Aims and scope

The main focus of this journal is to provide a platform for original empirical investigations in the field of professional, vocational and technical education, comparing the effectiveness, efficiency and equity of different vocational education systems at the school, company and systemic level. The journal fills a gap in the existing literature focusing on empirically-oriented academic research and stimulating the interest in strengthening the vocational part of the educational system, both at the basic and higher education level. Contributions published in this journal cast new light on a broad range of topics related to teaching and learning in vocational education, such as pedagogy practices, apprenticeship, competence development, validation of test instruments and assessment, professional challenges with certain labour-market conditions, and classroom experience. Offering evidence and reports from basic education and training to continuous or adult learning, Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training will appeal not only to academics and researchers in the field of vocational education, but also to policy-makers, policy planners and administrators, school-leaders and trainers.

The journal encourages the submission of high-quality contributions aimed at:

-       sharing comprehensive accounts on vocational education

-       improving the quality and appeal of vocational/professional pathways, and

-       keeping up with current changes on the labour market.

Topics addressed through contributions within the journal might include, but will not be restricted to: 

-       international comparisons of vocational education systems

-       the relationship between context and learning in vocational settings

-       measurement of competencies in vocational education and training

-       the relationship between the labour market and vocational education

-       educational pathways and returns to vocational education and training

-       evaluations of reforms in vocational education and training

-       efficient workplace learning settings and outcomes

-       learning throughout working lives.

The journal has an international multidisciplinary editorial board and also an advisory board with leading international academics in the fields of pedagogy, political science, psychology, sociology and economics.