ECVET in Agriculture

Context/background of projectIn this project, a group of 5 vocational agricultural schools cooperated and have lifted their cooperation to a higher and more sustainable level. The agricultural sector needs many skilled students to graduate from vocational colleges to fill the many vacancies at the labor market in the subsectors for crop production & animal production. (Aequor, 2011) The partner schools have therefore aimed to prepare their students extra well for their future jobs in the sector and to make their vocational qualifications more attractive for vocational students, by offering them modules that are built around new innovative subjects in agriculture. Objectives of the project & description of activities:The objective of the project was to address the following needs:- An analysis of the labour market shows that there is a severe lack of vocationally trained personnel in the agricultural sector. Mainly in the fields of animal production and crop production (Aequor, 2011). This project aimed to make the learning routes in these fields of study for vocational students more attractive, flexible and relevant;- Through the development of innovative modules, students become better prepared for their future jobs in the fields of agriculture and horticulture;- Through the development of modules based on the core subjects from the existing curricula, the schools are now able to offer students more flexible learning paths including educational periods at international partner schools;- The exchange of students on international learning modules has given the partners involved in the project the opportunity to develop their centres into more internationally oriented institutions. In this way, they have enriched the educational experience of their own students and staff;- Through using ECVET principles in this project, the partners are now better prepared to exchange students with other institutes (ECVET experience) and make modules functional in curricula of the partners;- The companies from the agricultural and horticultural sectors have been able to tell the vocational institutes what they find important subjects that should be a part of the vocational curricula. These companies were involved during the project as guest lecturers and for company excursions, thus teaching and explaining what they deem relevant for their sectors.During the project, the partners developed the following outputs:1) Overview of national qualifications agriculture and horticulture, linked to the EQF-levels;2) Document describing the overlapping subjects in the partner's curricula in fields of agriculture and horticulture;3) a) Module descriptions of overlapping subjects from the national curricula and of innovative themes missing from the national curricula;3) b) (12) Educational modules based on these module description for international learning;3) c) Worked out standards and formats needed to establish ECVET recognition and validation;4) Quality criteria & processes for project outputs (ECVET manual);5) (ECVET) Agreement for recognition and validation of the international learning modules (MOU & Learning Agreements);6) Student mobility application;7) Dissemination plan.Teaching/training activities carried out:- A teacher training: how to deliver educational modules to international groups;- A pilot exchange for international students taking part in the (ECVET)modules at partner institutes;- Sustainable exchange of students (continued).Number & profile of participants:During the project period, the project involved:- 89 vocational agricultural students;- a total of 27 teachers & staff from the partner schools (teachers & managers);- More students (estimated 60-100 yearly) & staff (est. 12-18 yearly) planned after project period.Description of undertaken main activities:Meetings, developing learning materials & ECVET procedures, teacher training & student exchanges.Description of results and impact and finally potential longer term benefits:This project aimed to bring agricultural vocational education to a higher level. Vocational courses were the starting points from where the global issues of food supply can be solved. At vocational level, future farmers should learn more effective and efficient ways to produce animals & crops. The modules focused on these agricultural topics. Strengthening vocational courses enables Europe to reach their goal of strengthening the knowledge economy and exporting this knowledge to other parts of the world.Results:12 agricultural modules, 14 teachers trained, 89 students exchanged, strong network.With this project, the partners established a sustainable ECVET-system to exchange students in learning activities (international modules) in their industry. Partners strengthened their curricula and are now able to attract more international students from Europe and beyond for international vocational education activities. Partners started a follow-up project.