Four institutions are organizing this EU-Asia Link initiated program, namely Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia or UPI (Indonesia), Universitaet Bremen (Germany) University Autonomia de Barcelona (Spain), and Universiti Tun Hussein Onn (Malaysia). The project, conceptualized in 2006, is aimed at developing new standardization of  curriculum for Vocational Teacher Education and Training, to be implemented at Universities across the European Union and Asia.

 The Secretariat General for the Committee of the First International Congress in Vocational Teacher Education and Training Professor Aminudin Azis, Monday (21/7), said, the new curriculum, if realized, would automatically raise the quality of vocational education and training in Asia. The new curriculum is hoped to resemble or at least approach the level of quality of European Union currculum standards, as they are much more ahead in this regard. In Europe, vocational training has become a sought-after mechanism in the industrial sector for their ability to produce a reliable and skilled workforce.

 “As a result the quality in Indonesia will experience a boost. In the future, university students wanting to continue their studies in Europe will have the ability to transfer their university course credits through this standardization, “ he said.

Research Collaboration
Mr. Azis added that at the international congress, the presentation of several findings of collaborative research on standardization of vocational training and education were delivered. Also presented were experience of curriculum implementation in 25 participating countries. Later a collective declaration will be produced as a result of this congress.

 Project Leader of EU-Asia Link Georg Spttl stated, coming up with guidelines for standardization in teacher education and training at the vocational level is not an easy task, considering the diverse cultural and social norms valued by each participating country, especially in Asia. “Therefore, the standardization will cover only set forth a guiding framework. Mostly the guidelines will be about technologies used, “ he said.

 UPI rector Professor Sunaryo Kartadinata said, the expected transnational curriculum will serve in anticipating challenges and needs that arise in the future. Therefore, the formulation of ideas generated at the congress is hoped to be a concretely formulated one.