Competence" is becoming a widely-used concept across Europe, but its interpretation and application both vary. This paper reviews the use of competence as a concept and through the use of occupational competence standards in six European countries. Between them, the countries illustrate the use of separate occupational standards, both as a national strategy and developed by selfgoverning professions; as well as competence embedded directly in qualification and training specifications. The use of separate standards as a mandatory component in national vocational education and training systems is questioned, while the use of appropriate standards for licensing and qualified status is largely endorsed. The study also points to the need to avoid promoting any particular model of occupational competence at a European level, and cautions against the uncritical transfer of models and policies from one national system to another.
Purpose This paper describes a revised approach to describing occupational competence, with particular reference to its application in two European countries at the level of specific occupational fields and in relation to the models used in national VET systems. Design/methodology/approach An Erasmus+ project involved partners in five countries developing and trialling competence standards, following principles developed from approaches that have recently emerged in some British self-governing professions. Findings The model used in the project avoids the narrowness that was characteristic of earlier British approaches to occupational competence. It provides a template that can be used for articulating the essentials of practice, including in emerging fields and those that cut across professions and occupations. It is also flexible enough to provide underpinnings for different types of VET system without making assumptions about the way that economies, labour markets and education systems are organised. Practical implications A number of factors are outlined that improve the applicability of practice-based competence descriptions, including starting from occupational fields rather than job roles, focusing on the ethos and core activities of the field, and using concise and precise descriptions that are not limited to specific roles and contexts.
Nowadays, creativity and resourcefulness are the characteristics most highly anticipated by the employers. Their formation and development in educational institutions is conditional, among others, upon the staff's innovative approach and readiness to take experimental actions, sometimes in violation of the canons of classical teaching. This paper presents the international activities undertaken by the Work Pedagogy of Innovative Economy Centre ITeE-PIB and associated with the implementation of the idea of teamwork in innovation laboratories that enable creative problem solving. Research is carried out in an international partnership on the possibilities of the i-Lab use and their influence on the innovation development processes of the participants of the teaching and learning processes.
No one would argue that creativity is an incentive to innovation and change which boosts the growth of economy. The question behind this statement is how to direct creativity into success and development of organisations? In the context of research on creativity, this paper aims to introduce the concept of Open Badges -a standard of describing and documenting skills, competences and achievements gained anywhere and anytime. Juxtaposed with the paradox of structure, it is argued that an Open Badge system can be used to support more effective team building, goal setting and thus successful leadership.
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