On 21 and 22 July, the Education Department of the Council of Europe organised the first meeting of experts on the Committee of Ministers Recommendation on Vocational Education and Training (VET), held in Strasbourg and online. This meeting aimed to discuss the areas and key elements to be addressed, and the steps involved in the development of this new recommendation, which will be the first that relates a culture of democracy with VET.

The recommendation is part of the Council of Europe’s commitment to implementing the Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture (RFCDC) in VET. The goal is to equip VET learners, education professionals and trainers with the competences needed to actively engage in a democratic culture, live peacefully in culturally diverse societies, and defend and promote human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.  It will aim to do so by fostering systemic change that can positively impact the world of work, European societies, and beyond, for instance by improving conflict resolution and social dialogue.

 In this context, the recommendation will build upon the RFCDC Guidance document for Vocational Education and Training and the anthology on Learning Democracy in Vocational Education and Training in Europe, (in press).  It will provide policy recommendations and further explore the themes covered in these publications while incorporating new aspects, such as artificial intelligence in VET.

The development of this recommendation is part of the Council of Europe's ongoing efforts to provide a clear path forward for the development of democratic culture in Europe and it will complement the activities of the European Space for Citizenship Education - Education.