International Network for Innovative Apprenticeship 2025 Conference
The International Network on Innovative Apprenticeship (INAP) invites you to attend the 9th International Research Conference on Apprenticeships: Future Global Trends, 8 - 9 May 2025, at the Fielder Center, Hatfield.
The International Network on Innovative Apprenticeship (INAP) is an association of researchers and research institutions in vocational education and training, specialising in apprenticeship systems and practices. INAP was founded in 2006 with a conference at the University of Bremen. INAP conferences have been held regularly, covering all continents in the world except Antarctica. The conferences attract apprenticeship researchers, policy personnel, and teachers and managers from VET institutions.
Conference Details:
The conference will address several topics on apprenticeship, including: Making apprenticeships more attractive to potential learners and to employers, apprenticeships and the future: the economy, apprenticeships and the future: society, apprenticeship curriculum, standards and delivery, governance, including stakeholders' roles and responsibilities, teaching and teachers in VET.
The conference will take place in Hatfield, England at the Fielder Centre, Hatfield Business Park, Hatfield Ave., Hatfield AL10 9TP. Hatfield is less than half an hour by train from London. There are a number of hotels in Hatfield. The registration fee for the conference is £270, with an early-bird rate of £245 until 31st March 2025.
On the evening of the 8th May attendees are invited to join an optional social visit to the historic cathedral city of St Albans, including a guided tour of the Roman ruins of Verulamium Park and the Cathedral grounds, with a dinner in St Albans. This will be at a small, reasonable additional cost for those wishing to attend.
Keynote speakers will include:
- Ashwani Aggarwal, International Labour Organization Global Lead for Skill and Lifelong Learning Policy.
- Leesa Wheelahan, Professor Emerita, University of Toronto.
- Philipp Gonon, Oscar Valiente and Dr Matthias Pilz – a discussion panel on ‘Transfer of Dual VET’
- Dr Mandy Crawford-Lee, Chief Executive, University Vocational Awards Council (UVAC), University of Bolton
- Vlasis Korovilos, Expert, Department for VET and Skills, Cedefop: ‘Synopsis of the 2025 Cedefop/OECD symposium on New fields for apprenticeship’
Dr Ashwani Aggarwal
Keynote 1: Decoding the New International Labour Standard: A Path to Quality Apprenticeships
Ashwani Aggarwal is the Global Workgroup Leader for Skills and Lifelong Learning Policy, Systems, and Digitalization at the International Labour Organization (ILO).
He holds a PhD in the governance of skill systems and institutions and has advised over 60 nations on enhancing skills and youth employment policies. With a 35-year career spanning various sectors including the private sector, government, and international organizations, he has played a pivotal role in the development of international labour standards for quality apprenticeships, spearheaded high-profile research initiatives, and authored several publications.
His contributions have been instrumental in the establishment of pioneering skills policies, systems, and programs in numerous countries, including apprenticeships, informal and rural economy, micro-credentials, recognition of prior learning, digitalization of TVET, social inclusion, gender equality, and centre of excellence. Additionally, he specializes in fostering partnerships between the public and private sectors.
Professor Leesa Wheelahan
Keynote 2: The social purposes of vocational education & the implications for qualifications
Leesa Wheelahan is Professor Emerita, William G. Davis Chair in Community College Leadership at the Ontario Institute for Studies at the University of Toronto in Canada.
She is also an Honorary Research Fellow with the Department of Education at the University of Oxford in the UK, and an Honorary Senior Fellow in the Centre for the Study of Higher Education at the University of Melbourne in Australia.
She has been researching vocational education and educational pathways and educational transitions for almost 30 years. As an ex-vocational education teacher in Australia, her work focuses on how to ensure young people have the knowledge they need to participate as citizens in society and as active contributors to debates within their occupation.
Professor Oscar Valiente
Keynote 3 - Panel - Transfer of Dual Vocational Education between justified hopes and foreseeable illusions.
Oscar Valiente is Professor at the School of Education of the University of Glasgow. His work focuses on the political economy of education and training reforms, the role of VET and skills in international development, and the effects of education policy on youth transitions.
Oscar has led international projects on ‘youth transitions of VET graduates’, ‘lifelong learning policies targeting young adults’ and ‘policy transfer of dual forms of training’. Oscar is the Glasgow lead of the Erasmus Mundus Master Programme Education Policies for Global Development (GLOBED).
He is also visiting fellow at the Centre for Globalisation, Education and Social Policies of the Autonomous University of Barcelona and at the Centre for International Education of the University of Sussex.
Professor Dr Matthias Pilz
Keynote 3 - Panel - Transfer of Dual Vocational Education: Between justified hopes and foreseeable illusions
Matthias Pilz is Full Professor of Business Education at the University of Cologne and Director of the German Research Center for Comparative Vocational Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.).
Prior to becoming an academic, he worked as a teacher at a Business College in Hannover and was an advisor for European Union education projects at the district government of Hannover.
He is Editor in Chief of the International Journal of Training and Development. His research interests are in international comparative research in VET, transitions from education to employment, and teaching and learning.
Professor Philipp Gonon
Keynote 3 - Panel - Transfer of Dual Vocational Education: Between justified hopes and foreseeable illusions
Philipp Gonon, is Professor em. of Educational Science, specialising in vocational education and training at the University of Zurich. His research focuses on international comparative vocational and continuing education, quality and evaluation in the education system.
His main focus is on the development of vocational education and training systems, institutional development of education in Switzerland and the history of educational ideas.
Dr Mandy Crawford-Lee
Keynote 4a: Navigating Higher and Degree Apprenticeship Policy and Practice in England: a 10-year standpoint.
Dr Mandy Crawford-Lee has considerable experience of leading and negotiating skills policy, strategic planning and performance management in economic development, vocational education, and training reform. She is a sound and respected resource for those involved in the development and delivery of apprenticeships at the higher level.
Having worked with the University Vocational Awards Council (UVAC) since 2012, both inside and outside of Government, Mandy became its Director of Policy and Operations in 2017 and, in October 2021, its first female Chief Executive. UVAC, on behalf of its 80 university members, has been championing higher and degree apprenticeships since their introduction, and the value of higher technical and professional education for over 20 years.
UVAC is regarded as the most authoritative voice on all strategic and operational aspects of higher and degree apprenticeships in England, and Mandy takes a leading role in bringing together Higher Education providers, public bodies, business and commercial partners, awarding organisations, professional bodies and policy makers in effective partnership.
Vlasis Korovilos
Keynote 4b: Policies and programmes expanding apprenticeship provision into new sectors – synopsis of the 2025 Cedefop/OECD symposium on New fields for apprenticeships
Policy analyst working for the Department for VET and Skills at the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop).
He is in charge of Cedefop’s research and analysis on apprenticeships, including flagship activities such as Cedefop’s European database on apprenticeship schemes, symposia and policy learning fora. He has contributed in and overseen numerous Cedefop publications on system-level features of apprenticeship schemes, links of apprenticeship with the green and digital transition, mobility of apprentices, financial and non-financial incentives, apprenticeship for adults. He coordinates Cedefop’s community of apprenticeship experts.
Vlasis represents Cedefop in the working group for Work-based learning of the Interagency Group on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (IAG-TVET) and the Working Group on VET and the Green Transition.
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