Khrystii Y. Organizational and pedagogical foundations of international cooperation in the field of vocational education and training in the European Union

The dissertation is a comprehensive study, within which the theoretical, regulatory, organizational and content-procedural foundations of international cooperation in the field of vocational education and training in the European Union are clarified. Using the method of terminological analysis, the essence of the key concepts of the study was clarified: “international cooperation”, “vocational education”, “vocational and technical education”, “vocational education and training”, “initial vocational education and training”, “continuing vocational education and training”, as well as a number of other concepts that make it possible to specify the essence of the phenomenon under study. The conceptual foundations of the international cooperation development in the field of vocational education and training in the European Union are highlighted, which include a number of international cooperation theories, namely: S. Barrett’s theory of international cooperation, rationalist theory, conflict theory, folk theory, reputation theory, theory of neoliberal institutionalism, etc. Prerequisites for the development of international cooperation in the field of vocational education and training in the European Union are defined, in particular: formation and development of the first, so-called classical models of vocational education and training, which were formed in the countries that originated this process: the market model in Great Britain, the state-bureaucratic model in France and the corporate model of dual vocational education in Germany, which laid the foundations for the formation of the national models of vocational education and training in other European countries by combining certain features of the specified models; the development of industrial revolutions, the rapid pace of industrialization of the country, which led to the need for qualified workers with a wider set of skills. The stages of the EU policy development in the field of vocational education and training in general and international cooperation in particular are highlighted. The regulatory foundations of international cooperation in the field of vocational education and training in the European Union are outlined. Within the scope of consideration of the organizational foundations of international cooperation in the field of vocational education and training, the essence of the concept of “transfer” is outlined, which means the transfer of structures, processes, content and practices of VET from the original to the target context. The levels of transfer are characterized: local, regional and national. The national mechanisms and peculiarities of the organization of international cooperation in the field of vocational education and training in certain European countries (Austria, Germany, France, Belgium, Switzerland) are outlined, which generally reflect the European trends in the development of international cooperation in the field of VET, in particular regarding international mobility, implementation of joint programs and projects, however, have national specifics regarding transfer levels and geographical boundaries of the specified cooperation. The content and procedural foundations of international cooperation in the field of vocational education and training in the European Union are highlighted. The role of the European Center for the Development of Vocational Education and Training (Cedefop) and the European Training Foundation (ETF) in the organization of international cooperation in the European Union is outlined. The content of international cooperation programs coordinated by the ETF in a number of regions (Central Asia; Eastern Partnership; Southern and Eastern Mediterranean; SubSaharan Africa; Western Balkans and Turkey) is characterized, as well as the content of ERASMUS+ programs and their potential to achieve the goals of international cooperation in the field of vocational education and training. In the process of highlighting Ukraine’s potential for the development of international cooperation in the field of vocational education and training in the “Ukraine - EU” format, the prerequisites and factors that contributed to the development of international cooperation in the studied aspect were analyzed. The content of the analytical reports of the European Commission and the European Training Foundation is outlined, which highlight the results of research on the state of vocational education and training in Ukraine, directions for reforming the specified area, the country’s achievements in this direction, difficulties and challenges faced by educational policymakers and VET providers in the process of implementing reforms. International cooperation projects implemented in Ukraine at the current stage are outlined, and a number of measures that can be introduced at the national, regional, institutional, and individual levels to improve international cooperation in the “Ukraine-EU” format are defined.