Current and Recent Contracts; Examples of Work Methods

2019:
The Representation of Apprentices in Vocational Education and Training in Europe
Project co-ordinator: ICF International on behalf of DG Employment, Social affairs, Inclusion.
Role of Consultur: Country reporting from Norway (Nov 2018 – Apr 2019).

2018:
Update of the European Inventory on the validation of non-formal and informal learning
Role of Consultur: Contribution to the 2018 Country update of validation in Norway.
Project co-ordinator: ICF International.
Client: CEDEFOP/European Commission.
http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/events-and-projects/projects/validation-non-formal-and-informal-learning/european-inventory

THE CHANGING NATURE AND ROLE OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN EUROPE
Role of Consultur: Contribution to the country report on Norway in a sub-project addressing Vocational Education as Lifelong Learning; and for the study Conceptions of Vocational Education and Training (definitions of VET).
Project co-ordinator: 3s research laboratory, Vienna.
Client: Cedefop (European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training).
http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/events-and-projects/projects/changing-nature-and-role-vocational-education-and-training-vet-europe

Robotisation with social sustainability – Automation and Employment
Description: Joint paper co-ordinated by dr. polit. Tom Skauge, Head of Department, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, together with several staff members and Odd Bjørn Ure (Consultur).
Paper presented at the international conference FIBE 2018: Facing the Challenges of Digitalisation (held at NHH Norwegian School of Economics, Bergen, January 2018).

2017:
Analysis of initial vocational qualifications linked to the levels 3 and 4 of the European Qualifications Framework.
Description: The qualifications under scrutiny in Norway are two schemes leading to certificates of partially completed upper secondary education and training at EQF level 3. The two schemes are Certificates of Competence (‘Lærekandidatordningen’) and Certificates of Practice (‘Praksisbrevordningen’). At EQF level 4, is studied in Norway “Trade/Craft/Journeyman’s certificates”, alongside “Certificates of completed vocational upper secondary education and training” after attending school-based vocational education.
Role of CONSULTUR. Studies&Analyses: Country report on Norway (among one of the 26 countries covered).
Project co-ordinator: 3S (AT) in a consortium with Ockham IPS (NL) and Instytut Badañ Edukacyjnych (PL).
Client: Cedefop (European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training).

2016:
CEDEFOP cross-national overview on apprenticeships
CONSULTUR. Studies&Analyses will cover Norway in a project coordinated by ICF International on behalf of Cedefop.
An in-depth review of apprenticeship schemes in 28 EU Member States, plus Norway and Iceland, was published in 2017.
http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/events-and-projects/projects/validation-non-formal-and-informal-learning/european-inventory

2014-2015:

TEKNOLOGILEDELSE OG KUNNSKAPSUTVIKLING I INDUSTRIKLYNGER.
Osterfjord Næringssamarbeid og Høgskolen i Bergen: REGIONAL KVALIFISERINGSSTØTTE – VESTLANDET 2025 (Technology management and competence development in pre-cluster agglomerations of enterprises. Osterfjord Industrial Association and the University College of Bergen.  SUPPORT FOR REGIONAL QUALIFICATIONS – WESTERN NORWAY 2025.)

Establish a literature review, write a conference paper and assist in drafting an application for a project analysing transformations of skills and technology in small, non-offshore dependent mechanical enterprises on the western coast of Norway.

Ure, O.B, and Skauge, T. (2014): Literature for studies of upskilling and technology management in clusters of SME. A review. University College of Bergen. Research Paper presented at an international VET conference at the ITB of Bremen University; 2-4 September 2015.

2012-2014:

Partner of a project for Transfer of Innovation, under the EU programme Leonardo da Vinci:
“ENGINEERS QUALIFIED IN HIGHER NON-UNIVERSITY VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING INSTITUTIONS PROVIDING ARGUMENTS AND EVIDENCE FOR CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO NATIONAL AND EUROPEAN QUALIFICATION FRAMEWORKS” (Project number: 2012-1-AT1-LEO05-06968).
http://equal-class-eqf.eu

EXAMPLE OF WORK METHODS IN ADVISING on transfer of experiences for improving labour market and industrial relations

  • writing up an application for a project aiming at joint social-partner development of regional labour markets in Norway and Poland, submitted in 2005 to the “European Economic Area and Norwegian Financial Mechanisms”.
  • summarising a Spanish-Norwegian seminar on measures to reconcile family and work life in the frame of the European Economic Area and Norwegian Financial Mechanisms (2009);
  • drafting a report to the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions on exchange of experiences between Nordic and Central and Eastern European countries (2009),
  • writing a report for Norwegian social partners analysing industrial relations and the labour market in the beneficiary states of the Global Fund for Decent Work and Tripartite Dialogue;
  • contributing to a report on the social dialogue for improving occupational health and safety in Norway, Romania and Bulgaria in the frame of a project financed from the European Economic Area and Norwegian Financial Mechanisms (2011).
  • assistance to the Programme Operator (2011-13) of the Global Fund for Decent Work and Tripartite Dialogue in defining reporting procedures (cf. European Economic Area and Norwegian Financial Mechanisms)
  • proposing outcome/output indicators and contingency measures to the same Programme Operator, Innovation Norway, which is in charge of the Global Fund for Decent Work and Tripartite Dialogue (2011-13).

EXAMPLE OF WORK METHODS IN ADVISING on validation of non-formal and informal learning

Drafting and presenting country reports on Norway at EU seminars for Mutual Policy Learning in matters of validation of prior learning:

  • Validation of non-formal and informal learning in Norway: An advanced framework on the verge of implementation. National thematic paper in the frame of DG Employment’s ‘Mutual Learning Programme’. Paris 8-9 November 2007.
  • Vocational education and vocational competencies. Policy learning in Vocational Education and Training. Mutual learning programme: peer country comments paper – Norway. GHK in consortium with CERGE-EI on behalf of DG Employment. 25 and 26 May 2009 in Barcelona.

Other examples of input to policy making in the same field:

  • Contribution to country updates and thematic reports of the EU inventory of informal and non-formal learning (versions 2005 and 2010 of the EU Inventory).
  • Co-author of background paper to ministerial conference on validation of prior learning experiences; held in Oslo, June 2004 (S. Skule, O. B. Ure: (2004): Lifelong learning in Norway – Norwegian experiences. Identification and validation of non-formal and informal learning. Fafo-paper 2004:21. Oslo.
  • Writing and presenting paper at the 2005 European Conference on Educational Research in Dublin: “Validation of prior learning and its policy environment. How a European Inventory can support the development in a thematic field”.
  • Formal education in an informal Norwegian culture of enterprise training. Six cases collected from maritime and offshore environments. National report from subproject 4 in the frame of the EU 6th research framework project “Lifelong Learning 2010. Fafo-paper 2010:21, Oslo.
  • Co-author of the Country report for Norway in the 2014 European Inventory of non-formal and informal learning. Likewise for the 2016 and 2018 versions of the EU Inventory.
  • Country expertise about Norway’s national system on validation of non-formal and informal learning, as input to the programme “Continuing Education for All” of the Bertelsmann Foundation (2014-2015).