Article Gold Open Access 2025

Vocational education and training (VET) system governance: a systematic literature review

Journal of Vocational Education and Training
Journal · Vol. 77 · Issue 5 · pp. 1419-1453
Abstract

In this study, we conduct a systematic literature review of records across disciplines dealing with VET system governance. The literature draws on a broad array of disciplines including political science, sociology, economics, development economics, and education policy. Despite this, we find a generally interconnected literature, which is neither ideologically isolated nor always based in a single disciplinary approach. In addition, we identify 16 variables across 6 dimensions that are commonly used to describe governance in VET systems. Those dimensions are: codified, unified, and principled national approach; coordination at all levels; cooperation and involvement; skills supply and demand; finances and funding; and providing high-quality and attractive VET. In general, the literature is not fully cohesive but avoids being isolated into ideological silos. © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Keywords

Author Keywords

VET TVET vocational education and training Governance education governance

Index Keywords

Author Affiliations
Chair of Education Systems, ETH Zürich, Zurich, ZH, Switzerland
Funding & Acknowledgements
No funding information
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