The Covid-19 pandemic and work-linked vocational training will be at the heart of the informal meeting of European education ministers, which will take place from 16 to 17 September in Osnabrück. The event is expected to result in the Osnabrück Declaration for “innovative, effective and forward-looking” vocational education and training (VET)".
The event will take place on site, in compliance with the physical distancing measures induced by the Covid-19 pandemic (even if, despite our requests, it is difficult to know which ministers have actually confirmed their presence). This location will showcase two local examples of innovative training and digital and hybrid learning models, which are the pride of Germany. They are the vocational school in Osnabrück and an international manufacturer of agricultural technology in the region.
The meeting will start in the afternoon of Wednesday 16 September with a discussion on the impact of Covid-19 on the education sector, as students have returned to school in most of the EU Member States. It will focus on digital participation, mobility in education and the digital transformation of vocational education and training (VET).
Ministers will then discuss how to shape hybrid and digital learning in VET and how to ensure a good dialogue between schools and enterprises. It is at this point, and on the basis of the examples from Osnabrück, that the ministers will begin an exchange of experiences.
On Thursday, the meeting will take place in the presence of the social partners. It will culminate in the Osnabrück Declaration, which will aim to strengthen VET so as to make it suitable for the next decade. (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)