Evaluation of the Governance of VET in International Comparison

The methodological procedure of rating the governance of VET systems is based on a discursive group rating. Central prerequisites for this are: (1) the relevant competence of the participants, (2) a steering group that includes the representatives of the participating regions/countries, (3) the experts involved are affected by the subject matter of the group training, and (4) the participants recognize the aim of the group discussion to broaden and change their own view and perspective. The four phases of discursive group rating: (1) All participants in the national (regional) rating group receive a rating scale. (2) Each participant rates the items individually. The ratings of all participants are presented. (3) These two inputs open the group discussion, which in this procedure is limited to introducing additional arguments for differing ratings, if necessary. (4) Afterwards, all participants have the opportunity to correct their original rating. The objectifying element of the method is the assessment tools developed by the international steering group. The definitions of the items and the scale require clear determinations by the raters in the evaluation procedure. The group discussion regulated by this increases the rationality of the raters’ subjective reasons and opinions and gives them an objectifying moment. Using an example of the comparison of VET governance systems in Denmark, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, this chapter illustrates this procedure.