
(3) to foster the highest quality of research in the field of Vocational Education and Training;
and
(4) to encourage cooperation under VET researchers in the European research area and
beyond.

The VETNET Convenor and the elected Co-Convenors form the Board of VETNET. The
Board organizes the double blind peer 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.

Keywords
(will be displayed on starting page of your networks section at www.eera-ecer.eu)
Please list 5 – 7 keywords for your network

• Analyses of VET-related policies in national and European contexts,

• Comparisons of different VET systems and cultural contexts for the development of
VET,
• Analyses of learning at workplaces and of arrangements for promoting work-related
learning,
• Analyses of changing skill needs and of measures to promote lifelong learning,
• Monitoring of school-to work transition and socio-cultural patterns for career
development,
• Studies of new learning designs and of piloting their usability with different learners,
• Analyses of curricular and social innovations in VET (including ICT-related learning
and e-learning in the context of VET)
• Development of methodologies for innovation research and evaluation research in
VET,
• Analyses on the role of research in the professionalisation of pedagogic expertise in
VET,
• Analyses of the role of VET-related research in promoting cross-cultural cooperation
and knowledge transfer in European and international contexts.

History
(will be displayed on history page of your networks section at www.eera-ecer.eu)
Since when is your network operating?
Who started it, who acted as convenors?
Has your field of focus changed since it was originally founded?

The research network for vocational education and training (VENET) was launched at
ECER '96 in Sevilla, Spain in an open meeting of VET researchers. The initiative was taken
by Martin Mulder the representative of the Dutch Educational Research Assciation at the
EERA Council. Since ECER '97 in Frankfurt the VETNET network has organised regular
network programme with several parallel sessions and special events.
Between 1996 and 2000 the VETNET network was run by an executive board (appointed
by the EERA council) with Martin Mulder (then University of Twente) as convenor and
Johanna Lasonen (University of Jyväskylä) and Sabine Manning (WIFO) as co-convenors.
Since ECER '00 the VETNET network has had an elected board that consists of Convenor
and 10 Board members (Co-vonvenors).
During the period 2000-2003 the convenor of VETNET was Toni Griffiths.
Since 2003 Ludger Deitmer (University of Bremen, ITB) has been the convenor of
VETNET.
During 10 the last ten years the VETNET programme at ECER has become the main
European forum for presenting research in vocational education and training (VET). The
community of European VET research brings together researcher with different disiplinary
backgrounds and methodological interests. The scope of VET research covers different
models of vocational education and training and workplace learning. VETNET covers also
research in career development, organisational learning and web-supported learning.
Since the beginning the VETNET programme has served as a plaform for dissemination of
the results of EU-funded European cooperation projects and networks. At the same time
the VETNET network has been actively promoting wider European participation and
integration of new participants in European cooperation.
VETNET has developed its own website http://www.vetresearch.net and its own conference
proceedings with the help of the WIFO gateway
http://www.b.shuttle.de/wifo/vet/papers.htm.