Happy New Year!!!

Dear website visitor,

Happy New Year!!! I wish you a Happy, Healthy and Successful 2017. With 37,500 unique visitors and over 1,1 Million hits, I have the impression that this website fulfils a need. Visitors come from all over the world; the top 5 countries during December 2016 are France, Japan, the United States, China and the Russian Federation. Thanks for using my work. Continue reading Happy New Year!!!

Impression of VETNET researchers’ workshop during the VET Skills Week

On December 8, during the VET Skills Week of the European Commission held in Brussels, the European Vocational Education and Training Research community got together to speak about priorities for VET research which could support the achievement of the Midterm Delivery Goals of the Riga Conclusions (2015) and the objectives set by the New Skills Agenda. Various rounds were held and the results will be shared soon. Facilitators: Michael Gessler (DE) and Christof Nägele (CH). Continue reading Impression of VETNET researchers’ workshop during the VET Skills Week

An honour: ‘VET Researcher Award’ received from European Commissioner Marianne Thyssen

During the European Vocational Skills Week in Brussels on December 9, 2016, it was my honour to have received the VET Researcher Award, which was installed by  the European Commission, for my life time achievement in VET research. The Award was presented by Marianne Thyssen, European Commissioner, Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility. The European Vocational Skills Week is a new event, organized under the auspices of the European Commission. I am dedicating this Award to all Vocational Education and Training Researchers, Policy experts, Teachers and Students in Europe and beyond (pictures: René van Schalkwijk, with thanks).

Continue reading An honour: ‘VET Researcher Award’ received from European Commissioner Marianne Thyssen

Ready for the VET Skills Week of the European Commission in Brussels

Ready for the European Business Forum on VET, Workshop 4: VET Research – Strengthening the Evidence Base, taking place on December 8, and to present a short keynote on ‘VET and companies. Demands and contributions. Case: The Netherlands’ as input for a discussion on informing the European Commission on setting a European VET Research Agenda.

Continue reading Ready for the VET Skills Week of the European Commission in Brussels

Carla Oonk successfully defended her PhD thesis

161207 CarlaCarla Oonk successfully defended her PhD thesis on Regional Learning Environments on December 7 in the Auditorium of Wageningen University. Co-promotor was Dr. Judith Gulikers. Deputy Rector Magnificus was Em. Prof. dr. Just Vlak. Opponents were Professors Van Boekel, Akkerman, Den Brok and Lagendijk. Congrats to Carla! Download dissertation here: PhD thesis Carla Oonk Continue reading Carla Oonk successfully defended her PhD thesis