European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network Database, ELGPN Database

Name of the good/interesting practice/initiative/policy

Quality assurance through a training curriculum for guidance practitioners in higher education in Germany by the university association for counsellors and guidance practitioners “Society for Information, Guidance and Therapy at Universities” (´´´GIBeT)

Country

Germany

I am proposing that this example will be published also in the KSLLL database

1. Background

What makes this an example of good/interesting practice/initiative/policy?

- The motivation of the initiative (What is the history/background of the policy?)

- Linkages with LLG policy priorities (Please add references to other national/EU policies or documents)

- Participants

The professional status of guidance practitioners is not commonly regulated in Germany including in the Higher Education (HE) system. However, through the Bologna reforms and the increasing differentiations of HE, professional guidance services are becoming increasingly important in this sector. They are expected to support individual study choices and transitions from school to HE, provide transparency of the various study opportunities and avoid disorientation that result from the substantial changes whithin the German HE system. At the same time, universities are even more competing with each other and guidance is a quality criterion of services for students.

Higher qualifications for counsellors in HE have already been recommended by the German Rector´s Conference (HRK) in order to support the Bologna reforms (HRK, 1994). Now, the ´´´GIBeT training curriculum comes at a time when quality and professionalism of guidance are high on the agenda in Germany as well as in Europe. The EU Council Resolutions on guidance 2004 and 2008, European developments e.g. in the ELGPN, ERASMUS and national developments significantly forced the establishment of a professional and quality standard in guidance services.

Guidance in HE is further competing to support the EU2020 goals: reduce drop-out, increase participation in higher education and raise the number of graduates in natural sciences and engineering. These objectives however may only be reached if guidance practitioners have the necessary skills and competences to provide services in high quality.

Aims and targets

- Objectives of the initiative (What did the policy set out to achieve?)

- Target group

- Methods applied to reach the objective (technological and /or pedagogical)

In order to enhance the quality and professionalism of guidance services and counselling in HE as well as to ensure the professional status of practitioners through qualification and certification, the university counsellor’s association “Society for Information, Guidance and Therapy at Universities (´´´GIBeT)” developed a training curriculum for guidance practitioners in this field. Furthermore it encourages lifelong vocational education and training. And in general, the curriculum is intended to support the professionalisation and the standardisation of the job profile.

The training curriculum is directed at people providing educational counselling in institutions of HE. This involves all kinds of different professions e.g. pedagogical, psychological or socio-pedagogical professions.

The contents of the training curriculum are grounded in the tasks of the general guidance services in HE which are based in central counselling and guidance units in contrast to the faculty-based expert advisory on subject related matters. The curriculum defines a series of compulsory basic modules and a number of further specific modules from which counsellors may choose.

2. Implementation

Strategy and actions (Please describe the approach adopted to make the reform work and any actions taken.)

- Level of implementation (national, regional etc.)

- Implementation (description)

Since 2009, the draft of the training curriculum, which was developed by some of the association’s board members, was broadly discussed within the ´´´GIBeT. In September 2011 the curriculum was finally passed by the general assembly which is constituted of practitioners working in educational
guidance and counselling in HE. The curriculum defines the structure for potential training programmes . In 2012 the training commission started its work to build up the relevant structures, to evaluate and accredit available training provisions and to include them in an online database. Being driven by a national professional association, the curriculum will be implemented on a national level. This offers flexible and decentralized training provisions as each practitioner can select what he or she needs. Courses of different training providers throughout Germany must be accredited by the training commission in order to be included in the database of training provisions.

Arranged in basic and advanced modules, the curriculum based programmes in the database involve courses on different aspects of counselling and guidance at universities: the education and labour system, pedagogical/ psychological theories, counselling competences, group and project management, information and cooperation and quality assurance. Practitioners may choose between two profiles according to their main professional tasks: „educational counselling” and „education management”..

Once counsellors successfully completed the related qualifications and trainings, they receive a certificate from the training commission. This is an individualized process in which informal and prior learning and experiences may also be examined and recognized by the training commission.

Monitoring and evaluation

- What has been put in place for monitoring and evaluation?

- What actors are involved?

The training commission examines the training provisions according to the training curriculum and organises the implementation. Additionally, the commission is responsible for the further development of the training curriculum. Further, the training commission examines and decides upon the recognition of practitioner competences. The training commission is appointed for a period of two years by the executive board which is in turn elected by the members of the association.

3. Outcomes

Achievements (Please describe the main outcomes/results according to the following headings. Each option can be answered - up to 50 words)

- Specific results

- Cost effectiveness

- Budget

- Innovative aspects

At present (summer 2012) the training commission is working on accreditation criteria for training providers. The online-database with accredited available training provisions will be published in autumn 2012. At the same time the recognition procedure for competences acquired in vocational practice will start.

Cost effectiveness is provided through a NGO approach.

Practitioners pay a low fee for the certificate and for the examination of prior and informal learning and experiences. Members of the ´´´GiBET receive a considerable discount while non-members also have to pay for access to the training provisions database.

The training curriculum of the ´´´GiBET is an innovative approach in a context with little regulation. The practitioners of the association decided as a form of self-regulation to define their own standards. Here practitioner’s competences become quality criteria of good student guidance services in HE.

Success factors (What key success factors have led to or prevented success?)

- Lessons learnt

- Unintended impacts (Have there been any unintended impacts? Positive or negative?)

Due to the bottom-up approach of this initiative which involved many practitioners, a high sense of identification is produced. There is a participative nature which will have a positive influence on the acceptance.

As a side effect, the online database including the accredited training provisions also improves transparency in the field of counsellor vocational education and training.

Strengths and weaknesses

- What areas of the policy can we learn lessons from?

- Are there still challenges ahead?

As the initiative is lacking governmental and legal reinforcement, implementation will take some time and will be more difficult. Therefore, the board continuously ensures the involvement of the members and their acceptance of the curriculum. In addition, communication and cooperation with other associations, the National Guidance Forum in Education, Career and Employment and the involvement in the Open Process of Coordination for Quality Development provides exchange and mutual recognition in the professional community.

4. Additional narrative description of the policy/practice/initiative

Additional information

Name of contact

Anne Käther

Role (in policy initiative)

Speaker of the training commission

Organization name

Gesellschaft für Information, Beratung und Therapie an Hochschulen, ´´´GIBeT ( Society for Information, Guidance and Therapy at Universities)

Address

Fortbildungskommission Geschäftsstelle, c/o Universität Greifswald, Zentrale Studienberatung, Rubenowstraße 2, 17489 Greifswald

Phone

Fax

E-mail

fortbildungskommission@gibet.de

Website address

http://www.gibet.de/fortbildungszertifikat.html

Documents and publications

http://www.gibet.de/fortbildungszertifikat/ordnungen.html

Attached files

Links

http://www.gibet.de/fortbildungszertifikat/fortbildungsdatenbank.html

This information was provided/updated by:

Bernhard Jenschke

No comments by users.

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Subject of the Policy document

The Bruges Communiqué on enhanced European Cooperation in Vocational Education and Training for the period 2011-2020

Reference data

Adopted/Released by European Ministers of Vocational Education and Training, European Social Partners, and the European Commission

Year of adoption 2010

Reference number

Available at http:// http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/10/1673&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

Available in English at http:// http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-policy/doc/vocational/bruges_en.pdf

1. Additional narrative description of the reference to Lifelong Guidance

The role of “easily accessible and high-quality lifelong information, guidance and counselling
services” as a part of European VET systems is highlighted in a global vision for VET in 2020. The importance of guidance is emphasised in enabling citizens to make sound decisions and in helping them to manage their learning and career (p. 6).

The document notes the role of guidance in promoting international mobility among VET learners, which has remained low despite the emergence of the European area of education and training (p. 4).

To enhance the attractiveness of VET, a provision of high quality guidance is needed to introduce different vocational trades and career opportunities to young pupils in compulsory education (p. 7).

In improving the quality and relevance of VET, participating countries and providers of vocational education and training are encouraged to make use of data guidance service provide on the transition from VET to work or further learning (p. 9).

The document highlights the importance of integrated guidance services, encompassing both employment and counselling services, in facilitating transitions from education and training to work and between jobs (p. 11).

One of the short term deliverables at the national level concerning strategic objectives 3 and 4 is the provision of ”integrated guidance services closely related with labour market needs” (p. 12).

Guidance services are noted as one of the measures which can help to maximise the contribution of VET in reducing early school leaving to below 10 per cent (p. 15).

Actors at the national level are encouraged to consider specific measures, such as using appropriate guidance and support services, to raise the participation levels of “at risk” groups in education and training (p. 16).

Attached files

This information was provided/updated by:

Outi Ruusuvirta

No comments by users.

policy, adult education, apprenticeship, continuing VET, companies, Copenhagen process, C-VET, European Education and Training Area, Europe 2020, flexible pathways, initial VET, integrated guidance services, I-VET, key competences, mobility, national qualifications framework, permeability, quality assurance, transition, transnational mobility, validation of non-formal and informal learning, VET, VET professionals, vocational education and training, work-based learning, European union, communication, career management skills, quality assurance and evidence-base, social inclusion