The UNESCO Third International Congress on TVET, held five years ago in May 2012 in Shanghai, China, was significant in many ways – it marked the turning point when technical and vocational education and training (TVET) was no longer thought of as simply responding to labour market needs, but that it also contributes to inclusive education and sustainable development.

300 delegates from more than 80 countries met for three-days and the final recommendations to help move towards a transformative TVET were encapsulated in the Shanghai Consensus. The progress made on these recommendations is now the topic of discussion at the ‘Skills on the move: global trends and local resonances’ conference in Tangshan, China, from 4-6 July 2017.

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More information

• Conference in China explores skills for work, innovation and sustainable development, UNESCO

UNEVOC Network in action

The Shanghai Consensus frames the scope for UNESCO’s action to transform TVET. UNESCO-UNEVOC, as a specialized agency of UNESCO for TVET, responds to this by facilitating actions through and in partnership with the UNEVOC Network. Specifically, the consensus contained two recommendations for the UNEVOC Network:

• Gather and disseminate evidence on the many different ways of transforming and expanding TVET;
• Boost the network’s ability to help build the capacities of decision makers and practitioners and to facilitate the involvement of all relevant stakeholders.

Since 2012, UNESCO-UNEVOC, in collaboration with the UNEVOC Network, has had a number of milestones in supporting Member States to transform their TVET systems. It has endeavored to address the seven recommendations outlined in the Consensus as part of UNESCO-wide response to strengthen TVET. Many of its actions from 2012 until present could be mapped against these recommendations.

From capacity development and knowledge development and management, to regional and international cooperation, the UNEVOC Network has been at the forefront of UNESCO-UNEVOC’s work. It has endeavored to address the seven recommendations outlined in the Consensus as part of UNESCO-wide response to strengthen TVET. Many of its actions from 2012 until present could be mapped against these recommendations. The Network has been effectively mobilized to usher developments in their TVET systems and engaged in projects and activities intended to draw impact at the country and institutional levels.

The UNEVOC Network has also been involved in the development of the UNESCO TVET strategy (2016-2021) and participated in new flagship programmes including the UNEVOC TVET Leadership Programme and the Greening TVET Guide.

Please download our draft report to learn more about the UNEVOC Network in action.