Competence-based approach in the education reforms of Lithuania and Estonia

ENThis paper aims to explore and compare the introduction and implementation of competence-based approaches in initial VET and higher education, as well as in the reforms of the national systems of qualifications in Lithuania and Estonia. This comparison involves analysis of the historical context of development of competence-based approaches in the initial VET and professional education, exploration of the focus on competence approaches, as well as reviewing the development of competence-based national systems of qualifications and National Qualifications Frameworks in Lithuania and Estonia. Competence served as the core concept and background for the curriculum reforms in the initial VET and higher education in both countries. The main differences of implementation of competence-based approaches in the reforms of VET and national systems of qualifications in both countries concern not so much methodological issues, but institutional settings having more unified, centralised and state-led approach in Lithuania and differentiated approach to competence-based qualifications and their subsystems in Estonia. [Publisher annotation]

• Evolution of competence concept in Lithuania: from VET reform to development of National Qualifications System / Rimantas Laužackas, Vidmantas Tūtlys and Irma Spūdyte. Journal of European industrial training. 2009, Vol. 33, no. 8/9, p. 800-816.
• Implementing a national qualifications framework in Lithuania / Vidmantas Tūtlys and Irma Spūdytė. Implementing national qualifications frameworks across five continents / edited by Michael Young and Stephanie Matseleng Allais. London: Routledge, 2013. P. 223-242.
• Kompetencijos sampratos erdvė / Palmira Jucevičienė, Daiva Lepaitė. Socialiniai mokslai. 2000, Nr. 1 (22), p. 44-50. Kaunas: Technologija, 2003. P. 19-27.
• Kompetencijų vertinimas neformaliajame ir savaiminiame mokymesi / Rimantas Laužackas, Margarita Teresevičienė, Eglė Stasiūnaitienė. Kaunas : Vytauto Didžiojo universiteto leidykla, 2005. 224 p.
• Mokymo turinio projektavimas : standartai ir programos profesiniame rengime / Rimantas Laužackas. Kaunas : VDU leidykla, 2000. 143 p.
• Outlines of competence based program for evaluators : general assumptions and concentration to the evaluators' training / Daiva Lepaitė, Palmira Jucevičienė. Socialiniai mokslai. 2002, Nr. 4 (36), p. 64-69. Kaunas: Technologija, 2003. P. 334-341.
• Profesinio rengimo metodologija / Rimantas Laužackas. Kaunas : Vytauto Didžiojo universiteto leidykla, 2005. 331 p.
• Profesinio rengimo reforma Lietuvoje : parametrai ir rezultatai / Rimantas Laužackas, Eugenijus Danilevičius, Odeta Gurskienė. Kaunas : Vytauto Didžiojo universiteto leidykla, 2004. 235 p.
• VET ecosystems and labour market integration of at-risk youth in the Baltic countries: implications of Baltic neoliberalism / Vidmantas Tūtlys, Ilze Buligina, Juris Dzelme, Genutė Gedvilienė, Krista Loogma, Biruta Sloka, Tarja Irene Tikkanen, Ginta Tora, Lina Vaitkutė, Terje Valjataga, Meril Umarik. Education + Training. 2022, vol. 64, no. 2, p. 190-213.