Conference Agenda

It is the 30th anniversary of VETNET as network 02 at the ECER. Two research workshops are dedicated to this circumstance; one is looking back, one forward.

This second workshop is about VET research, theory, and identity. What makes VETNET a special network? It builds on discussion on the VET Research framework (Nägele & Stalder, 2024), based on discussions on a VET research agenda (Gessler et al., 2017), discussed in last year's research workshop on the VET Research Framework (Moreno Herrera, Nägele, Stalder, Lassnigg, Virolainen & Allais) and a comprehensive comment of Virolainen (2025), or a symposium at the ECER on the future of vocational education and training in Europe (Benke et al., 2022).

This discussion also evolves before the background of continuous changes and reforms in VET policies and practices, at the best informed by research. Changes are promoted by different actors like national governments, the EU, international institutions, industries or technological changes and challenges, like the green transition (Moso et al., 2025; OECD, 2025).

The discussions also evolve before the background of the other 33 ECER networks. Across all networks, except VETNET, the dominant focus lies on learning, and research, with strong emphasis on policy, curriculum, assessment, and quality improvement as core structural concerns. Many networks mention inclusion, equity, participation, leadership, wellbeing, or governance, highlighting education as both a social and institutional practice shaped by communities, families, and collaborative partnerships. Further shared themes address language, interculturality, digital learning, sustainability, citizenship, arts, and diverse methodological approaches, reflecting the field’s broad commitment to understanding educational processes across contexts, identities, and systems.

So, why should people submit their papers to VETNET? Why did you submit your paper to VETNET? What is the shared mission and research interest of those committing to VETNET?

According to our regulations, VETNET is an open network, focusing on high-quality research and mutual learning. It promotes a multidisciplinary approach and enabling discussion between different stakeholders (policy, governance or practice) https://vetnetsite.org/about/vetnet-regulations/.

But, is VET research not primarily educational research (Lassnigg, 2025)? As defined in an OECD report years ago (OECD, 1995): “Educational research and development is a systematic, original investigation or inquiry and associated development activities concerning the social, cultural, economic and political contexts within which educational systems operate and learning takes place; the purposes of education; the processes of teaching, learning and personal development of children, youth and adults; the work of educators; the resources and organisational arrangements to support educational work; the policies and strategies to achieve educational objectives; and the social, cultural, political and economic outcomes of education.” (p. 37).

But what about the "vocational" in VET, often understood as something related to a person’s job, occupation, or practical work skills. Occupations or professions can be an organizing principle, especially in countries where there are "Berufe" (Grollmann et al., 2023; Nägele & Stalder, in press), where initial, continues, and higher VET is also an important driver of innovation at the workplace, besides allowing people sound careers in decent work. Furthermore, VET is often seen to allow students with challenging academic records, early school-leaving or other distractions in their career, (Marhuenda-Fluixà et al., 2022), or to allow refugees access education and work (Stalder et al., 2024) But relying on the concept of “Berufe”, occupations or professions comes to it limits in situations where the labour market is structured along jobs and work-opportunities (Allais et al., 2023) or when informal labour markets play a crucial role in a country.

So, we invite you to discuss with us: What makes VETNET a special network and what could be its focus for the next thirty years?

Response to the question "What makes VETNET a special network and what could be its focus for the next thirty years?" from a a Central European perspective.

The list of references exeeds the allowed limit in conftoool, check here: https://drive.switch.ch/index.php/s/u02ynwgppUdy9hv

Response to the question "What makes VETNET a special network and what could be its focus for the next thirty years?" from a North European perspective.

The list of references exeeds the allowed limit in conftoool, check here: https://drive.switch.ch/index.php/s/u02ynwgppUdy9hv

Response to the question "What makes VETNET a special network and what could be its focus for the next thirty years?" from a Sub-Saharan perspective.

The list of references exeeds the allowed limit in conftoool, check here: https://drive.switch.ch/index.php/s/u02ynwgppUdy9hv

Response to the question "What makes VETNET a special network and what could be its focus for the next thirty years?" from a South European perspective.

The list of references exeeds the allowed limit in conftoool, check here: https://drive.switch.ch/index.php/s/u02ynwgppUdy9hv