Financuar nga Higher skills and better jobs in Albania Partnership for Socio Economic Development Higher Education and Vocational Education and Training in Albania ERASMUS+ Higher Education Reform Experts Seminar Istanbul University, 10-11 March 2015
Financuar nga Country in transition since 1991 Since 2014 EU candidate country Less then 3mln inhabitants, with 1.5 abroad Young population Several years of growth but not translated into jobs So far drivers of growth have been privatisations, debt and remitances. All three exhausted Unemployment and lack of productivity Growth stagnated
Categories of Unemployed Jobseekers Source: National Employment Service, November 2013
Unsuitable Qualified Labour Force Source: Skills needs analysis, 2012
Skills shortages in existing employees Source: Skills needs analysis, 2012
A new political agenda 2013-2017 Transforming the economy from consumption based to production based
Only 14 % of secondary
About 10,000 yearly
1. Fragmented provision; 2. Lack of alignment with the EQF/Albanian Qualification Framework; 3. Outdated institutional and infrastructure setting; 4. Urgent need of rationalization of the providers and of upgrading the quality as a way to raise attractiveness 5. Poor financing
Access to Higher Education A prevailing topic in education policy agenda 3 fold increase in the number of graduates in 6 years Very low level of public funding (USD 450/capita) 180000 160000 140000 120000 100000 80000 60000 IAL publik dhe jopublik IAL publik IAL privat 40000 20000 0
Access to Higher Education Numerous non-public provisions, mostly in humanities field. NO EMPLOYABILITY!
Political Agenda 2013-2020 Job creation agenda: improving the business climate and incentives for start-ups, entrepreneurship programmes; 150.000 jobs to be created; formalization of informal work especially with the self-employed, farmers, seasonal workers stronger labour inspection; better health and safety and work Skills-leads-to-Employment approach TVET and Employment under one ministry Merging of Vocational Training with Vocational Education Commitment to dual system Strong partnership with social partner Better labour market information
Improve employment services Increase of ALMP budget: from 600.000 to near 4 million in two years; Modernization of employment offices and services: Accessible and IT based employment services (www.puna.gov.al); improvement of the application and evaluation procedures on the annual calls for employment programmes; Job matching and counseling: Strengthen of employment services capacities for better matching the needs of employers with the registered jobseekers; Monitoring and evaluation: tracer systems being implemented and an ALMP review carried out.
Short-term Measures VET Transfer of competences over VE schools and VET AGENCY: reorganization of the institutional capacities Rationalization and regionalisation of the providers network: a baseline survey carried out and feasibility studies by regions planed Raising awareness and attractiveness: media campaigns result in a significant increasing of VET students in 2014/2015 academic year ( 40%) Sectorial committees and AQF: preparatory steps being taken for the development of a full set of qualification standards, and respective curricula as per the needs of labour market Diversifying offers and pathways: EXPLORING postsecondary VET programmes; short-term courses; DESIGNING the multifunctional concept put into practice in one VE school, exploring PPP in Maritime, oil and gas, and model farms
Higher Education reform measures Quality Assurance: better monitoring and less private and public non-fit courses Diversifying offer: Introduction of short cycle courses and sub degrees Better financing scheme: more competition and money-follow-students concept; commitment to increase public funding A new law under consultation
More Link degrees of HE with occupations standards and AQF qualifications and levels (as per the EQF requirements) Expand post-secondary VET provision and life long learning Introducing higher vocational education/programs 5A and 5B but coordinated with network of VET providers ( not to dublicate) Potential post-secondary VET profiles meet criteria of dual programs and are conducted as VET courses (not shorter academic programs) More sub-degrees and short cycle courses, linked with AQF. All HEI report to the public their impact in employability of their student ( Tracers studies)