Chapter 3 – VET Policies for Learners’ Engagement
VET policies should foster collaboration through joint problem-solving and by integrating learner perspectives into planning and policy development. In particular, governance plays a key role in embedding learner engagement across institutional decision-making and policy (SEPR and SKUPNOST 2024). However, the value of student participation in VET systems is still undermined by a series of challenges, such as providing adequate resources and support for student representatives (CoE 2024) and creating effective mechanisms for student input at various governance levels (Bergseng 2019).
To overcome these and other barriers, you first need to understand the “engagement” of learners in a broad sense: it is not only about letting learners take part in formal institutional decision-making bodies, such as a learner representative council. Accountability, transparency, and accessibility must underpin all VET processes. Learners must be informed early, given space to review, provide input, and offer feedback—rather than just being notified of changes affecting them (SEPR and SKUPNOST 2024). Therefore, open and clear communication channels between administrators and learners are crucial. This can be achieved through regular forums for direct learner-decision-maker interaction (Mende 2023) and accessible governance information (Bergseng 2019).
Approaches to learner engagement should seek to find a balance between learner engagement in their own learning and learner engagement in the process of enhancing that learning. To truly include learners, these processes need to be followed up by official and tangible changes in the statutes, rules, and practices of your VET institution (SEPR and SKUPNOST 2024). The table below illustrates some ways in which you can maximise the benefits of learners’ engagement:
