Introduction

Dear Interested in the Congress,
dear Participants,

During the whole of the history of the Federal Republic of Germany, vocational education and training has never faced such major and diverse challenges at one and the same time. Ongoing digitalisation of the world of work, the rapid changes being brought about by technological advancements, competition with the higher education sector to acquire high ability learners, demographic trends and not least the need to integrate the influx of refugees to Germany since 2015 all mean that VET is confronting an increasing requirement for further development.

What response is vocational education and training able to offer to these challenges? What pioneering programmes, projects and initiatives are in the pipeline? Which design concepts need to be developed for practice in order to be able to continue to present vocational education and training as an attractive and flexible option? And which types of research and academic research services are necessary if we are to provide the policy makers with the facts, figures and data that facilitate appropriate decisions?

Faced with these issues, there is no doubt that we must take stock of where vocational education and training is heading over the coming years. We aim to undertake just such an assessment at our next BIBB Congress, which will be staged in Berlin on 7 and 8 June 2018 under the banner of “Learning for the future. VET of tomorrow – experience innovations”.

German trade and industry is geared towards export. Vocational education and training is an essential part of the picture in this regard and has always proved its worth whilst showing a capacity to change and adapt. VET has much to offer and is well positioned in overall terms. For this reason, the multifarious current challenges need to be viewed as opportunities to continue to promote the attractiveness and reputation of VET rather than being perceived as risks.

The BIBB Congress is aimed at all VET decision makers and multipliers in the field of policy making, in trade and industry, in the trade unions and in the academic research community. Its target audience also very much includes representatives of VET practice from companies, chambers, associations, guilds, educational institutions and vocational schools. Our aim is to demonstrate the way forwards for all these stakeholders. Our wish is to engage in debate with you on the future alignment of vocational education and training.

We would thus like to extend a warm invitation to you all to attend our Congress and very much hope to be able to welcome you to Berlin on 7 and 8 June. We are looking forward to a detailed exchange of experiences and views and to the chance to network in a way which will benefit and strengthen vocational education and training in Germany.