Best Practice Approaches to Achieving Parity of Esteem in Education and Training in Wales (October 2002 to January 2003)
Type of project/activity:
Evaluation, comparative analysis and policy advice.
Objectives:
National Council-ELWa (the Welsh Learning and Skills Council) commissioned
Newidiem and the EIESP to identify best practice approaches from around the
world that encourage parity of esteem between academic and vocational routes
of post-16 learning and to identify where possible the means of transferring
good practice. The project focused on progression to higher education and
employment.
Background:
The project is part of the National Council-ELWa's contribution to the work
of EARLALL (the European lifelong learning network for regional and local
authorities) which has received funding from the European Commission to contribute
to the dissemination activities of the LEONARDO da VINCI programme by drawing
out the added-value of completed projects for other education and training
systems. This project focused on four LEONARDO projects: Post-16 Strategies
(1996-1997); the multiplier project SPES-NET (1997-2000); INTEQUAL (1995-1997)
and the multiplier project DUOQUAL (1997-2000). Selected examples were also
taken from recent policy developments in Australia.
Partners:
Newidiem and EIESP.
Main Activities:
The first phase was an evaluation of the state of play in Wales concerning
parity of esteem. It aimed to establish what the different stakeholders understand
by "parity of esteem" particularly concerning how higher education
institutions view vocational awards as entry qualifications; what employers
are looking for in young entrants and factors influencing family choice. It
included a statistical analysis to map participation and attainment of young
people; an exemplar survey of higher education admissions services and employers
(telephone interviews) and a survey of the key strategic institutions in order
to assess definitions of parity of esteem, measures undertaken, policies and
progress (face to face interviews). The outcomes of this phase provided the
issues and preoccupations in Wales for the comparative phase. The second phase
was an analysis of relevant policies and practice in other European countries
based on the work of four LEONARDO projects and on the broader experience
of EIESP and Newidiem. Recent initiatives in Australia were also included.
The final phase involved developing general guidelines to the identification
and transfer of good practice.
Name of programme, funder or client:
National Council- ELWa, (Welsh Learning and Skills Council).
Expected outcomes, reports/documents:
Report to National Council-ELWa: Best Practice Approaches to Achieving Parity
of Esteem in Education and Training (January 2003).
For more information, please contact
Robert Huggins at Newidiem robert@hugginsassociates.com
or Jean Gordon gordon@dauphine.fr
