European Commission

The Commission works in partnership with the EQAVET Network and manages and supports its work, with the support of the Secretariat. The European Commission chairs the Network and fosters participation by the Member States and the Social Partners.

It will facilitate the development of guidance material, provide information on quality assurance in VET across member countries, and facilitate cooperation and mutual learning

The Commission will present a report every 4 years to the European Parliament and the Council on the experience gained and implications for the future, including if necessary a review of the Recommendation on the establishment of the European quality assurance reference framework for vocational education and training (June 2009). By undertaking an evaluation of the implementation of the Recommendation on the basis of national reports, the Commission will be in a position to revise the process if necessary.

The Commission also reports important outcomes of the Network to the Directors General for Vocational Training (DGVT), the Advisory Committee for Vocational Training (ACVT), the EQF Advisory Group and the Lifelong Learning Programme Committee and other relevant bodies in order to ensure that they contribute to the broader aims of advancing the EU policy agenda for VET.

The European Commission is represented by:

João Delgado
Head of unit Vocational Education and Training Policy; Leonardo da Vinci Programme

João Delgado is an official of the European Commission since 1988 and at present he is the Head of Unit in charge of promoting the cooperation process on Vocational Education and Training Policy, among the European Union Member States. Furthermore, he manages the Leonardo da Vinci programme, which supports European transnational traineeships schemes and innovative projects in the area of Vocational Education and Training. He worked previously in other departments of the European Commission (Regional Policies, Development Aid, and Employment). He worked in the banking sector and also as an attorney in Lisbon, Portugal. He studied Law at the Catholic University of Lisbon, Portugal; European Studies at the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium; and he holds a Master Degree in Executive Management from the Solvay Business School, Brussels, Belgium.

Sophie Weisswange
Policy officer, Quality assurance in Vocational Education and Training

Sophie Weisswange is in charge of the quality assurance file for VET in the unit for VET policy within directorate general Education and Culture since 2008. Administrator in the European Commission in 1994, she worked for more than 10 years in the field of human resources and in particular as training manager. There she supported the implementation of the administrative reform in particular in the field of continuous training for Commission's staff. As head of section in the central training unit, she drafted the training strategic framework for the Commission and participated to the selection and accreditation process of teachers and trainers. As manager of the training unit of the translation service she participated to the introduction of the Common assessment Framework in the translation service. She graduated from the 'Institut d'Etudes Politiques' of Strasbourg, the College of Europe in Bruges and holds a master in law from the Law University of Strasbourg.

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