The Perspectives of the International Agencies

An Inter-agency Panel of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) experts, drawn from seven United Nations and other international agencies, was one of the highlights in the programme of UNESCO's International Experts Meeting "Learning for Work, Citizenship and Sustainability" (Bonn, Germany, 25-28 October 2004). The Panel was chaired by Jane Stewart, Director of the Skills and Employability Department at the International Labour Organization (ILO). Panel members comprised: (1) Arvil Van Adams, World Bank; (2) Ulrich Hillenkamp, European Training Foundation (ETF); (3) Wataru Iwamoto, UNESCO; (4) Gunter Klein, World Health Organization (WHO); (5) Akpezi Ogbuigwe, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP); and (6) Juan Carlos Villagran De Leon, United Nations University. The Chairperson asked the panelists to discuss the following questions: (1) What would a TVET system for sustainable development look like?; (2) Where is this on the agenda? What priority are agencies giving the issue of TVET for sustainable development?; and (3) What outcomes are the agencies' trying to achieve over the United Nations Decade for Sustainable Development? This article is based on the discussion of these three questions during the panel, as well as on concept papers provided by the presenters prior to the event. (Contains 5 notes.)