In cooperation with Austrian Reference Point for Quality Assurance in VET - ARQA-VET, the Agency for Vocational Education and Training and Adult Education organized a study visit to Vienna for AVETEA senior expert advisers on December 11-12, 2017. The visit was organized with the aim of familiarization with the implementation of EQAVET and Austrian approaches to quality assurance with special emphasis on work-based-learning with the purpose of studying good practice and exchange of experiences.

Head of the ARQA-VET Franz Gramlinger, and expert for quality development in educational institutions Michaela Jonach, presented the structure, mission and goals of their institution. The introduction to the Austrian VET school system and comparison with the Croatian school system followed, with special emphasis given to dual system of education and training. It was followed by presentations on the VET Quality Initiative for Austrian VET schools QIBB,and QA system of the dual system training companies (QLM), with the latter being presented by Kurt Schmid, an expert from ibw.

On the second day, senior expert advisors visited Hertha Firnberg school for tourism where they had the opportunity to see how the strategies discussed beforehand were implemented in practice. School headmaster Maria Ettl presented the school and its philosophy, with the emphasis on learning not only technical skills but the whole professional habitus, following by the guided tour by students from 3rd and 4th grades. Students were happy to share with Croatian guests their experiences of school attendance and internship abroad along with their plans for the future.  After the guided tour, Ulrike Zwinger, a member of school quality team, presented the use of QIBB and quality instruments. Senior expert advisors were introduced to the organization of the school and participated in Terra Madre Day. It is an annually organized event within the international Slow Food Network celebrated on 10 December worldwide, with the aim of promoting locally produced food, especially old breeds and autochthonous varieties, traditional breeding and preparation methods and quality full-time meals. The advisers were thus given the opportunity to enjoy the presentation of students’ skills.

The school visit was completed by discussion with the quality managers Heinrich Mahler from the HTL Spengergasse technical school, Brigitte Reisinger-Priganost from the school for pre-school education BafEP 21 and Michaelt Tötzl from the BS Appollogasse school of machines, manufacturing technology and electronics, and Oliver Schleicher, education inspector for VET schools in Vienna. Quality Managers held brief presentations on the implementation of QIBB in their schools and shared their experiences in Q&A session.

Photos from the study visit can be downloaded here.