ERO National Research Report Austria 2004

Some policies have been identified, which are related to educational R&D to some degree: policies to improve quality and efficient use of resources; policies to support the inclusion of young people; policies to assess the supply and demand match on the labour market, and to anticipate the demand for qualifications and competences; the reform of teacher education for compulsory schools; the development of the Fachhochschule sector in higher education.
Austrian and European sources were analysed, in order to identify activities and institutions in VET research. As VET research is not institutionalised as a research area so far, the borders to other research areas (labour market research and more general educational research) are not clear. Steps have been taken to improve coordination of research, funding is mainly provided in a scattered way for individual projects, there are only very few topics under research during longer periods of time, and there is no overview about financial means. abf- Austria has been founded as a core group of institutions in VET research. The documentation of activities in VET research can be improved, and funding should be made more coordinated and sustainable.
Some ideas for improvement are given (e.g., the provide better overview and to make activities more visible), and two areas are identified where more research should be done: economics of education, and research about adult and continuing education.