Innovation in European Vocational Education and Training: Network Learning in England, Finland and Germany

This article presents a comparative study of innovation in vocational education and training (VET) in three innovative European countries: England, Finland and Germany. The focus is on innovation emerging from VET practitioners' (directors, teachers, project coordinators, etc.) participation in inter-organisational networks with local, regional, national, European or international reach. The concept of practitioner-driven innovation is introduced to describe the ways VET practitioners perceive participation in inter-organisational network learning to change and innovate practices in VET organisations. The findings of the comparative research, based on the literature of innovation and empirical studies in the three countries, indicate that the perceptions of VET practitioners on innovation, emerging from participation in inter-organisational networks, are largely convergent across the three European countries. The article suggests that VET practitioners perceive participation in inter-organisational network learning to enhance innovation in VET with, for example, specialisation, new training models, and professional development. While noting the limitations of the research, the article aims to contribute to present research and discussion of practice-based innovation and network learning in VET.