Prepared in 2020, this ETF assessment provides an analysis based on the outcomes of the Torino Process national report for Jordan, which drew on a standardised framework questionnaire for national reporting (the National Reporting Framework – NRF). The national report was compiled by a national expert under the supervision of the Torino Process national coordinator in the TVSD Commission, and it incorporates comments and evidence generated in face-to-face and written consultations with national stakeholders.
The ETF assessment starts with a country overview and a brief description of the strategic plans and national policy priorities of Jordan (Section 1, Subsections 2 and 3). This is followed by an overview of the issues related to the development and use of human capital in the country (Section 2) and an in-depth discussion of problems in this area that in the view of the ETF require immediate attention (Section 3). Section 4 presents conclusions.
The assessment process involved an extensive phase of desk research based on responses to the NRF and the preparation of an issues paper with an overview of themes for discussion in the present report, which were then finalised in consultations within the ETF. An advanced draft of the ETF assessment was circulated to national stakeholders and international partners to verify the findings and recommendations, after which the assessment was discussed at a virtual dissemination event with stakeholders on 9 December 2020.
From the standpoint of regional policy dialogue, the findings and recommendations of the ETF Torino Process assessment provide elements to inform future regional initiatives within the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean area, as well as ongoing discussions on post-2020 programming. The findings of the report will also feed into the current dialogue, led by the Union for the Mediterranean and the European Commission, on monitoring the progress of the 2019 Ministerial Declaration on Employment and Labour, which underlines a range of issues, including the importance of reforming education and training systems in order to respond to the challenges posed by ensuring employment, employability, and decent work[4] For the importance of investment in education, higher education and training systems, including vocational education and training (VET), as well as lifelong reskilling and upskilling of workers to prepare them for constant changes in the world of work, see Ministerial Declaration on Employment and Labour, April 2019, p. 4.
. A cross-country report will consolidate all the outcomes of the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean Torino Process assessments and contribute to the monitoring and evaluation framework to be developed as a concrete output of the Declaration[5] The Labour Ministers asked the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) Secretariat, with help from volunteer countries, to coordinate the setting up of a framework for national monitoring processes, notably by organising meetings, providing relevant information, making contacts and engaging in networking, and cooperating with country stakeholders and international organisations. The Ministers invited the European Commission and the relevant EU agencies, in particular the European Training Foundation, to provide their expertise. See the Ministerial Declaration on Employment and Labour, paragraph 29, April 2019.
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Like other ETF assessments, this paper is not meant to be exhaustive. The national report for Jordan covers a broad selection of problems revolving around human capital development and use, while the focus of this assessment is on challenges that the ETF recommends addressing as a matter of priority.