In the newly published book, Berufsbildungsforschung: Rezeption – Translation – Transfer, Friedrich Huebler, Thomas Schröder and Birgit Thomann contribute a chapter that explores how cross-national partnerships and vocational education and training (VET) research can act as drivers of development and transformation.

Their chapter, “Research and International Cooperation: Unlocking the Potential of VET Research and Cross-National Partnerships for the Development of VET Systems,” offers key interventions for strengthening the role of research in VET policy and practice.

The authors argue that despite the widely recognized importance of research for informed policy-making and system innovation, institutionalized VET research is still underappreciated and underdeveloped. This leaves critical gaps, not only in evidence and data but also in the capacity to generate and apply knowledge across national and regional contexts.

Strategies to bridge the research gap

Drawing on the experience of UNESCO-UNEVOC and the global UNEVOC Network, the chapter outlines a set of strategies to bridge these gaps. These include promoting VET (or as UNESCO refers to it, TVET, for technical and vocational education and training) as an autonomous academic discipline, fostering interdisciplinary research approaches and investing in capacity building at all levels, from local institutions to global partnerships. UNESCO-UNEVOC’s Bridging Innovation and Learning in TVET (BILT) project exemplifies this approach, enabling peer learning, innovation and international collaboration across Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and Europe.

The UNEVOC Network, with over 240 member institutions in more than 150 countries, serves as a unique global platform for mutual learning and cooperation. It stimulates collaborative research among UNEVOC Centres, partly funded by UNESCO-UNEVOC with support from its donors, through its UNEVOC Network Co-Action Initiative and other efforts aimed at increasing collaboration among TVET institutions.

The authors also highlight initiatives such as the Regional Association of Vocational and Technical Education in Asia (RAVTE) and the German-funded research project ProWoThai (Progressing Work-based Learning in Thailand, 2019–2023), which are setting standards for autonomous, practice-oriented TVET research in Asia. These models show the transformative potential of locally driven research aligned with international cooperation frameworks.

Research-based innovation and policy

Ultimately, the article calls for the systematic integration of research into every layer of TVET development: policy, curricula, teacher training and labour market alignment. Only with a strong evidence base, supported by inclusive and collaborative research structures, can TVET systems meet the demands of the 21st century.

As UNESCO-UNEVOC continues to champion research-based innovation and policy learning through its Medium-Term Strategy 2024-2026 and under the broader UNESCO Strategy for TVET 2022–2029, this chapter reinforces that elevating the quality of TVET hinges on integrating research findings into policy and educational practice.

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Access the book

Rödel, Bodo; Ertl, Hubert; Liebscher, Sandra (eds.): Berufsbildungsforschung. Rezeption – Translation – Transfer. Bonn 2025, pp. 265-281. URL: https://www.bibb.de/dienst/publikationen/de/20158

Chapter authors

• Friedrich Huebler, Head, UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre for TVET
• Thomas Schröder, UNESCO Chair of TVET and Competence Development for the Future of Work, Technische Universität Dortmund
• Birgit Thomann, Head of the Department of International Vocational Training, Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB)

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