Project

Institutional change within the Swiss VPET system: Structures and Institutional work carried out by professional organisations

This dissertation project is part of the SERI-sponsored Leading House ‘Governance of Vocational and Professional Education and Training (GOVPET)’. The project is led by P. Emmenegger (University of St. Gallen), C. Baumeler (SFIVET Zollikofen), G. Bonoli (University of Lausanne) and C. Emmenegger (University of St. Gallen) and C. Trampusch (University of Cologne).

Seilbahnen Schweiz

Dual-track VET systems are based on complex institutional arrangements between public and private actors. Organisations representing the interests of the labour market play a central role in this. In the Swiss system, professional organisations decide on educational content, organise branch courses and are responsible for VPET funds. The term ‘professional organisation’ encompasses a wide range of different types of organisations (e.g. employers' associations and VET interest groups). To date, there has been no comprehensive study of these key players in the VPET system and how they operate.

This dissertation will help to close this research gap. First of all, it will take stock of all professional organisations involved in vocational education and training; it will then compare the VET review and revision processes of individual professional organisations. The cross-sectional analysis of all professional organisations will reveal organisational structures, highlight strategies used to encourage companies to take part in workplace training and show how professional organisations represent their interests. The case studies on institutionalisation processes in individual occupations will shed light on how professional organisations re-institutionalise, maintain or change initial VET programmes.

The dissertation project builds on findings from historical and sociological institutionalism and contributes to a detailed understanding of the multifaceted forms of institutional change within the Swiss VPET system.

 

Supervisors of the dissertation:

Method

Qualitative methods (case studies, semi-structured interviews, document analysis) as well as quantitative methods (survey and statistical evaluation of organisation data).

 

Zur Projektseite GOVPET

Publications