The UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training acts as part of the United Nations mandate to promote peace, justice, equity, poverty alleviation, and greater social cohesion. The Centre assists Member States develop policies and practices concerning education for the world of work and skills development for employability and citizenship, to achieve:

• access for all,
• high quality, relevant and effective programmes,
• learning opportunities throughout life.

The International Centre contributes to increased opportunities for productive work, sustainable livelihoods, personal empowerment and socio-economic development, especially for youth, girls, women and the disadvantaged. Its emphasis is on helping meet the needs of developing countries, countries in transition and those in a post-conflict situation.

The UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre acts as a key component of UNESCO’s international programme on technical and vocational education and training. It also works to support UNESCO’s mandate for Education for All and Education for Sustainable Development.

The International Centre achieves this through taking action to strengthen and upgrade the worldwide UNEVOC Network, with particular reference to:

• stimulating international and regional cooperation concerning human resource development,
• promoting UNESCO normative instruments and standards,
• promoting good and innovative practices in TVET,
• knowledge sharing,
• mobilizing expertise and resources,
• strengthening partnerships with other relevant agencies.

TVET has been defined as one of four priority areas of UNESCO's education programme in the coming years. It is seen as an integral part of the Education for All (EFA) initiative, especially with regards to goal 3 relating to “appropriate learning and life skills.” Through its orientation towards the world of work and the acquisition of skills it plays an essential role in promoting a country’s economic growth and contributing to poverty reduction.

All TVET activities of UNESCO adhere to the UNESCO TVET strategy, which was developed in 2009 and guides the organization’s work in the years 2010-2015. As UNESCO’s niche lies with its cooperation with Ministries of Education, UNESCO concentrates primarily on secondary and postsecondary TVET, as well as on TVET in non-formal settings.

UNESCO-UNEVOC provides various forms of technical assistance:

global and regional networking,

policy support and capacity development,

resource development and knowledge sharing.

UNESCO-UNEVOC undertakes an active role in strengthening and upgrading the UNEVOC Network, with particular reference to:

• informing policy dialogue in TVET,
• stimulating international and regional cooperation in TVET,
• promoting good and innovative practices in TVET,
• promoting south-south and north-south-south cooperation among TVET institutions,
• mobilizing expertise and resources,
• promoting and strengthening multistakeholder partnerships with relevant agencies,
• promoting UNESCO’s normative instruments and standards.

The UNEVOC Network was launched in 1993. At that time, no worldwide platform or network dedicated to TVET existed. As a first step, National Commissions for UNESCO were requested to locate and nominate the most appropriate focal institutions in their countries for international cooperation in TVET. These were named UNEVOC Centres. The UNEVOC Network was made up of these UNEVOC Centres, and has since been coordinated by UNESCO-UNEVOC. The UNEVOC Network provides an environment for exchange and mutual assistance among TVET experts, ministries and institutions worldwide.

The Comprehensive Partnership Strategy - UNEVOC Network outlines the three strategic objectives of the UNEVOC Network:

• to improve TVET in Member States by promoting and fostering international collaboration and partnerships and cooperation among TVET practitioners, civil society, local communities, researchers and policymakers,
• to develop the capacities of UNEVOC Centres and associated TVET practitioners by providing various forms of technical assistance,
• to share promising practices and innovations in TVET, through the promotion of research and practicebased evidence.

At the country level, the UNEVOC Network aims to provide a framework and vital institutional mechanism for collaboration in thematically addressing local issues with global impact, while at the international level, UNESCO-UNEVOC through the UNEVOC Network fosters south-south and north-south-south cooperation and learning, and provides an environment for exchange and mutual assistance among TVET experts and institutions in different parts of the world.

Source: www.unevoc.unesco.org