Strengthening TVET systems: Evidence-based policymaking in a fragmented data landscape

Good data is essential for improving  Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) systems – but collecting and comparing TVET data across countries remains a persistent challenge. Policymakers and practitioners often work with incomplete or incompatible datasets, making it harder to design reforms based on solid evidence.

This webinar explores what TVET data is actually available globally, where the gaps are, and what it took to produce harmonised datasets across different country contexts. You will hear practical lessons on how to navigate common obstacles – from inconsistent definitions to missing indicators.

The webinar draws on a forthcoming Towards a Global TVET Agenda (TGTA) flagship: the Global TVET Data Report – the first comprehensive global reference on the state of TVET data, designed to strengthen evidence, policy dialogue, and international collaboration.

Join us to better understand the global TVET data landscape and help build a more coherent, evidence-based future for the field.

16:00 – 16:05 | Welcoming the participants

• Introduction to the TGTA Initiative [the German Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB)]

16:05 – 16:15 | Presentation (OECD)

• Introduction to the TVET Global Data Initiative: what, how and why

• Mapping TVET data availability

  •  Understanding patterns in available TVET data availability
    • Overview of the global TVET data landscape
    • Key patterns in data availability
  • Identifying gaps and underlying barriers
    • Key data gaps across the TVET system and indicators
    • Structural and methodological factors contributing to these gaps
    • Institutional and capacity-related barriers affecting data availability and comparability

16:15 – 16:55 | Panel Discussion (Moderated by BIBB):

From availability to gaps – understanding the constraints shaping TVET data

Panelists:

• Gesa Münchhausen, Senior Expert and Researcher, Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB)

• Iván Bornacelly, Project Lead, OECD Centre for Skills

• Friedrich Huebler, Head of UNESCO-UNEVOC (tbc)

• Elena Montobbio, Director, ILO/Cinterfor (tbc)

16:55 – 17:00 | Closing Remarks (BIBB) 

• Next steps for the TGTA Initiative

• Invitation to the next webinar
  
  

TGTA is a multilateral initiative supported by the German Government and implemented with leading international partners, including UNESCO-UNEVOC, ILO, OECD, ETF and BIBB. It aims to strengthen international co-operation on TVET by connecting policy dialogue, comparable data, capacity building and implementation support. 

To learn more about the Towards a Global TVET Agenda (TGTA) initiative, please visit: Towards a Global TVET Agenda