KOVA

New Thinking on the Impact of Vocational Education and Training

Project information

Project	KOVA – New Thinking on the Impact of Vocational Education and Training
Duration	2024-2028
Partners	Vocational College Spesia, Häme University of Applied Sciences
Funders	S. and A. Bovallius Foundation sr.
Budget	400 000€

Our aim is to improve the effectiveness and quality of special support in vocational education through research-based approaches.

At the core of the project is a multi-year follow-up study that produces new information on the learning, acquisition of competence, wellbeing, and future pathways of students requiring intensive special support. Throughout the KOVA project, innovative and novel new ways of conducting research and development work will be explored, focusing on serving and engaging students, educational institutions, the workforce, and society. An essential part of the project involves developing the knowledge base and tools for measuring the impact of vocational education at Vocational College Spesia and improving its operations and staff expertise.

The overall goal of the KOVA project is to expand and deepen the understanding of educational effectiveness and foster dialogue between different educational levels regarding the impact of education. This also allows to highlight the significant role of intensive special support in promoting equal opportunities for education and employment in vocational education and training. In the project, research and development are closely intertwined, and the results of the research and development work will be widely shared with stakeholders in education, including vocational education providers, teaching and guidance staff, students, employers, authorities, and organizations.

Target group

Students
Graduates who have completed qualification or training
Vocational institutions providing intensive special support
Representatives from the workforce and service sectors

Operating area

The locations of Vocational College Spesia across Finland.

Work packages

Research. During the project, longitudinal research is conducted which aims to examine the short- and long-term impacts of education, as described by the students. Its central goal is to understand the more difficult-to-measure effects of education on students’ learning and their pathways. The longitudinal study also explores and highlights the impact of education from the perspectives of individual wellbeing, competence, and social inclusion as well as participation.

Development. The goal of the development work accomplished during the project’s lifetime is to promote and support the improvement of operations and expertise at the organizational level, particularly regarding the quality and effectiveness of education. This work package maps the current knowledge base and data collection practices, develops novel solutions for measuring educational effectiveness, and incorporates the findings into the practices of vocational institutions.

Dissemination. The work package focused on communication and dissemination efforts to expand and deepen the understanding of the impacts and effectiveness of education at both the national and international levels. Dissemination efforts include publications, seminar and conference presentations, and sharing information on the project’s website.

Check out HAMK’s social media channels focusing on research!