The Malta Qualifications Council (MQC) will host six European meetings on quality assurance in vocational training. The decision was taken during the general assembly of the European Network on Quality Assurance for Vocational Education and Training (ENQA-VET) convened in Dublin earlier this month.

The ENQA-VET Secretariat, which is based within the Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC), Dublin, has been granted up to €2 million to organise a series of activities on quality assurance in VET this year and in 2009. The MQC has been delegated six of these activities: two meetings of the Thematic Group - expected to recommend Europe-wide policies on how to make VET attractive to learners - are expected to take place in Malta and another two in EU partner countries.

The council has also been entrusted with the organisation in Malta of two Peer Learning Activities focusing on the Recognition of Prior Learning and the Impact of Common Quality Assurance Framework on VET.

The ENQA-VET was established by the European Commission in October 2005. Its mission is to develop, disseminate and promote the best European practice and governance in the field of Quality Assurance in VET at systems and provider level, working collectively to build a shared understanding of quality assurance and development among member countries, social partners, regulatory/national authorities and providers.

The ENQA-VET also works with general and higher education authorities to further develop and support entire education and training systems within and across Europe. Twenty-seven member states form part of the network represented by VET quality assurance agencies, among which is the local MQC. In Dublin, MQC was represented by its chairman, Charles Mizzi, and its chief executive, James Calleja.

Ms Attard is communications manager within the Malta Qualifications Council.