The EU 5-year regional project DARYA (Dialogue & action for resourceful youth in Central Asia) has just kicked off in the five Central Asian countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan , Turkmenistan.
The project aims at supporting the employability of young women and men in Central Asia through inclusive and labour market relevant skills development. The European Training Foundation will implement the project.
Education, training and employment opportunities of youth in Central Asia have been facing challenges further escalated by covid19 pandemic. Inclusiveness in education and employment, support to job creation, quality of learning outcomes, teaching and learning keeping up with the technological transition – are some of the key priorities in the five countries.
By means of its EU-Central Asia strategy, the European Union is committed to supporting the countries of Central Asia in addressing socio-economic challenges, development of skills, research and innovation, with special attention for youth.
Aligned to the EU-Central Asia Strategy, DARYA project sees regional cooperation and peer-learning between countries of Central Asia, and with EU countries, as a door to developing new knowledge and unlocking joint capacity in the area of skills development.
Regional cooperation, peer learning and joint developments through piloting/testing between the 5 countries will therefore be the main working instruments in DARYA. The project will implement 3 thematic modules that cover 3 essential angles of skills development systems:
- Forward-looking skills development through better evidence and analysis of education and training outcomes and skills needs, covering:
- Mapping and review of available data in education, training, labour market, demography and the economy, covering data sources and key indicators;
- Analysis and review of country systems and approaches to skills needs identification and anticipation;
- Refinement and use of skills identification and anticipation instruments to support a better match between skills supply and demand;
- Cross-country research on skills for the future in the Central Asian region and provision of advice on strengthening of existing data collection related to education and the labour market;
- Means to enhance the monitoring and assessment of VET and skills development, with a focus on improving linkages between labour market and skills information systems and career guidance services;
- Assessment of measures supporting better labour market transition of young people, upskilling and reskilling pathways and quality of activation and skills development schemes
- Stakeholder driven flexible and permeable approaches to qualifications at national and regional level that allow equal opportunities for all, covering:
- Methodologies for developing qualifications, including units of learning outcomes (microcredentials), modular curricula;
- Methodologies of validation of non-formal and informal learning;
- Advice on the development of national databases of qualifications & links with career guidance, further education;
- Improving and formalising stakeholder engagement in skills development, assessment, certification;
- Exploring vision and scenarios for regional cooperation in the area of qualifications in Central Asia.
- Increased use of flexible and inclusive teaching and learning approaches, based on learning outcomes and relevant to the labour market, covering:
- Use of self-assessment tools in the area of digital skills;
- Key competences or '21st century skills', with an initial focus on digital, entrepreneurial and green skills for teachers and learners;
- Updating of teacher development systems to support the introduction of key competences, personalisation and differentiation of learning;
- Creating authentic learning environments and exploring the possibility to make more work-based learning opportunities available;
- Support VET providers to become responsive agents for change and improvement;
- Gender sensitive career guidance and counselling.
Modular approach to participation
Participation in the activities of DARYA modules by stakeholders in Central Asia is fully based on their interest and countries’ priorities. With its modular approach, DARYA aims at responding to real needs and offers stakeholders to build own learning paths. It will also be based on “collective leadership” - countries and stakeholders will have an opportunity to have a leading role in selected thematic areas/activities.
Stakeholders and consultations
ETF is currently engaged in inception phase consultations with key stakeholders in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan to explore their interest and to finetune the project activities, so that they can best contribute to the ongoing reforms and initiatives on the ground.
DARYA stakeholders in Central Asia : National authorities in charge of Vocational education and training & skills development, employment & labour market policies; agencies in charge of qualifications and quality assurance; social partners ; civil society organisations engaged in skills development; national statistical bodies and expertise organisations, vocational education schools.
DARYA next steps in 2022: Launch Conference, launch of DARYA webpage, report on inception mapping phase, Familiarisation peer-learning webinars on thematic modules
For more information, please contact:
- on the DARYA approach and DARYA in Kazakhstan: Christine Hemschemeier at Christine.Hemschemeier@etf.europa.eu
- on DARYA in Kyrgyzstan: Eva Jansova at Eva.Jansova@etf.europa.eu
- on DARYA in Tajikistan: Nadezda Solodjankina at Nadezda.Solodjankina@etf.europa.eu
- on DARYA in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan: Ian Cumming at Ian.Cumming@etf.europa.eu
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