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Notes
- 1.
For example, in the UK where many critics argued in the past that policy decisions were too often driven by inertia or by short-term political pressures which led to Modernising Government activities at the end of the 1990’s and the beginning of the 2000’s.
- 2.
Cedefop is the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training. It supports the development of VET and evidence-based policy making by providing advice, research, analysis, information, and stimulates European cooperation and common learning.
- 3.
See the following documents: The Bordeaux Communiqué on Enhanced European cooperation in vocational education and training (2008); Council of the European Union (2008); Council of the European Union (2009).
- 4.
ReferNet is Cedefop’s network of reference and expertise on vocational education and training. Each national ReferNet member is backed by a consortium of VET related organisations. ReferNet Members provide Cedefop with information on VET developments in their country.
- 5.
Barnett-Page and Thomas (2009) show an increasing number of methods for synthesising qualitative research have emerged recently, originating mostly from health-related research. A number of methodological and conceptual links between these methods were identified and explored, while contrasting epistemological positions explained differences in approaches to issues such as quality assessment and extent of iteration.
- 6.
Monitoring in the future implies increased use of the Internet as a data source and statistics, as eServices. From cloud computing the technological development might well enable soon cloud statistics (Sioli and Skaliotis, 2011).
- 7.
This label should be reserved for those figures which fulfil the requirements of the European Code of Practice for Official Statistics. Model-driven calculations and normative objectives, such as political targets or valuations, do not fall under this category. This difference should be clearly made in communication.
- 8.
An interesting research issue in this context that goes beyond this paper would be to investigate further in how far it is possible to disentangle evidence-based policy from policy-based evidence (Godin, 2010).
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Dunkel, T. (2012). Challenges for Evidence-based Policy in European Education and Training. In: Pilz, M. (eds) The Future of Vocational Education and Training in a Changing World. VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, Wiesbaden. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-531-18757-0_13
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