> Egil Froyland, Akershus University College, Norway
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> Vikings exploring VET in Australia and the South Pacific
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> Dear and honourable colleagues,
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> First of all let me start by thanking the organisers of the UNEVOC conference for giving the Vikings the lion's share of the seats at the conference and particular thanks to Di Booker for the fantastic way she has organised our week here in Adelaide.
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> Participants have asked members of the large Norwegian delegation two questions that I will like to respond to. The first question is: How small a country is Norway? - and the second one: Why such a large Norwegian study-group to Australia? I will respond to them in the perspective of the conference: Vision for action for the 21st century.
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> Before answering the questions, let me outline some aspects of the concept of learning I find helpful for good communication on educational development and co-operation. To my understanding, learning is personal and social, it is contextual and situational, it is emotional and it is value based, but not always value reflected, and it is holistic. With such a concept of learning we may easily appreciate the common experience that the conference breaks are most valuable because we then can interact personally and learn to know each other.
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> The concept of learning may also help to appreciate that there are two different approaches to changing educational systems: a top-down and a bottom-up approach. In international conferences focusing on policy-making and educational change a top-down perspective often dominates the agenda to the neglect of a bottom-up perspective. We must never forget, as Ken Wiltshire reminded us yesterday, that the whole business of education is about stimulating and facilitating learning for students, teachers and school leaders.
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> Yesterday, Dr Quisumbing, delivered a very committed and thought provocative presentation for the need to base our visions and actions on values. We have to analyse and reflect on the ideologies underpinning our work and models for educational development. The current language of 'educational delivery models', may serve as an example of models or metaphors borrowed from the production/engineering sector that need to be appraised from an ideologically point of view.
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> Then to the question: How small a country is Norway. Anyway, where is it? Nor-way - it's the way to the North Pole. The Arctic Circle (67,6 degrees N) cuts the country in the middle. . You are most welcome to pay a visit to our cold and cool country Up-There. We cannot offer you sunny beaches as you have in Australia or in the pacific islands - but we can offer you the exotic midnight sun.
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> Norway is a sparsely populated country - a little larger than New Zealand and a population of 4.5 million people. We have approximately 230,000 immigrants, half of them from Europe, the remainder from the rest of the world.
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> 100 years ago Norway was a very poor, under-developed country - compared to most European countries. . Almost one million Norwegians emigrated to United States in the period 1840-1910. Today we live in one of the richest countries in the world, close to the top of the OECD ladder. Norway struck oil 30 years ago. Due to high oil prices the Government has now accumulated oil funds equivalent to $A80 billion. Norway is in the peculiar situation of having plenty of money - and nevertheless plenty of poorly maintained public facilities and services. Having low unemployment (3-4%) and shortage of manpower the Government cannot spend too much of the funds without serious consequences for inflation and for the international competitiveness of the Norwegian industry. The Government's restricted financial policy is attacked by popular, opposition parties arguing for reduction of taxes and duties and for spending more money on public services - especially health care for older people. Unfortunately, the situation als
o seems favourable for fostering nationalistic sentiments. >
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> Norwegian political parties agree that the oil fund should be the main resource for financing the public pension scheme. Personally, I have benefited from the entitlement to retire at the age of 62. This gives me more time and opportunity to join and participate in networks of interest. My vision is that senior professionals will become active and participants in the formation of a global and just networking society.
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> When considering the topic of this UNEVOC conference Vision for action for the 21st century one has to reflect on the effects of globalising markets. A central issue is: How does globalisation affect equity in distribution of wealth generated within and among countries. In my opinion this deals with a key value which should be reflected in vocational education and training - and in the work of UNEVOC and other international co-operation organisations. Let me mention that the Norwegian government has decided to allocate more money to international co-operation in education. The annual budget for international assistance in Norway this year is equivalent to $A2 billion - half the budget to multi-lateral and half to bi-lateral programs.
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> At the turn of the century Norway had 200 000 students at the tertiary level, 20 000 of them studying abroad. In 1999 2 000 Norwegians went to Australia for studies - and this year the number has almost doubled. Why are all the students going to Australia? Is it the quality of the educational institutions, the sunny climate, the hospitality of the people> ...> ? We had to make a study tour to find out. So far we have found that the declining value of the Australian dollar has a bright side: the cost of living for international students is becoming more competitive than ever. The Australian education export 'industry' will prosper.
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> On the Internet, I have read what the Hon. Minister David Kemp said a few years ago at the ANTA Conference: The Australian VET system and its principles are widely acknowledged to be the best in the world. How could that be? Our former Hon. Minister Gudmund Hernes said the same after he had reformed the VET system in Norway in the mid-90ties. By the way, Professor Hernes is currently the Director at the International Institute for Educational Planning, UNESCO in Paris. Anyway, the statement of the Hon. Minister provided a good reason for a study tour to Australia.
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> A few words about the Norwegian education system: Norway is one of the most egalitarian countries in the world. We have a very comprehensive primary school system of 10 years public school - starting at the age of 6. Private schools enrol less than 2% of the cohort. Norwegian boys and girls attend the school nearest to their homes.
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> After the compulsory, primary education Norwegian youth has a statutory right to three years of secondary education. In the upper secondary schools, approximately 50% of the students attend what is called the "general" academic stream and the second half attends vocational streams. After 'Reform 1994' of upper secondary education the main VET model includes two years of school based vocational education and two years of training at the workplace, i.e. an apprenticeship system. In Norway, contrary to the experience in many other countries, the new apprenticeship system has been successful in expanding the number of trainees and improving the quality of workplace training. The employers' and employees' organisations have played a crucial role in this respect. After the two years school based vocational education the students can opt for a third year general education course qualifying for matriculation examination. A substantial and increasing number of students choose this alternative.
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> Adult education or life-long learning has been defined as a major challenge in Norway with the advent of the new century. The Norwegian Parliament has endorsed a program officially labelled the Competence reform. Work-place training or learning - and hence VET and training of VET professionals - will come much more in the focus> for research and developing work. The Competence reform represents a great challenge for VET professional training colleges.
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> Akershus University College, Faculty of Education offers training of VET professionals at certificate, graduate and post-graduate level. A staff development program focusing on VET research and development work has been initiated at the college. An integral part of the program was an offer of A$ 3000 per participant for a study tour. 23 staff members selected Australia as their destination. We have taken advantage of the vast and impressive VET documentation available on Internet in our preparation. A good starting point in our planning has been the AVETRA Conference last year giving access to 80 papers and their presenters. Obligatory reading has been the report by Chris Robinson: Development in Australia's Vocational Education and Training System (50 pages). An article by Geoff Malley and Jack Keating: Quality Influences on Implementation of Vocational Education and Training in Australian Secondary Schools. For more general and critical comments a Radford Lecture by Lindsay Connors: Schools in Australi
a: A Hard Act to Follow has been suggested. Everybody has been encouraged to make their own web surveys in their own field of specialisation. After visiting conferences and TAFE colleges in Adelaide we will travel to institutions in Sydney and Brisbane - that we have identified to be of particular interest.
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> With the global and futuristic perspective of this UNEVOC conference it is tempting to mention a rewarding Internet visit to Institute for Interactive Multimedia (IIM), UTS. On the IIM web site we found a course with a series of lectures by Professor Chris Nash on the implications of the digital revolution - especially related to our comprehension and visions of society, culture and economy in the 21st century. Considering VET actions for the post-industrial era we can profit much from cross-disciplinary 'study-tours'. (http://www.iim.uts.edu.au/classes/mip/index.html)
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> The preparatory, virtual study-tour to Australia has brought very forcefully home to us that professionals now have golden opportunities of creating global communities of practice. Through digital information sharing and through collaborative and comparative research the professional communities are in a much better position to generate timely knowledge relevant for policy-making and innovative work. Professor Ken Wiltshire maintained yesterday that there is a problem in the Australian school system, namely: Students are forced to make their career choices too early. OK, if that's a problem, come to Norway and see how we have 'solved' the problem - so successfully - that voices now are being raised for shorter compulsory schooling.
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> Earlier this morning Paul Williams spoke about the seafood processing industry in New Zealand and the need to make development research. Fisheries and the seafood processing industry are important in Norwegian economy too. 'Fish farming' is anticipated to be a major industry in the future. My colleague, Leif Langli, has been doing developmental research in this field, so, Leif please stand up so Paul can see a potential 'dancing partner'. In most professional fields there are possibilities for productive partnerships between individuals and institutions irrespective of their location in the world.
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> Now, receiving a small signal from my right hand side that it is time to come to an end, I will wind up by showing you the last edition of Weekend Australian. What I would like to draw attention to is an advertisement on the first page of the Job section. Half the page as you can see is covered with an advertisement for Fifty new positions at Norconsult Telematics> . It is fifty high-technology positions supposed to render telecommunication services throughout Australia and the South-Pacific region. The advertisement gives evidence to the fact that small countries can be big and advanced in some niches of the world market. The Headquarter of Norconsult is situate> d in the same municipality as Akershus University College.
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> Our college has been a rather dormant Norwegian UNEVOC centre. With inspiration from Norconsult Telmatics, and first of all from this UNEVO conference, I feel confident that the development of our UNEVOC centre will get a boost and become a functional vehicle for international cooperation. To expand and strengthen a professional, value-reflected and global VET-community of practice should be a very meaningful and productive action for the 21st century.
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> Thank you for your attention.
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> References
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> Connors, Lyndsay. 1999, 'Radford lecture: schools in Australia: a hard act to follow', in AARE - NZARE 1999 Conference, Melbourne, 28 November - 2 December 1999 [Online]. Available: http://www.aare.edu.au/99pap/con99557.htm [Accessed 26th April 2001]
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> Malley, Jeff; Keating, Jack. 2000, 'Policy influences on the implementation of vocational education and training in Australian secondary schools', Journal of vocational education and training, vol. 52, no. 4, pp. 627-652
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> Robinson, Chris. 2000, 'Developments in Australia's vocational education and training system', in International conference on vocational education and training in Asia Pacific region: vocational education and training for all, Seoul, Republic of Korea, 18-20 October 2000. Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training (KRIVET) p. 195-270
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> Some Norwegian web addresses
> Portal to Norway http://www.norge.no/english
> Norwegian Ministry of Education http://odin.dep.no/kuf/engelsk/index-b-n-a.html
> The Competence Reform in Norway http://odin.dep.no/kuf/engelsk/education/competence-reform
> The Research Council of Norway http://www.forskningsradet.no/english/
> Network for IT-Research and Competence http://www.itu.uio/engelsk/index.htm
> The Norwegian Board of Education http://www.ls.no/english.asp
> VOX, Institute for Adult Education http://www.vox.no
> Akershus University College: http://www.hiak.no
> (Currently only Norwegian texts)
> http://www.ait.tafe.sa.edu.au/unevoc/2001conf/downloads/froyland_paper.doc
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