Vocational Schools – good practices in vocational education

“Learning about and applying good practices in developing vocational education as a good alternative to general education through visits to Thuringia”

About the project

Recruitment

Rules

Contact

Mobilities in 2023 The planned mobility dates in 2023 are 12–17.03.2023, with study visits on 13–16.03.2023: 4 days of 8 hours each. Planned institutions for the study visits (9.00–17.00):

• “Hugo Mairich” Vocational School Centre, Gotha, Kindlebener Straße 99B, 99867 Gotha, Germany
• ContiTech, Eisenacher Landstrasse 70, 99880 Waltershausen, Germany
• KAB Training Centre, gGmbH, Feldstraße 43, 99974 Mühlhausen, Germany
• Diakonie Doppelpunkt e.V. Berufsbildungsbereich/ Eingangsverfahren
• Erfurt Chamber of Crafts, Fischmarkt 13, 99084 Erfurt, Germany
• Hako GmbH Waltershausen, Industriestrasse 3, 99880 Waltershausen, Germany
• FAV Service gGmbH, St. Christophorus-Str. 5, 99091 Erfurt, Germany

Study visit schedule

Second recruitment round Please note that we are launching the second recruitment round. Recruitment is ongoing until 30.12.2022 or until all places have been filled.

Application form (download)

Dear Sir or Madam, We have begun forming the groups that will participate in the study visits. Individual information has been sent to you. We are pleased to announce that we have agreed possible dates for study visits to Thuringia with our German partner FAV Service. Please indicate your preferred dates as requested in the email you received.

Mobility dates:

• 25–30 September: 20 places (2 groups averaging 10 people each)
• 16–21 October: 20 places (2 groups averaging 10 people each)
• 23–28 October: 20 places (2 groups averaging 10 people each).

The University of Agribusiness in Łomża is pleased to announce that on 1 February 2022 it began implementing the project “Learning about and applying good practices in developing vocational education as a good alternative to general education through visits to Thuringia”.

MAIN OBJECTIVE: to enhance and acquire professional competences during 02/2022–11/2023 [KD] in cooperation with employers, promotion of educational offerings among students and parents, and solutions supporting teaching quality, for at least 90% of project participants [UP, proportionally in each target group (GD)]. These are vocational school management staff, i.e. heads/deputy heads [GD1, KD, 35 men/min. 15 women], representatives of the bodies governing these vocational schools [GD2, KD, 30 women/min. 10 men], and career advisers working with vocational schools [GD3, KD, 7 women/min. 3 men]. This will be achieved through visits to institutions operating in vocational education [eligibility criterion KD] in Thuringia, involving 100 people [52 women/48 men] from the target groups [min. 100 KD].

We invite people from the following groups to participate:

1. GD1: heads/deputy heads of vocational schools
2. GD2: representatives of bodies governing vocational schools
3. GD2: career advisers working with vocational schools.

The following activities will be carried out within the project by November 2023:

• Participant mobilities to Thuringia (Germany), including study visits to institutions operating in vocational education.

The mobilities aim to enhance professional competences by introducing new solutions and good practices in organising cooperation with employers, promoting educational offerings among students and parents, and improving teaching quality and the attractiveness of vocational education compared with general education.

Organisational arrangements:

• travel in groups averaging 10 people,
• mobility duration: 4 working days (Monday–Thursday),
• study visits: 8 hours per day,
• mobility venues: institutions operating in vocational education (including FAV Gotha, BVTU Erfurt, IHK Erfurt and Apoldaer Bildungswerk).

OUTLINE PROGRAMME of study visit topics:

Each visit will include:

• an introduction to the host organisation, i.e. FAV Gotha,
• a study visit to the institution,
• an exchange of experience moderated by an FAV expert on the substantive work of the institution visited,
• an exchange of experience and horizontal issues: sustainable development, tackling gender inequalities, the Green Deal and inclusion of persons with disabilities.

Participant mobility programme:

• Day 1: introductory meeting, discussion of the programme and the institution’s profile, study visit,
• Day 2: introductory meeting, discussion of the programme and the institution’s profile, study visit,
• Day 3: introductory meeting, discussion of the programme and the institution’s profile, study visit,
• Day 4: introductory meeting, discussion of the programme and the institution’s profile, study visit,

After the mobility, each participant will receive a certificate confirming the competences acquired.

PLEASE NOTE

Each participant will undertake to prepare a plan setting out an action strategy for a selected school, using the solutions learned in Thuringia for organising and promoting vocational education, particularly cooperation with employers, teaching quality and promotion of educational offerings among students and parents, as well as the subject materials prepared by FAV for mobility participants.

The project is co-funded by the European Social Fund and the state budget. Participants do not bear the costs of participation.

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We invite people from the following groups to participate:

1. GD1: heads/deputy heads of vocational schools
2. GD2: representatives of bodies governing vocational schools
3. GD2: career advisers working with vocational schools.

A total of 100 people will participate in the project, including:

• 50 people from GD1
• 40 people from GD2
• 10 people from GD3.

To participate, submit an application form to the project office. Ranking lists will be drawn up based on the assessment of the forms, and the highest-ranked applicants will be selected.

Recruitment stages:

1. Substantive assessment of application forms according to the following criteria:
2. Compiling a list of applicants.
3. Formal assessment of application forms against the formal criteria:
4. • belonging to the target group,
   • a correctly completed application form, with one opportunity to supplement it.
5. Submitting application forms to the project office by 30 May 2022
6. • justification of the need to participate – up to 25 points,
   • description of problems – up to 25 points,
   • identification of benefits for the institution and everyday professional work – up to 25 points,
   • participation from a less-developed area – up to 25 points (areas at risk of lasting marginalisation under the National Strategy for Regional Development 2030, KSRR 2030),
   • from medium-sized towns losing socio-economic functions – up to 25 points (in accordance with Annex 2 to KSRR 2030: the list of 139 medium-sized towns losing socio-economic functions).
7. Compiling ranking lists for target groups 1, 2 and 3,
8. Selecting the highest-ranked 50 people from GD1, 40 from GD2 and 10 from GD3, and compiling reserve lists.
9. Each participant signs a support agreement with WSA (the sending institution).

Application form (download)

List of towns (download)

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Participation rules for the project

“Learning about and applying good practices in developing vocational education as a good alternative to general education through visits to Thuringia”

implemented under the

KNOWLEDGE EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT OPERATIONAL PROGRAMME

§1

General provisions

1. These rules set out the recruitment procedure and participation arrangements for the project “Learning about and applying good practices in developing vocational education as a good alternative to general education through visits to Thuringia”.
2. The project is implemented by the University of Agribusiness in Łomża (Coordinator), hereinafter WSA, and the transnational partner FAV SERVICE gGmbH from 01.02.2022 to 30.11.2023.
3. The project is co-funded by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund.
4. The project office is located at the University of Agribusiness in Łomża, ul. Studencka 19, 18-400 Łomża.

§2

Project participants

1. The following persons may participate in the project:
2. GD1: heads/deputy heads of vocational schools
3. GD2: representatives of bodies governing vocational schools
4. GD2: career advisers working with vocational schools.
5. Participation requires submission of an application form and selection by the Project Coordinator.
6. The date on which participation begins is the date on which support begins.
7. Communication with project participants will take place by email at mobilnosci@wsa.edu.pl or by SMS. Sending information by email or SMS constitutes receipt of the information by the project participant.

§3

Applications and recruitment

1. Recruitment follows the principles of equal opportunities for women and men and non-discrimination.
2. Recruitment is based on the application form, which is available from the project office and on the project website at wsa.edu.pl/szkolybranzowe
3. Application forms are accepted on paper, submitted by post or in person to the project office, or as scanned copies sent by email.
4. Submitted application forms will be marked with the date of receipt and the signature of the person receiving them.
5. Submitting an application form does not mean that an applicant has been selected for the project.

1. Each recruitment procedure includes:
2. submission of application forms by the specified deadline. Forms received after the deadline will not be considered, unless the recruitment deadline is extended;
3. formal assessment using the Formal Assessment Sheet. Each applicant has one opportunity to supplement the application form within 5 working days of being informed of this possibility if the form fails to meet any of the following criteria:

• the application form has been signed;
• the documentation is complete,
• all sections of the application form have been completed.

1. compiling lists of applicants whose forms have passed or failed the formal assessment, and preparing a formal assessment report with annexes. Informing applicants of the formal assessment results;
2. substantive assessment by the Expert Team using the Individual Substantive Assessment Sheet, according to the criteria below:

• justification of the need to participate – up to 25 points,
• description of problems – up to 25 points,
• identification of benefits for the institution and everyday professional work – up to 25 points,
• participation from a less-developed area – up to 25 points (areas at risk of lasting marginalisation under the National Strategy for Regional Development 2030, KSRR 2030),
• from medium-sized towns losing socio-economic functions – up to 25 points (in accordance with Annex 2 to KSRR 2030: the list of 139 medium-sized towns losing socio-economic functions).

1. compilation of the results by the experts in the Consolidated Substantive Assessment Sheet, preparation of ranking lists for target groups 1, 2 and 3 in order of points scored, and preparation of meeting minutes with annexes;
2. selection by the Project Coordinator of the highest-ranked 50 people from GD1, 40 from GD2 and 10 from GD3, and compilation of reserve lists.
3. notification of recruitment results by email or SMS. Unsuccessful applicants may request written information explaining the decision and stating their score. Successful applicants will receive by email a project participation agreement setting out the main participation rules. Each participant must print and sign the agreement, then send it or submit it to the project office within 7 days of receipt.

The postmark date or the date of submission to the project office is decisive. If the participation agreement is not submitted by the deadline, the Project Coordinator will invite the next person on the reserve list.

1. If a participant withdraws, the Project Coordinator will invite the next highest-scoring person on the reserve list to participate.
2. If too few application forms are received by the deadline, or their number is insufficient to form the planned mobility groups, the Project Coordinator may refer the submitted forms for formal and substantive assessment.

Based on the assessment results, the Coordinator will select applicants who participated in recruitment and refer them for support. In this case, WSA will extend the application deadline and conduct another formal and substantive assessment of forms received during the additional period. The Coordinator will then select the remaining participants in accordance with these rules.

§4

Participation arrangements

1. The following form of support will be provided:
2. a) Participant mobilities to Thuringia (Germany), including study visits to institutions operating in vocational education:

• mobilities will consist of 4-day stays, with 8 hours per day at institutions in Thuringia (Germany), in groups averaging 10 people;
• participants will receive support covering travel, meals, accommodation, interpreter assistance, local transport and insurance;
• the Project Coordinator will agree mobility dates with participants;
• after participation, each group will submit at least 5 plans to 5 vocational schools. These will set out an action strategy for a selected school using the solutions learned in Thuringia for organising and promoting vocational education, particularly cooperation with employers, teaching quality and promotion of educational offerings among students and parents, as well as the subject materials prepared by FAV for mobility participants.
• WSA will organise mobilities for 10 groups between June 2022 and October 2023.

1. Each project participant undertakes to:
2. 1. comply with the project implementation principles set out in these participation rules;
   2. complete evaluation questionnaires and other necessary documents conscientiously during the project;
   3. participate actively in the mobility,
   4. confirm participation by signing the attendance list,
   5. confirm receipt of support,
   6. participate in the planned form of support after selection,
   7. confirm their status and eligibility before participating in the mobility.

§5

Final provisions

1. These rules are available at the project office and on the project website.
2. Matters not covered by these rules will be resolved by the Project Coordinator.
3. WSA in Łomża reserves the right to amend these rules.

Łomża, 01.02.2022

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If you are interested, please contact the project office:

• in person

University of Agribusiness in Łomża

• Studencka 19, 18-400 Łomża,

from 8.30 to 12.00 on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Room 405

• by telephone: 86 216 94 97
• by email: mobilnosci@mans.edu.pl

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