EUROPEAID

 

Project Description

IBE is currently implementing three development aid projects funded by the EuropeAid:

  • Turkey - Technical Assistance for Implementation of Turkish Qualifications System and Framework Operation (TUYEP), implementation period: 11.2019-11.2023 (the Consortium implementing the project is led by GOPA Danışmanlık)
  • Multinational - Development education and awareness-raising (DEAR) support team (DEAR), implementation period: 12.2020-12.2024 (the Consortium implementing the project is led by ICE - International Consulting Expertise)
  • Kosovo - Support to basic and upper secondary education (Kosovo), implementation period: 06.2021-05.2025 (the Consortium implementing the project is led by DAI - Hulla & Co Human Dynamics)

Project completed:

Montenegro - Integration of Key Competences into the Education System of Montenegro (STEM), implementation period: 09.2019-12.2021 (the Consortium implementing the project was led by EPRD)

Description of projects:

Turkey - Technical Assistance for the Implementation of Turkish Qualification System and Framework Project – TUYEP (reference number: EuropeAid/139540/IH/SER/TR)

The purposes of the project are to strengthen the Turkish Vocational Qualifications Authority’s VQA) and related stakeholders' institutional capacity, to strengthen National Vocational Qualifications System (NVQS), and to enhance the implementation of the Turkish Qualifications Framework (TQF). The focus of this project is the studies regarding TQF implementation, awareness-raising, and capacity building of VQA and its stakeholders, and quality assurance of the National Qualifications System.


The most important contribution of the TQF will be to increase the quality of education and training. Additionally, the link between education and employment will be strengthened, individuals will be provided with qualifications which are valid and recognized in the labour market and a qualified workforce with the qualifications demanded by the labour market will be available. In order to initiate these contributions, the TQF will be fully operationalized.

Some of the activities already implemented in the project include:

  • the Quality Assurance Desk Study Report, which includes the current situation analysis of VQA's quality assurance processes, has been prepared.
  • a draft TQF Strategy Paper has been prepared, stating how the processes for the implementation of the TQF should be improved.
  • The effective communication strategy of the TUYEP project has been prepared (including 10.000 kits of promotional materials produced and delivered to VQA).
  • General trainings (management skills training, effective communication techniques training, technical trainings) for VQA staff were held.
  • Vocational Qualifications Authority Legislation Booklet has been prepared: VQA Legislation was redesigned and 2.000 booklets were delivered to the institution.

Multinational - Development education and awareness-raising (DEAR) support team (DEAR) (reference number: EuropeAid/140705/DW/SER/MULTI)

The overall objective of the project is to assist the European Commission in the management of the Development Education and Awareness Raising (DEAR) Programme, implemented by Civil Society Organisations and Local Authorities and to support the Contracting Authority in the development and implementation of policy on youth in external action. DEAR Programme exists to promote and enable active engagement of European citizens in development issues, in particular those global issues that affect them and that can be affected by them and has two specific objectives:


- To contribute to developing European citizens’ understanding of the interdependent world, of roles and responsibilities in relation to development issues in a globalised society;
- To support European citizens’ active engagement with global attempts to eradicate poverty and promote justice, human rights and democracy, social responsibility, gender equality and sustainable development strategies in partner countries.


Projects co-funded by the DEAR Programme engage European citizens through education and public campaigning activities. The most relevant stakeholders of the DEAR Programme are civil society organisations and their platforms, including youth groups; local authorities and their associations: scholars and academic networks; EU member states’ public administrations and decision-makers; EU and other international institutions.


Youth is one of the main target groups of the DEAR Programme, and youth empowerment and participation are also increasingly looked at in the context of development cooperation and the EU external action.

Some of the activities already implemented in the project include:

  • Youth Sounding Board has been established to directly advise on the relevance and effectiveness of the EU’s external action when it comes to youth
  • the DEAR Multi Stakeholder Group consultation forum around Development Education and Awareness Raising has been held to exchange and discuss ideas and strategies to strengthen the impact of Global Citizenship Education in Europe. The meeting brought together 42 people including representatives of civil society organisations and CSO platforms, local authorities and local authority networks, EU Member States, scholars, and international organisations and networks who explored the changing policy landscape relevant to the EU DEAR Programme, identified the priority features of the future Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) framework of the DEAR Programme and gave feedback to an evaluation report and a surve.
  • an Exchange Hub has been held: Civil Society Organisations and Local Authorities from across Europe shared good practices, challenges and learnings on how to shape data into narratives, how to build stories that can prove projects’ results and inspire others to act for sustainability and social justice. The two-day event involved funded DEAR projects. It discussed how to develop a data hub and make sense of collected quantitative and qualitative data, and then explored ways of transforming numbers into narratives that can show achievements and drive further action.
  • A guide for all DEAR project Implementors on Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) has been released.

Kosovo - Support to basic and upper secondary education (reference number: EuropeAid/140812/DH/SER/XK)

 
The overall objective of the project is to enhance the quality based, accountable education and training system in Kosovo, in line with the best international practices in the field of pre-university education. The purpose of this project is to strengthen the quality of the basic and upper secondary education sector in Kosovo through support to the central and local level institutions.
 
The project consists of four components:
 
1. Strengthening legal frameworks in the education system
2. Teacher recruitment and capacity development of school management
3. Teacher education and quality assurance
4. Strengthening the textbook development process
 
The project’s activities include: recruitment of teachers and school principals in Kosovo, professional and education development of basic and upper secondary teachers in Kosovo and quality assurance in the pre-university education sector. The activities also address the textbook development processes in basic and upper secondary education in Kosovo. 
 
This project has seven key results, which are grouped into four key intervention areas: recruitment of school leaders and teachers; quality assurance; teacher professional development; and textbook development.
 
 A fundamental issue to be addressed in relation to recruitment of teachers and directors remains the high degree of variance across municipalities in the application of recruitment procedures and management of the selection process. The project strengthens mechanisms related to the implementation of merit-based non-discriminatory, gender-equal and transparent teacher and school director recruitment. 
 
In terms of quality assurance, several measures will support the further implementation of the Quality Assurance Strategy at central and local levels. A key area of focus here is  on further operationalizing the core role of quality coordinators at central, municipal and school level. 
 
Other activities will support the relevant stakeholders in the preparation of the framework for quality assurance and monitoring of teacher professional development. Under this result area, there are also several measures to put in place mechanisms for the professional career development of teachers and school leaders and to make these more easily accessible.
 
Finally, the curriculum reform process has significantly increased the importance of quality textbooks that complement the structural changes in the teaching and learning process. The project will therefore support the further strengthening of all phases of the textbook development and selection process through the strengthening of the legal and regulatory framework in this area, targeted capacity building of the Textbooks Council and developing the capacities of schools and other relevant institutions to engage in processes related to drafting, implementation and revision of the textbooks. 
 
Some of the activities already implemented in the project include:
  • providing support in the writing of the new Law on Textbooks, including organising three Workshops on Draft Law on textbooks, school materials, school supplies, school novels and pedagogical documentation in pre-university education in Kosovo.
  • developing a draft of the action plan for textbook revision and a diagram of the main steps involved in the revision of the current textbooks, revising and improving the document on the next steps in textbook development.
  • two study visits were carried out to the Ministries of Education in Albania and North Macedonia. The two countries are also currently reforming the laws on textbooks and were able to give valuable insights to the participants from Kosovo.
  • work on strengthening the legal framework related to recruitment, school management and quality assurance through the development and implementation of a legal drafting plan.
  • an analysis of the Kosovo education system and content on teacher recruitment and teacher professional development prepared.
  • developing an analysis of the Curriculum framework and curriculum reform in Kosovo.
  • a concept paper was produced that identified the three key elements of good student performance levels in Kosovo. The “trilogy” of school management, effective inspection and good governance of teachers and teaching will form the flagship themes of the project’s activities.

 

Project completed:

Montenegro - Integration of Key Competences into the education system of Montenegro - STEM (reference number: EuropeAid/139999/IH/SER/ME)

One of the main goals of the project was to support the development of the national key competence curriculum framework of Montenegro and, more specifically STEM competence, and aligning it with the European Council Recommendation on Key Competences for life-long learning (LLL). The project aimed to improve students’ achievements related to key competences for LLL and quality of teaching in primary and secondary education, to improve the quality assurance system at all levels of education. It also ensured that education programs guiding STEM education at primary and secondary levels are fit for purpose and that the initial and continuing teacher development programs are leading to the improvements in the processes and outcomes of STEM education.


The project also served the purpose of designing and implementing capacity building for primary and secondary teachers with regard to skills of modernizing teaching practices and use of produced guidelines. The training purpose was to raise understanding of complex teaching and learning goals and master rudimentary of modern didactic teaching and learning methodologies.


The project also aimed at developing and offering training programs for the implementation of key competences and STEM competences. The basic idea was to create a STEM framework, as well as to train teachers and develop teacher guidelines.

During the project implementation as many as 2746 teachers took part in 146 seminars and trainings and they've already started implementing Key Competences through their work. Moreover, additional activities such as school visits to 20 selected schools in Montenegro were conducted, as well as additional seminars for school principals on Self-Evaluation and Quality Assurance and an PR campaign.

The following key priorities for further activities were recommended:

  • Further development of key competences;
  • Further development of the culture of quality in education and the ability of teachers for self-evaluation and formative evaluation of student achievement;
  • Further strengthening of all levels of the Montenegrin education system for test technology (development, implementation and analysis of various tests in education and reporting on achieved results);
  • Further development of initial education and continuing professional development for teachers related to quality assurance in education, testing technology and interdisciplinary, research and project teaching.

 

These projects are financed by the European Union.

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