A methodology: Assessing governance and financing of vocational education strategies

Strengthen Vocational Education Strategies with a Practical Assessment Tool

This paper presents a practical methodology for evaluating the robustness of a country’s vocational education and training (VET) strategy—specifically from the perspectives of governance and financing. Based on the European Commission’s Budget Support Guidelines 2017 – Annex 3 and tailored to the VET sector, the approach helps identify strengths, risks, and opportunities for improvement.

We invite policymakers, development partners, and education stakeholders to explore and use this tool to support evidence-based decision-making, guide financial assistance, and foster meaningful policy dialogue between the EU and partner countries. It can also serve as a framework for tracking progress in VET governance and financing over time.

Use this resource to inform strategy, shape reform, and strengthen the foundations of effective vocational education systems.

Explore the full document: Assessing governance and financing of vocational education strategies

The document is structured as follows: 

• Section 1 provides background information on the context and purpose, the methodology basics and the resources to be mobilised. 
• Section 2 offers general guidance for the implementation of the assessment, both in terms of content and in terms of process. 
• Section 3 contains the detailed table of assessment indicators, illustrated by concrete examples. Two more technical tools complement this document: the cost calculation tool and the scoring grid (available on ETF Open Space in the form of excel sheets); both tools are supported by targeted guidelines.