ETF is committed to provide high quality expertise to its partner countries, the EC and internationally. The Thematic Expertise Development (TED) Department is given the objective to develop strategically ETF’s expertise taking into account (i) PCs needs and challenges in the medium term (as defined by the results of the Torino Process) and (ii) developments in the EC policies linked to Human Capital Development and more specifically in the fields of VET, labour market and employment, social inclusion and entrepreneurship and enterprise skills. To do so TED aims at (i) building upon experience and lessons learnt from ETF projects in the countries and regions during the last years and (ii) tapping new knowledge inside and outside ETF. The strategic development of ETF’s expertise will be crystallised in the formulation of corporate positions and methodologies that will be applied in future operations in the countries and regions as appropriate.
The Communities of Practice is one of the three instruments that TED is mobilising to achieve the above objective (the others being the Innovation and Learning Projects and the Editorial Board). The Communities of Practice (CoPs) are core teams of experts who work in a specific thematic/policy area in ETF’s country and regional projects. The aim of the CoPs is to strengthen ETF’s expertise in key thematic/policy areas by analysing the latest trends and best practices in a particular field, identifying potential partners for collaboration and information sharing, defining corporate positions on the specific area and finally integrating the learning within ETF projects and programmes. Each CoP is led by a Thematic Facilitator.
In 2012 the Communities of Practice will cover 6 thematic/policy areas: i) Employment ii) Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Skills iii) Governance (including social partnership an regional development) iv) Qualifications and Quality v) Social Inclusion vi) Sustainable Development
The 6 Communities of Practice have a life cycle of 2 years (ie until the end of the MTP 2010-2013). However, an evaluation of the relevance and scope of the themes that the CoPs cover will be made at the end of 2012 i.e. after the results of second round of the Torino process so as to address possible upcoming themes in the partner countries and/or EU policy directions.