The 2023 edition of the UNESCO-UNEVOC TVET Leadership Programme (TLP) ran from October to December. The programme focused on ’Managing change through transformative TVET Leadership’ and was designed to sharpen leaders’ vision, share up-to-date knowledge and provide a platform for skills development. This year, the programme made a significant step in building the capacities of TVET leaders from around the world, preparing them and their institutions for a more sustainable and impactful future.

From the 1050 applications received, 159 mid-to-senior-level TVET professionals from 67 countries were selected to take part in the programme. The UNESCO-UNEVOC TLP delivered online learning resources and peer-learning activities, engaging with professionals and experts for a holistic approach to TVET leadership.

In the opening session, Friedrich Huebler, Head of UNESCO-UNEVOC, emphasized the critical role of leadership skills, strategic planning and policy development in addressing contemporary challenges in TVET. “Networking is an important feature of the TVET leadership programme, … the participants will be able to build valuable professional relationships, to share knowledge and to foster opportunities for collaboration.”

Birte Ifang, Senior Policy Officer at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), commented on the success of TVET Leadership Programme, “This leadership programme has become a very well-established programme that helped many excellent and motivated teachers, trainers and managers from all over the world, to develop their skills and capacities, and support the TVET institutions’ development.”

Four core technical modules emphasized global visions and strategies in TVET and current thematic trends, as well as management and leadership skills for transformative initiatives. Each module culminated in a weekly webinar, facilitated by OneWorld Sustainable Investments, and aimed to reinforce TVET leaders to become change agents through interactive and engaging online activities.

The first three technical webinar sessions focused on 'Vision for Change’, Knowledge for Change’, and Skills for Change’. These sessions allowed participants to learn about UNESCO Strategies and international agendas related to TVET, useful frameworks and implementation tools for greening TVET, inclusive TVET and digital transformation, as well as results-based management skills and theories of change to address the industry needs of a rapidly shifting landscape. These sessions included speakers from UNESCO headquarters, UNESCO Beijing Cluster Office and UNESCO-UNEVOC.

Reflecting the knowledge and discussions of the modules and technical webinar sessions, participants were asked to develop a proposal of anticipated strategies from what they have learned that could ultimately be adopted in their institutional and system contexts.

The fourth and final technical webinar, led by participants, showcased two promising proposals for implementation in their respective TVET system or institution. Qin Jingjun, a national TVET expert from Shaanxi Polytechnic Institute in China, presented his proposal of establishing an eco-innovation hub to promote green TVET for economic and social benefits. Another insightful proposal was presented by Fiona Rassoul, Principal of New Amsterdam Technical Institute in Guyana, and Abdirashid Ibrahim, Director-General of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs in Somalia, which focused on improving gender equality by aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), incorporating gender-sensitive awareness programmes and facilitating internship opportunities for female students within local industries.

Conclusively, the TLP 2023 edition not only provided valuable knowledge but also encouraged participants to rethink their potential for reshaping institutions. To mark the end of the programme, UNESCO-UNEVOC organized a virtual graduation session. The graduates of the UNESCO-UNEVOC TVET Leadership Programme 2023 will join an alumni network of 800 TVET leaders, managers and staff from more than 95 countries.

The TVET Leadership Programme 2023 was designed by the UNEVOC Network Secretariat, and jointly implemented and co-facilitated by OneWorld. UNESCO-UNEVOC conveys its appreciation to the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) for their continuous support of the programme.