Deeper links, stronger institutions, decent jobs – Building better TVET systems

15-16 September 2023
Kathmandu, Nepal

Education is the key to development that is sustainable, just, and decent. Despite great success in educational access, inclusion, and participation, challenges are also critical. Challenges are within the educational systems and outside in the larger societal, political, and economic context of our time. The emerging challenges brought forward by the global pandemic and other humanitarian crises like climate change, and the stark divide between humans and nations have once again shown the necessity of robust, sustainable, and inclusive systems and institutions. Investment in education and vocational skills increases the likelihood that youth can find productive and gainful work – a key element of inclusive development.  
However, increasing participation and the quality of education do not automatically result in deeper links, stronger institutions, and decent jobs. It is the match between the skills demanded in the labour market and the skillful education people get that leads to decent jobs. Likewise, deeper links among social institutions, particularly between education and employment are one of the conditions for achieving full and productive employment for all. Moreover, education systems cannot operate in a vacuum: systems and institutions must support the utilization of newly acquired skills.
While present-day challenges are critical, the future is probably more uncertain. We need to remain hopeful and prepared for the future. It is thus important that the skills education sector not only remain prepared for an uncertain future, but it should also be able to contribute to the larger society. Sharing our knowledge and experience and collaborating and partnership have remained key to human progress. This conference aims to provide a platform for leading scholars, practitioners, policymakers, and students to reflect and discuss the drivers of high-quality education and training and improving working conditions for youth and for all. 

Themes

Deeper links, stronger institutions, decent jobs – Building better TVET systems

• TVET systems and linkages – TVET system and its backward (support system, student context) and forward linkages (labour market, employment, income), policies/programs and their implementations
• TVET research and knowledge base – availability of research-based knowledge, management information system, measuring skills, designing and implementing surveys, measuring individual and/or firm outcomes
• TVET institutions – governance and functioning, technology, quality, relevance, efficiency, outcome, learning, assessment, permeability, teacher, attracting/participation of youth in TVET
• TVET in society – political, economic, social, cultural aspects of TVET from a broader social perspective Work environment – work environment within the TVET system as well as in the employment sector
• TVET for the future – preparing TVET for the future, how TVET could contribute to addressing future/emerging challenges