Strengthening the Governance of Skills Systems: Lessons from Six OECD Countries

Description

Strengthening the Governance of Skills Systems: Lessons from Six OECD Countries provides advice on how to make the governance of skills systems effective. Building on the OECD Skills Strategy 2019, which identified four main challenges of skills systems governance, the report presents examples of how six different countries (Estonia, Germany, Korea, Norway, Portugal and the United States) have responded to one or several of these challenges. Foreword Acknowledgements Abbreviations and acronyms Executive summary Overview of chapters Overall recommendations 1 Introduction and theoretical framework Background and motivation Core challenges in the governance of skills systems Promoting co-ordination, co-operation and collaboration across the whole of government Engaging stakeholders throughout the policy cycle Building integrated information systems Aligning and co-ordinating financing arrangements Methodological approach Skills regimes and varieties of capitalism Centralisation and decentralisation Empirical approach to case studies References Note 2 Case Study: The Estonian Education Information System (EHIS) Introduction Estonia’s skills system Top performance in PISA E-Estonia and its history Governance structure of the skills system The Estonian Education Information System (EHIS) How data enter EHIS User groups and their access to the data Estonian trust and the culture of data usage Analysis Strengths Challenges Summary Policy recommendations Use questions as drivers of data collection Support innovative data analyses Put the data into perspective Streamline and automate the data collection process Promote the use of EHIS data among schools Increase user friendliness References 3 Case study: The Alliance for Initial and Further Training in Germany Introduction Germany’s education and training system The Alliance for Initial and Further Training Overview and history of the Alliance Innovation in the governance of skills policies Analysis Opportunities for innovative governance reforms Ongoing challenges of the Alliance Summary Policy recommendations Make better use of the potential of the Alliance to promote innovative skills policies Prevent multiplication of governance bodies Link duration of Alliance agreements with election cycles Allow sufficient time for meaningful stakeholder engagement References 4 Case study: Lifelong learning in Korea Introduction Korea’s lifelong learning system Background Actors and legal foundations Lifelong learning at the local and regional levels Lifelong learning for the labour market The lifelong learning system in Suwon City Analysis Strengths High participation and a culture of lifelong learning is fostered by broad access The autonomy of province and city governments helps to design lifelong learning programmes Lifelong learning councils within Suwon City and Gyeonggi Province foster the involvement of stakeholders in policy making The Gyeonggi Provincial Institute for Lifelong Learning (GILL) enables horizontal communication and exchange of data Challenges Lack of vertical co-operation Lack of horizontal co-ordination Lack of quality control and systematic data collection Narrow target group Lack of employer and employee involvement Summary Policy recommendations Institutionalise co-operation between the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Employment and Labour Strengthen vertical co-ordination Establish a comprehensive database on lifelong learning Introduce quality control mechanisms Engage with employers and employees to develop employment relevant lifelong learning Educate employers and employees about the importance of lifelong learning References Note 5 Case study: Norway’s Skills Policy Council and Future Skills Needs Committee Introduction Norway’s education and training system The Norwegian Strategy for Skills Policy 2017-2021: The Skills Policy Council and the Future Skills Needs Committee Overview of the strategy Role of involved stakeholders The Future Skills Needs Committee (Kompetansebehovsutvalget) Analysis Opportunities and challenges of the Skills Policy Council Opportunities Challenges Opportunities and challenges of the Future Skills Needs Committee Opportunities Challenges Summary Policy recommendations Give new governance arrangements enough time Improve format of meetings and agenda-setting process within the Skills Policy Council Improve communication and demonstrate to Skills Policy Council members the impact of their advice Clearly define the mandate and reporting line of the Skills Policy Council in relation to other tripartite bodies Further improve horizontal and vertical co-operation between governance bodies Use full potential of social partners’ expertise in the Future Skills Needs Committee Refine the mandate of the Future Skills Needs Committee concerning targeting individuals References Notes 6 Case study: Portugal’s National Agency for Qualification and Vocational Education and Training (ANQEP) Introduction Portugal’s education and training system The role of ANQEP in Portugal’s education and training system Analysis Opportunities and challenges in the governance framework of ANQEP Opportunities and challenges to involving stakeholders Summary Policy recommendations Stabilise ANQEP’s role in the Portuguese skills system Stabilise the financial basis of the Portuguese VET system Engage the General Board in a meaningful way Support the sectoral councils so that they can meet their duties References Notes 7 Case study: Massachusetts’ (United States) Early Warning Indicator System (EWIS) Introduction Massachusetts’ education and training system The Early Warning Indicator System Technical details Responsibilities Analysis Opportunities for innovative governance reforms Ongoing challenges Summary Policy recommendations Establish a monitoring system to constantly evaluate EWIS Empower schools and districts to work with information management systems Improve the usability of EWIS References Note 8 Conclusion and general policy recommendations Overview and introduction Challenges in the governance of skills systems: Insights from the case studies Promoting co-ordination, co-operation and collaboration across the whole of government Engaging with stakeholders throughout the policy cycle Building integrated information systems Aligning and co-ordinating financing arrangements Policy recommendations Establish co-ordinating committees with a meaningful mandate and clear internal governance structures Define a clear mandate Define mandate with real substance Ensure strong internal governance structures Promote the involvement and commitment of non-governmental stakeholders, while managing the risk of undue influence from special interests Promote meaningful stakeholder involvement Limit the overall number of stakeholders involved Prevent gridlock and manage the risk of undue influence by special interests Allow stakeholder engagement to develop over time Support the establishment of information management systems, but ensure that they provide usable and relevant information to stakeholders and policy makers Involve stakeholders in the design of integrated information systems Use information management systems to inform rather than automate governance decisions Make use of different kinds of data Invest and commit the diversified resources needed to strengthen skills policies Provide adequate resources by setting long-term budgetary goals Tap into multiple sources of funding while keeping equity concerns in mind References Annex A. 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