UK Skills Seminar Series

Technical Education and Skills The Global Currency of the 21st Century

Employer Engagement and Apprenticeships

23–27 September 2013

Enterprise and Entrepreneurship

E–learning and Innovation in Technical Education and Skills

Quality Assurance in Technical and Vocational Education

18 –22 November 2013

19–24 January 2014

24 –28 February 2014

To coincide with Global Enterprise Week

To coincide with Bett Show

UK Skills Seminar Series 2013 –14

British Council UK Skills Seminar Series 2013 – 2014, London This series of Seminars forms part of the British Council’s flagship programme for skills development and vocational education, Skills for Employability (SfE).

SfE works through the themes of skills, enterprise and English to support the development of education strategies that ensure that young people are better prepared for the world of work, and can therefore contribute to strong economic growth and stable societies.

The UK is one of the world’s leaders in developing the systems, strategies, tools and initiatives necessary for the successful delivery of employer-led technical education to help create the environment for economic growth.

These Seminars will bring together the best of UK technical education and skills to address topical global issues such as: • What motivates employers to contribute to skills development and training?

• What is the role of government in creating and maintaining an employer–led system?

• Are apprenticeships the answer to reducing youth unemployment and creating a motivated future workforce?

• Are entrepreneurs born or made?

Who should attend?

These Seminars will benefit senior government officials, policy and decision makers, employers and employer organisations, donor agency representatives and senior education staff.

• Can educators develop entrepreneurs?

• Is technology the key to developing competence and workplace skills?

• How is the use of technology changing the role of teachers and educators?

• What is the role of quality assurance in improving the reputation and raising the profile of technical and vocational education with students, parents and employers?

• Will clear progression routes from apprenticeship to university attract more people into a technical career?

The Seminars will also feature expert speakers from international institutions, and visits to relevant organisations including colleges and employers.

Employer Engagement and Apprenticeships 23 –27 September 2013

Employers and business have an essential role to play in setting the standards for training and education so that young people can develop high quality, relevant skills that will enable them to make a positive contribution to the success of organisations, society and the economy.

The objectives:

Many employers do not consider education and training to be their responsibility and look to education institutions and government to develop the work–ready recruits they need for business success. However, where employers are involved in education, they are often influenced by government policy rather than setting the agenda themselves. This Seminar looks at how employers, government and the education sector can work towards a successful, shared agenda.

• To review the UK’s approach to engaging employers through sector skills organisations and industry groups.

The Seminar, developed in partnership with the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, focusses on the employer’s contribution to the UK’s national skills strategy through apprenticeships and by developing their own training programmes which are included in the UK’s National Credit Qualifications Framework.

• To explore how approaches to employer engagement and apprenticeship could provide useful models for delegates’ national reform plans.

• To identify best practice examples of employers working in partnership to develop work ready skills.

• To review the different elements of employer engagement in skills development including creating Academies and skills strategies based on demand supported by research.

• To provide participants with opportunities to network with leading UK and international experts in the field of employer ownership of skills.

The Seminar will also help delegates to understand whether employers value the contribution that apprentices make to their businesses, how employers balance the need of apprentices as learners and as employees who need to contribute to the long term success of companies, and what support is needed to encourage the growth and the success of apprenticeship programmes.

Each day will focus on a specific industry sector and will share best practice and challenges through cases studies which will reflect personal experience. There will also be excellent opportunities to network with decision and policy makers from around the world who share an interest in apprenticeships and employer engagement.

Delegates will also have the opportunity of exploring how UK’s models may apply to their own national strategies through facilitated discussions.

UK Skills Seminar Series Click here for more information

Enterprise and Entrepreneurship 18 –22 November 2013

To coincide with Global Enterprise Week

In response to increasing concerns as to how policymakers and the education and training communities can more effectively respond to the challenges of growth and employment, this Seminar looks at the UK’s approach to developing entrepreneurship within the education system and the contribution enterprise makes to economic recovery, sustainable growth and jobs.

The Seminar is jointly hosted by the British Council and the European Training Foundation* and aims to share and increase understanding of entrepreneurship education, policy and practice.

The agenda and programme of visits are designed to maximize the learning value for delegates**. Each day, the programme will focus on a particular theme and will be divided into morning seminars and workshops, and afternoon site visits that will help delegates see how UK policy, education and training are implemented:

The objectives: • To share UK and European best practice in enterprise education including insights to upcoming policy developments.

• To meet successful education and training providers and other stakeholders that lead on enterprise education initiatives in the UK who will share their experience of effective approaches with delegates.

• To provide delegates with opportunities to network with leading UK and international experts in the field of enterprise and entrepreneurship.

• To explore how approaches showcased during the week could provide useful models for delegates’ own reform plans.

• Day one – policy. Delegates will be introduced to the UK policy framework for entrepreneurship education, and wider European Union developments.

* The European Training Foundation (ETF) is the EU’s specialist agency whose objective is to promote innovative policy solutions and improved good practice in human capital development. ETF specifically works with key agencies from the EU’s member countries to maximize the value of policy intelligence and know-how. The British Council and ETF are delighted to partner up for this seminar.

• Day two – partnership. Delegates will look at the importance of partnership in the successful development and delivery of enterprise policies and their impact on education, community organisations and businesses.

** Priority will be given to countries already participating in British Council and ETF skills and enterprise programmes: Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bosnia Herzegovina, Brazil, China, Colombia, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Libya, Mexico, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Yemen.

• Day 3 – curriculum and teacher development. Delegates will learn how curricula can be adjusted to ensure effective support and promotion of entrepreneurship in education and training, including the implications for teacher training (both pre-service and in-service).

• Day 4 – integrating best practice. Delegates will identify the most useful models, policy and initiatives covered by the Seminar and look at how these could be integrated into their policy or practice back home.

UK Skills Seminar Series Click here for more information

E–learning and Innovation in Technical Education and Skills 19 –24 January 2014

To coincide with the Bett Show 2014

The UK is one of the leading countries using e-learning technologies to enhance and change the way that we teach, learn and share information.

Since the early 1980s, the UK has invested in making technology accessible to education institutions and developing the ICT skills of teachers, trainers and students. The use of technology has changed and continues to change the way that teachers and trainers interact with their students and the way that students and apprentices engage with their tutors and learn.

International collaboration through the use of technology is a growing trend that enables individuals and organisations to share knowledge and information across the globe.

Increasing the role of technology in education could be an economical, convenient and affordable way to develop skills in students based in wide–ranging geographical locations and to develop inclusive learning programmes to meet the varying individual needs of learners.

This Seminar will look at the different ways that the UK has used technology to enhance the learning and teaching of technical education and work skills. It will also explore how technology has been used to improve management tools, the quality of programmes and institutions, facilitate assessment and certification and develop pre-work competence and skills.

Each day of the programme will comprise half a day of seminars and workshops that will aim to share UK good practice in the use of technology in technical education and skills and half a day dedicated to visits that will bring to life some of the theory explored that morning.

Delegates will also be able to visit Bett Show 2014, which provides an opportunity to see the latest technology and innovation in education.

This Seminar focusses on technical education and skills. A parallel Seminar will be offered for those delegates interested in the use of e-learning and innovation in schools.

The objectives: • To share knowledge, information and UK good practice in the area of e-learning and innovation in technical education and skills.

• To explore how e-learning technologies have changed the roles of teachers, trainers and learners and the UK’s approach to developing digital literacy.

• To explore how the use of e-learning has changed and improved learning programmes, assessment and overall quality and inclusiveness of education.

• To explore how the use of e-learning technologies has enhanced and improved management.

• To share experience of how e-technologies have supported collaboration, including international collaboration.

• To provide delegates with opportunities to network with leading UK and international experts in the field of e-learning and innovation including attending the Bett Show 2014.

• To explore how approaches reviewed during the Seminar, could provide useful models for delegates’ own national reform plans.

UK Skills Seminar Series Click here for more information

Quality Assurance in Technical Education and Skills 24–28 February 2014

The success and growth of UK business is dependent on the development of skills that are appropriate to the changing economy and relevant to the needs of the modern workplace. Employers need to be confident that vocational education and training programmes are of high quality and that qualifications awarded are widely recognised and valued. Robust quality assurance mechanisms and systems can provide this confidence.

There will be excellent opportunities to network with decision and policy makers from around the world with an interest in quality assurance and improvement of learning provision.

Built on more than 150 years of experience, the UK technical and vocational education system incorporates a comprehensive set of quality assurance mechanisms that ensure vocational education and training is relevant to the needs of UK business, designed and delivered in accordance with robust standards, and independently regulated where appropriate. Recognition and eligibility for public funding is dependent on learning providers and other organisations demonstrating that they meet clear quality expectations and are committed to continuous quality improvement focussed on learners.

• To share knowledge, information and best practice in the area of quality assurance in technical and vocational education.

A key feature of the system is the Common Inspection Framework. This focuses attention on the adequacy and effectiveness of education and training offered by learning providers, particularly in relation to: the outcomes for learners; the quality of teaching, learning, assessment; and the effectiveness of leadership and management. Other important features include the central role of employers in ensuring the relevance of vocational education and training to the workplace, and the regulation of vocational qualifications within a national qualifications framework.

• To explore how approaches in quality assurance and improvement, discussed during the Seminar could provide useful models for delegates’ national reform plans.

This Seminar will provide delegates with a detailed insight into all aspects of the UK’s approach to quality assurance in technical and vocational education, including useful models for those involved in national education reform. In particular, delegates will have the opportunity to meet and talk with leading UK experts, including Quality Assurance Managers and Inspectors, through presentations and facilitated workshops. Delegates will also visit colleges and businesses to see firsthand how quality assurance operates in different learning environments.

The objectives:

• To provide a detailed introduction to the approaches, tools and systems used to improve and maintain quality in technical and vocational education in the UK. • To provide delegates with opportunities to network with leading UK and international experts in the field of quality assurance.

UK Skills Seminar Series Click here for more information

Book your place now

Employer Engagement and Apprenticeships

23–27 September 2013

Enterprise and Entrepreneurship

E–learning and Innovation in Technical Education and Skills

Quality Assurance in Technical and Vocational Education

18 –22 November 2013

19–24 January 2014

24 –28 February 2014

To coincide with Global Enterprise Week

To coincide with Bett Show