Getting the stakeholders involved: Partnership at work in three countries from Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe [antikvár]

Introduction Partnership in practice David Atchoarena The term 'partnership' has gradually emerged as a new form of governance. In the field of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) it describes co-ordination mechanisms at the system level, as well as cooperation between schools and businesses, at the institution level. Partnership may involve a wide range of actors including social partners, NGOs, community groups, or private providers. Although evaluative work is still incomplete, it is now increasingly accepted that the participation of stakeholders can improve the effectiveness of TVET systems. Such a consensus largely resulted from the changing role of the state. The public sector is no longer considered as capable of providing alone the relevant type of TVET, in adequate quantity. The perceived isolation of TVET systems and institutions from the world of work motivated this movement towards sharing responsibilities with concerned actors, primarily employers. Furthermore, the wide dissemination of democratic values is also promoting participatory policy making, social dialogue and the involvement of civil society in TVET. That trend reflects an increasing concern for transparency in decision-making, free expression of divergent views and interests and for accountability. Finally, the concept of partnership has also largely benefited from the paradigm shift towards market principles. Contraction of the public sector, cuts in government spending, deregulation and privatization all imply increasing reliance on new actors.