Annual Report 2013 TRAINING MADE IN GERMANY

Transcription

1 Annual Report 2013

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3 Annual Report 2013 TRAINING MADE IN GERMANY

4 Imprint Publisher: Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) imove: Training Made in Germany Robert-Schuman-Platz Bonn Germany Phone: Fax: info@imove-germany.de Internet: Project Management: Silvia Niediek Editing: Silvia Niediek and Katharina Moraht Photos: imove Layout: CD Werbeagentur GmbH, Troisdorf, Print: Brandt GmbH, Bonn July 2014, imove. All rights reserved. This publication is sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. imove is responsible for the contents of this publication. ISBN Catalogue No Please order imove publications by sending an to info@imove-germany.de.

5 3Contents Foreword...5 Results and Perspectives...6 Organisation, Goals and Services...9 Trade Fairs, Exhibitions and Conferences...13 Online Service...21 Press and Public Relations...25 Strategic Partnerships and Networks...33

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7 5Foreword The German dual system of vocational education and training, combining in-company training with school-based learning, is regarded worldwide as a success model and an example worth emulating. Given the high rates of youth unemployment and increasing skilled labour shortage in many countries across the globe, the dual qualification method is more desirable and sought after than ever before. Work-based learning industry-oriented vocational training and continuing education for attaining professional competence is gaining an ever increasing followership of interested parties, proponents and customers throughout the world. The pursuit of corresponding approaches in other countries requires the joint efforts of both the public and private sectors. The main goal is the creation of apprenticeship placements and the winning over of businesses to provide vocational training. Yet appropriately equipped education centres, modern curricula, cross-company training and examination standards that are based on the respective occupational concept as well as the occupation-related educational qualification of teachers and trainers are of equal importance. German providers in particular command extensive experience and competences with regard to related diverse vocational training and continuing education services. To facilitate their networking with international interested parties, the imove division at the German Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) provides a comprehensive set of information and services. Established in 2001 as an initiative by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), imove supports the establishment of successful crossborder education partnerships. Due to the high quality of the German custom-made service provision, the number of co-operation projects is considerably increasing. This is evidenced also by the growing international recognition awarded to Training Made in Germany. The aim is to further promote this trend and to establish the German education export as a reliable factor in the global education market. The annual report at hand provides a detailed account of the activities taking place in this context. We would like to take this opportunity to extend warm thanks to all those involved for their commitment to international co-operation in the field of vocational education and training and for compiling this annual report. Volker Rieke Head of Department European and International Cooperation in Education and Research Federal Ministry of Education and Research Professor Dr Friedrich Hubert Esser President Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB)

8 Results and Perspectives In 2013, for the fourth time, imove collected a trend barometer from amongst German exporters of vocational training and continuing education, which yielded impressive results and further underpinned the increasing internationalisation of the industry. The percentage of education providers with business activities abroad has more than doubled since Almost every fourth German provider exports education services. Seven out of ten surveyed businesses project more growth potential in foreign markets than in the domestic. 6 Also in 2013, imove remained true to its goal to promote the cooperative dialogue in the field of education and to fill the term of vocational education export with life. Regarding its target countries, imove placed emphasis on the USA in 2013, in addition to its long-term focus on India and the Arab countries. A US market study and a best practice brochure were published and a

9 7 networking event for exchanging information about the USA was organised. imove attended various international education trade fairs in 2013 to increase awareness for the German education export in India, Thailand and Brazil, among other countries. Moreover, imove published another market analysis and extended its foreign language information service to include flyers in Portuguese and Thai. Again in 2013, the imove internet portal proved a popular starting point and service venue for education providers engaged in export activities. Almost 70 per cent of the nearly 60,000 site visitors hailed from Germany. With respect to downloads, the best practice brochures, market studies and success stories proved persistently popular. Information regarding the provider database occupies the top rank in the hit list of most popular pages as per number of page views on the international portal. In 2013, imove put online several features to enhance user friendliness, including the relaunch of the home pages and general navigation. Both the number of business profiles in the provider database and the number of subscribers to the German-language and, respectively, the English-language imove newsletter further increased in All in all, the imove services are well received by education providers. According to the trend barometer survey, the imove services are rated with a mark of 1.9 on average. Following requests from the industry, the range of networking events was further expanded and the choice of strategy seminars was tailored to include particularly demanded topics such as Tenders.

10 Results and Perspectives The interests of the industry will continue to play a decisive role also in the future activities of imove. In response to a frequently expressed wish, 2014 will see the publication of co-operation information on individual areas of expertise and topics in the field of vocational training and continuing education, starting with the Renewables and Cleantech Sector. Moreover, additional information regarding the Asian markets is in preparation. Finally, an organisational reform was introduced in 2013: 12 years after the creation of imove, the initiative was integrated into the BIBB as a new division. In combination with the enduring close ties to the BMBF, this measure of consolidation opens up many opportunities for an even greater intensification of the exchange in partnership and the utilisation of new synergies. However, nothing has changed with respect to the special focus of imove. Strengthening the imove network and, first and foremost, supporting the exporting providers of vocational training and continuing education were and continue to be the tasks at the heart of the imove team s efforts. I give thanks to all colleagues for their motivation, their commitment and the jointly achieved successes. I look forward with great expectations to the new tasks and projects that will keep us busy in Markus Milwa Head of Division imove at the BIBB 8

11 9 Organisation, Goals and Services imove (International Marketing of Vocational Education) is an initiative of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) designed to promote and support the export of German vocational training and continuing education. With its extensive range of services, imove supports German education providers in accessing international markets. With the brand of Training Made in Germany, imove campaigns abroad for German competence in the field of vocational education and training.

12 Organisation, Goals and Services imove STAFF MEMBERS IN MARKUS MILWA HEAD OF DIVISION imove 2 MONIKA MUYLKENS ACADEMIC STAFF MARKET INFORMATION AND STUDIES 3 SILVIA NIEDIEK ACADEMIC STAFF PRESS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS 4 HANS-GERHARD REH ACADEMIC STAFF INTERNATIONAL EVENTS 5 HELMUT BRÜCK ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF FINANCE ADMINISTRATION UNTIL 31 JULY JANA KLENOVSEK (NOT PICTURED) ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF INTERNATIONAL EVENTS UNTIL 31 MARCH ANKE KÖLLER ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF INTERNET AND ONLINE EDITOR imove was established in November On 12 September 2013, imove was integrated as an independent division into the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) in Bonn and thus set up as a permanent service department. In 2013, imove employed a total of 13 members of staff. In addition to the management, the team in 2013 included 3 academic staff, 5 administrative staff, 3 office staff (2 of which in part-time employment) as well as one student assistant. The team is further complemented by Anjali Sinha, who heads the imove office in India. 8 KATHARINA MORAHT ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF PROJECT ASSISTANT, PR AND INTERNET 9 KRISTINE SCHINKMANN ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF NATIONAL EVENTS 10 PETRA LANDEN OFFICE STAFF PROJECT ASSISTANT 11 BEATE ROHM (NOT PICTURED) OFFICE STAFF PROJECT ASSISTANT, NATIONAL EVENTS UNTIL 30 JUNE PERVIN UYAR (NOT PICTURED) OFFICE STAFF PROJECT ASSISTANT 13 SEBASTIAN EIKEL STUDENT ASSISTANT UNTIL 31 DECEMBER ANJALI SINHA (NOT PICTURED) PROJECT MANAGER imove OFFICE INDIA 10

13 11 Across the globe, the strategic development of qualified personnel becomes more and more important. Only top-quality vocational training and continuing education for employed staff can ensure the productivity and competitive capability of businesses in the global economy in the long term. Occupational education also provides a safeguard for employability and career opportunities and contributes to the sustained social stability of entire nations. Yet numerous countries are troubled by an acute shortage of skilled labour. In many parts of the world there is interest in German support for the development of solutions that contribute to meeting the demand for qualified staff. Germany is a competent international partner in the field of vocational education and training. Training Made in Germany stands for the high quality of German vocational education concepts and training programmes. The aim of imove is to promote the internationalisation of occupational education services from Germany and to better position the German vocational training and continuing education competence in the foreign markets. In imove, both German providers and foreign demanders of education services have an experienced contact at their disposal. With its wide range of services, imove prepares German education providers for their entry into foreign markets and acts as a facilitator for their contact with potential customers and co-operation partners. Moreover, imove offers extensive information regarding framework conditions of the education policy and export opportunities worldwide. With market studies, seminars, workshops, trade missions and trade fair participation as well as a comprehensive multi-lingual online service provision including a provider database and a B2B marketplace, imove supports German providers of education on their path to launching themselves in foreign markets. In Germany, the imove service provision is predominantly directed at small and medium-sized businesses providing vocational training and continuing education. The range of industries is wide, including providers of qualifications in the trades and in the field of business administration, technical and medical qualifications and occupation-specific continuing education for management staff. The initiative s target groups include also providers of e-learning software and other teaching and learning materials. imove SERVICE MARKET STUDIES FOR 25 COUNTRIES TREND BAROMETER OF THE GERMAN CONTINUING EDUCATION SECTOR HANDBOOKS, BEST-PRACTICE BROCHURES STUDY ON THE ECONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE OF GERMAN EDUCATIONAL EXPORTS TRADE MISSIONS TRADE FAIR PRESENTATIONS, VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING WORKSHOPS AND B2B MEETINGS NETWORKING EVENTS AND SEMINARS PERTAINING TO SELECT TARGET MARKETS WORKSHOPS ON INTERNATIONALISATION AND EDUCATION MARKETING CONFERENCES AND CONVENTIONS INTERNET PORTAL IN SEVEN LANGUAGES, imove PROVIDER DATABASE AND AN INTERACTIVE B2B MARKETPLACE, ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER

14 Organisation, Goals and Services The most important target areas for imove activities are regions and countries characterised by a high degree of economic dynamics and an increasing demand for educational services. The imove target markets include in particular Asia with China and India, the Arab world with a focus on the Gulf States as well as Russia and Latin America. The building and maintaining of global networks constitute a fundamental part of imove s activities. In Germany, the initiative is not only closely linked to the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and to the Federal Institute for Vocational Training (BIBB), but also maintains intensive co-operation with education companies, other ministries, trade associations and the embassies of the respective partner countries. Within the target markets abroad, imove maintains long-standing contacts with the German Chambers of Commerce Abroad and German embassies as well as with local educational institutions, trade associations and government authorities. COUNTRIES IN WHICH imove HAS BEEN ACTIVE TO DATE BRAZIL (NEW!) 12 imove is a must for any educational organisation that is active abroad or wants to be so. Federico Avellán Borgmeyer, i-training Asia Ltd.

15 13 Trade Fairs, Exhibitions and Conferences Organising Successful Co-operation By taking part in trade fairs, conferences and workshops abroad, imove provides an international audience with information on German competence in the field of vocational education and training. imove provides German training providers with the opportunity of sounding out their international business opportunities through joint activities abroad.

16 Trade Fairs, Exhibitions and Conferences In 2013, the imove initiative presented its service provision and activities at various trade fairs abroad and expanded its network by numerous interesting contacts. Moreover, imove took part in several overseas vocational education and training conferences and workshops. In January, the closing event of the Year of Germany in India was hosted in Pune under the motto Germany and India: Infinite Opportunities ; imove was present with an information stand. imove advertised Training Made in Germany, as it previously had already done in the other four cities hosting the Indo-German Urban Mela In February, imove accompanied Federal Education Minister Annette Schavan on a five-day trip to South Africa. The delegation met with representatives from science, research, politics and industry to talk about the further expansion of the co-operation. One TRADE FAIRS, EXHIBITIONS AND CONFERENCES focal point of the visit was the intensification of the co-operation in the field of vocational education and training. In November, also for the purpose of intensifying the bilateral co-operation in the field of vocational education and training, imove accompanied the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) on a trip to three major Chinese cities, where it contributed to work meetings, symposia and planning for the German-Chinese activities in the following year. TYPE OF EVENT LOCATION (COUNTRY) DATE TRADE FAIR ON OCCASION OF THE YEAR OF GERMANY IN INDIA (imove OFFICE INDIA) PUNE (INDIA) JAN PARTICIPATION IN THE SOUTH AFRICA TRIP OF THE FEDERAL MINISTER OF EDUCATION JOHANNESBURG, PRETORIA, FEB. 4 8 AND RESEARCH CAPE TOWN (SOUTH AFRICA) PARTICIPATION IN THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON INDIAN COMMUNITY COLLEGES NEW DELHI (INDIA) FEB. 6 7 (imove OFFICE INDIA) TRADE FAIR PRESENCE AT THE EDUCAR/EDUCADOR SÃO PAULO (BRAZIL) MAY TRADE FAIR PRESENCE AT THE 6 TH GLOBAL SKILLS SUMMIT OF FICCI (imove OFFICE INDIA) NEW DELHI (INDIA) SEPT. 4 6 TRADE FAIR PRESENCE AT THE 5 TH WORLDDIDAC INDIA (imove OFFICE INDIA) MUMBAI (INDIA) SEPT TRADE FAIR PRESENCE AT THE WORLDDIDAC ASIA BANGKOK (THAILAND) OCT PARTICIPATION IN A VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND EDUCATION CONFERENCE (imove OFFICE INDIA) KERALA (INDIA) NOV PARTICIPATION IN THE BMBF TRIP TO CHINA FOR INTENSIFYING THE CO-OPERATION IN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING PARTICIPATION IN THE DON BOSCO EXPOSURE AND DIALOGUE PROGRAMME WORKSHOP (imove OFFICE INDIA) BEIJING, QINGDAO, SHANGHAI (CHINA) NOV. 5 8 PUNE (INDIA) NOV. 15

17 15 International Conference on Indian Community Colleges The International Conference on Community Colleges Mainstreaming Skills Education: creating relevant Human Resource hosted by the Indian Education Ministry was held in New Delhi in early February. The aim of the conference was to sound out the international co-operation potential for establishing 200 pilot community colleges in India. The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) is in the process of reforming existing vocational educational institutions such as colleges and polytechnics, rebranding these as community colleges. About 250 representatives of Indian educational institutions and Indian state governments attended the conference. Five German training providers took part in the conference, by the agency of imove. In addition to these German providers, the list of attendees included also providers from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia. imove advertised German vocational education and training during the conference. imove at the Educar/Educador trade show From 22 to 25 May, imove travelled to Brazil to present vocational education and training made in Germany as well as its own service provision at the Educar/ Educador, Latin America s largest education show and conference. More than 12,000 education experts, producers and retailers of teaching materials as well as teachers attended the Educar/Educador to acquaint themselves with the latest solutions, technology and trends in the education sector. The Brazilian education market is already characterised by major private providers and high import duties further impede market entry for foreign education providers. Yet imove engaged in numerous talks during the show, which revealed that Brazil offers a huge potential for trainings and continuing education programmes. Especially the focus on practical application and the adaptation of the curricula to the needs of the industry provide Training Made in Germany with a competitive advantage in Brazil. This is why the service provision of German education providers, presented in the context of the conference on the podium, during workshops and networking events, met with great interest.

18 Trade Fairs, Exhibitions and Conferences FICCI Global Skills Summit For the sixth time, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) hosted the Global Skills Summit in New Delhi between 4 and 6 September. FICCI developed the Global Skills Summit as a platform for national and international dialogue on Indian vocational education and training and each year brings to the table experts and stakeholders from politics, industry and society. The two-day event governed by the theme Industry Leads was organised in co-operation with the Ministry of Human Resource Development, the Ministry of Labour and Employment, the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and New Zealand as partnering country of this year s education summit. Representatives from Germany actively participated in the discussion groups and presented their services at information stands. imove informed visitors about its own activities and services at its own information stand. WorldDidac India 16 imove was represented with an information stand at the fifth WorldDidac India in Mumbai between 11 and 13 September. The WorldDidac India International Exhibition for Educational Products and Solutions takes place each year either in New Delhi or Mumbai. The most important exhibition sectors at the WorldDidac India are educational supplies and consumables, vocational education and training, natural sciences and technology, information and communication technology, didactic and learning materials, published products, school equipment, seminar and conference equipment, presentation equipment as well as basic and continuing education. This year, some 100 exhibitors used the exhibition as a presentation platform. During the three exhibition days, thousands of visitors from 23 countries flocked to the Mumbai exhibition grounds to gather information on innovations and trends.

19 17 WorldDidac Asia and convention participation imove presented itself alongside 14 German businesses from the education industry at the German Pavilion during the WorldDidac Asia exhibition which took place in the Thai capital of Bangkok from 9 to 11 October. The attendance of Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand underlined the importance of the WorldDidac Asia not only for Thailand but for the entire ASEAN region. Numerous Thai visitors as well as many guests from neighbouring countries, such as Indonesia, Malaysia and Myanmar, visited the imove stand to find out more about Training Made in Germany. As in the previous years, the exhibition was accompanied by the Asia Education Leaders Forum, a convention of experts. The expert audience and international decision-makers from all fields of education discussed the latest developments and international trends during numerous panel discussions, seminars and workshops. During the workshop Importance of work-based training along national standards experiences from Germany and Thailand, imove presented best practice examples of successful co-operation projects between Asian and German partners in the field of vocational education and training. The workshop was very well attended and had been organised by the Didacta Association, the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) and the Thai Office of Vocational Education Commission (OVEC). Vocational education and training conference in Kerala, India On 5 and 6 November, the government of the Indian state of Kerala hosted the Skill Enterprise Engagement for Empowering Kerala (SEEK 13) conference. The conference was organised by the Additional Skill Acquisition Programme (ASAP) together with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC). Its aim was to bring together experts from industry, administration and education to establish new co-operation activities in the field of education. Corresponding agreements were signed between the state of Kerala and the Institute of Palliative Medicine in Calicat, the Gems and Jewellery Sector Skill Council, the Telecom Sector Skill Council and the Agriculture Sector Council of India. On the second day of the conference, representatives from various countries including Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Germany reported on the international co-operation in the field of vocational education and training. imove presented the German dual system of vocational education and training.

20 Trade Fairs, Exhibitions and Conferences Trip to China for intensifying co-operation in the field of vocational education and training In early November 2013, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) carried out a trip to the three major Chinese cities of Beijing, Qingdao and Shanghai for the purpose of intensifying the Chinese-German co-operation in the field of vocational education and training. imove took part in this trip and contributed to work meetings, symposia and plans for German-Chinese activities taking place in The BMBF and the Chinese Ministry of Education (MoE) organised a work meeting of the German-Chinese Alliance for Vocational Education and Training to be held at the German embassy in Beijing on 5 November. The German Chamber of Commerce Abroad (AHK) Shanghai, the Central Agency for Continuing Vocational Education and Training in the Skilled Crafts (ZWH), imove and the BMBF held talks with the Chinese representatives from the MoE and the Central Institute for Vocational and Technical Education (CIVTE) for the purpose of planning joint activities in Another core theme in the work meeting was the development of co-operation centres for vocational education and training. In addition to the Chinese-German co-operation centre in Chongqing, further centres are to be established in Qingdao, Tianjin and Shanghai. In co-operation with the AHK Shanghai and the Sino-German Ecopark, the BMBF supports vocational education and training activities and projects in the Qingdao region. Against this background, a dialogue forum on topics of relevance to vocational education and training as well as two workshops for German and Chinese 18 enterprises and providers of education and training took place in Qingdao on 6 November. One of these workshops was organised by the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB), the topic being occupations in the cleantech sector. The German-Chinese Symposium for Quality Assurance in Vocational Education and Training was held in Shanghai on 8 November to mark the conclusion of the BMBF project Quality management in vocational education institutions and ISO certification for educational institutions in China. The event took place at the Chinese-German Institute for Vocational Education and Training at the Tongji University (CDIBB) and it was organised by the ZWH, the CDIBB and cert.it. The German-Chinese Cooperation Centre for Vocational Education and Training in Shanghai was opened in the presence of representatives from the BMBF and the MoE. Subsequently, numerous experts from the BIBB, the Chinese partnering institute CIVTE, the ZWH and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ German Society for International Co-operation) spoke on the topic of quality assurance in the field of vocational education and training.

21 19 Don Bosco Exposure and Dialogue Programme Workshop in India In mid-november, imove took part in the workshop Training Skilled Workers Encouraging Young People. Innovative Cooperation between Nonprofit Organisations and Enterprises in Vocational Education and Training. The workshop was carried out by the Exposure and Dialogue Programme Association and Don Bosco Mondo in Pune, India. The Exposure and Dialogue Programmes organised by the association of the same name are addressed at decision-makers in politics, industry, science and society. In co-operation with organisations that are active locally, the association places these decision-makers with families living in poverty. In these direct encounters, participants get to know the circumstances of life and self-initiative of their host families. 16 decision-makers from Germany took part in the workshop and discussed their experiences after having lived with the families of Don Bosco apprentices in Mumbai and Pune for a few days. They experienced first-hand how vocational education and training can provide a path out of poverty for young people in India. During the concluding workshop on 15 November, imove presented its own services and reported on the experiences made in its co-operation with India.

22 Trade Fairs, Exhibitions and Conferences The WorldDidac Asia was excellently organised! Interview with Susanne Koch, apprentice at the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) Question: Ms Koch, what are you apprenticed as at the BIBB? Koch: I have been apprenticed at the BIBB as a management assistant in event organisation since 1 August I am one of the first to have been apprenticed in this job at the BIBB and will complete my apprenticeship as early as in the summer of this year. Question: Vocational education and training in Germany is predominantly characterised by practical relevance. What is your everyday work at the BIBB like? Koch: Together with my colleagues, I mainly conceive, plan and organise various events such as trade fair appearances, seminars and workshops. In the run-up to the event I am responsible for setting things up on site; during the event I am responsible for a smooth performance and after the event for packing up again. I do not really have an everyday work life at the BIBB, because each event is different and brings with it different requirements, challenges and also difficulties. This is why I find the job so very diverse. Question: You travelled with imove to attend the WorldDidac Asia in Bangkok. Was that your first job-related trip abroad and how did it eventuate? Koch: I have made many business trips in the context of my apprenticeship, but the trip with imove to the WorldDidac Asia was my first trip abroad on official business and my very first trip outside of Europe. The training supervisors at the BIBB want to provide us apprentices with the best opportunities to get to know the job in all its various aspects. This is why they very much campaigned on my behalf to find a suitable travel option within the BIBB for a trip abroad and they actively supported me in all the preparations for the trip. Even my vocational college teacher was highly pleased when I told her that I was going to fly to Bangkok, even though I had to take two days leave for that. She equipped me with advice and even recommended a travel guide. Question: How did you like it at the WorldDidac Asia and which experiences did you make there? Koch: At first, Bangkok totally overwhelmed me: the extreme humidity, the lefthand traffic and all those colourful taxis! Everything was so very different compared to familiar Europe. But I liked it very much there and also at the exhibition and I have had many interesting discussions with people from all over the world. All trade fair visitors coming to our stand expressed great interest in imove and particularly in the dual system of vocational education and training. At first I had some concerns because I had to conduct trade fair talks for the first time in English. I did learn English at school and also study the language in a job-specific manner at the vocational college, but there are so few opportunities to actually apply one s knowledge. Yet it all went rather well and I was able to further expand my knowledge of English. Also the talks with the German providers of education, such as Bosch Rexroth, who were co-exhibitors at the German joint stand, were very interesting and instructive for me. Question: You have already attended several trade fairs in Germany. What was your impression of the trade fair in Thailand by comparison? Koch: The atmosphere was very pleasant, everything was excellently organised and when an organisational question arose, there was always a competent contact person at hand. For example, before Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand visited the trade fair, we were given exact instructions as to how to dress and behave. I moreover noticed that the trade fair visitors were particularly friendly, open-minded and interested. Of course, that does not mean that the trade fairs in Germany are badly organised and the visitors there unfriendly. I simply perceived the visitors in Thailand to be particularly pleasant, which most likely is due to the overall positive and friendly attitude of the people there. 20

23 21 Online Service Comprehensive Information on Training Made in Germany The imove portal for international visitors provides up-to-date and relevant information regarding vocational education and training in Germany in seven languages. The imove B2B marketplace and the imove Provider Database support interested parties from across the globe in their search for contacts and partners in the field of vocational training and continuing education made in Germany.

24 Online Service imove s international portal provides comprehensive information on the topic of Training Made in Germany in Arabic, Chinese, German, English, French, Russian and Spanish. The portal s main language is English. In the News section, imove regularly publishes news pertaining to the German vocational training and continuing education industry that are of international relevance. Free downloads of foreign language publications and up-to-date practice reports on international business activities of German training providers from within the imove network can be found under the heading Know-how. In the section Events, imove publishes reports on all activities abroad as well as on events in Germany with an international focus. The provider database and the B2B marketplace can be accessed by clicking on the Service tab. The imove Provider Database contains up-to-date company profiles of German providers of vocational training and continuing education. It allows international visitors to select German training providers in a targeted manner. Moreover, the B2B marketplace helps to identify suitable German partners for specific qualification needs abroad by way of individual searches. Also, imove provides a comprehensive collection of links to German organisations and government institutions that are active in the field of vocational education and training on the one hand and the broader industry on the other. imove regularly publishes a quarterly Englishlanguage newsletter. This newsletter provides information on developments in the German vocational education and training industry and on imove activities for the international target group. 22

25 23 Content In 2013, imove implemented some improvements into the international portal, thereby further improving user friendliness and setting it analogous to the German portal. For instance, the home page now is visually more attractive and clearly arranged so that users see more information at a glance. Relevant co-operation enquiries and event notices can now be placed in a more variable and prominent fashion. In addition to numerous event announcements and event reports, continuous topical content for the portal was provided by 100 published news items about the German vocational education and training industry and four interviews with internationally active education businesses. Institutions and companies from abroad used the B2B marketplace for their targeted search for German partners to work together on specific vocational education and training projects. A total of 24 requests for international vocational education and training co-operation ventures were uploaded to the imove B2B marketplace. The imove International Newsletter was sent out quarterly to approximately 830 subscribers. Compared to the high percentage in the previous year, the opening rate of the newsletter further increased to an average between 46.3 and 63.8 per cent. The rate of clicks on the newsletter link was well above average, ranging between 13.4 and 16.3 per cent. imove Provider Database Towards the end of 2013, 231 German providers of education were represented with their company profile in the imove Provider Database. 17 new profiles went online in The newly included businesses further augment the database by their interesting portfolio of very diverse vocational training and continuing education programmes for the international market, for example in the fields of aircraft mechanics, ecological agriculture as well as drinking water supply and waste water treatment. To facilitate usability for international demanders of vocational education and training made in Germany, imove has integrated a new function into the database for selection of either Training Provider or Consultant. Equipped with a radio button, this new selection function now makes the search for providers even more targeted.

26 Online Service Visitors and Pages 69 per cent of visitors accessed the imove portals from within Germany and 31 per cent from abroad. The majority of international visitors hailed from India, followed by China, the USA, France and Egypt. In 2013, the international imove portal registered some 12,350 visitors and 75,530 page impressions. Each visitor accessed an average of 5.9 pages (2012: 5.2 pages per visitor). Regarding the language ranking, German and English occupy the top of the list as in the previous years, followed by Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, French and Russian. MOST POPULAR DOWNLOADS FILE DEVELOPING SKILLS FOR EMPLOYABILITY WITH GERMAN PARTNERS 8 SUCCESS STORIES FROM ARAB COUNTRIES PROGRAM OF THE 5 TH ARAB-GERMAN EDUCATION AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING FORUM DEVELOPING SKILLS FOR EMPLOYABILITY WITH GERMAN PARTNERS 8 SUCCESS STORIES FROM CHINA DEVELOPING SKILLS FOR EMPLOYABILITY WITH GERMAN PARTNERS 8 SUCCESS STORIES FROM INDIA imove ANNUAL REPORT 2011 DEVELOPING SKILLS FOR EMPLOYABILITY WITH GERMAN PARTNERS 8 SUCCESS STORIES DEVELOPING SKILLS FOR EMPLOYABILITY WITH GERMAN PARTNERS 8 SUCCESS STORIES FROM LATIN AMERICA DEVELOPING SKILLS FOR EMPLOYABILITY WITH GERMAN PARTNERS 8 SUCCESS STORIES FROM THE USA DEVELOPING SKILLS FOR EMPLOYABILITY WITH GERMAN PARTNERS 8 SUCCESS STORIES FROM RUSSIA imove ANNUAL REPORT 2012 DOWNLOADED 107 X 90 X 77 X 65 X 53 X 41 X 38 X 33 X 29 X 24 X The international visitors preferences remained the same: as in the previous years, the Service section containing also the provider database has been the most accessed section in almost all the languages. Equally, as in previous years, the success stories brochures continue to be top of the list as regards downloads. Yet also the programme for the 5th German-Arab Education and Vocational Training Forum and the imove annual reports 2011 and 2012 were amongst the ten most frequently downloaded files. MOST POPULAR PAGES AS PER PAGE VIEWS (EXCL. GERMAN AND ENGLISH, WITHOUT HOME PAGES) MOST POPULAR PAGES IN ENGLISH AS PER PAGE VIEWS (WITHOUT HOME PAGE) RANK PAGE LANGUAGE RANK PAGE 1 SEARCH PROVIDERS CHINESE 1 SEARCH PROVIDERS 2 SEARCH ARABIC 2 EVENTS 3 ABOUT imove SPANISH 3 NEWS 4 PROVIDER DATABASE ARABIC 4 ALL PROVIDERS FROM A Z 5 SEARCH PROVIDERS RUSSIAN 5 ABOUT imove 6 EVENTS ARABIC 6 SEARCH 7 PROVIDER DATABASE SPANISH 7 PROVIDER DATABASE 8 SEARCH PROVIDERS SPANISH 8 CONTACT 9 ABOUT imove CHINESE 9 PUBLICATIONS 10 PUBLICATIONS ARABIC 10 B2B MARKETPLACE 24

27 25 Press and Public Relations Bespoke Information Services At the same time as the demand for skilled labour intensifies on a global scale, the interest in models and benchmarks for the optimisation of domestic vocational education and training systems proves to be on the increase. Information about Training Made in Germany meet with growing demand worldwide.

28 Press and Public Relations Malaysian Meister Interview with Dr Franz Dunkel, ICON-INSTITUT Gesellschaft für berufliche Bildung und Training mbh Question: Dr Dunkel, how did imove support you in your international business activities in practice? Dr Dunkel: In 2012, imove established contact between ICON and a delegation from the Federation of Malaysian Skills Development Centres. This semi-governmental organisation maintains 12 training centres as well as close ties with the industry and it was actively searching for German partners for a continuing education programme. The talks resulted in the development of a tiered Malaysian Meister Training Programme of 7 months duration. In 2013, 18 trainers from several of the Federation s training centres were the first to take part in the pilot programme, in the field of mechatronics. Attending courses in both Malaysia and Germany, they received the qualification to train instructors and to gain information on industry-related needs with regards to learning content such as electropneumatics, hydraulics and programmable logic controllers. Question: Did you co-operate with a German partner in delivering this training? Dr Dunkel: In Germany, the Malaysians were trained at the vocational training centre of the Aachen Chamber of Crafts. ICON has been maintaining a close co-operation with the chamber for many decades. The chamber importantly contributed to the project on a practical level and this was much appreciated also by the Malaysian partners. The continuing education course concluded with a final examination and the awarding of two certificates, one issued by ICON and one by the chamber of crafts. Question: How well was the project received by your customers? Dr Dunkel: The course participants were particularly inspired by the one-stopshop delivery of theoretical and practical learning content. The Federation, in its capacity as purchaser, has applied to its government for recognition of the Malaysian Meister, which they intend to incorporate into the Malaysian education system as a fixture. Further training courses are being planned for other areas of studies after the successful completion of the pilot programme. Question: imove has visited the Malaysian course participants during their sojourn in Germany and has reported about the pilot project on the Internet and in its own publications, both in German and English. Did you receive any reactions in the wake of this reporting? Dr Dunkel: Yes! We have received many reactions, all of which were very positive. For instance, our Malaysian partner had followed the coverage by imove with great interest and, amongst other things, perceived this as a token of the high degree of appreciation awarded to the project by the Germans. This in turn supports and promotes our future activities in Malaysia. Moreover, the coverage brought about our contact with a German business that pursues similar activities in Malaysia 26

29 27 Press Articles and Advertisements imove and the German export of vocational education and training services were noticed and mentioned both in the foreign press and in German media for international target groups. The reports were in particular about the imove activities in India and with Indian partners as well as about imove s Arab-German Education and Vocational Training Forum. imove published image advertisements in economic yearbooks and special-interest magazines with an international target group. These advertised Training Made in Germany and referred to events in this context. Moreover, these ads provided potential international co-operation partners with information about using imove to establish contacts to German partners. The target groups were addressed either in English or in the respective national language of the main group of readers, for example, Chinese or Turkish. The pictures used in the ads were taken at the latest imove events and depicted German and international participants. In 2013, the ads were mainly directed at interested parties in the Arab countries and in Russia. Great, the way you integrated our suggestions into your article. Thank you very much. Working with you is a pleasure. Sandra Thiering, HWK Erfurt Chamber of Crafts, Vocational Training Centre imove Publications imove s list of publications includes a large number of foreign-language publications, which are in heavy demand from imove s international target groups. They promote the flow of information especially at international trade fairs and during visits of delegations from abroad. The imove publication series Developing Skills for Employability with German Partners was expanded to include a brochure with examples of successful educational projects in co- operation with the USA. New additions include also flyers in Portuguese and Thai.

30 Press and Public Relations NUMBER OF COPIES DISTRIBUTED IN

31 29

32 Press and Public Relations Study Tours and Presentations (outside of trade fairs) for International Delegations in Germany Again in 2013, numerous delegations of international education experts visited Germany to gather information about the dual system of vocational education PRESENTATIONS (OUTSIDE OF TRADE FAIRS) and training and the service provision of German training providers. imove presented its own range of services and opportunities for co-operation with German partners. DATE FEB. 18 MARCH 5 JULY 7 JULY 11 OCT. 4 OCT. 16 NOV. 12 DEC. 11 TARGET MARKET/EVENT INTRODUCTION OF imove TO A DELEGATION OF RUSSIAN VOCATIONAL COLLEGE HEADMASTERS, ORGANISED BY ENKOTOURS PARTICIPATION IN THE RECEPTION FOR A JAPANESE DELEGATION FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF KYOTO, HOSTED AT THE BIBB RECEPTION OF A DELEGATION FROM THE USA ON OCCASION OF THE WORLDSKILLS IN LEIPZIG INTRODUCTION OF imove AT THE BIBB EXPERT MEETING WITH COLOMBIAN ENTREPRENEURS INTRODUCTION OF imove TO THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL FIRE INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION/PLUMBERS UNION QUEENSLAND IN BERLIN INTRODUCTION OF imove TO A DELEGATION FROM THE UFA CHAMBER OF INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE, RUSSIAN REPUBLIC OF BASHKORTOSTAN RECEPTION OF A SAUDI-ARABIAN DELEGATION RECEPTION OF THE INDIAN CONSUL Enquiries In 2013, imove registered 462 enquiries from 38 different countries excluding the enquiries directed to the international office in New Delhi. By far the most of these came from within Germany, followed by India, China and Oman. The number of enquiries from India has tripled and the number of enquiries from Europe (excluding Germany) has doubled. The total number of enquiries is twice the amount registered in the previous year. Regarding the type and content of enquiries, most came from German providers of continuing education who seek contacts abroad, followed by international providers desiring business contacts in Germany. Moreover, many enquiries were related to the imove range of services and to the search of German and international governmental and non-profit organisations for co-operation partners and knowledge exchange. For the first time, the survey included the item of initial consultation for German education providers with export interests; this applied to 75 enquiries. 30

33 31 imove International Office in New Delhi The imove Office in India directly provides interested parties with information about opportunities for co-operation with German training providers and, in turn, advises German providers in their search for Indian partners. Over the course of 2013, the New Delhi office distributed more than 1,600 brochures and other imove publications, including 750 imove image flyers in Hindi. The office received well over 100 written co-operation requests from industry representatives, training providers, the Indian government and press as well as from other German organisations. Many of these led to visits to and talks at imove in India. Moreover, imove attended 29 external events and three trade fairs on the topic of vocational education and training in India, where the initiative promoted Training Made in Germany started with the closing event of the Year of Germany in India with its motto Germany and India: Infinite Opportunities ; the event was held in Pune in January. The next trade fairs in the course of the year were the WorldDidac India and the FICCI Global Skills Summit. In addition, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry FICCI invited imove to several Skill Development Forums, to discuss current topics and trends regarding the Indian reform of the vocational education and training system.

34 Press and Public Relations imove was also invited several times to Indian ministries, for example, to the Ministry of Labour and Employment to discuss the involvement of German industry in the introduction of a dual vocational education and training system in stateowned training centres. The aim of a conference organised by the Ministry of Human Resource Development was to sound out the international co-operation potential for establishing 200 pilot community colleges in India. About 250 representatives from Indian educational institutions and Indian state governments attended the conference. In addition to five German providers of education who had followed a call from imove, the conference attracted also US American, Canadian, British, New Zealand and Australian providers. imove was active also at events organised by various Indian states, such as Gujarat and Kerala. During the imove Network India event, which was co-organised by the Indian imove office, more than 60 attendees from Germany and India actively exchanged their views on the co-operation potential in the field of vocational education and training. imove hosted the Network India event on 10 July 2013 in Dresden in cooperation with FICCI and the Indian National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC). The imove Network India took place in the wake of the Indo-German Joint Working Group of Vocational Education and Training, which had likewise been in session in Dresden. The event significantly benefited from the presence of high-ranking Indian attendees. Prior to the networking event, imove welcomed a 22-person delegation from the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) visiting the WorldSkills Leipzig and the region. FICCI introduced a delegation of Indian providers of education to the imove Network India; the delegation had already previously visited vocational training institutions in the region to get their own idea of German vocational education and training. 32

35 33 Strategic Partnerships and Networks Achieving More Together imove has maintained successful contacts to government authorities, educational institutions, businesses and other organisations in the education industry for many years and on a global scale. These partnerships and networks support the German export of education in different ways yet with a common goal.

36 Strategic Partnerships and Networks Key Market USA The demand for well-trained skilled labour in the USA is increasing especially with respect to the medium technical qualification level; the domestic education system is currently unable to satisfy this demand. US President Barack Obama has repeatedly and publicly pointed out that the German system of vocational education and training can provide important ideas for reform in his own country. In their US American branches, German industry enterprises demonstrate the efficiency of in-house qualification programmes. Also other German providers of vocational training and continuing education encounter good business opportunities in the USA sufficient reason for imove to take a closer look at the challenging yet attractive US American education market in , in the context of the imove series of market studies, saw the publication of an analysis of the US American education system set against the background of its economic and political framework conditions. This study was the first of its kind to have been researched and written by imove itself. It was augmented by a compilation of successful examples of German-US American vocational education and training co-operation projects published in the context of the imove Success Stories series. The research conducted in Germany and in the USA not only resulted in new insights, but also in numerous new contacts, thus expanding the network of imove partners. imove provided a platform for personal exchange by hosting a Round Table USA on 17 September 2013 in Bonn, which was attended by education experts from public institutions and businesses using this opportunity for networking. Partners for India The Year of Germany in India, held under the motto Germany and India: Infinite Opportunities, extended into 2013 with its concluding event taking place in January. The last in a series of exhibitions titled Urban Mela, imove participated also in this final one hosted in Pune with an information stand in the pavilion of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Yet this obviously did not mark the termination of imove s activities in India. The Indian subcontinent continues to be a central education market for German providers, and imove continues to campaign for its further development. The imove International Office in New Delhi, located in the immediate vicinity to 34 the German House of Research and Innovation (DWIH), serves to underline the importance of the many years of collaboration and ties between German and Indian partners in the field of vocational education and training co- operation. As in the previous years, imove presented its own range of services and activities at the WordDidac India trade fair, this time taking place in Mumbai, and at the Global Skills