This year the focus groups will take a slightly different format, more in the form of focus groups tackling specific aspects of each topic and identifying potential solutions to meet the challenges.

Focus groups will include the following topical issues facing VET institutions:  Each will consist of small working teams, transnational in nature, to explore key sub topics.  delegates will be encouraged to actively participate in sharing good practice.

1. The Learning space – impact on learning – motivation / creativity / innovation – ensuring Learners have transferable skills and ability to adapt to change – new skills demands. Co-creativity as a model – exploring the learning environment on the quality of the learner’s experience.

2. Entering the Digital era of learning – a new skills agenda for Europe: Digital skills are essential to perform in all sorts of jobs, work processes and everyday life in a digitalised economy.

3. Adult training as an answer to skills demand: The role of VET institutions ad stakeholders in driving the skills agenda taking in to account the need to re-train and up-skill not only new entrants to the labour market but existing employees. This focus group will also look at the need to raise the skill levels of all Adults including migrant populations – how do we ensure opportunity for all.  Share good practice, approaches from around Europe in this regard.  What engagement strategies work

4. Changing tasks of Teachers and Trainers: Changing tasks of teachers, changing attitudes and behaviour of learners. Teacher vs. Coach?  What are the implications for Continuous Professional Development – what actions will lead to change and how will this impact on Quality?

5. Internationalisation and its importance in Quality VET: How to make Erasmus+ and other international activities a strategic driver in the VET college. How does Internationalisation and improved transnational mobility for learners and staff impact on Quality of VET with in an institution?  What does Internationalisation bring to curriculum change?  How best do we ensure added value in this regard?  

6. Implementing ECVET and European Tools: An exploration of the impact. – an exploration of the impact of these and other initiatives on improvements in VET across Europe? How best can we work with the tools in a VET college? What are their strengths and weaknesses?

In addition, members and delegates are invited to disseminate their European partnership project outcomes and results to a wide audience through the Round table sessions and promote their innovatory development initiatives.