Evaluation of projects to improve the quality of vocational education at schools in Czechia and Slovakia

Description

VILLUM FOUNDATION is calling for proposals for an evaluation of projects carried out by seven vocational schools in Czechia and Slovakia. The aim of the projects is to improve recruitment, retention and subsequent employment of VET students. The projects have received grants totalling DKK 71.3 million. VILLUM FOUNDATION contributes to improved vocational training in Europe through the programme EUROPEAN VET INITIATIVE (EVI) 2018-28. The overall goal of the initiative is to improve the quality of VET institution, and to support the vocational education and training of young people in order to meet the requirements of the labour market of today and of tomorrow. Lot 1: The aim of the evaluation is to generate solid insights into the prerequisites, contexts, barriers and drivers of sustainable results for vocational schools when it comes to recruitment, retention and subsequent employment. This will be done by evaluating the experiences gained by EVI-supported recruitment and retention projects at vocational schools in Czechia and Slovakia. The evaluation is to contribute to the development of VILLUM FOUNDATION strategy as well as improved outcomes at the level of the individual school. The evaluation will encompass eight programmes at seven vocational schools, four of which are located in Czechia and three of which are located in Slovakia. (One of the Slovakian schools is carrying out two projects). The projects began between 2019 and 2022 and will be completed between 2023 and 2026, with the exception of one project that was completed in 2022. The size of the grants received by the projects ranges from DKK 2.6 million to 13 million. All schools offer technical vocational education and training for careers such as wood- and metalworkers, cabinet makers, electricians, metalworkers and mechanics. Some schools also provide future-oriented educations of technicians in the fields of Industry 4.0, robotics and photonics. In general, the grants fund equipment, competence development for teachers, new curricula as well as collaboration with companies and, for one project, primary schools. Data collection and self-evaluation: All projects have indicated that they can provide recruitment and retention data, while the majority can provide data about subsequent employment. VILLUM FOUNDATION also requires that the projects themselves carry out local evaluation activities. Five of the eight projects are part the Danish School of Education (DPU) research project Sustainable Culture for Change, which is financed by VILLUM FOUNDATION. Participants in the research project will contribute to the sustainability of the projects beyond the project period by developing evaluation capacity and the ability to reflect systematically on one's own practices. The remaining three projects are not associated with the research project. The eight projects are briefly described in the appendix. Further information about the projects (applications and status updates) will be sent to the evaluation institutions that indicate an interest in submitting a tender. Detailed information about the School of Education research project will also be sent at this time.