Indicative Descriptors (Evaluation)
The indicative descriptors can help Member States to review their quality assurance system and gauge how much progress has been made. The following analysis presents two contrasting statements for each descriptor. You are invited to consider which of these statements best describes your own system. The indicative descriptors cover all four stages of the quality cycle.
A methodology for evaluation has been devised, covering internal and external evaluation
Would you describe your system as one where:
- stakeholders are clear about how progress is measured
- stakeholders are uncertain about how progress is measured
If you would like to see how other Member States have addressed this issue, you can review the case studies or review how the following building blocks have been used to support progress against this indicative descriptor.
- Austria - internal evaluation
- Austria - builing a culture of quality
- Austria - working within a national framework
- Finland - funding links to quality
- Germany - quality management in vocational schools
- Portugal - centres of excellence
- Romania - internal and external self evaluation
- Romania - publishing a quality assurance manual
- Slovenia - self evaluation systems
- Spain - creating a three-tiered evaluation system
- The Netherlands - monitoring student satisfaction
- The Netherlands - risk based inspection
- The Netherlands - publishing inspection outcomes on the internet
- The Netherlands - a common understanding of indicators and data
- Spain - creating a three-tiered evaluation system
Member States who focus on this indicative descriptor are more likely to make progress on the following indicator(s)
Stakeholder involvement in the monitoring and evaluation process is agreed and clearly described
Would you describe your system as one where:
- stakeholders understand and have agreed their role in measuring progress
- stakeholders are uncertain about what is expected from them
If you would like to see how other Member States have addressed this issue, you can review the case studies or review how the following building blocks have been used to support progress against this indicative descriptor.
- Austria - working within a national framework
- Finland - designing qualifications
- Finland - quality awards for VET
- Germany - analysing the impact of quality assurance
- The Netherlands - monitoring student satisfaction
- The Netherlands - linking funding to performance
- The Netherlands - a common understanding of indicators and data
Member States who focus on this indicative descriptor are more likely to make progress on the following indicator(s)
The national/regional standards and processes for improving and assuring quality are relevant and proportionate to the needs of the sector
Would you describe your system as one where:
- the bureaucratic burden is one that is appropriate
- the sector feels the system-level processes create unreasonable burdens
If you would like to see how other Member States have addressed this issue, you can review the case studies or review how the following building blocks have been used to support progress against this indicative descriptor.
- Austria - working within a national framework
- Finland - quality awards for VET
- Slovenia - staged approach to using indicators
- Spain - creating a three-tiered evaluation system
Member States who focus on this indicative descriptor are more likely to make progress on the following indicator(s)
Systems are subject to self-evaluation, internal and external review, as appropriate
Would you describe your system as one where:
- there is confidence that improvement is continuous as systems learn and improve practice
- change is slow and often imposed externally
If you would like to see how other Member States have addressed this issue, you can review the case studies or review how the following building blocks have been used to support progress against this indicative descriptor.
- Austria - working within a national framework
- Austria - internal evaluation
- Germany - quality management in vocational schools
- Hungary - legislation to support quality assurance and self assessment
- Portugal - linking funding to accreditation
- Romania - a two-stage accreditation process
- Romania - networks for training providers
- Romania - internal and external self evaluation
- Romania - publishing a quality assurance manual
- Slovenia - self evaluation systems
- The Netherlands - monitoring student satisfaction
- The Netherlands - risk based inspection
- The Netherlands - publishing inspection outcomes on the internet
- The Netherlands - a common understanding of indicators and data
- The Netherlands - public accountability of training providers
Member States who focus on this indicative descriptor are more likely to make progress on the following indicator(s)
Early warning systems are implemented
Would you describe your system as one where:
- stakeholders are able to act quickly when the quality of provision is not as expected
- change is slow and often imposed externally
If you would like to see how other Member States have addressed this issue, you can review the case studies or review how the following building blocks have been used to support progress against this indicative descriptor.
- Austria - working within a national framework
- Finland - skills demonstrations and the national evaluation of learning outcomes
- Germany - chambers of commerce
Member States who focus on this indicative descriptor are more likely to make progress on the following indicator(s)
Performance indicators are applied
Would you describe your system as one where:
- there is clarity about which indicators are being used and how progress is measured
- stakeholders are unclear about how progress is measured
If you would like to see how other Member States have addressed this issue, you can review the case studies or review how the following building blocks have been used to support progress against this indicative descriptor.
- Austria - working within a national framework
- Estonia - the use of indicators
- Finland - funding links to quality
- Finland - skills demonstrations and the national evaluation of learning outcomes
- Spain - creating a three-tiered evaluation system
- The Netherlands - linking funding to performance
Member States who focus on this indicative descriptor are more likely to make progress on the following indicator(s)
Relevant, regular and coherent data collection takes place, in order to measure success and identify areas for improvement. Appropriate data collection methodologies have been devised, e.g. questionnaires and indicators/metrics
Would you describe your system as one where:
- stakeholders have easy and regular access to national or regional data in order to introduce change quickly
- data on performance is patchy, collected irregularly and not capable of being used to support change
If you would like to see how other Member States have addressed this issue, you can review the case studies or review how the following building blocks have been used to support progress against this indicative descriptor.
- Austria - internal evaluation
- Austria - working within a national framework
- Estonia - the use of indicators
- Finland - funding links to quality
- Finland - student feedback
- Germany - developing an annual plan
- Hungary - using pilot projects
- Romania - networks for training providers
- The Netherlands - monitoring student satisfaction
- The Netherlands - risk based inspection
- The Netherlands - publishing inspection outcomes on the internet
- The Netherlands - a common understanding of indicators and data
Member States who focus on this indicative descriptor are more likely to make progress on the following indicator(s)