OECD and Education

Deborah Roseveare

Head, Education and Training Policy Division

Directorate for Education

28th April, 2011

What is the OECD?

Established 50 years ago – Turkey a founding member

International organisation with 34 member countries

(and the European Union)

Mission to promote better policies for better lives

How does OECD work?

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engage governments and also a wide range of stakeholders

compare policy experiences across countries and draw

together lessons and policy options for countries

link together policies across different sectors to achieve better

outcomes

economics

environment

health

competition

taxation

migration

corruption governance

social policy

investment

trade

agriculture

development

pensions insurance innovation

entrepreneurship

investment

Education

policy analysis

Education is an investment in the future. Our work on education aims to

make that investment strong, effective and fair

OECD Directorate for Education focuses on key challenges facing

education systems today

Topics OECD Education covers

Transitions

beyond

Initial Education

Equity and Equality

of Opportunity

Outcomes, Benefits

and Returns

Adult Learning

Higher Education

Innovation and Knowledge

Management

Schooling

LifeLong

Learning

Early Childhood Education and Care

Education and Training Policy

Research findings

and data Policy analysis

Lessons from

international

experience

Timely, relevant, constructive

policy advice to countries

On one topic

across countries

On one country

across several topics One topic

for one country

Constant learning cycle

Subject experience

International experience

Tacit knowledge

Expertise in

policy analysis

working with stakeholders

building capacity

making reform happen

Networks

research community

policy experts

officials

stakeholders

Some recent ETP reviews

Current ETP reviews

Encouraging quality in ECEC

Overcoming school failure: policies that work

Improving outcomes in lower secondary school in Norway

Transitions for Students with Disabilities beyond Secondary

School

Assessment and Evaluation Frameworks for Improving

School Outcomes

Investing in youth in emerging economies

Skills beyond School

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Common policy challenges

Skills beyond School

How can institutional frameworks, funding and governance arrangements

be designed to encourage:

– optimal balance between post-secondary VET and academic

programmes?

– providers to respond to labour market needs?

– innovation and efficient provision of programmes?

How to manage costs of post-secondary VET

(private and public)?

How to strengthen quality assurance

– to drive improvement?

– to increase accountability?

How well do programmes correspond to labour market needs?

– Do they broadly match job openings?

– Do they lead to better labour market outcomes?

– Do they provide technical, generic, soft skills that

• employers currently want

• are transferable though working life

• underpin lifelong learning

How to make providers more responsive to labour market needs?

How to strengthen “job-readiness” skills?

How to most effectively engage employers, trade unions and other

stakeholders in postsecondary VET?

How to collect, interpret and use data on labour market outcomes effectively?

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Common policy challenges

Skills beyond School

12

Which tools are best for sideways and upwards mobility through post-

secondary education?

– Qualifications frameworks

– Credit transfer arrangements

– Recognition of prior learning

How to raise completion rates?

– Tighter and/or tougher student entry requirements?

– Stricter quality control of programmes offered?

– Better orientation and guidance?

– More effective student support?

– Better student preparation?

– Rebalancing funding across providers and students?

– Improve flexibility and mobility through system?

Common policy challenges

Skills beyond School

Thank you!

www.oecd.org/edu

www.oecd.org/edu/pointers

www.oecd.org/edu/earlychildhood

www.oecd.org/edu/evaluationpolicy

www.oecd.org/edu/equity

www.oecd.org/edu/learningforjobs

www.oecd.org/education/vet