National Centre for Education (VISC) is a public administration body responsible for implementation of general and vocational education policy on a national level. VISC develops curricula for IVET, CVET, in-service vocational education and training and vocation oriented education, as well as participates in the development of occupation standards. The Centre coordinates development of centralized vocational qualification exams for IVET; approves qualification exams developed by VET institutions; and administers centralized vocational qualification exams for IVET students. VISC coordinates implementation of teacher continuing professional development and provides methodological support to vocational education teachers. At present VISC employs about 100 people.
VISC direct target groups are students and teachers, curriculum developers and CPD implementers. VISC work affects more than 4000 IVET teachers and trainers and about 31 000 IVET students from all IVET schools in Latvia.
At present the Centre is continuing work on a new initial vocational education curriculum which is an important part of current VET policy reform. In its work VISC closely cooperates with 12 Sector Expert Councils and employers’ organizations in Latvia. VISC has already developed modular programs for 56 qualifications within 14 economy sectors and in the frames of ESF project “Development of a sectoral qualifications system and improvement of the efficiency and quality of vocational education and training” VISC will continue development of modular programs for about 184 qualifications till 2020. Modular programs consist of a number of modules oriented towards learning outcomes. The new approach will enable VET to react more promptly to the labour market needs and enable students to be more flexible in their career development.
VISC is the initiator and lead partner of Erasmus+ K3 policy experimentation project “Testing New Approaches to Training VET and Workplace Tutors for Work Based Learning” which has been currently implemented in 3 Baltic countries.”
Having more than 10 years’ experience in project management both in a role of project coordinator and as a project partner VISC staff has built up solid managerial and administrative capacity and competency required for ensuring successful project outcomes and sustainability of project results.