This article aims to provide a systemic instrument to evaluate the functioning of higher education systems. Despite systemic instruments have had a strong impact on the management of public policy systems in fields such as health and innovation, higher education has not been widely discussed in applying this type of instrument. Herein lies the…

Public organizations charged with coordinating higher education institutions face a complex set of tasks. Whether coordinating institutions within one sector or across sectors, such organizations play vital roles in promoting a state's capacity for policy leadership to meet the growing need for an educated citizenry. National experts have…

Assessment and evaluation can be important tools in improving the effectiveness and quality of programs, especially criminal justice programs, if they are integrated into the plans and designs of strategies instead of being added later. An evaluation systems approach to program development is needed to ensure that effectiveness and efficiency are…

This article reviews the literature and practice concerned with the evaluation of science, technology, and innovation (STI) policies and the way these relate to theories of the innovation process. Referring to the experience of the European Union (EU), the authors review the attempts to ensure that the STI policy theory is informed by advances in…

This book, which is an informal initiative of a group of 31 concerned South African specialists and practitioners in education and training, is designed to provide readers with a broad overview of South Africa's National Qualifications Framework, suggested tools/mechanisms for working within the National Qualifications Framework, and understanding…

A study was conducted to develop tools for describing and evaluating external governance in the U.S. Department of Defense's (DoD's) multiorganizational system of education, training, and professional development. An exploratory conceptual framework and taxonomy for understanding external governance in the DoD context was developed, and the…

This guide for improving the quality of National Reporting System for Adult Education (NRS) data through improved data collection and training is intended for local providers and state administrators. Chapter 1 explains the guide's purpose, contents, and use and defines the following components of data quality: objectivity; integrity;…

European structures of qualification levels were examined through a review of reports on recent developments in Germany, Spain, France, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. The examination focused on the following topics: the scope of the national frameworks; the definition of standards and qualifications; the definition of levels in…

Recent trends and developments related to the structures of qualification levels in Germany, Spain, France, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom were examined in a quasi-experimental study that was part of a more comprehensive study on the same topic. The study focused on standards, qualifications, and classifications at the tertiary level of…

This document contains reports on the structures of qualification levels in Germany, Spain, France, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom that were commissioned during a study to identify trends and developments in the European Union related to national certification frameworks. Each country report examines the following topics: the history of…

This document contains 13 papers on targeting employment services. The following papers are included: "Targeting Employment Services under the Workforce Investment Act" (Stephen A. Wandner); "Predicting the Exhaustion of Unemployment Compensation" (Robert B. Olsen, Marisa Kelso, Paul T. Decker, Daniel H. Klepinger);…

The recent history of apprenticeship in Great Britain was examined to identify the issues arising from the latest reforms and future expansion of the system. A team of university academics with strong research interests in training and skills collected information from a large body of academic work in the field of apprenticeship and training and…

This book, which traces the emergence of an official state-sanctioned learning policy for education and training in the United Kingdom, examines how the country's government has taken a concerted approach to accomplishing the following two goals: (1) integrating the reproduction of knowledge at all levels in the educational institutions under…

Australia's system for helping youths make a successful transition from initial vocational education and training (VET) to working life was assessed through an analysis that focused on the following features that were identified by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) as contributing to successful transitions: learning…

A 6-month consultation process was conducted to identify changes needed in Ireland's system of adult education in the era of lifelong learning. The following issues were addressed: (1) financial barriers for adults wishing to return to education; (2) the lack of access to mainstream programs of education and training; (3) the lack of information…