Media o s o sus ainable li elihoods
P omo ing sus ainable li elihoods in
oca ional and adul educa ion h ough
uni e si y cu icula and p og ams
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Media o s o sus ainable li elihoods - P omo ing sus ainable li elihoods
in oca ional and adul educa ion h ough uni e si y cu icula and
p og ams
Repo om a p elimina y s udy o GINTL pilo p ojec
Au ho s: Anja Heikkinen, San e i So sa, Xin Xing, Qiao Li, Jiao Cheng, Li Tan, Pe pe ua
Kalimasi, Nicholous Kilasa, Pamela Wadende, E ick Oya o, Nelson Opwonya
Facul y o Educa ion and Cul u e, Tampe e Uni e si y
TREPO 2022
ISBN 978-952-03-2592-3 (pd )
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Con en s
Summa y ........................................................................................................................... 4
1. In oduc ion .................................................................................................................... 7
1.1. Backg ound ............................................................................................................. 7
1.2. Aims and ocus o he s udy .................................................................................. 19
2. Design o he S udy ..................................................................................................... 21
2.1. Concep ual amewo k .......................................................................................... 21
2.2. Resea ch ques ions .............................................................................................. 23
2.3. Me hods and collec ion o da a .............................................................................. 24
3. Implemen a ion o he s udy ......................................................................................... 26
3.1. Implemen a ion o su eys .................................................................................... 27
3.2. Implemen a ion o in e iews ................................................................................. 29
4. Analysis and indings om he s udy ............................................................................ 31
4.1. Rele ance o cu en cu icula ............................................................................... 32
4.2 Cu en Collabo a ion ............................................................................................. 39
4.3. Expec a ions owa ds new expe ise ..................................................................... 46
4.4 Expec a ions owa ds collabo a ion in cu iculum and p og am de elopmen ......... 53
4.5 Mos impo an sec o s and issues o expe ise and collabo a ion ......................... 60
5. Conclusions and ecommenda ions ............................................................................. 64
5.1. Wha is dis inc i e in indings om di e en con ex s ............................................. 64
5.2. Wha is a s ake conce ning cha ac e is ics? ......................................................... 68
5.3. Wha is a s ake conce ning uni e si ies' posi ion, ole and po en ial? ................... 74
5.4. Wha should be aken in o accoun o u u e collabo a ion and p ojec s? ............. 76
5.5. Me hodological e lec ions and ecommenda ions ................................................. 81
Appendixes ..................................................................................................................... 84
Appendix 1. Ques ionnai e- o m. .................................................................................. 84
Appendix 2. In e iew guide ......................................................................................... 85
Lis o ables, igu es and pic u es ................................................................................... 87
Re e ences ...................................................................................................................... 89
Con ibu o s ..................................................................................................................... 94
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Summa y
Sus ainable de elopmen has become a uni e sal aim in na ional and sup ana ional
economic, social, and educa ional agencies and belongs o he epe oi e o indus ies,
businesses and ci il socie y o ganisa ions. Howe e , by b eaking he concep in o sepa a e
ca ego ies, such as he lis o UN sus ainable de elopmen goals, i emains ague,
diso de ed and ambiguous. As au ho s o his epo , we assume ha social me abolism -
he ma e ial and ene gy lows by social o ganisa ions o di e en scales - is po en ially he
o emos concep o sus ainable de elopmen . The comba agains unsus ainable social
me abolism happens in local and plane a y o ganisa ion o wo k, indus ies, social and
poli ical li e. Fo humans, sus ainable social me abolism means li elihood in collec i es o
assemblies o humans and nonhumans. Al hough di ec ly a ge ing his, oca ional and adul
educa ion ha e emained ma ginal in policies and discou se o sus ainable de elopmen .
Th ough ou collabo a ion in esea ch, eaching and in e ac ion wi h p ac ices and policies o
oca ional and adul educa ion, we ha e ended up in ques ioning he ole and esponsibili y
o uni e si ies and highe educa ion o sus ainable social me abolism and li elihoods. While
uni e si ies a e p ime ins i u ions shaping agendas and expe ise o poli ical, economic and
social de elopmen , we ask why hey a e igno ing oca ional and adul educa ion, despi e
hei c i ical unc ion o sus ainable li elihoods. We hypo hesise he impac o he
es ablished, aken- o -g an ed p inciples and p ac ices in cu iculum and p og am
de elopmen and implemen a ion, which o e look in e ac ion and collabo a ion wi h non-
uni e si y ac o s. Ye , om ou expe iences, we ind his c i ical o analysing, unde s anding
and shaping esea ch-based expe ise o sus ainable li elihoods in oca ional and adul
educa ion.
Ou eam o senio and junio esea che s come om Finland, China, Tanzania, Kenya and
Uganda, ep esen ing he di e si y o local and global social me abolism, p oduc ion and
commodi y chains and in e dependencies. The ambi ion o ou p elimina y s udy is o cla i y
concep ual and me hodological amewo k o u u e co-c ea i e collabo a ion be ween key
uni e si y and non-uni e si y ac o s, owa ds de elopmen and implemen a ion s a egies
and p ac ices o esea ch-based cu icula and p og ams, o shape expe ise o sus ainable
li elihoods in oca ional and adul educa ion.
Based on ou s udy we sugges ha
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● New media ing expe ise is needed o comba ing en i onmen al, social and poli ical
c ises h ough oca ional and adul educa ion. We do no speci y i as a ce ain
p o ession, since i may eme ge as a c oss-disciplina y quali y, in eg a ed o a ious
p o essional ields, o as a mu a ion o some exis ing p o essions. I equi es
in eg a ed knowledge and unde s anding o condi ions and ans o ma ion po en ial o
local li elihoods and hei global in e dependencies.
● The expe ise should be con ex ualised and dynamic, and add ess he exis ing
en i onmen al, economic, indus ial and social eali ies in local con ex , in hei global
and plane a y in e dependencies. While being humble in lea ning om di e en
ac o s, i should also be dynamic in suppo ing ans o ma i e ac ion owa ds
democ a ising wo k and social li e among humans and be ween humans and non-
humans.
● Cu iculum and p og am inno a ions a e equi ed o achie e new expe ise. They
mus ecognize exis ing quali ica ion amewo ks, occupa ional s uc u es, cu iculum
and p og am s uc u es, and in eg a e knowledge o and compe ences o he wo ld
o oca ional and adul educa ion and hei local, na ional and plane a y
in e dependencies and go e nance. Uni e si ies a e c i ical ac o s in educa ing
expe s in o leading posi ions in go e nance, in indus ial, educa ional and ci il
socie y o ganisa ions.
● Co-c ea i e and expe imen al s a egies and p ac ices a e needed in cu iculum and
p og am de elopmen and implemen a ion. The unc ioning o uni e si y cu iculum
and p og am de elopmen is an unde - esea ched and igno ed opic in p og ams and
agendas owa ds sus ainable de elopmen . A co-c ea i e and expe imen al p ocess
among ac o s om uni e si ies and highe educa ion ins i u ions and non-uni e si y
ac o s should include co- esea ch wi h sel -c i ical analysis o he s a us quo.
● Building b idges as collabo a ion ac oss Global No h and Global Sou h is necessa y
since sus ainable li elihoods canno build on global scaling o he exploi a i e
solu ions om he Global No h. Pa ne s o collabo a ion should iden i y cases o
economic and social uni s and sec o s o indus y, which enable he analysis o hei
commodi y chains and social me abolism, and connec ions o oca ional and adul
educa ion.
The opening chap e in oduces he backg ound and aims o he s udy, he second chap e
desc ibes he design and he hi d one d aws he implemen a ion o he s udy. The ou h
chap e epo s and summa ises indings om di e en con ex s. The closing chap e d aws
conclusions and sugges s ecommenda ions o he u u e. Al hough he aim o he s udy is
o suppo co-c ea i e collabo a ion among he esea ch eam and hei ins i u ions, we
belie e ha he exe cise can be use ul also o o he ac o s, sha ing he same in e es s and
ambi ions.
The p elimina y s udy was accomplished du ing No embe 2021-Ma ch 2022, as pa o
“global inno a ion ne wo ks in eaching and lea ning (GINTL)”-ini ia i e o he Finnish
minis y o educa ion and cul u e. (h ps://gin l.o g/). Howe e , he s udy aimed o suppo
pa ne s in hei egula ac i i ies as well as p ojec s wi h any ele an unding. The small

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g an , ans e ed h ough Tampe e Uni e si y, unded one junio esea che in each pa ne
uni e si y o wo k pa - ime o one o h ee mon hs. Un o una ely, despi e ea lie p omise
by Tampe e Uni e si y, he eam was no awa ded applied addi ional unding. In Baoji
Uni e si y o A s and Sciences (BUAS) and Sou h China No mal Uni e si y (SCNU) he
eam was suppo ed by o he s uden s, p esen ed in he Con ibu o s-chap e . Ye , mos o
he wo k, especially o senio esea che s, was ca ied ou in addi ion o hei egula du ies.
Wi hou he commi men o he whole eam, he s udy and his epo would no be ealised.
We also wa mly hank all he pa icipan s o he s udy o sha ing hei iews, expe iences
and expec a ions wi h us. The pa icipan s we e in i ed o a end he online dissemina ion
e en on 29 Ma ch 2022 o sha e he indings.
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1. In oduc ion
1.1. Backg ound
This s udy is based on conce ns, which he pa icipan s sha e in hei academic and wo k
con ex s abou he esponsibili y o uni e si ies in add essing plane a y c ises. They belie e
his esponsibili y equi es a holis ic change in de elopmen and implemen a ion o esea ch-
based uni e si y p og ams and cu icula, especially ela ed o adul and oca ional
educa ion. Adul and oca ional educa ion p omises one impo an way o mi iga e plane a y
c ises, b ough abou by unsus ainable li elihoods. Red essing hese c ises implies c oss-
disciplina y in e ac ion wi h non-uni e si y ac o s - communi ies, indus ies, educa ional
ins i u ions and policymake s - and collabo a ion ac oss coun ies and con ex s.
Fu he , he en i onmen al and ecological c ises ha e become a join conce n o all people
and go e nmen s on he plane . Mos go e nmen s, economic ac o s and educa ional
ins i u ions a e commi ed o he UN sus ainable de elopmen goals. To comba global
wa ming and en i onmen al deg ada ion, he main challenge is whe he humankind is
capable o adical changes in ways o li e and economic p ac ices. This, howe e , is no
possible wi hou c ea ing jus ice and equi y ac oss di e se con ex s, whe e indi iduals,
communi ies and coun ies a e posi ioned poli ically, economically and socially. The
esponse o plane a y c ises equi es u gen esponse om ci izens and communi ies, om
indus ies, employe s and wo ke s; bes suppo ed by oca ional and adul educa ion
p og ams. I onically, i is p ecisely oca ional and adul educa ion ha a e ma ginalized in
policies and p og ams o sus ainabili y ac oss he wo ld, including he UN SDGs.
The con ex s o he s udy, Tampe e Uni e si y in Finland, Mzumbe Uni e si y in Tanzania,
Kisii Uni e si y in Kenya, Kyambogo Uni e si y in Uganda, Baoji Uni e si y o A s and
Science and Sou h China No mal Uni e si y in China di e in hei poli ical, economic, social
and educa ional chances o change in cu iculum and p og am de elopmen . The
exp essions and in e p e a ions, especially ansla ions o English a y. Fo example, he
Finnish concep o oca ional educa ion is o en ansla ed as VET ( oca ional educa ion and
aining, used in he Eu opean Union), he Chinese and Eas -A ican concep s ansla ed as
TVET ( echnical and oca ional educa ion and aining, ollowing con en ions o
sup ana ional agencies). By making isible he di e si y, he s udy aims a inc easing
knowledge and unde s anding o de eloping collabo a ion ac oss he con ex s, o suppo
de elopmen o adul and oca ional educa ion o sus ainabili y.
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In gene al, oca ional and adul educa ion a e ma ginal in cu en p og ams and cu icula in
pa ne coun ies. The emphasis is on p og ams o eache s and leade s in gene al
seconda y schools and p ima y schools. In all coun ies, collabo a ion wi h non-uni e si y
ac o s (such as oca ional and adul educa o o eache aining ins i u ions and
adminis a ion, labou ma ke pa ne s) is no common when uni e si ies de elop and plan
hei deg ees and cu icula. The e is hea y bias in a ou o p oducing wo ke s o 'whi e
colla ' jobs om hese ins i u ions despi e he iden i ied need o g adua es who ha e ‘hands
on' skills, a e esilien and adap able enough o a end o he c ises in he plane . The e is a
di e si y in p o iles and loca ion o p og ams and cu icula, which ocus on adminis a ion,
managemen and go e nance o educa ion among uni e si ies e e ywhe e, also among his
pa ne ship.
Facul y o Educa ion and Cul u e (EDU) in TAU
Pic u e 1.1. S uden s in on o Tampe e Uni e si y main building. Ca mechanic s uden s in
Tampe e oca ional college (TREDU).
Tampe e Uni e si y (TAU) is in he Pi kanmaa egion. While he uni e si y has a na ional
and in e na ional mission, i s local coope a ion ocuses on Tampe e Ci y, which e y much
domina es he egion. The e o e, he needs o o he communi ies end o be absen in he
s a egies, in p og am and cu iculum de elopmen p ac ices o uni e si y and EDU. The
acul y is domina ed by eache educa ion (ea ly childhood, p ima y and seconda y
educa ion, uni e si y pedagogy), bu in MA o li elong lea ning- and Doc o in educa ion and
socie y-p og ams g adua es en e planning, adminis a ional and managemen posi ions in
he public and p i a e sec o . The connec ions o non-uni e si y ac o s ha e weakened in
ecen yea s. The legacy o Uni e si y Tampe e as he main ins i u e o adul and oca ional
educa ion, and o local adminis a ion and democ acy, has inc easingly e oded du ing he
usion o Uni e si y o Tampe e and Tampe e Uni e si y o Technology in 2019. Though
adul educa ion is s ill a subjec , he e is no dis inc i e p og am in adul educa ion. Voca ional
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eache s accomplish one yea “ eache s’ pedagogical ce i ica e” in Voca ional eache
aining uni s o poly echnics (uni e si ies o applied sciences), in eg a ing p ac ice in
oca ional ins i u es o in ensi e/dis an cou ses in eache aining. The links o p ac ise in
oca ional schools o indus y is limi ed o expe iences ha eache ainees b ing in o hei
s udies. In TAU, he Facul y o Managemen and Business p o ides p og ams wi h
adminis a ion and managemen opics, bu he e is no collabo a ion wi h EDU in e ms o
educa ional planning, adminis a ion, and managemen .
Acco ding o he la es e o m in seconda y oca ional educa ion in 2018, he e a e no
( o mal) dis inc ions in quali ica ions and cu icula o you h and adul s. The e a e a ound
165 quali ica ions in mos exis ing indus ies. (Finnish Na ional Agency o Educa ion 2022)
The amoun o wo k-based and sel -di ec ed lea ning was inc eased. Ini ial oca ional
educa ion p epa es skilled wo ke s, bu also p o ides u he and specialis quali ica ions,
heo e ical s udies in app en iceship p og ams, and ailo ed con inuing aining o
companies. Educa ion is publicly unded and ee o cha ge o s uden s. His o ically and in a
wide pe spec i e, oca ional educa ion e e s beside oca ional schools, also o
poly echnics (uni e si ies o applied sciences), whe e g adua es om oca ional adi ionally
ha e been able o p oceed o highe quali ica ions and posi ions in wo k li e. Sus ainable
de elopmen is o icially one o he p io i ies in VET, and Finland is ac i e in pa icipa ing in
he EU’s G een Deal p og am. (Eu opean Commission 2019).
Popula adul educa ion ( ee olk edi ica ion wo k) is an impo an educa ional sec o ,
his o ically aiming a p omo ing pa icipa ion o he popula ion (ci izens) in poli ical and social
ac i i ies. (MinEdu 2022) I akes place as
· Municipal wo ke s’/people’s ins i u es p o iding gene al and hobby- ela ed cou ses
· Folk high schools p o iding p og ams p epa ing you h o u he s udies, in eg a ion
educa ion o mig an s, ailo ed occupa ional p og ams and sho cou ses o shop s ewa ds,
eligious and ideological ac i is s
· S udy associa ions, which suppo all kinds o ci il socie y o ganiza ions in ad ancing
hei agendas
· Summe uni e si ies (o conso ia o municipali ies) p o iding uni e si y cou ses o
adul s, and spo s ins i u es p o iding spo ac i i ies o indi iduals, amilies and
o ganiza ions.
Sus ainable de elopmen has been pa o all educa ion in Finland since he 1990s, howe e
ocusing on ecological o en i onmen al sus ainabili y. Since 2006 sus ainable educa ion has
o mally become a s a egic aim o Finnish educa ion policy a all a eas and le els, including
adul , oca ional and highe educa ion. (MinEdu 2020).
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educa ion, highe educa ion and adul educa ion a e p o ided in silos. While highe
educa ion ins i u ions a e go e ned by he Tanzania Commission o Uni e si ies, oca ional
educa ion ins i u ions a e go e ned by The Na ional Council o Technical and Voca ional
Educa ion and T aining (www.nac e.go. z). This council is esponsible o de elopmen and
e iew o all oca ional and echnical p og ams.
When uni e si ies a e in he cu iculum e iew cycle o design, hey consul some
s akeholde s a a ious s ages om he needs assessmen o he s akeholde s’ wo kshops
in e nal and ex e nal o he uni e si y, bu he pa icipa ion o hose s akeholde s is no
e ec i e. Uni e si ies a e ying o de elop some ini ia i e o collabo a e wi h indus ies
h ough a ious p ojec s. Howe e , sus ainabili y o such collabo a ions o egula ly in o m
he cu icula is s ill a challenge in e ms o eadiness o indus ies and inancing o hei
pa icipa ion. The e a e also na ional s a egies o o malize skills and compe ences ha
you h acqui e om non- o mal educa ion and app en iceships sys ems.
In MU, he Facul y o Social Science and he School o Public Adminis a ion ha e
managemen and adminis a ion cou ses wi hin he p og am ailo ed o sui hei discipline
and o he ela ed cou ses e.g., educa ion managemen and educa ion policy s udies ha
ha e been in eg a ed in o he cu icula as a cou se. S a o adul educa ion a e ained in
he na ional Ins i u e o Adul Educa ion and some academic uni e si ies, depending on he
na u e o he cou ses, a e eaching a he ins i u es o adul educa ion wi hin he coun y
ac oss di e en egional cen es.
School o Educa ion and HRD in Kisii Uni e si y (Kisii)
Kisii Uni e si y is loca ed in Sou h-Wes e n Kenya. Educa ional managemen is one majo
subjec in he School o Educa ion and HRD, which also ains adul and oca ional
educa o s wi h speci ic cou se uni s. In addi ion o eache s o ea ly childhood, p ima y and
seconda y school g ades, he School also ains TVET lec u e s. Ye i has no ecei ed
commensu a e capaci y building necessa y o equip lec u e s wi h knowledge hey need o
ain hei s uden s in TVETs o ac ualize Kenya Vision 2030.
In he Vision 2030, Kenya aims o ans o m in o a newly indus ialized, middle-income
coun y. Such a coun y would p o ide a be e quali y o li e o i s ci izen y in a clean and
secu e en i onmen . Pa o he s a egies o ac ualizing his aim is o ain echnologis s and
echnicians o man he indus ies and p oduc ion line posi ions c ea ed wi h he inc easing
indus ializa ion. The go e nmen injec ed a whooping 30 billion Kenya shillings
(263,504,610 USD) o mode nize and upg ade TVETs (Abuya, 2021) and poly echnics o

17
ensu e he a ainmen o ision 2030. Al hough mo e unds ha e been alloca ed o TVETs,
no much capaci y building has been done in uni e si ies ha ain he TVET lec u e s. The
lack o capaci y building causes a disconnec be ween wha wo ke skills he coun y needs
o d i e ision 2030 and wha hey ge based on he aining o he TVET lec u e s by
uni e si ies ha ain g adua es mos ly wi h a ocus on whi e-colla employmen .
Addi ionally, he Kenyan educa ional sys em lacks pa hways om p ima y h ough
seconda y o highe and adul educa ion wi h a clea ocus on oca ional skills and
quali ica ions. The links be ween uni e si ies and p o ide s and go e no s o oca ional and
adul educa ion - including oca ional and adul educa o s and adminis a o s - a e weak.
The concep o adul o li elong educa ion is s ill domina ed by a de iciency app oach, linked
o li e acy and o mal academic quali ica ions. In gene al, collabo a ion wi h non-uni e si y
ac o s, such as oca ional and adul educa o - o eache aining ins i u ions and
adminis a ion, labou ma ke pa ne s, is no common when uni e si ies de elop and plan
hei deg ees and cu icula. Ye such collabo a ion would be i al o manpowe ha will d i e
he ision o Kenya. Collabo a ion would also allow uni e si ies, such as Kisii, o cap u e in
he cu icula he changing needs o he communi y, such as he ques o sus ainable
li elihoods.
Pic u e 1.6. Kisii Uni e si y Main ga e. Tea Fac o y in Kisii.
Kyambogo Uni e si y (KyU)
Kyambogo Uni e si y is si ua ed in Kampala egion, on Kyambogo Hill. I was c ea ed wi h
he aim o p omo ing and ad ancing knowledge and de elopmen o skills in Science,
Technology and Educa ion and such o he ields ha ing ega ds o quali y, equi y, p og ess
and ans o ma ion o socie y.
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Pic u e 1.7. Technical and oca ional eache educa ion block, Kyambogo Uni e si y.
Fishe ies T aining Ins i u e (FTI) Class oom blocks.
Kyambogo Uni e si y was o med in 2003 (Uni e si ies and Te ia y Ins i u ions Ac 2001) as
a me ge o he o me Uganda Poly echnic Kyambogo (UPK), Ins i u e o Teache Educa ion
Kyambogo (ITEK), and Uganda Na ional Ins i u e o Special Educa ion (UNISE). (Kyambogo
2022). The good collabo a ion has kep hem wo king oge he o he de elopmen o
Kyambogo and Uganda as a whole. Beside collabo a ions wi hin adminis a i e sys ems in
KyU, he e a e many a ilia e ins i u ions o KyU, such as he Uganda echnical eache
educa ion ins i u ions. The adminis a o s o hese ins i u ions join ly si wi h he managemen
o KyU o plan cu icula, co-cu icula ac i i ies and examina ions o hese ins i u ions.
In KyU, he e a e BA, MA and D p og ams in educa ional planning and managemen in he
Facul y o Educa ion, and hey connec o he Facul y o Voca ional S udies, which p o ides
MA in Voca ional Pedagogy o oca ional eache s. KyU o e s Bachelo o En i onmen al
Science which add esses he issues o en i onmen al sus ainabili y h ough collabo a ion
wi h Na ional En i onmen al Managemen Au ho i y (NEMA). KyU also collabo a es wi h
sis e uni e si ies, o he ins i u ions, small scale and bigge indus ies, and Uni e si ies
ab oad o ou side Uganda.
Technical, Voca ional Educa ion and T aining (TVET) has been conside ed o long as he
ield o s udy o academic ailu es in Uganda. The end was changed by an Educa ional
Policy Re iew Commission epo o 1992, whose ecommenda ions we e p esen ed in he
“The Go e nmen Whi e pape ” (Educa ion, 1992). Despi e he change in p og ess, pupils in
p ima y schools lack guidance and sensi iza ion. Pupils s udy o se en yea s in p ima y
schools wi hou knowledge abou oca ional o echnical educa ion pa hways. They lea n
abou echnical o oca ional schools while illing o ms o joining pos p ima y schools,
whe e p e e ences a e equi ed: ei he gene al seconda y school, o communi y poly echnics
and o me junio echnical schools. Communi y Poly echnics is being he i s s age o
p og ess in oca ional pa hway a e p ima y school (wi hou joining seconda y school). F om
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communi y poly echnic he s uden s can p oceed o TVET ins i u e, om he e o TVET
College and u he o uni e si y. The exis ing pa hway o TVET, excluding he gene al
educa ion pa hway in Uganda unc ions in ollowing manne :
P ima y
School
Educa ion
Communi y
Poly echnics
Technical/Voca ional
Ins i u ions
Technical/Voca io
nal Colleges
Uni e si y
Educa ion
In an a emp o mee he SDGs and i s ision o 2030 (Di ec o a e 2022) and igh you h
unemploymen , he Minis y o educa ion has emba ked on adul and oca ional educa ion,
by aining you hs who a e no en olled in he o mal educa ion sys em o a p og am Skilling
Uganda (Moni o 2021). These you hs a e assessed and awa ded ce i ica es o compe ency
by he di ec o a e o indus ial aining. The aim is o p o ide he you hs wi h skills o income
gene a ion h ough applica ion o skills o he han bu ning o cha coal om ees o su i al.
1.2. Aims and ocus o he s udy
Based on ou comes o p e ious collabo a ion and join e lec ions, he esea ch eam was
led o he con ic ion ha p og ess owa ds sus ainabili y in indus ies and communi ies,
equi es c oss-disciplina y uni e si y p og ams, which enhance oca ional and adul
educa ion. These should p o ide new expe ise, which is needed 1) as educa o s wi h skills
and quali ica ions o de elop occupa ional and communi y li e, which could be acqui ed
be o e o du ing uni e si y s udies, and 2) as adminis a o s and leade s wi h capaci y o
de elop oca ional and adul educa ion sys ems locally and na ionally, in hei global con ex .
The e o e, he s udy aims a de eloping esea ch-based ini ia i es o ans o m he
s a egies and p ac ices o cu iculum and deg ee p og am de elopmen - hei aims,
con en s, implemen a ion - in pa ne uni e si ies.
The new cu icula, p og ams and expe ise should no emain a he le el o iden i ying
con empo a y needs in he labou ma ke s. They should enable con inuous in e ac ion wi h
ele an non-uni e si y ac o s, dialogue and nego ia ion be ween uni e si ies and i s
en i onmen , o example communi y-based solu ions in planning and implemen a ion o
cou ses, hesis s udies and esea ch. The ans o ma ion o cu iculum and p og am
s a egies and p ac ices is also an issue o uni e si y e hos and democ acy. The new
s a egies should be buil collec i ely by ecognizing he expe iences, challenges - such as
lack o esou ces and powe - and ambi ions o s a a he g ass oo , who inally a e
esponsible o designing and implemen ing cu icula and p og ams.
20
The e a e a a ie y o ac o s o s akeholde s in oca ional and adul educa ion and in
uni e si ies a local, na ional and global le el. They include indus ial ac o s in public and
p i a e wo k-o ganisa ions and companies, employe s and employees and hei unions,
educa ion p o ide s, s a in oca ional and adul educa ion ins i u ions, go e ning bodies
and agencies, amilies and s uden s, ci il socie y o ganisa ions and local communi ies. The
s udy aims a iden i ying he mos c i ical ac o s o s akeholde s o po en ial collabo a ion in
each con ex o he pa ne ship, such as go e ning bodies, educa ional ins i u ions and hei
s a and s uden s, aine s o oca ional and adul educa o s, s a and g adua es and
s uden s in pa ne uni e si ies e c. These would be engaged in he co-c ea i e p ojec in he
u u e.
Fo he u u e co-c ea i e expe imen s, he ocus mus be na owed. Th ough he s udy,
each pa ne aims a iden i ying a ew issues, and indus ial and occupa ional sec o s, which
a e c i ical o sus ainable de elopmen locally, na ionally and globally, ac oss he
pa ne ship. Fu he mo e, each pa ne should iden i y a communi y - a case - o deepe
and close unde s anding o local adi ions, in e p e a ions, ways o coping in wo k, and he
challenges and oppo uni ies. This would enable esea ch-based expe imen s, which
analyse oca ional and adul educa ion p o ision o he sec o (policies, cu icula, ac o s),
he go e nance and policies o he sec o o oca ional and adul educa ion.
The issues and sec o s should also be exempla y o allow mu ual lea ning and compa a i e
analyses o cases as pa o global indus ial and occupa ional chains and in he con ex o
global/sup ana ional educa ion policies and o go e nance in he chosen sec o . The s udy
aims a ad ising pa ne s o pick up some commodi y and p oduc ion chains, which link hei
con ex s, in o de o ollow he p ocess in local indus y and communi y, and o see how i is
add essed by oca ional and adul educa ion. The s udy should also make isible he main
gaps in cu en oca ional and adul educa ion p o ision, om he pe spec i e o sus ainable
de elopmen locally, na ionally and ac oss locali ies and na ions.
Consequen ly, he u u e expe imen could apply a mul i-le el, mul i-ac o app oach,
in eg a ing communi y-based, na ional and global analyses in o co-c ea i e ans o ma ion o
deg ee and p og am de elopmen s a egies and p ac ices. Th ough his s udy, each pa ne
aims o map he key ac o s and s akeholde s o he co-c ea i e p ojec in hei con ex , and
wha hei main mo i a ion o and way o engagemen would be in he p ocess. Based on
indings, each pa ne should discuss wha kind o c oss-disciplina y eams, o example
om educa ional sciences, adminis a ional and en i onmen al sciences, should be c ea ed
in uni e si ies o de eloping he pilo concep u he . The s udy should help he u u e
p ojec o go deepe in seeking adi ional ways o coping wi h wo k and managing li e, in
21
inding ou philosophies, which he s uden s in oca ional and adul educa ion and in
uni e si ies a e exposed o and building on du ing hei s udies.
2. Design o he S udy
2.1. Concep ual amewo k
The la es IPCC epo acknowledges mi iga ion, adap a ion and esilience as esponses o
he accele a ing plane a y en i onmen al c ises. I calls o assessing solu ions o
en i onmen al haza ds in in e sec ion wi h socio-economic de elopmen , conside ing hei
inhe en link o ulne abili y, po e y, li elihoods and inequali y, as pa o wide
clima e/en i onmen al jus ice. (IPCC 2022) In his p epa a o y s udy, he co e concep is
“sus ainable de elopmen ”, en a i ely unde s ood as ca ing o means o li elihood o
communi ies, in hei human and nonhuman socio-me abolic ela ions, in changing geo-
social se ings and geo-economic in e dependencies. The concep o social me abolism
e e s o lows o ma e ials and ene gy be ween “na u e” and “socie y” (non-human na u e),
inside and be ween socie ies.
1
(e.g., Haas e al 2017, Cla k e al 2016). This is assumed o
be isible in o ganiza ion o (human and nonhuman) wo k, p oduc ion and consump ion
(“economy”), and in ins i u ionaliza ion o social in e ac ion (“ci il socie y/communi ies”).
(e.g., Moo e 2017).
We conside oca ional and adul educa ion mos c i ical o shaping means o li elihood and
o ackling en i onmen al c ises, and uni e si ies as esponsible o c ea ing expe ise o
shape oca ional and adul educa ion. (Ruuska 2017, Heikkinen 2020, Heikkinen e al 2021)
The e o e he ocus is on hei p ac ices o cu iculum and p og am de elopmen o expe s
in oca ional and adul educa ion. We explo e he meanings and in e p e a ions gi en o
sus ainable de elopmen , unde s ood as ca ing o means o li elihood ac oss di e en
ac o s and geo-economic and geo-ecological con ex s o he s udy. While his is assumed o
equi e collabo a ion ac oss di e se, inc easingly in e dependen con ex s, we ind i c i ical
o unde s and he con ex ual ac o s and hei in e ela ions in cu iculum and p og am
de elopmen in pa ne uni e si ies. Being p elimina y, he s udy also a emp s o explo e
1
O en he concep and app oach o social o socio-me abolism is used in a wide amewo k o social
ecology o poli ical ecology. Since ou s udy is e y p elimina y, i is he ask o u u e esea ch
collabo a ion o de elop a mo e sophis ica ed heo e ical amewo k.

22
ways o wa d o con ex ualised concep ual and me hodological aming, which would enable
co-c ea i e, esea ch-based collabo a ion in ackling en i onmen al c ises ac oss con ex s.
Due o he a emp o co-c ea i e and con ex ualised app oach, he conc e e de ini ions o
oca ional and adul educa ion, as well as go e nance a e no ixed, bu kep open o hei
di e si y in di e en con ex s. Because he esea ch eam is in cha ge o he s udy, hey a e
expec ed o be mo e explici o loca e he s a us and unc ion o uni e si ies and highe
educa ion ins i u ions.
Voca ional and adul educa ion a e unde s ood as ac i i ies and p ac ices con ibu ing o
p e ailing o ms o social me abolism, media ed by human and non-human labou . They a e
o mally o in o mally delega ed o ins i u ions and p ac i ione s in public and p i a e sec o s
o socie ies. They happen in in e ac ion wi h s uden s and lea ne s wi h hei own ambi ions
and in en ions. A loose p e-unde s anding among he eam is ha oca ional educa ion aims
a enabling s uden -lea ne s o pa icipa e in wo k-li e. When including adul s, i may be
called ( oca ional) adul educa ion, bu ypically adul educa ion is unde s ood o aim a
enabling s uden -lea ne s o social and poli ical pa icipa ion and o p oceed in hei
educa ional pa hways.
Go e nance o oca ional and adul educa ion is conside ed as hei guidance by policies,
p ac ices and ins i u ions, execu ed by o mally o in o mally au ho ized policymake s,
adminis a o s, leade s and planne s (designe s) in public and p i a e sec o s o socie y.
Go e nance is assumed o ma e ialise in in e ac ion be ween he go e no s and go e ned.
Uni e si ies and highe educa ion ins i u ions a e unde s ood as o mally au ho ized, bu
au onomous ins i u ions, esponsible o esea ch-based knowledge-c ea ion and educa ion
o p o essionals and expe s, wi h socie al in e ac ion and impac . The uni e si ies occupy a
p ominen posi ion in socie y. They ain he people who d i e p oduc ion and consump ion in
socie y. Thei missions ma e ialize in s a egies and p ac ices in de elopmen /design o
deg ee p og ams and cu icula - aims, con en s and implemen a ion -, in engagemen o
di e en ca ego ies o s a , s uden s and non-uni e si y ac o s in bo h public and p i a e
sec o s.
The esea ch design shows he amewo k wi h en a i ely gene ic concep s o he s udy.
23
Figu e 1. Resea ch design o he s udy.
In his s udy, he ocus is on uni e si ies and hei impac on sus ainable de elopmen , which
can happen di ec ly and indi ec ly as in e ac ion wi h indus ies and communi ies, wi h
educa ional ins i u ions and go e nance, and as educa ion o expe s and p o essionals o
go e nance and educa ional posi ions.
2.2. Resea ch ques ions
While he pilo s udy aimed a mapping and desc ibing he si ua ion in di e en con ex s, i
was amed by a p elimina y esea ch p oblem, o be elabo a ed u he in he nex phase o
esea ch-based collabo a ion. The s udy asks
● Wha meanings and in e p e a ions a e gi en o sus ainable de elopmen ac oss
di e en ac o s and geo-economic and geo-ecological con ex s o he s udy? Wha
con ex ual ac o s and hei in e ela ions may a ec cu iculum and p og am
de elopmen in pa ne uni e si ies?
● Wha kind o concep ual and me hodological aming is equi ed o co-c ea i e,
esea ch-based collabo a ion, o de elop cu icula and p og ams o expe ise ha
p omo es oca ional and adul educa ion o sus ainable li elihood (in local)
indus ies and communi ies?
24
To each he aims o he s udy, he pa ne ship de eloped ollowing heu is ic esea ch
ques ions, which we e adjus ed o di e en con ex s and a ge g oups.
RQ1. Wha is he s a e o a in collabo a i e c ea ion and implemen a ion o p og ams and
cu icula o expe s p omo ing sus ainable de elopmen in local communi ies and indus ies,
conside ed by key ac o s, such as uni e si y, educa ional ins i u ions, adminis a ion,
communi y and indus y?
RQ2. Wha expec a ions a e he e o new expe ise p omo ing sus ainable p oduc ion and
consump ion in adul and oca ional educa ion?
RQ3. Wha is expec ed o new p ac ices o collabo a i e c ea ion and implemen a ion o
uni e si y cu icula o sus ainable p oduc ion and consump ion?
RQ4. Which issues and indus ial sec o s a e conside ed mos impo an o sus ainable
p oduc ion and consump ion?
RQ5. Wha in e es and eadiness o pa icipa e is he e o inno a i e co-c ea ion and
implemen a ion o p og ams and cu icula (including ele an pilo p ojec s) o sus ainable
p oduc ion and consump ion?
2.3. Me hods and collec ion o da a
The esea ch eam ag eed ha due o he sca ce esou ces and di e si y o con ex s and
a ge g oups, a lis o join opics is de i ed o espond o esea ch ques ions, and o suppo
o mula ion o aims, objec i es, p oblems and me hods o u u e esea ch-based
collabo a ion. P elimina y plan i s o implemen a join su ey h ough e–ques ionnai es o a
wide g oup o po en ial s akeholde s, hen accomplish a ew in e iews wi h ep esen a i es
o mos i al ones, om he pe spec i e o u u e esea ch. While he ques ionnai e opics
should be a he simple o esponden s, hey we e supposed o be deepened in discussions
wi h he in e iewees. In e iews we e expec ed o p o ide ma e ial o answe ing he
esea ch ques ion. (Ou lines o su eys and in e iews a e a ached in he appendix 1).
Su eys: QUESTIONNAIRE TOPICS
1. In oduc ion and Ins uc ion (in he message sen o he esponden s).
2. Posi ion and ins i u ional s a us o esponden , ela ion o esponden o adul and
oca ional educa ion.
25
3. Opinions abou ele ance o cu en p og ams and cu icula o expe s/p o essionals in
adul and oca ional educa ion (i ems should also men ion en i onmen al and social
sus ainabili y).
4. Opinions abou cu en in e ac ion and collabo a ion be ween ac o s ( o be o mula ed in
each con ex ) in de eloping p og ams and cu icula (al e na i es and open i ems).
5a. C i ical issues in suppo ing he local communi y owa ds sus ainable de elopmen ?
5b. C i ical issues in suppo ing local indus ies owa ds sus ainable de elopmen ?
6. Wha kind o expe s/p o essionals a e needed o p omo e adul and oca ional educa ion
o sus ainable de elopmen in local communi ies and indus y?
7. Who should be in ol ed in c ea ion and implemen a ion o p og ams o expe s o
p omo e adul and oca ional educa ion o social and en i onmen al sus ainabili y in local
communi ies and indus ies?
8. Rele ance o s a ing a p ojec among di e en s akeholde s o expe imen wi h new
p ac ices in c ea ion and implemen a ion o new p og ams and cu icula o new kinds o
expe s?
9. Any o he issues, ques ions, commen s o esea che s e c.
In e iews wi h key in o man s: INTERVIEW THEMES
1. In oduc ion and ins uc ions
2. Posi ion and s a us o in o man ; ela ion o adul and oca ional educa ion.
3. The ele ance o cu en p og ams and cu icula o de eloping adul and oca ional
educa ion o sus ainable de elopmen in communi y and indus ies?
4. S a e o in e ac ion and collabo a ion be ween ac o s/s akeholde s in de eloping and
implemen ing p og ams and cu icula? Reasons?
5. Need o new expe ise in de eloping adul and oca ional educa ion? C i ical issues and
sec o s o indus y? Reasons?
6. Need and isions o new collabo a i e p ac ices in de eloping and implemen ing
p og ams and cu icula o new expe s? Who should be in ol ed and how? Reasons?
7. Rele ance o s a ing a pilo p ojec o expe imen ing new collabo a i e p ac ice in
c ea ing p og ams and cu icula o expe s o adul and oca ional educa ion p omo ing
social and en i onmen al sus ainabili y o local communi ies and indus ies?
8. Any o he issues, ques ions, commen s o esea che s.
Ta ge g oups o s udy
32
The pe iod o implemen ing su eys and in e iews, o making analyses and in e p e a ions
was sho , only ou mon hs. The esea ch eam used a join Moodle Digma-pla o m bo h o
documen a ion o all mee ings and discussions ela ed o he s udy, o gene a ion o
esea ch ques ions, ques ionnai es and in e iew hemes, o sha ing da a, o analysis and
in e p e a ions and o de eloping he inal epo . Zoom-mee ings among he whole eam
we e o ganised o make join decisions, analyses and in e p e a ions, addi ionally junio
esea che s had zoom-mee ings abou da a-collec ion and documen a ion. The zoom-
collabo a ion was challenged by epea ed echnical p oblems - in e ne connec ions and
elec ic blackou s, bu also by di icul y o ind da es o sui all pa icipan s. To es
p elimina y in e p e a ions, he esea ch eam o ganised a wo kshop, whe e esponden s
and in o man s and s a and s uden s om pa ne uni e si ies we e in i ed o join.
In he ollowing chap e s, he ou comes o analyses a e p esen ed in he o de o he
esea ch ques ions. In each chap e , indings a e i s desc ibed om each con ex , ollowed
by in e p e a i e and compa a i e summa ies, also as ables. Due o he sho age o unding
and ime, he e was no possibili y o speci y hem acco ding o he su ey and in e iew da a.
4.1. Rele ance o cu en cu icula
In his sec ion, we p esen how ele an esponden s ind cu en uni e si y and oca ional
educa ion cu icula. Since he con ex in each coun y is di e en , i is conside ed in ou
analysis.
While in Finland sus ainabili y is acknowledged as a mega end, which a ec s socie y and
indus y in many ways, i mus be adap ed h oughou all educa ion. The ine i abili y o
implemen ing sus ainable de elopmen was uni ocal among pa icipan s o TAU s udy. Mos
esponden s exp essed ha hey do no know uni e si y cu icula ela ed o oca ional and
adul educa ion ha well. Since mos had Mas e o e en Doc o al deg ees in social o
educa ional sciences, hey seemed o e ade he opic o uni e si ies’ esponsibili y in
p omo ing sus ainabili y h ough oca ional and adul educa ion. Ra he hey spoke abou
cu icula in gene al and hei cu en s a e o he a ega ding sus ainable de elopmen .
Only ew esponden s made a di e ence be ween oca ional and adul educa ion, since a e
he la es oca ional educa ion e o m, he e is no legal sepa a ion be ween you h and
adul s. Bo h in su eys and in e iews, hey acknowledged ha sus ainable de elopmen has
al eady been implemen ed in oca ional educa ion and i s cu icula. Howe e , he e was a
wide unde s anding ha he e a e many u he s eps o be aken. Many esponden s ound i
posi i e ha conc e e wo k owa ds sus ainable de elopmen has become day- o-day ac i i y

33
in oca ional educa ion. This can mean using ecycled ma e ial, in ensi ying ene gy use,
making e ec i e use o digi aliza ion and making sus ainabili y pa o he educa ion in
gene al. Mo e nega i ely, he e we e many oices abou he cu en si ua ion o sus ainabili y
being shallow. Sus ainable de elopmen is o en seen as some hing ex a and no
implemen ed in o he s uc u es o educa ion. This was desc ibed as “g eenwashing”,
meaning ha sus ainable de elopmen does no se iously ackle en i onmen al h ea s.
An essen ial pa o he la es oca ional educa ion e o m was ans e ing la ge pa s o
cu iculum o be lea n a he wo kplace and inc easing sel -di ec ed lea ning. Some
esponden s ound his p oblema ic conce ning p omo ion o all he pilla s - ecological,
economic and social - o sus ainable de elopmen . The TAMK ep esen a i e was
suspicious whe he he cu iculum is p ope ly implemen ed a wo kplaces. The oppo uni ies
o schools and eache s o suppo wide and deepe lea ning ha e na owed, which may be
ha m ul especially o young and ulne able s uden s. The mission o oca ional educa ion o
p omo e employmen and employabili y has made i o mally and s a is ically mo e socially
sus ainable, enhancing inclusion o all kinds o s uden s in o he labou ma ke . Howe e ,
many pa icipan s, especially om he minis y o educa ion and cul u e (OKM) and Tampe e
Voca ional College (TREDU), we e conce ned abou he g owing lea ning gaps be ween
s uden g oups, which is a mo e nega i e indica o abou social sus ainabili y. The e a e
s uden s who come om comp ehensi e schools wi h good g ades, and do no ha e a
p oblem adap ing o oca ional s udies, bu also a g owing numbe o s uden s who do no
ha e as good lea ning skills o a i udes. This is a challenge ha should be add essed bo h
in educa ion and in uni e si y esea ch. The e was also conce n abou s uden ’s men al
heal h by he AMKE ep esen a i e, and especially du ing he pandemic abou s uden well-
being in gene al.
Conce ning uni e si y cu icula and hei unc ion o oca ional and adul educa ion, some
pa icipan s saw uni e si ies as sepa a e ins i u ions and ins ances which do no help hem
wi h “p ac ical” issues, also conce ning sus ainable de elopmen . The mos nega i e oice in
he su ey exp essed ha uni e si y cu icula a e no ele an a all o de elopmen o
oca ional educa ion, due o hei non-p ac ical na u e. Howe e , while no conc e ising he
con en , mos esponden s ound uni e si y collabo a ion and esea ch highly ele an o
oca ional and adul educa ion. They ecognised a clea need o uni e si y ained expe s
and uni e si y esea ch o deepe implemen a ion o sus ainable de elopmen in o
oca ional and adul educa ion.
In su eys and in e iews om BUAS and SCNU, he need o ele an uni e si y cu icula
and o s eng hening he p og ams in oca ional and adul educa ion was emphasised.
34
The e was a la ge po ion o s uden s in he su ey, who ques ed o be e connec ion o
en e p ises and p ac ical know-how. I was also acknowledged ha p ac ical skills we e
use ul o s uden s en e ing in he labou ma ke . Mos esponden s ound ecological
sus ainabili y necessa y, bu he in e iews wi h eache s and s uden s showed ha hei
unde s anding o he concep o ecological sus ainable de elopmen was ague.
In BUAS, ecological sus ainable de elopmen o class oom eaching is in eg a ed in o
gene al cou ses o subjec cou ses o educa ion. The ice dean o FoE men ioned an
unde g adua e educa ional ecology cou se, bu he did no know whe he i is ela ed o
ecological sus ainabili y. He assumed ha i eache s would lea n abou he ela ion o he
con en o ecological sus ainable de elopmen in cu en a ai s and poli ics, hey will
pe mea e i in o eaching. Fo mas e educa ion, i may be discussed in basic educa ion o
public educa ion cou ses, in class oom semina s and some pape w i ing, bu he concep
i sel may no be explici ly discussed. A s uden ep esen a i e o he FoE said: "The cu en
cu iculum is no ele an o he p og am ( o ecological sus ainabili y). Because he goal o
he school is o shape s uden s' p o essional abili y. Howe e , how o combine he
sus ainabili y cou se wi h he p ojec is s ill a ques ion wo h conside ing. So I don' hink he
cu en cou ses a e ele an o he p ojec .”
The acul y ep esen a i e o he SVTTE in SCNU no ed ha he e a e no cou ses di ec ly
ela ed o eco-sus ainabili y. Howe e , he e a e some gene al cou ses and elec i e
cou ses: Biodi e si y and Sus ainabili y and Ma ine and Human sus ainabili y, o e ed by
School o Li e Sciences; Global Change and Communi y o Human Fu u e, o e ed by School
o Geog aphy; En i onmen al Sus ainabili y, o e ed by School o he En i onmen . Since
en i onmen al p o ec ion and ecological li e acy a e mos ly implemen ed in he o m o a
hidden cu iculum wi hou sys ema ic and specialised design, o e ing cou ses on ecological
sus ainable de elopmen is di icul .
The ice dean o SVTTE emphasizes ha in some science and enginee ing majo s,
ecological sus ainable de elopmen is e lec ed in he cu iculum syllabus and alen aining
p og ams and o e ed as cou ses. In he humani ies, he eache 's guidance o he s uden s'
ideological unde s anding is paid mo e a en ion. Al hough ecological sus ainabili y is no
speci ically emphasised in he SVTTE cu iculum, ele an concep s a e in eg a ed in some
cou ses. In some p o essional cou ses and compa a i e oca ional educa ion, he concep o
global ci izens is included, and in some uni s, ecological concep s a e in eg a ed in o he
cu iculum. In he u u e, elec i e cou ses may also be o e ed, bu mainly as in o mal
cou ses o gene al educa ion cou ses. SVTTE will open ele an ecological semina s, bu
35
he e is s ill a long way o go o specialisa ion cou ses including ecological sus ainable
de elopmen .
The esponden s belie e ha ecological sus ainable de elopmen cou ses ha a e o e ed in
oca ional educa ion and adul educa ion in uni e si y a e necessa y and will become a
end. They also ha e di icul ies, since he e is no co esponding ecological sus ainable
de elopmen cu iculum sys em, no clea cou se posi ioning owa ds he na u e o ecological
sus ainable de elopmen , as well as lacking co esponding eache s and eaching ma e ials.
The s udy was no a ge ed o uni e si ies in Mzumbe Uni e si y, since he e a e ha dly any
cou ses o p og ams dealing wi h oca ional and adul educa ion, no wi h emphasis on
sus ainabili y. Resul s om su eys and in e iews showed ha VET adminis a o s we e
eques ed o explain cu en cu iculum ele ance o cu en needs and sus ainable
de elopmen conside a ions. Compa ed o esponses o o he i ems, sligh ly as onishing was
ha he adminis a o s conside ed in in e iews ha he cu en VET cu iculum is ele an
and wo king e y well since i s de elopmen p ocess is pa icipa i e and e lec s communi y
needs. Also, i includes en i onmen al sus ainabili y issues as a subjec and opic. Howe e ,
he implemen a ion o cu icula lacks mode n eaching acili ies and e icien p ac ical aining
which make he ainees no ha ing necessa y equi ed skills in he job en i onmen as pe
cu en echnological changes and demands.
In he esul s o su eys and in e iews in Kisii, he e was an unde s anding ha he cu en
cu iculum in oca ional educa ion ins i u ions is ele an o he needs o he coun y in
many ways, bu besides ha , he e was also a conce n abou he p ac icali y o VET. The
cu icula should na ow down gaps in unemploymen by emphasising p ac ical a he han
heo e ical knowledge, o build skills needed by s uden s in he job ma ke , accommoda ing
i s cons an changes and need o lexibili y among wo ke s. The new cu icula should
in eg a e he iews o s akeholde s, and especially employe s, ela ing o wha a e impo an
skills needed in he socie y. The e is a need o de eloping a close link be ween cu en
educa ion cu icula and he social and en i onmen al sus ainabili y ins i u ions such as
Na ional En i onmen Managemen Au ho i y (NEMA), Na ional Cons uc ion Au ho i y
(NCA) and o he consume bodies in Kenya, o add ess clima e change challenges.
Cu icula in he school sys em should be e y well linked and ele an o s akeholde s, such
as indus ies and o ganiza ions who a e he key consume s o educa ion p oduc s, which is
no clea cu en ly. Responden s expec cu icula o link uni e si ies and local indus y's
a ious ields, so ha uni e si y g adua es would no see hemsel es as aliens in he socie y
and job ma ke .
36
F om he esul s o he ques ionnai e in Kyambogo, 92% suppo ed he ele ance o he
cu en p og ams and cu icula. In Kyambogo Uni e si y, one esponden (lec u e )
disag eed wi h he ele ance o he cu en cu icula and p og ams. NCDC and Nakawa
oca ional college esponden s suppo ed he ele ance o he cu en cu icula and
p og ams. And in Fishe ies T aining Ins i u e, one esponden (lec u e ) did no suppo he
ele ance o he cu en cu icula and p og ams. Those who suppo ed he ele ance o he
cu en cu icula and p og ams said he cu icula and p og ams co e na u al esou ce
conse a ion, en i onmen al sus ainabili y, en ep eneu ship and sa e wa e anspo . The
cu icula o e compe ence-based eachings ha p o ide a chance o acquisi ion o skills by
he lea ne s, hey p o ide educa ion o sel - eliance and equip lea ne s wi h p ac ical skills
which educe he bu den o job seeking.
Howe e , he 8% in opposi ion say ha he cu icula do no p o ide o p ac ical skills
de elopmen o he lea ne s. They ind a skills-misma ch among TVET g adua es since he
ew ools and equipmen in p ac ice a e al eady ou -da ed. The e is absence o mode n
equipmen and limi ed p ac ical esou ces in class ooms. Lea ning is heo e ically based,
and he cu icula ail o add ess issues o pollu ion o he en i onmen in ci ies, poo was e
managemen , ood insecu i y in he communi ies, po e y and he needs o he indus ies.
Table 4.1. Rele ance o cu en cu icula and p og am in uni e si ies/HEIs
TAU
BUAS&SCNU
MU
Kisii
KyU
-In VET, inclusion
o ecological and
economic SD is
a e age o good in
p ac ical solu ions
-No ye
implemen ed o
deep s uc u es o
VET
-Uni e si ies
de ached om
VET/wo k li e
-SD seen as a
mega end
-Social
sus ainabili y
p og essing, bu
social gap
be ween s uden s
g owing.
-Clima e change
and SD a e
a ec ing VET, bu
no clea de ini ion
o SD in VET
cu icula
-No condi ions o
de elop
cu icula/p og am
o SD in VET: lack
o suppo ing
cu iculum sys em,
clea cu iculum
posi ioning,
app op ia e
eache s and
ex books
-The concep o
SD in e nalized in
some gene al
cou ses.
-Cu iculum (VET
eache s) is
ele an and wo ks
well since i s
de elopmen is
pa icipa i e and
e lec s communi y
needs
-En i onmen al
sus ainabili y
included
-Lack o mode n
acili ies and
e icien p ac ical
aining: ainees
don’ ha e
equi ed skills o
job acco ding o
echnological
changes and
demands.
-Cu icula should
ocus on p ac ical
skills d i en by
echnologis s and
echnicians o
become an
indus ialized
na ion
-Cu iculum in
TVETs/HEIs does
no p oduce
people capable o
independen
hough
-En i onmen al
conse a ion and
na u al disas e -
p epa edness no
comp ehensi ely
included in
HEs/TVET
cu icula.
-Cu icula o e
na u al esou ce
conse a ion,
en i onmen al
sus ainabili y
-Challenge o
clima e change,
pollu ion, ood
insecu i y, po e y,
bu ning ees in o
cha coals
-Social
sus ainabili y no
p o ided: TVET
g adua es ail o
pe o m in
indus ies and
communi ies
-TVET cu icula no
p o iding adequa e
p ac ical skills.
37
Conce ning he quali y o new expe ise o enhance sus ainabili y h ough oca ional and
adul educa ion, ou s udy ques ioned in e p e a ions o sus ainable de elopmen in
uni e si y p og ams and cu icula. The indings indica e hei agueness in ela ion o
oca ional and adul educa ion. The e we e ha dly conc e e no ions abou ce ain disciplines,
cu icula and p og ams, which would be om hei pe spec i e. The lack o cla i y o he
concep was explici ly s a ed by esponden s in BUAS and SCNU, bu he ambiguous use o
he concep was isible also in TAU, MU, Kisii and KyU con ex s. Only in KyU, being
oca ionally o ien ed and in cha ge o cu iculum de elopmen in oca ional ins i u ions, he
cu en cu icula we e conside ed ele an o sus ainabili y in oca ional and adul educa ion.
Typically, sus ainabili y was mo e explici ly in eg a ed in o p og ams in echnical uni e si ies
and highe educa ion ins i u ions. While he conno a ion o oca ional educa ion is p ima ily
echnical (TVET) in China and Eas -A ica, hese ins i u ions we e also aken as mos
impo an o p omo ing sus ainabili y in oca ional educa ion. Despi e he di e en con ex ,
esponden s om BUAS, SCNU and TAU emphasised ideological, poli ical o e hical
educa ion and enligh enmen as co e o cu icula o sus ainabili y in oca ional and adul
educa ion.
Many s akeholde s in all con ex s seem o be posi i e abou he cu en ajec o y o
oca ional educa ion a leas heading owa ds sus ainabili y. S ill, much needs o be done in
implemen ing sus ainabili y in o he s uc u es o educa ion. In TAU, BUAS and SCNU
con ex s, mos esponden s wo ied ha sus ainabili y in oca ional and adul educa ion
ends o emain ex e nal and shallow. Since i is s ill a u u e end, he e is no ye a clea
ision o wha i should conc e ely mean. Due o he s onge emphasis on go e nmen al
policy guidelines and he composi ion o esponden s, iews seemed mo e explici in
Chinese han in o he con ex s. In Eas -A ica, he ele ance and cu en s a e was seen
mos op imis ically. Acco ding o KyU da a, VET ins i u ions a e a he ele an in aiming a
p ese ing na u al ese es and enhancing job ma ke s and en ep eneu ship. In KiSii he
cu icula we e depic ed as an ins umen o lea ning new skills o enhance he economy and
o educe unemploymen . MU indings indica ed ambi ion owa ds indus ial de elopmen ,
hough cu en acili ies o VET a e no up o needed s anda ds. While MU, Kisii and KyU
esponses abou ele ance seem o con adic esponses in o he hemes, his may a he
indica e a social desi abili y bias o a hoped- o si ua ion han eali y.
In all con ex s, esponden s highligh ed he p ac ical ele ance o cu icula and p og ams as
a p e equisi e o p omo ion o sus ainable de elopmen , whe he in uni e si ies o in
oca ional and adul educa ion. Howe e , when emphasising compe ences and skills which
sa is y he cu en needs o indus y and p omo e economic g ow h and employabili y, hey

38
did no p oblema ise how compa ible hey a e wi h sus ainable de elopmen . Bo h in TAU
and BUAS and SCNU con ex s, esponden s connec ed he p o ec ion o na ional li elihood
wi h he p omo ion o globally compe i i e “g een indus ies”. The lack o unde s anding o
links be ween en i onmen al deg ada ion, economic g ow h, p oduc ion and local li elihoods
among mos s akeholde s indica es ha cu en oca ional and adul educa ion needs o be
widened and deepened o make he links isible.
Responden s in e p e ed sus ainabili y mainly as ecological. The no ions o social and
economic sus ainabili y emained de ached om ecological aspec s. In TAU indings on
oca ional educa ion, emphasis was on lea ning gaps be ween s uden s, p oblems o li e
managemen among s uden s and pola isa ion be ween success ul and ailing s uden s.
These we e a ibu ed o ailu es in he la es oca ional educa ion e o m, whe e he
un ealis ic pedagogical goal o sel -di ec edness is combined wi h lacking esou ces. Due o
pandemic, men al heal h p oblems ha e become mo e isible. In BUAS and SCNU indings,
social and economic sus ainabili y was b ough up in ela ion o wo k li e and s uden ’s u u e
s a us in job ma ke s. In Eas -A ica, social and economic sus ainabili y was coupled wi h
educing unemploymen h ough ele an skills and compe ences and en ep eneu ship o
wo k li e.
Al hough some esponden s made no ions abou sus ainable de elopmen - p ima ily
ecological, such as clima e change - as a global issue, he amewo k o mos commen s
was he na ion s a e and educa ion as a se an o i s compe i i eness in global ma ke s.
Ha dly any e lec ed in e dependencies be ween local, na ional and global sus ainabili y. The
lack o e e ences o (inequal) di ision o en i onmen al deg ada ion, indus ies, wo k and
wellbeing seems ala ming conce ning he aims o ou collabo a ion. The p elimina y s udy
was supposed o suppo esea ch-based collabo a ion o p omo e place-based and
plane a y pe spec i e in oca ional and adul educa ion, which would enhance sus ainable
indus ies and communi ies. The indings show ha uni e si ies should no jus eac o he
poli ical and economic ques o solu ions o “p ac ical” p oblems o sus ainabili y in indus y
and socie y. Mo e holis ic awa eness o ecological, economic, indus ial and social
in e linkages ac oss local indus ies and communi ies equi es heo e ical unde s anding,
which is connec ed o con ex ual p ac ices. This sugges s a need o esea ch-based
cu icula and p og ams o de elop oca ional and adul educa ion o sus ainable li elihoods.
39
4.2 Cu en Collabo a ion
In his sec ion, we in oduce he esul s om su eys and in e iews i s om each con ex
and hen make a compa a i e summa y wi h commen s. We ocus on key s akeholde s
iden i ied in each con ex and on posi i e no ions and sugges ions o imp o emen .
Based on he esul s om he su ey in TAU con ex , cu en collabo a ion be ween
s akeholde s - p ima ily in oca ional and adul educa ion, only ew in uni e si ies - was seen
as neu al and good. Resea ch eam had iden i ied uni e si ies, seconda y oca ional
ins i u ions, minis ies, municipal agencies, ep esen a i es o wo k-li e, such as employe -
and ade unions o be he key s akeholde s. Pa icipan s we e mainly desc ibing
collabo a ion om he pe spec i e o oca ional and adul educa ion in gene al, no om he
pe spec i e o uni e si ies. Acco ding o indings, minis ies, municipali ies, educa ional
ins i u ions and wo k li e ep esen a i es we e iden i ied as mos impo an s akeholde s.
The collabo a ion be ween VET ins i u ions and wo k li e was seen gene ally as ge ing
be e in ecen yea s. The close coope a ion seems o mean ha p ac ical needs o
indus y ha e been conside ed and he e is in e ac ion especially be ween indi idual ac o s.
This is no su p ise since he la es e o m has s eng hened wo k li e-o ien a ion in oca ional
educa ion (Kon io e al. 2019). Howe e , he e o m has been c i icised, because i na ows
lea ning and pedagogy o he wo kplace, emphasising acquisi ion o job- ela ed
compe ences ins ead o edi ica ion (ibid.). The TREDU ep esen a i e no ed ha majo
collabo a ion happens be ween indi iduals, no o ganisa ions. Acco ding o he AMKE
ep esen a i e, despi e gene al weakness o collabo a ion, he e is imp o emen in
connec ion be ween wo k li e and VET ins i u ions. While hey a e ollowing he needs o
wo k li e, imp o emen owa ds sus ainabili y has happened. Howe e , he did no see ha
oca ional educa ion has b ough sus ainabili y o wo k li e.
Mos esponden s ound collabo a ion in all educa ion agmen ed. Each ins i u ion ocuses
on i s own sec o and p ojec s, hus no paying a en ion o ui ul collabo a ion. As a
emedy, on many occasions, was he expec a ion o ha e p o essional “b idge builde s”. One
impo an no ion abou he imbalance in collabo a ion wi h indus y came om he Chambe
o Comme ce. The s uc u e o collabo a ion in Finnish educa ion is well sui ed o bigge
companies, who ha e mo e esou ces o using educa ional se ices, han o smalle
en e p ises, who ha e hei hands ull on daily wo k. This is due o he p io i isa ion o big
companies in he his o y o mains eam oca ional educa ion (Heikkinen 2012), and a c ucial
poin o a emp s o p omo e local indus ies in o educa ional collabo a ion owa ds
sus ainable de elopmen .
40
Besides agmen a ion, a majo men ioned p oblem is inancing, which c ea es ensions
be ween s akeholde s. The s uc u e o inancing ends o suppo sho e m p ojec s a he
expense o mo e long- e m collabo a ion. Acco ding o AMKE and uni e si y ep esen a i es,
de elopmen by p ojec s-policies p e en s implemen a ion o sus ainable de elopmen in a
deepe sense. The VST ep esen a i e s a ed ha he cu en agmen a ion ep oduces
“ unnel ision”, which means ha each sec o o p og am specialises in i s own agenda,
which lea es he dialogue be ween hem shallow. Many esponden s saw uni e si ies as
isola ed ins i u ions, e en as c ea ing agmen a ion and isola ion in educa ional
collabo a ion. Al hough a ew esponden s ques ioned he impo ance o uni e si y
collabo a ion because hey a e no p ac ical, mos conside ed uni e si ies and esea ch
highly impo an as such, bu s ill de ached om he p ac ical wo ld and wo k li e.
Acco ding o BUAS and SCNU da a, he s akeholde s o cu iculum de elopmen in
uni e si ies in ol e people om e e y ield, mainly including go e nmen pe sonnel,
uni e si ies, en e p ises, cu iculum de elopmen expe s, seconda y oca ional expe s,
eache s and s uden s. The su ey con i med ha in he cu en oca ional and adul
educa ion p og ams, he o e all coope a ion o he s akeholde s is good. The ques ionnai e
da a show ha nea ly 50% o he esponden s belie e ha he cu en s akeholde s
coope a e well and a e sa is ied wi h he collabo a ion in oca ional educa ion cu iculum
de elopmen . Howe e , mo e han a hal a e neu al abou his and poin ou ha he e is a
lo o be imp o ed.
The ice dean o he FoE in BUAS men ioned ha he es ablishmen o an ecological
sus ainable de elopmen cu iculum equi es many e o s. Fi s , he go e nmen can
inco po a e he ecological sus ainable de elopmen cu iculum in o he na ional egula ion o
cu icula, in e ms o highe educa ion, mainly as a p o essional o ien ed cu iculum. Second,
he e is no sui able way o in e ene in o indus ies and en e p ises. Lec u es, social p ac ice
o coope a ion wi h en e p ises a e all ways which can be ied in he u u e. Meanwhile,
cou se de elopmen can be gua an eed by inances, making i possible o pu chase
equipmen needed by he cou se and build labo a o ies. The e o e, suppo in all aspec s is
highly necessa y.
The eache s o SVTTE in SCNU a e sa is ied wi h he cu en coope a ion in cu iculum
de elopmen and poin ou ha he coope a ion be ween uni e si ies and seconda y
oca ional colleges should be s eng hened. On he one hand, s uden s will ha e mo e
oppo uni ies o ge aining in he eal eaching en i onmen , hus hey will s eng hen he
unde s anding o seconda y oca ional eache s, imp o e p o essional skills and eaching
skills and gain p o essional iden i y. On he o he hand, cou se designe s need o
41
unde s and he eal job demand and de elopmen end so ha he uni e si y cu iculum
design is no longe disconnec ed om eali y.
The ele an suppo o cu iculum de elopmen includes bo h na ional policy suppo ,
inancial and human esou ces and o he suppo . A p esen , he cu iculum de elopmen o
ecological sus ainable de elopmen has insu icien suppo , which a ec s i s e ec and
p ocess. One in e iewed seconda y oca ional eache belie es ha due o he sho age o
school unds and human esou ces, he de elopmen p ocess o oca ional educa ion
cu iculum is ela i ely slow. Some s uden ep esen a i es also belie e ha go e nmen
depa men s could p o ide he suppo needed and help cu iculum de elopmen h ough
inancial suppo and p o essional alen s.
In addi ion, esponden s conside communica ion in he cu iculum de elopmen coope a ion
be ween all pa ies no good, and each pa y has qui e di e en unde s andings abou he
collabo a i e de elopmen o cou ses. Mos esponden s belie e ha people ha e di e en
unde s andings o he cou se de elopmen , and di e en g oups will ha e di e en demands,
and di e en opinions in he p ocess o cou se o mula ion, making i challenge o ca y ou
he cu iculum de elopmen . One SCNU eache men ioned ha all pa ies should pay
a en ion o he equal pa icipa ion in he p ocess o cu iculum de elopmen and coope a ion
and pay a en ion o he consis ency o in o ma ion among all pa ies in communica ion.
In cu iculum de elopmen and coope a ion, impe ec and inapplicable eaching ma e ials,
as well as disconnec ion be ween cu iculum and en e p ise de elopmen cause p oblems.
The wo key ac o s in ol ed in he cu iculum a e mainly eache s and s uden s. The e o e,
cu iculum de elopmen should ake hei opinions and sugges ions in o accoun .
Meanwhile, cu iculum de elopmen should in ol e needs o di e en s akeholde s, such as
socie y, oca ional schools and en e p ises. As socie y and people a e changing e e y day,
he cou ses including eaching ma e ials mus keep pace wi h he imes. As one s uden o
SVTTE said: "Due o he quick upda e o indus y in o ma ion, cu iculum de elopmen
should ake he u u e applicabili y o he cou se in o accoun , so he cou se mus also keep
pace wi h he imes. This equi es eache s o keep up wi h he changes o he ma ke
combined wi h he ac ual si ua ion and ex book knowledge so ha alen s (g adua es and
expe s) can be e adap o he socie y and make con ibu ions o he socie y.”
In he Mzumbe Uni e si y s udy, a ious s akeholde s o cu iculum de elopmen we e
iden i ied and da a e ealed ha he collabo a ion among hose s akeholde s a ies. Da a
shows s ong collabo a ion be ween VET ins i u ions and he associa ed au ho i y, in his
case VETA which is esponsible o go e ning he ins i u ions o all cu icula and
48
ecological concep and ha e p o essional knowledge. Second, hey should ha e an e ec i e
way o pass on he knowledge o o he s. As o he cu en si ua ion, he e is no way o equip
he cu en schools wi h such alen , and i is di icul o e e yone o ha e such an abili y.
This is also an impo an di ec ion o alen aining in he u u e.
The second is he alen wi h inno a i e spi i and inno a i e abili y. The compe i ion o
comp ehensi e na ional s eng h in he wo ld is he compe i ion o alen s, and he key o
alen compe i ion lies in he inno a i e spi i and abili y. One e-comme ce p ac i ione said,
" In he u u e, expe s should ha e an inno a i e spi i , da e o hink and do i , and be able
o de elop o c ea e mo e p ac ical and applicable p oduc s o sys ems.
The hi d is echnically skilled alen . Technically skilled alen s mas e specialized
knowledge and echnology in he ields o p oduc ion and se ice, ha e ce ain ope a ional
skills, and can use hei own echnology and abili y o p ac ical ope a ion in wo k. This
sugges ion is in line wi h he go e nmen ac ion plan o upg ading oca ional skills om
2019. The s uden ep esen a i es o he FoE in BUAS belie e ha echnical alen s a e
needed in oday's en e p ises. They should be excellen in p o essional echnology,
unde s and he basic laws o ecological de elopmen , ha e a high sense o social
esponsibili y, and be commi ed o imp o ing echnology o p omo e sus ainable
de elopmen .
The ou h expec a ion owa ds expe ise is all- ound alen , especially among he educa ion
adminis a i e depa men s. Thei iews ollow he aining objec i es, se by he go e nmen
and communis pa y, which aim a aining all- ound alen ed socialis builde s and
successo s o build educa ion ha makes he coun y s ong and sa is ies he people. Fo
example, he leade s o he Educa ion Bu eau in cha ge o oca ional educa ion in Baoji
belie e ha all- ound alen s should no only ha e co ec hinking wi h a high le el o
poli ical consciousness, bu also ha e s ong managemen and cons uc ion abili y. A he
same ime, alen s should also s eng hen he coope a ion wi h en e p ises and indus ies o
join ly help he sus ainable de elopmen o China.
The ques ionnai e da a show ha some esponden s belie e ha alen s should be ained o
become lec u e s o ecological en i onmen p o ec ion, g een p oduc de elope s, echnical
alen s in he In e ne indus y, en e p ise expe s, esou ce manage s; expe s in he
indus y, ga den-managemen alen s, u ban-planning alen s, e c. To sum up, he p og ams
in sus ainable de elopmen should unde ake he impo an ask o cul i a ing new expe s,
who should be di e se, dis ibu e in di e en ields, and ha e comp ehensi e skills.

49
In MU, based on he in e iews done bo h in he selec ed indus y and MVTTC, esponden s
ha e shown he in e es o p oducing mo e a isans as a way o encou aging sel -employmen
and p omo ing indus ializa ion. I was also ealised ha indus ial wo ke s a e he mos
equi ed g oup in socie y. The need o mo e a isans is in luenced by he Tanzanian
indus ializa ion policy ha equi es a isans, echnicians and p o essionals o be engaged in
a ious ields including cons uc ion and ICT o men ion some (URT 2021). New p og ams
we e also sugges ed o be de eloped by some in e iewees, such as a specialized oca ional
educa ion p og am o VET adminis a o s. Many esponden s suppo ed he in oduc ion o
his new p og am in he educa ion sys em. As Cede op (2010) highligh s, ou come-o ien ed
cu icula ha e p ima ily been in oduced o s eng hen he link be ween he cu iculum and
wo k equi emen s. The ole o a isan (VET skills p ac i ione s) is conside ed i al o
analysing wo k equi emen s and de eloping he cu iculum based on hese equi emen s.
Conce ning employe s, hey a e impo an in p o iding hei pe sonal expe ience and
knowledge o a sec o o an occupa ion, hey p o ide inpu s in o he de elopmen p ocess o
gi e eedback on he esul s.
As a as expe ise is conce ned, da a e ealed ha o all g oups o expe s, hey should be
echnically and p ac ically ained o a le el o compe ence ha he/she can cope wi h cu en
wo king en i onmen and echnological changes a he han being only heo e ically ained.
The lack o compe ence o cope wi h he wo king en i onmen has been one o he majo
weaknesses o TVET ins i u ions in Tanzania caused by low capaci y o analyse labou
ma ke in o ma ion among o he ac o s and low adop ion o ICT (URT 2013). In addi ion, he
g ow h o TVET in Tanzania does no ma ch wi h he e e -g owing demands o echnical
pe sonnel in app op ia e le els o all sec o s o he economy (ibid).
The su ey and in e iews in Kisii e ealed expec a ions om bo h indus y and educa ional
s akeholde s conce ning he expe ise needed in he communi y. The employe s and
indus y we e asked o e alua e he skills, knowledge and a i udes o employees necessa y
in achie ing expec a ions o he indus y. Findings show a gap be ween wha skills
employees ha e and he expec a ions o he indus y. The e was hus a need o mo e
collabo a ion in cu icula de elopmen be ween indus ies, TVET, and Uni e si ies. HR-
manage om he Tea Fac o y s a ed: "I don’ know wha can be done o su e…since he e
is kind o independence among he di e en s akeholde s…bu i he e will be kind o
collabo a ion be ween hese s akeholde s om he poin o cu icula de elopmen o he
poin deli e y …like us as indus y o be included a de elopmen s age and e en a
deli e y/ eaching I hink we can easily close he gap ha is he e. Mine is o ask all in ol ed
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o conside imp o ing his collabo a ion o make uni e si y and TVET cu icula p ac ical-
based a he han heo y.’’
Employees also e ealed he need o e eshe cou ses o be upda ed on e ol ing skills and
new echnologies a ailable in he ma ke . On he pa o academics, Deans, lec u e s, u o s
and TVET ins uc o s sugges ed he need o mo e u u e collabo a ions o c ea e a link ha
is cu en ly missing be ween hem. This is mos impo an because uni e si ies a e he ones
ha ain u o s o TVET ins uc o s. The Dean om Uni e si y s a ed: “We need o wo k
mo e wi h he people who employ ou g adua es. We will hen know wha skills hey wan
and e en wha de ails o he skills o s ess on… such as en i onmen egene a ion,
adap abili y and esilience in he ma ke due o unp edic able changes… pandemics,
en i onmen al disas e s..."
The Dean o he Uni e si y s a ed: "Kenya has he Vision 2030 ocus which is planned o
he coun y o be a newly indus ialising, middle-income coun y p o iding a high quali y o
li e o all i s ci izens by 2030. People wi h hands-on skills o d i e his ision a e needed.
Uni e si ies should ain such g adua es and TVET u o s who a e able o, in u n, ain such
g adua es." O e all, many aspec s o da a in Kisii s udy esona e wi h Kenya’s Vision 2030.
The aim o he u u e is e y linked o p ac ical skills which bene i bo h he indi idual and
socie y, in e p e ed in he ision as indus y.
F om KyU da a, he quali y o he new expe ise o u u e change agen s is conside ed highly
impo an in Uganda, because i could be om his new expe ise ha he nega i e mind se
o he communi ies owa d sus ainabili y will change. The esul s ob ained om he su ey,
73% o he esponden s said he kind o expe s equi ed o he de elopmen o adul and
con inuing educa ion and social sus ainabili y should come om educa ional ins i u ions and
uni e si ies. The esponden s sugges ed ha he aining o new expe s should change. The
ainees should be gi en much mo e ime on p ac ical wo k - hands-on - and he du a ion o
ime aken a he uni e si ies should be inc eased by one yea on he exis ing numbe o
yea s depending on he cou se being pu sued. The e should be s ong connec ion be ween
he uni e si ies and indus ies o communi ies du ing aining ime so ha he ools and
equipmen used o aining a e he same ones as used in he indus ies o wo ld o wo k.
T ainees should spend ime wo king in he indus ies (indus ial aining) so ha hey a e
able o ela e echnology and a i udes o aining o ha o he wo ld o wo k.
The new expe ise is also expec ed o come ou o he uni e si ies wi h some ad anced
skills, on how o manage indus ial was es, such as smoke, since smoke om all mo o
engines p o ide pollu ion o he en i onmen , especially in ci ies and owns.
51
Table 4.3. Expec a ions owa ds new expe ise.
TAU
BUAS&SCNU
MU
Kisii
KyU
-Leade s o
change wi h
knowledge o
sus ainabili y,
socie y, socie al
change and new
pedagogy needed
-P ac ical
knowledge o
ma e ials,
p oduc ion
-Deepe
unde s anding:
syn hesis o
p ac ical and
heo e ical
knowledge,
e hical awa eness
- Media o s
be ween di e en
ins i u ions
-In educa ion:
expe s who
unde s and
ecological concep s
and sp ead he
concep and
knowledge
-In adminis a ion:
expe s wi h high
poli ical awa eness,
s ong managemen
and c ea i e
capabili ies
-In en e p ises and
indus ies: people
who can de elop
p ac ical and
applicable p oduc s
o sys ems wi h
social esponsibili y
-A isans mos
equi ed o
encou aging sel -
employmen and
p oducing
employees
-T aining o VET
adminis a o s
impo an o VET
managemen
specializa ion
-T aining o bo h
adminis a o s and
a isans mus
in eg a e p ac ical
compe ences wi h
unde s anding o
wo k en i onmen
-Uni e si ies
should p o ide
p ac ical skills in
addi ion o
heo y, needed in
communi y, such
as echnicians
and
echnologis s
-People who a e
esilien , c i ical
hinke s and
lexible o
change, able o
decide p omp ly,
and unde s and
impo ance o
sus aining he
en i onmen
-Educa o s should
be eal change
agen s wi h new
pedagogical and
p ac ical skills o
d i e communi ies
owa ds
sus ainable
de elopmen
-Expe s should
be p oduc s o
ins i u ions and
uni e si ies
-Time o aining
expe s should be
ex ended o
p o ide p ac ical
skills mas e y.
Ou s udy should suppo he iden i ica ion and expe imen a ion o new expe ise o p omo e
oca ional and adul educa ion o sus ainable de elopmen . The ambi ion was o ha e an
open and wide iew abou wha i migh mean. In all con ex s, some esponden s c i icized
cu en expe ise – hough i was no speci ied – p oduced by uni e si ies. They men ioned
ha uni e si y knowledge is cu en ly i ele an o he needs o oca ional educa ion i i does
no ecognise o con ibu e o p ac icali ies in wo k li e. The g adua es seem no unc ional
o de eloping oca ional and adul educa ion o hey a e expec ed o adap o a he han
change he wo k li e. As one esponden in he TAU s udy said: “The e a e oo many expe s
and de elope s, no enough people who do hings.” The expec a ion o wo k li e-d i en and
p ac ical expe ise is an age-old ques ion abou he iden i y o uni e si ies. Cu en unding
policies ha e encou aged hem and highe educa ion ins i u ions o show mo e di ec ly
p ac ical and ele an o wo k-li e. Howe e , inc eased p io i isa ion o p ac ical inno a ions
may lead o dec ease in he quali y o heo e ical esea ch and educa ion. Fu he mo e, i
may challenge he au onomy o uni e si ies as well as o he educa ional ins i u ions in
compa ison o indus ial o ganisa ions.
Ye , he need o new expe ise and iewpoin s o enhance sus ainable de elopmen in
oca ional and adul educa ion was ecognised in all con ex s. The common nomina o was
he media ing ole o new expe ise, b idging gaps and communica ing ac oss di e se,
agmen ed ac o s and sec o s in educa ion, policies, indus y, and communi ies. The
52
deepes gap o ackle was iden i ied be ween educa ional and wo k li e ac o s, isible in
expec a ions o enhancemen o indus ies and employees. The cu icula and p og ams o
new expe ise should help o imp o e o cu en s uc u es, con en s and p ac ices in
oca ional and adul educa ion. The challenge is he unclea concep o sus ainabili y, he
con ingen u u e o educa ion and socie ies, and he di e se ways o adap o changes in
wo k li e.
A dualism be ween expec a ions o expe ise was isible be ween p omo ion o echnical and
p ac ical skills and wide educa ional and edi ica ional aims in all con ex s, bu especially in
TAU, BUAS and SCNU da a. One he one hand, many esponden s eminded abou
uni e si ies’ ole a he o e on o change owa ds sus ainable u u e, which equi es holis ic
cu icula and educa ion. As media o s be ween ac o s and ins i u ions, uni e si y educa ed
expe s should be amilia wi h he needs o indus ies and communi ies, bu also unde s and
he s uc u al causes o en i onmen al, economic and social unsus ainabili y. On he o he
hand, esponden s emphasised wide educa ional amewo k o de eloping alen s o
di e en sec o s o socie y and indus y, as well as pe sonal in e nalisa ion and p opaga ion
o sus ainabili y by eache s. The emphasis was on dynamic and well- ounded p o essionals,
who can mo e be ween p ac ical, educa ional and ideological dimensions. In MU, Kisii and
KyU da a, he emphasis was mo e on p ac ical and echnical imp o emen owa ds
sus ainable means o p oduc ion, and enhancemen o sel -employmen and
en ep eneu ship.
Ou s udy emphasises expe ise o sus ainable local li elihoods as well as mo e democ a ic
app oaches o educa ion. This need was mos explici in Kisii and MU, o some ex en in KyU
da a. Fi s , i highligh ed ha la ge g oups o indus y and local communi ies a e no
ecognised in and missing om educa ional collabo a ion and cu iculum de elopmen . The
new expe ise should ecognise he gap and media e be ween educa ion and communi y. In
addi ion, i should engage indus ial ac o s and ocus on issues, which a e mos i al o
sus ainable li elihoods, such as a isans, ood and lea he indus ies, echnicians and ICT.
Conce ning democ acy and au onomy o educa ional ins i u ions, in TAU con ex he making
o new expe ise was igu ed as an ou come o pe sonal commi men and nego ia ions
among ac o s. In MU, Kisii and KyU con ex s, esponden s emphasised he ole o
go e nmen policies, bu in BUAS and SCNU con ex s, he eme gence o new expe ise was
expec ed o be mos s a e-d i en, despi e he space a ailable o indi idual uni e si y s a as
pa o hei eaching.
53
4.4 Expec a ions owa ds collabo a ion in cu iculum and p og am
de elopmen
This sec ion p o ides in o ma ion o planning u u e collabo a ion in de eloping uni e si y
p og ams and cu icula o enhance oca ional and adul educa ion o sus ainable
de elopmen .
Mos o he esponden s om he TAU s udy we e ad oca ing collabo a ion be ween wo k
li e and educa ional ins i u ions. This was also he a ea in which collabo a ion is al eady
wo king well in oca ional educa ion. O he s akeholde s men ioned mos o en we e bo h
na ional and municipal go e nance and policymake s. Employees and s uden s we e no
men ioned o en, which indica es ha esponden s emphasise employe and poli ically d i en
collabo a ion.
The CC ep esen a i e ecognized na ional poli ical agencies as alloca o s o money,
esou ces and s a egies - also in sus ainable de elopmen - o he educa ional ield. He
sugges ed ha educa ion in gene al should keep cus ome in e aces open so ha
communica ion would unc ion, and he needs o wo k li e ac o s a e hea d. F om he
pe spec i e o local collabo a ion, egional council and municipal go e nmen s would be
impo an bo h in alloca ing and inancing p ojec s, bu also in coo dina ing ac i i ies and in
p o iding open in e aces be ween di e en ac o s. The TAMK ep esen a i e also
ad oca ed connec ion be ween wo k li e, oca ional schools and Uni e si ies o Applied
Sciences. She ound i especially impo an o VET eache aining o ha e coope a ion wi h
uni e si ies.
The TREDU ep esen a i e men ions na ional and municipal poli ical o ganisa ions, indus ial
and employe o ganisa ions, ARENE (associa ion o ec o s o he uni e si ies o applied
sciences/poly echnics), AMKE and he minis y o educa ion and cul u e, as key
s akeholde s, which ha e mos upda e knowledge abou he cu en s a e o oca ional
educa ion. Besides hese, uni e si ies and esea che s a e i al pa ne s in collabo a ion,
e en i she is awa e ha esea ch on oca ional and adul educa ion has been declining in
uni e si ies. Due o he e e -changing wo k li e and en i onmen , uni e si y esea ch and
collabo a ion wi h uni e si ies would be se iously needed.
The ep esen a i e om AMKE emphasised he quali y o collabo a ion, which should be
mo e long e m a he han jus sho p ojec s which a e o go en as soon as hey a e
inished. He in oduces a ipa i e concep o collabo a ion, whe e he cen e is wo k li e,
en ep eneu ship and suppo o indus ies. Ano he pa y would be VET ins i u ions,

54
engaging hei eache s, s a and s uden s. The hi d-pa y would-be uni e si ies and highe
educa ion ins i u ions, whe e eache s, esea che s and s uden s should be in ol ed in
collabo a ion. I should be a holis ic and bo om-up ac i i y, ins ead o being o ganised op-
down. He also hopes i would no depend on ex e nal inancial suppo , bu happen di ec ly
and con inuously be ween ac o s, building on a s able communica i e pla o m be ween he
h ee pa ies.
The VST ep esen a i e was no speci ic on he ins i u ions which should be in ol ed since
he inds collabo a ion di icul in he agmen ed educa ional sys em. In his ision, popula
adul educa ion could be complemen ing agmen a ion. His iew is compa ible wi h no ions
o pa adigm change by o he in e iewees, who emphasise a change in wo ld iews and
ways o li e, beside echnical and p ac ical inno a ions. He conside ed popula adul
educa ion as a “joke ” - ee and unob usi e playe - in he educa ional sys em. The ole o
popula adul educa ion in collabo a ion could especially be o de elop pedagogies - such as
eco-social o deep ecological - o sus ainabili y educa ion. The VST ep esen a i e also
hough ha popula adul educa ion could media e in e ac ion o a ious kinds o
o ganisa ions.
The uni e si y in e iewee emphasised ha al hough i is impo an o expand collabo a ion,
each s akeholde mus also ha e i s own ield and expe ise. She also inds i pa icula ly
impo an ha uni e si y esea che s a e in con ac wi h minis ies and poli ical agencies.
S ill, i is i al ha ac o s b ing hei own expe ise and knowledge o he educa ional ield in
gene al.
The ep esen a i e o OKM sees cu en s akeholde s - minis ies, wo k li e ac o s and
in e es o ganisa ions - as c i ical o collabo a ion. While o he esponden s add essed hei
complain s abou he siloing o s a egies, unding and de elopmen in oca ional and adul
educa ion o policymake s and adminis a ion, he is calling o inc easing dialogue be ween
di e en sec o s and ac o s. Howe e , he emphasises he di e si y o indus ial sec o s and
educa ional ac o s. As an example, he uses he ca indus y, whe e companies ha e
ealised ha in he u u e, being a ca mechanic means comple ely di e en om wha i
used o be in he pas . The e o e, i is especially impo an o educa ional ins i u ions o be in
close ouch wi h he changes in hei indus ial sec o s. This should be kep in mind in
aining o new expe ise, eache s included. Like he VST ep esen a i e, he also
emphasises pedagogical expe ise. Conce ning he ole o uni e si ies in collabo a ion, he is
posi i e ha hey ha e become mo e awa e o he con ibu ion o esea ch and educa ion o
expe s o wo k li e han hey we e 20-30 yea s ago, “when he wo d wo k li e was unknown
in uni e si ies.”
55
Responden s and in e iewees in BUAS and SCNU s udy belie e ha he de elopmen o
ecologically sus ainable cou ses in oca ional educa ion equi es he join e o s o he
go e nmen , en e p ises, uni e si ies and socie y. The mos men ioned s akeholde s a e
cu iculum designe s o leade s o oca ional and adul educa ion, whe eas employees and
s uden s a e no men ioned much.
The dean o FoE in BUAS ag eed ha he es ablishmen o ecologically sus ainable
de elopmen cou ses equi es a mul i-e o . Fi s , a he na ional le el, he coun y can pu
o wa d some policy guidance and in eg a e he cou ses o ecological sus ainable
de elopmen in o he na ional cu iculum. Second, a he uni e si y le el, he uni e si y
should ha e an o e all goal o alen aining and combine ecological sus ainabili y wi h
special y se ing.
As eache s a e he main body o cu iculum implemen a ion, hei own concep and
consciousness o ecological sus ainabili y a e c ucial. The s uden ep esen a i e om
BUAS said, "In o de o de elop an ecologically sus ainable de elopmen cu iculum, he
local go e nmen should i s gi e uni e si ies he app op ia e igh s, and he communi y
should also gi e uni e si ies some esou ces o p omo e oca ional educa ion. Second,
uni e si ies should measu e hei own de elopmen and s uden s' long- e m de elopmen , o
make o e all a angemen s o he implemen a ion o ecologically sus ainable de elopmen
oca ional educa ion cou ses." I is necessa y o s eng hen he aining o eache s and
imp o e hei awa eness and abili y o sus ainable de elopmen .
The eache ep esen a i e p oposed wo pa hs o in eg a e ecological sus ainabili y in o
oca ional educa ion. “The i s pa h is op-down. Academic esea ch and semina s a e
use ul o cu iculum e o m and ha e he po en ial o in luence policy make s. Due o he op-
down educa ion go e nance sys em in China is, he in luence o policies is excep ionally
la ge and can adia e o mo e uni e si ies o p omo e e o m. The second pa h is bo om-up.
Fo example, he ac ion esea ch ca ied ou by a p o esso in aiming o p omo e he
ansmission o ecological sus ainable expe ience. in highe oca ional educa ion ins i u ions
in Hong Kong inspi es us o ca y ou pilo cou ses in he mainland. Fo example, Jiao
Cheng I can ca y ou pilo ed esea ch in he cou se o p omo e ecological sus ainabili y.
The dean and a eache ep esen a i e om SVTTE also pu o wa d, "In o de o de elop
cou ses on ecological sus ainabili y, eache s a e equi ed o ha e in e na ional
unde s anding and heo e ical knowledge o his aspec ." The expe om School o he
En i onmen belie es ha he in eg a ion o ecological and oca ional cou ses can s a wi h
e e y eache . Jus like ideological and poli ical educa ion, he concep o ecological
56
sus ainable de elopmen should ha e been w i en in o he eaching p og am, equi ing
eache s o cul i a e s uden s' concep o sus ainable de elopmen when eaching. The s a e
i s ca ies ou op-le el design, and hen conc e e o he implemen a ion le el, eache s can
p omo e he heo y o na ional design in o all he cou ses. Regula aining can also be
ca ied ou wi hin he uni e si y, o in egions and coun ies, and some en i onmen al expe s
could ca y ou eache aining. The en i onmen al p o ec ion laws and egula ions should
be in eg a ed in o he eaching design.
Finally, he e is socie y, o which he e is cu en ly no sui able way o in e ene. Lis ening o
lec u es, aking s uden s o social p ac ice, pe sonally expe iencing o coope a ing wi h
en e p ises a e all possible ways o y in he u u e. The de elopmen o sus ainable cou ses
in oca ional educa ion in gene al equi es he coope a ion o uni e si ies, socie y and
indus y. In addi ion, eache s, as an impo an pa o he u u e cu iculum de elopmen ,
need o be ained.
Acco ding o he su ey and in e iews indings in Kisii con ex , i was e iden ly no ed ha
collabo a ion be ween uni e si ies, aine s o adul and oca ional educa o s, adminis a ion
and leade s o adul and oca ional educa ion, and ep esen a i es o local communi y and
indus y is c ucial o he whole de elopmen o a coun y and he success ul implemen a ion
o he school sys em cu icula. Uni e si ies should ha e collabo a ion wi h non-uni e si y
ac o s, such as oca ional and adul educa o / eache aining ins i u ions and adminis a ion,
labou ma ke pa ne s. This is cu en ly no common as uni e si ies de elop and plan hei
deg ees and cu icula in Kenya. The manage o ea ac o y said: “This is echnical skills
since mos you h wan whi e colla jobs bu now, hey a e acing high a e o unemploymen ,
his makes me wish uni e si y could de elop cou ses ha will encou age sel -employmen
and job c ea ion … hese a e sec o s like Jua kali, Manu ac u ing Sec o Technical subjec s,
En ep eneu ship, Resea ch and Inno a ion, Mason y and Ca pen y, A and C a , Li e
skills and local indus ies, like building and cons uc ion. I mean skills ha one can apply
di ec ly and maybe ha is why he go e nmen is championing he new Compe ency Based
Cu iculum (CBC).”
In he indings o MU, commen s p ima ily e e ed o cu iculum de elopmen in oca ional
educa ion. The collabo a ion om a ange o di e en s akeholde s was e idenced o be
impo an o se e al easons and aspec s o he VET cu icula. Findings om indus y, VET
adminis a o s and eache s e ealed ha expec a ion on he changing and imp o emen o
he VET sec o will be a ained by including lowe -le el indus ial employees like a isans and
echnicians in de elopmen and implemen a ion. This is because hey ha e ich in o ma ion
on missing compe ence base on hei daily ac i i ies as hey a e he ones who pe o m mos
57
o he p oduc ion ac i i ies in indus ies. This implies ha while he labou ma ke
compe ences ele an o VET s uden s a e es ed o hese a isans, he VET ins i u ions a e
no exploi ing his po en ial o imp o e hei cu icula.
Among o he s akeholde s, VET colleges and ela ed highe lea ning ins i u ions which a e
echnical based, such as Mbeya uni e si y o science and Technology, Da Es Salaam
Technical College we e obse ed o be impo an s akeholde s. This is mainly because o
hei na u e o conduc ing echnical esea ch, on one hand, and hei expe ience in aining
VET expe s in di e en ades.
Poli icians we e pe cei ed o be impo an , bu i was sugges ed ha hey should be in ol ed
o policy ad ocacy issues only. Mo eo e , in e iewees e ealed ha he emphasis should
be on na ional policy o indus ializa ion, en ep eneu ship, sel -employmen and job c ea ion
as well as en i onmen al p o ec ion. I was obse ed ha o enable he cu iculum o mee
he cu en need o he communi y and indus ies o indi idual and na ional de elopmen ,
enough unds should be alloca ed o he expec ed collabo a ion o i s p ope ope a ions
owa d good esul s.
In he KyU s udy, 96% o esponden s accep ed ha i is ele an o s a a new p ojec o
expe imen new p ac ices and implemen new p og ams and cu icula o new kinds o
expe ise, and 73% o hese showed willingness o pa icipa e in he new p og am. This
in o ma ion ob ained om he esponden s showed ha Ugandans a e eady o collabo a e
owa ds he new expe ise. The e is hope ha he new collabo a ion will help change he
mindse o he communi ies and hey will emb ace TVET and indus ies as necessa y o
pe sonal de elopmen . I posi i ely handled, sus ainabili y will be ealised bo h a social -
economic le els - and as indus ial p og ess.
In planning o he cu icula and p og am de elopmen , he s akeholde s such as policy
make s (poli icians) - minis y o educa ion -, uni e si y adminis a o s, lec u e s and
s uden s, TVET ins i u ion/college/school adminis a o s and s uden s, bo h small-scale and
la ge-scale indus ies, seconda y schools, p ima y schools and communi y leade s o
ep esen a i es should be in ol ed in he collabo a ion. Thus, collec i e iews a e b ough
oge he o p ope channelling du ing cu icula de elopmen .
Table 4.4. Expec a ions owa ds collabo a ion in cu iculum and p og am de elopmen
TAU
BUAS&SCNU
MU
Kisii
KyU
-Long e m
collabo a ion
-SD-cou ses a e
necessa y and
-Imp o emen o
SD in VET equi es
-To de elop
cu icula in line
-Mos accep ed
ele ance o
64
echnological inno a ions and g een capi alism o whe he he o ganisa ion o economy,
wo k and educa ion should go unde me amo phosis. Howe e , uly sus ainable li elihoods
equi e new s a egies which in ol e p ac ically e e yone, hus di e ences and opposi ions
should be ecognised and nego ia ed.
5. Conclusions and ecommenda ions
The aim o his chap e is o summa ise ou indings o de elopmen o u u e collabo a ion.
I also aims a en a i e esponses o he esea ch p oblems o he s udy:
● conce ning meanings and in e p e a ions gi en o sus ainable de elopmen ac oss
di e en ac o s and geo-economic and geo-ecological con ex s and con ex ual
ac o s and hei in e ela ions a ec ing cu iculum and p og am de elopmen in
pa ne uni e si ies,
● conce ning concep ual and me hodological aming o co-c ea i e, esea ch-based
collabo a ion, o de elop cu icula and p og ams o expe ise ha p omo es
oca ional and adul educa ion o sus ainable li elihood (in local) indus ies and
communi ies.
Fi s , we sugges wha is dis inc i e in indings om di e en con ex s, also conside ing
which sec o s and ac o s ou esponden s and in o man s ep esen . Then we specula e
which ac o s migh unde lie such dis inc ions. Thi d, we e lec on he ole o uni e si ies and
highe educa ion isioned in ou indings. A e his, we d a a ske ch o new expe ise in
oca ional and adul educa ion, suppo ed by new cu icula and p og ams and new p inciples
o hei planning and implemen a ion. Finally, we p o ide a sho me hodological c i ique o
ou s udy, which may p omo e designing esea ch-based collabo a ion in u u e.
5.1. Wha is dis inc i e in indings om di e en con ex s
In he con ex o TAU, Finland, uni e si y and highe , oca ional and adul educa ion
ins i u ions ha e ela i ely high au onomy o local ac ion, bu s ill he esponden s
commen ed on all hemes om he pe spec i e o na ional indus y and educa ion sys em.
They did no announce much expe ience o con idence in p omo ing sus ainabili y in indus y
and communi ies h ough collabo a ion among local ac o s and wi h ocus on local issues.
Since mos esponden s ep esen ed a ce ain s akeholde - uni e si y, associa ion o
oca ional ins i u es o popula adul educa ion o ganisa ions, chambe o comme ce,
oca ional ins i u ion, oca ional eache educa ion -, hey emphasised i s in e es s and
policies. S ill, despi e hei dis inc posi ions, esponden s sha ed he conce n ha he cu en

65
s uc u e o collabo a ion and con en o cu icula and p og ams a e domina ed by la ge
companies and indus ial sec o s, c i ical o global compe i ion and expo indus y. Al hough
se ice and wel a e sec o s a e p ominen in Finnish economy and educa ion, hey didn' ge
a en ion among esponden s. Though hey did no p o ide conc e e sugges ions, hey
conside ed ha he p omo ion o sus ainable li elihood would equi e inclusion o small
companies and local pe spec i es in s a egies and policies o oca ional and adul
educa ion. Especially ep esen a i es o educa ional ins i u ions emphasised he impo ance
o sensi ising, pa icipa o y and communi y-o ien ed pedagogy in de eloping e hical and
social capaci y owa ds sus ainable de elopmen , beside c i ical hinking, knowledge and
echnical skills.
The su eys and in e iews in BUAS and SCNU emphasised ecological and en i onmen al
sus ainabili y, which was also isible in esponses abou collabo a ion, new p og ams and
expe ise. Also, he a ge g oups we e almos exclusi ely om uni e si y, hus changes
we e mainly asked om uni e si y ac o s: c oss-disciplina y collabo a ion in cou ses and
p og ams, engagemen o eache s, s a and s uden s in de elopmen p ac ices. The ole o
cen al go e nmen and smoo h unc ioning be ween a ious le els o go e nance we e
conside ed i al o ans o ming p og ams and p ac ices o cu iculum de elopmen .
Solu ions a e sough om la ge-scale indus ial and echnological inno a ions, no ha much
om local ac o s and p ac ices. This poin s o he need o a ec educa ion o leade s,
manage s and adminis a o s o oca ional, adul and uni e si y educa ion. Howe e , a he
same ime mo al educa ion o s uden s and enligh enmen o wo ke s and ci izens we e
emphasised in p omo ion o ecological and en i onmen al sus ainabili y. An impo an
example is apidly expanding e-comme ce, whe e consump ion habi s, pa e ns o
p oduc ion and logis ics in e sec wi h en i onmen al p oblems. O he wise, bo h oca ional
educa ion o wel a e wo k and adul educa ion we e ha dly men ioned, showing ha hese
sec o s a e qui e ma ginal in economic and educa ional policies.
Despi e di e ences in ins i u ional se ings and indus ial sec o s, he e we e se e al
dis inc i e ea u es among esponses and summa ies in Kisii, MU and KyU. Many
esponses seem o ollow na ional (and sup ana ional) de elopmen and educa ion policies,
emphasising a he abs ac ly ha sus ainabili y in indus y and communi ies could be
p omo ed h ough sel -employmen and en ep eneu ship. Voca ional and uni e si y
educa ion should p epa e g adua es by esponding o he (cu en ) needs o indus y and
labou ma ke s. Howe e , wo ke s and eache s mo e conc e ely ask wo ke s, a isans and
echnicians a shop loo , as well as local communi ies, o be in ol ed in de eloping
indus ies and educa ion. As expec ed, se ice and wel a e (such as social and heal h ca e)
66
wo k o indus ies we e ha dly men ioned, since hey a e mainly ca ied ou in he in o mal
sec o wi hou o mal quali ying educa ion. Simila ly, he e a e ew no ions on adul
educa ion, which has emained ma ginal in educa ion sys ems. Ye , he expe iences,
compe ences and knowledge o adul s and local communi ies a e expec ed o be ecognized
in p og am and cu iculum de elopmen and he p og ams and cu icula o be ele an o
hem.
Table 5.1. Summa y o indings o esea ch ques ions (RQs).
RQ
TAU
BUAS
SCNU
Kisii
MU
KyU
Rele
anc
e o
cu i
cula/
p og
am
s
ECEC and
eache
aining
domina e.
De achmen
om
VET&wo kli e
eali ies.
Focus on
eache s
and
educa ion
leade s,
no
oca ional
and adul
educa ion.
Educa ing
VET eache s
bu no
connec ed
wi h conc e e
VET&wo kli e.
No di ec
connec ion o
VET&adul
educa ion.
Isola ion o
uni e si ies om
oca ional and
adul educa ion.
Lack o unding.
P og ams o
VET and
indus y.
Na ional ole in
de eloping
VET&adul
cu icula.
Lack o up oda e
acili ies and
p og ams.
Cu
en
colla
bo a
ion
VET ins i u es
wi h wo kli e
(en e p ises).
VET eache
educa ion wi h
wo kli e, some
ex en .
Uni e si ies
isola ed. Lack
o c oss-
disciplina y/in
auni e si y
collabo a ion.
Mino
collabo a io
n wi h non-
uni e si y
ac o s.
Go e nmen ,
uni e si y,
indus y in
planning.
Lacking
connec ion
wi h indus y
and
en e p ises,
be ween
educa ion and
en i onmen
depa men s.
No
collabo a ion
wi h
oca ional,
adul
educa ion o
wo kli e
ac o s.
VET eache
aining wi h
schools&wo kli
e. Uni e si ies
isola ed:
opposi ion o
“academic” and
“p ac ical”
knowledge.
Nego ia ion
sys ems exis :
policymake s,
enginee s,
manage s. Low
inpu om
wo kli e/en e p is
es.
Exp
ec a
ions
on
expe
ise
Unde s anding
and knowledge
o VET, adul
educa ion,
wo kli e
eali ies.
Change/ ans
o ma i e
agency.
Unde s and
ing wo kli e
eali ies.
Inno a i e
p o essiona
ls in
educa ion,
adminis a i
on and
indus y.
Unde s anding
wo kli e
eali ies.
Inno a i e
p o essionals
in educa ion,
adminis a ion
and indus y.
Unde s anding
and skills o
VET, adul
educa ion and
wo kli e
eali ies.
Unde s anding
and skills o
VET, adul
educa ion and
wo kli e
eali ies.
Unde s anding
and skills o VET
and adul
educa o s o
wo kli e eali ies.
Exp
ec a
ions
on
colla
bo a
ion
F om p ojec s
o long e m
collabo a ion.
Go e nmen ,
uni e si ies,
en e p ises,
“socie y”.
Engaging
wo ke s/a isa
ns,
Uni e si ies,
VET&adul
educa ion and
T aine
ins i u es,
communi y.
Engaging
employees/wo k
e s.
Funding o
collabo a ion.
Engaging
employees/wo k
e s.
Funding o
collabo a ion.
67
Mos
impo
an
issu
es/s
ec o
s
Holis ic
app oach in all
sec o s.
Exempla y
sec o s
Go e nmen
policy.
Go e nmen
policy.
Ag icul u e,
cons uc ion,
manu ac u ing.
Sel -
employmen ,
li e skills.
Manu ac u ing,
a and c a .
Sel -
employmen .
Lea he & ood
indus y.
Sel -
employmen .
Fishing and ood
indus y.
In all con ex s, mos esponden s we e no amilia wi h o didn' wan di ec ly o commen
on cu en cu icula and p og ams in pa ne uni e si ies. This was he case also wi h cu en
p ac ices in collabo a ion o de eloping cu icula and p og ams. The e o e, hey mainly
commen ed on cu icula, p og ams, expe ise and collabo a ion in oca ional educa ion, less
in adul educa ion, bu hus indi ec ly e e ed o uni e si ies and highe educa ion. Almos all
esponden s seem o conside na ional and (indi ec ly) sup ana ional economic, indus ial
and educa ion policies o domina e de elopmen o oca ional, adul and uni e si y
educa ion, also conce ning sus ainabili y. Those, in u n, belie e in la ge-scale, high ech
indus ial solu ions. Ha dly any conside ed he hemes o he s udy om he pe spec i e o
he (pa ne ) uni e si y and i s collabo a ion wi h local wo k li e, indus y and communi y, o
emphasised local wisdom, skills and echnology as solu ions. This indica es ha he
sys ems, adi ions and p ac ices o de elop oca ional and adul educa ion om he
pe spec i e o local indus ies and communi ies a e widely absen in all con ex s. The e o e,
he esponden s conside ed ha he need o new expe ise, new cu icula and p og ams
and collabo a ion be ween s akeholde s, was p ima ily he conce n o ac o s a he na ional
le el.
Ye , esponden s om all con ex s emphasised he ques o skills and awa eness o
p ac icali ies and eali ies in indus y, wo k li e and communi ies, ac oss all s ages and a eas
o educa ion, o p omo e oca ional and adul educa ion o sus ainabili y. They complained
abou he lack o ele ance and suppo o local indus y and he neglec o he needs o
local communi ies a all le els o educa ion. They c i icised he dominance o na ional (and
sup ana ional) policies, conside ing hem o p io i ise big companies and ci ies, and hei
compe i i eness in global ma ke s. They emphasised he need o de elop s a egies, policies
and p ac ices o conc e e and p ac ical solu ions o sus ainable local li elihoods. I he
di e se skills and compe ences o sus ainabili y in di e en indus ial sec o s a e no
ecognized in oca ional and adul educa ion ins i u ions, his leads o was e o ime and
esou ces, and g adua es depend on lea ning om mis akes and expe iences. Sugges ions
on collabo a ion in cu iculum and p og am de elopmen be ween uni e si ies, local
communi ies, en e p ises and educa ional ins i u ions emained abs ac , bu mos
esponden s in all con ex s ound i necessa y and exp essed willingness o pa icipa e in
u u e co-c ea i e expe imen s.
68
5.2. Wha is a s ake conce ning cha ac e is ics?
The conce ns o esponden s abou he ele ance o cu icula, unc ioning o collabo a ion,
and hei expec a ions owa ds new expe ise in oca ional and adul educa ion, ocus on he
gap be ween he cu icula and p og ams (aims, con en s, implemen a ion) o mains eam
educa ional sys ems and he eali ies o indus y, wo k and li e in communi ies. The gap is
unanimously add essed o he siloing o policies, s a egies and unding ac oss sec o s,
ac o s and ins i u ions. Ye he quali y o he gap and silos di e s acco ding o hei
dis inc i e economic, poli ical and ecological cha ac e is ics and geo-economic and geo-
ecological in e dependencies.
In indings om TAU, he emphasis on he high- ech expo indus y, i al o global
compe i i eness also in oca ional educa ion o sus ainable de elopmen , was o be
expec ed among esponden s and in o man s, e en i many ound i p oblema ic. Finnish
economy is adi ionally open and highly dependen on o eign ade and expo indus y and
concen a es on in e media e p oduc s, wi h many SMEs being subcon ac o s o
mul ina ional companies. (Haapa an a e al 2017; Ali-Y kkö e al 2016.) Fo es o wood-
p ocessing, chemical, me al and elec onics indus ies a e he la ges sec o s om his
pe spec i e.
The expec a ions o mos esponden s owa ds policymake s and educa ional ins i u ions a e
unde s andable, since Finland has become a No dic wel a e s a e and pa o Global No h
wi h a uni e sal public social, heal h, educa ion and in as uc u e se ices sec o . Indus ies,
labou ma ke s and ci il socie y a e highly o malised, mone a ised and egula ed, including
comp ehensi e axa ion. Beside ci il socie y o ganiza ions and au onomy o local
go e nance, popula adul educa ion ins i u ions ha e been his o ically impo an o ci ic
engagemen and democ acy. Since Finland is a membe o he Eu opean Union and eu o-
zone, he solu ions in p omo ing sus ainable de elopmen a e in eg a ed o EU economic,
social and educa ion policies.
69
Pic u e 5.1. Fo es machine in ac ion. Res o a ion o ac o y a ea in o “sma g een ci y” in
Tampe e.
F om an ecological pe spec i e, Finland is mainly a sub-a c ic, bo eal a ea, whe e o es s
co e almos 80 % o land-a ea. Mining sec o also p o ides some c i ical ma e ials o
enewable ene gy p oduc ion and elec onics. Fa ming p o ides pa ial ood sel -su iciency
and p oduc s o expo . The dominan economic and inno a ion policy igu es Finland as a
globally compe i i e "high g een- ech" indus y and socie y, also as pa o EU g een deal
and digi aliza ion policies, which impac he whole educa ion sys em.
The lack o commen s on local solu ions, g ass oo collabo a ion be ween ac o s, indica es
ha despi e ela i e au onomy o educa ional ins i u ions and s a , he na ional economic
and inno a ion, esea ch and educa ion policies, as well as unding sys ems a e no
encou aging solu ions o sus ainabili y h ough local inno a ions and local communi ies.
In BUAS and SCNU, esponden s and in e iewees conside p oblems in p omo ing
sus ainable de elopmen in uni e si ies, due o hei lacking connec ions o VET ins i u es
and indus ies and en e p ises, as well as lack o c oss-disciplina i y in p og ams and
cu icula and au onomy in p og am and cu iculum de elopmen . This is unde s andable in a
huge and di e se coun y wi h ex ensi e na u al esou ces, which is s ee ed
comp ehensi ely h ough a cen alized go e nance sys em.
F om an ecological pe spec i e, China has ich and di e se na u al esou ces, bu because
o apid indus ialisa ion and g ow h in p oduc ion and consump ion since he opening-up
policy in 1978, i is also one o he la ges pollu e s and g eenhouse emi e s. Solu ions in
China ha e a majo impac o he sus ainabili y o global economic and commodi y chains.
Despi e e ol emen om ag icul u al o wo ld's la ges manu ac u ing coun y, he e is a
his o ical unbalance be ween economic de elopmen o he eas e n, cen al and wes e n
egions. Many pa s o he coun y a e highly ulne able o clima e change and loss o
biodi e si y. The di e ences in economic, cul u al and social ideas also a ec he
e ec i eness o implemen a ion o na ional e o ms.

70
Pic u e 5.2. A oca ional eache g adua ed om SCNU leading s uden s win he p o incial
e-comme ce skills compe i ion. Logis ics obo sys em solu ion.
The go e nmen has ambi ious policies o add ess clima e change and p omo e sus ainable
indus ies h ough e o ms in la ge-scale indus ial and echnological solu ions. Fo example,
he S a e Leading G oup O ice o Ca bon Neu ali y and Emission Peak has co-edi ed a
aining book Cad e Tex book Ca bon Neu ali y and Emission Peak (2022). In uni e si ies,
he esea ch ocus has shi ed o ene gy, ma e ials, and was e ea men . Unde he in luence
o COVID-19, people's dependence on e-comme ce inc eased, and he p omo ion o
communi y was e classi ica ion slowed down. Howe e , p og ess has aken place h ough
Regula ion o Classi ica ion and Managemen o U ban Domes ic Was e, o example in Baoji
Ci y (Baoji Go e nmen 2022).
Pic u e 5.3. Baoji Cul u e and A Cen e. Reno a ion o ac o y a ea in o “Ci y Lib a y and
You h Ac i i y Cen e” in Baoji.
In MU, Kisii and KyU, he emphasis o esponses was on sel -employmen , skills and
compe ences equi ed o enhance local indus ies and communi ies. This indica es hei
cu en neo-colonial posi ion in global p oduc ion and commodi y chains wi h hei indus ial
and occupa ional hie a chies. Thei economies build hea ily on p ima y p oduc ion and a e
71
dependen and mos ulne able di ec ly on na u al esou ces. (ICPP 2022). Consequen ly,
he majo i y (a ound 90 %) o he wo king popula ion a e wo king in he in o mal economy
and in in o mal employmen , p ima ily in ag icul u e and pe y ading. (NACTE 2020, Kiaga
and Leung 2020).
Pic u e 5.4. Tex ile ac o y in Mo ogo o. Tea plan a ion and na u al o es s su ounding a
ac o y in Kisii.
Pic u e 5.5. Lea ning ishpond cons uc ion and boa building in Fishe ies T aining Ins i u e.
F om an ecological pe spec i e, Eas A ica is a opical a ea wi h di e se lo a and auna,
a ou able o ag icul u e, ishing and ou ism. The ways o li e in Tanzania, Kenya and
Uganda a e s ill ecologically in ac , and could p o ide al e na i e pa hways o exploi a i e
economic de elopmen in he Global No h. Ye , because o (neo-)ex ac i is endencies in
indus ies, condi ioned by ansna ional companies and inances, bo h he na u al
en i onmen , and he heal h and li elihood o communi ies a e endange ed by clima e
change, e osion and loss o biodi e si y. A he same ime, he apid popula ion g ow h
72
encou ages people and go e nmen s o adop unsus ainable solu ions o as c ea e
employmen and economic g ow h. (Kiaga e al 2020, Pe ei a and Tsika a 2021). Howe e ,
while he na ional policies ocus on indus ialisa ion, echnological ad ancemen , g ow h o
incomes and o mal economy, esponden s seem o assess p omo ion o sus ainabili y in
educa ion based on con ibu ion o hese aims.
Poli ically and economically Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda ca y he colonialis legacy o he
Global Sou h. They a e s ill dependen on sup ana ional dono s and agencies and hei
indus ial, social and educa ion de elopmen policies and unding. The cen alized and
co up ed go e nance a e a challenge o ci ic pa icipa ion and local indus ial o social
ini ia i es. The s a in uni e si ies o oca ional and adul educa ion ins i u ions don' ha e
much au onomy and powe . Thus, unless he e is ex e nal unding by in e na ional dono s,
hey ha dly can de ia e om na ional policies and p io i ies. (Kalimasi 2015, Pe ei a and
Tsika a 2021).
The ansna ionally and na ionally domina ing eco-mode nis policies and discou ses o
oca ional and adul educa ion and sus ainable de elopmen a e isible in he esponses
om all con ex s, despi e hei poli ical, economic and social di e si y. The aims o
con inuing economic g ow h and compe i ion by de eloping la ge-scale high- echnological
solu ions in p oduc ion, dis ibu ion and consump ion, we e commonly aken- o -g an ed o
p oblema ised only indi ec ly. Acco dingly, many esponden s seem o ollow dominan
discou ses, whe e oca ional and adul educa ion would p omo e he global ans o ma ion
o “g een economy” by p o iding g een skills and compe ences. These would allow
con inua ion o economic g ow h (p oduc ion and consump ion) h ough new echnologies,
u ban densi ica ion and a ionalisa ion o u al indus ies. (see OECD 2021, S ie ska-Ilina
2019, Eu opean Commission 2021, An Ecomode nis …2015, MinEdu 2020, Abyu 2021,
URT 2021, Minis y o Indus y…2016, Di ec o a e… 2022).
Ye , based on esponses and discussions among he esea ch eam, he uni e salism o
eco-mode nis solu ions is con on ed by he di e si y o poli ical, economic and social
adi ions and geo-ecological eali ies. The dominan solu ions a e de eloped in indi idualis ,
highly egula ed and mone ised, and high socio-me abolic coun ies o Global No h, such as
Finland. While i has a long adi ion o ci il socie y o ganisa ions (CSOs), including ade
unions, a he au onomous educa ional ins i u ions and p o essionals, sus ainabili y policies
emain na ionalis and Eu o-cen ic. Despi e di e ences, he Global Sou h coun ies Kenya,
Tanzania and Uganda a e all domina ed by low- ech p ima y p oduc ion and in o mal
economy, bene i ing p oduc ion and consump ion in he Global No h. Ini ia i es o local
change a e di icul due o cen alised poli ical and educa ional sys ems and lack o ci ic
73
pa icipa ion and ole o CSOs. On he o he hand, hey ha e po en ial o al e na i es o
eco-mode nis solu ions, due o hei low socio-me abolism and collec i is concep s and
p ac ices in wo k and communi y li e. Poli ical, economic and educa ional sys ems a e mos
cen alised in China, bu he e is a huge geo-ecological, indus ial and social di e si y - and
hus in social me abolism - be ween a ious pa s o he coun y. I is one o he bigges
economic and indus ial ac o s in he wo ld, bu he weakness o ci il socie y and he
ma ginal ole o CSOs hinde s c ea ing local al e na i es o dominan eco-mode nis policies.
Howe e , due o he excep ionally signi ican ole in he global economy, in p oduc ion and
commodi y chains, solu ions owa ds sus ainabili y in China a e mos in luen ial o all o he
con ex s o he s udy.
An impo an opic, which was ma ginally conside ed in ou p elimina y s udy, is he posi ion
o wo ke s and quali y o indus ial ela ions in di e en con ex s, hough i has a c i ical
impac on he capaci y o wo king people - whe he in o mal o in o mal economy,
employees o en ep eneu s - o p omo e sus ainable li elihood c i ical. In Finland, wo ke s
ha e social and legal po en ial o in luence, bu he mobilisa ion and igh s o wo ke s in
China, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda a e adically wo se. (ILO 2022, ITUC 2022).
Fu he mo e, in e na ional o ganisa ions, such he In e na ional T ade Union Con ede a ion
(ITUC), a e domina ed by he Global No h. Ye , e en in Finland, he issues o indus ial
ela ions, wo ke s’ igh s o democ acy in wo k-li e and economy a e poo ly add essed in
oca ional and adul educa ion o in ela ed p og ams in uni e si ies. Consequen ly,
awa eness and suppo o wo ke s’ capaci y in in luencing he u u e o wo k and indus y
locally and ac oss locali ies, is i al in he sea ch o new expe ise. This also con i ms he
need o build b idges also be ween oca ional and adul educa ion.
Al hough mainly indi ec ly, he indings also indica ed possible al e na i es o eco-mode nis
sus ainabili y policies. They emind us abou he ongoing ansna ional discussion abou
deg ow h and en i onmen al o ecological jus ice-app oaches o sus ainabili y. (Rod íguez-
Labajos e al 2019, Ma inez-Alie 2021, Escoba 2018.) The no ions om Kenya, Tanzania
and Uganda, which emphasise ha oca ional and adul educa ion should enhance
indus ies, indi iduals and communi ies owa ds employmen , en ep eneu ship and
economic g ow h, esona e wi h he discou ses o en i onmen al jus ice. They ocus on ai
global dis ibu ion o esou ces, weal h and well-being, and on ai di ision o labou and
indus ies, when educing ha m ul human impac o he en i onmen , caused by he
mul ina ionals and consump ion in he Global No h. The commen s om Chinese and some
Finnish esponden s, may be in e p e ed as alignmen o he deg ow h discou se,
emphasising he need o abandon policies o exploi a i e economic g ow h and social
80
be ween heo y/ esea ch and p ac ice, be ween academy, wo k li e, communi ies and
policymake s/go e nance, and mos impo an be ween he Global No h and Global Sou h.
5. Building b idges: collabo a ion ac oss Global No h and Global Sou h
The plane a y balance in social me abolism canno build on global scaling and dissemina ion
o he exploi a i e solu ions om he Global No h. The new media ing expe ise should
in eg a e local and plane a y pe spec i es owa ds li elihood and social me abolism, which is
p omo ed by co-c ea i e expe imen ing o new cu icula and p og ams. Bo h heo e ically
and p ac ically g ounded awa eness abou he en i onmen al, economic and poli ical
in e dependencies and con ex ual di e si ies, equi es collabo a ion ac oss con ex s, which
makes hem isible and conc e e. Pa ne s o collabo a ion should iden i y cases o
economic and social uni s and sec o s o indus y, which enable hem o analyse hei
commodi y chains and social me abolism, and connec ions o oca ional and adul
educa ion. Among sugges ions abou special sec o s o commodi y chains - beyond no ions
o all sec o s being impo an - by esponden s we e
● Mos ad anced sec o s owa ds sus ainabili y, o example o es y, logis ics o
cons uc ion sec o s (TAU)
● Locally i al sec o s, such as ishing and ood indus y (KyU), lea he , ex ile and ood
indus y (MU), a s and c a s and ood indus y (Kisii)
● E-comme ce as an example o digi alisa ion o he global ade (SCNU)
● All men ioned he impo ance o ICT-sec o , bu he link o sus ainabili y o li elihoods
emained s ill obscu e.
In e dependencies and localness we e no emphasised in ques ionnai es and in e iews;
he e o e, esponden s made ew conc e e sugges ions abou which migh be bo h
exempla y and i al sec o s o issues om his pe spec i e. Howe e , in expe imen ing
p og ams and cu icula o new expe ise, he collabo a i e exe cise should allow
compa a i e analyses o local cases/pilo s as links in global commodi y, indus ial and
occupa ional chains. I should show main gaps in oca ional and adul educa ion p o ision
owa ds sus ainable li elihoods, locally and ac oss locali ies. Pa ne s should lea n his o ical
easons and pa hways o he cu en si ua ion, which would allow isioning solu ions o
sus ainable li elihood. Th ough co-c ea ion and implemen a ion o new cu icula and
p og ams, pa ne s could empowe wo ke s, employees and communi ies o expe imen
echnologies, p oduc ion and consump ion which would be simple and mo e con ollable
locally and democ a ically. Th ough pa icipa o y co- esea ch, pa ne s could ollow-up,

81
analyse and e lec oge he he ac o s which a e c i ical o de eloping new p ac ices o
cu iculum and p og am de elopmen .
Bo h he esponden s and he esea ch eam ound i ui ul o con inue collabo a ion
be ween con ex s, which a e exempla y o he di e si y and in e dependencies in socio-
me abolic ela ions and li elihoods. This would allow deepe co-c ea i e expe imen s
including co- esea ch and engagemen o key non-uni e si y ac o s and s akeholde s.
Fu he mo e, i would enable esea ch-based concep ualisa ion, heo isa ion and poli ical
and p ac ical ecommenda ions abou p omo ion o sus ainabili y, o be c i ically e lec ed
and applied in o he con ex s. The ollowing able shows in e es among all esponden s o
su ey, hough no all eplied o he i em.
Table 5.2. In e es in u u e collabo a ion among pa icipan s o he s udy.
Numbe o esponden s
In e es ed esponden s (%)
TAU
18
33
SCNU
80
75
BUAS
30
77
MU
20
65
Kisii
28
93
KyU
26
73
5.5. Me hodological e lec ions and ecommenda ions
The p epa a o y s udy was based on mu ual amilia i y and p e ious de elopmen al,
eaching and esea ch expe ience among pa ne s, bu i had o be designed and
implemen ed in a uly b ie ime and wi h mino esou ces, which p ima ily allowed da a
collec ion and documen a ion by junio esea che s in all con ex s. Howe e , i was also a
me hodological exe cise abou con ex ualised aming and implemen a ion o esea ch,
which would aim a mu ual lea ning and dialogue.
The sha ed p elimina y in e es and he amewo k o da a collec ion was adjus ed o he
eali ies o each con ex . The en i e p ocess buil on i ual communica ion and mode a ion
h ough Moodle digma-pla o m, main ained by Tampe e Uni e si y, accompanied by email-
co espondence, egula zoom-mee ings, and some ad hoc Wha sApp-messaging. To
discuss and es he p o iso y indings, he esea ch eam ied o engage esponden s o he
s udy, and colleagues and s uden s om pa ne uni e si ies in co espondence and in
82
i ual wo kshops. This succeeded bes in BUAS and SCNU, whe e he s udy ocused on
hei own uni e si y, and was in eg a ed in o hei eaching and supe ision.
Due o lack o ime and esou ces and echnical and managemen p oblems in
communica ion, he esea ch eam could no analyse, in e p e and epo he s udy as
deeply and collabo a i ely as planned. The di e en ia ion o ou comes om su eys and
in e iews emained supe icial, al hough he composi ion o esponden s and in o man s
di e ed qui e much ac oss he con ex s. The e was mino oppo uni y o mu ual e lec ions
on he ac o s in luencing he con en and quali y o da a, and o which ex en hey we e
a ec ed by he o mula ion and implemen a ion o he s udy - o example social desi abili y
bias - o by he cha ac e is ics o pa icipan s and con ex s. A mo e de ailed analysis would
ha e been needed o make explici and in e p e se e al inconsis encies and con adic ions
in he da a. This was mos p oblema ic in ambiguous dis inc ions made be ween uni e si ies
and oca ional and adul educa ion. Fu he mo e, especially in MU, Kisii and KyU s udies,
he e we e con adic ions be ween posi i e no ions and c i icism and expec a ions abou
ele ance and collabo a ion.
Despi e sho ages o he p elimina y s udy, i p o ided ample and ich da a, which can be
used o u he esea ch. I was also an oppo uni y o pa ne s o eam building, mu ual
unde s anding and p ac ising c oss-cul u al in e ac ion and collabo a i e esea ch, which is
indispensable o close and deepe esea ch-based collabo a ion in he u u e.
F om he p elimina y s udy, some ecommenda ions can be sugges ed o u u e ini ia i es
o esea ch-based collabo a ion:
● Op imally, collabo a i e ac ion is embedded in he egula s uc u es and ac i i ies o
pa icipan s - in uni e si ies such as cu icula, cou ses, p ac icums and hesis
s udies. In luen ial co-c ea ion and expe imen ing equi es long- e m collabo a ion
and commi men by pa icipan indi iduals and ins i u ions. E en i sho - e m unding
would be needed, p omo ing sus ainable li elihoods should be long e m and
s a egic, no canno ely on ad hoc-p ojec unding.
● The aims, objec i es, esea ch and de elopmen designs and me hods mus be
amed and adjus ed o he con ex s o he pa icipan s.
● Consequen ly, he u u e expe imen would apply a mul i-le el, mul i-ac o app oach,
in eg a ing communi y-based, na ional and global analyses in o co-c ea i e
ans o ma ion o deg ee and p og am de elopmen s a egies and p ac ices.
● Pa ne s should map he key ac o s and s akeholde s o collabo a ion in hei
con ex , and cla i y hei mo i a ion and way o engage in he p ocess
83
● Based on indings, each pa ne should discuss wha kind o c oss-disciplina y eams
(such as educa ional sciences, adminis a ional and en i onmen al sciences) should
be c ea ed in uni e si ies o de eloping he pilo concep u he
● I is impo an ha pa ne ships ha e oppo uni y o physical amilia isa ion o all
con ex s, bu he all he ac i i ies o collabo a ion should be coo dina ed, documen ed
and managed h ough join i ual communica ion and ope a ional me hods (digi al
wo kspaces, mee ings, da a collec ion and sha ing e c.).
84
Appendixes
Appendix 1. Ques ionnai e- o m
The o m was ansla ed in o Finnish and Chinese bu all o us used he ollowing as he
basis:
1. In oduc ion
Dea esponden
Uni e si ies o Tampe e (Finland), Mzumbe (Tanzania), Kisii (Kenya), Kyambogo (Uganda),
Baoji and Sou h China No mal Uni e si y (China) a e p epa ing a p ojec o p omo e
collabo a ion be ween uni e si ies, aine s o adul and oca ional educa o s, adminis a ion
and leade s o adul and oca ional educa ion, and ep esen a i es o local communi y and
indus y. The aim would be o c ea e p ac ices, which would lead o new kinds o p og ams
and cu icula (BA/MA/D deg ees). These should educa e expe s, who a e able o de elop
adul and oca ional educa ion o sus ainable de elopmen o local communi ies and
indus ies.
You esponses and iews a e mos aluable o p epa ing he p ojec . They a e ea ed
anonymously and con iden ially. By pa icipa ing in he su ey, you indica e ha you
unde s and he pu pose o he ques ionnai e and ag ee ha esponses a e used o esea ch
only.
3. Opinions abou ele ance o cu en p og ams and cu icula o expe s in oca ional and
adul educa ion; how is en i onmen al and social sus ainabili y aken in o accoun in cu en
aining o expe s? (scale 1-5, e y ele an -no ele an a all; open commen sec ion)
4a. Who a e in ol ed in in e ac ion and collabo a ion be ween ac o s in de eloping adul and
oca ional educa ion p og ams and cu icula? (Mul iple choice - Uni e si ies/educa ional
ins i u ions, poli ical ins i u ions, o ganiza ions, o he s; open commen sec ion o speci ic
in o ma ion/opinion/de elopmen /c i ical issues)
4b. Opinions abou cu en in e ac ion and collabo a ion be ween ac o s in de eloping
p og ams and cu icula? (scale 1-5, e y good- e y bad).
4c. Wha should be imp o ed in he cou se o cu iculum de elopmen collabo a ion? ( o
ex. Di icul ies, open ques ion).
5. C i ical issues o p omo ing local communi y owa ds sus ainable de elopmen ? C i ical
issues o p omo ing adul and oca ional educa ion owa ds sus ainable de elopmen ?
(open ques ion).
6a. C i ical issues o p omo ing local indus ies owa ds sus ainable de elopmen ? (Mul iple
choice - no mo e han h ee: Na ional policy, Economic de elopmen , Co po a e cul u e,
Ecological en i onmen , Rele an alen s, Technology, Fund suppo , O he s-please
speci y).
6b. Why did you choose he abo e ac o s?
6c. Wha a e he mos impo an indus ial sec o s o p omo ing sus ainable de elopmen ?
(Mul iple choice: Food Indus y, Medical indus y, Tou ism indus y, In e ne indus y,
T anspo a ion indus y, Machine y and Chemical Indus y, O he s - please speci y)
7. Wha kind o expe s/p o essionals a e needed o p omo e adul and oca ional
educa ion o sus ainable de elopmen in local communi ies and indus y, whe e –
educa ional ins i u ions, adminis a ions, indus y? (examples: uni e si y (academically
85
ained), oca ional/uni e si y ( echnically ained), uni e si y (adminis a i e aining), in he
indus y (wo k-based lea ning; open ques ion).
8. Who should be in ol ed in c ea ion and implemen a ion o p og ams o expe s o
p omo e adul and oca ional educa ion o social and en i onmen al sus ainabili y in local
communi ies and indus ies? (local choice, including “o he s, who”, why; open ques ion)
(choice o ex.: uni e si ies, local communi ies, local o ganiza ions, local colleges o
o he s/Uni e si ies, O ganiza ions, Co po a ions/Local businesses, Minis ies, NGO’s,
O he s)
9. Rele ance o s a ing p ojec , among di e en s akeholde s o expe imen wi h new
p ac ices in c ea ion and implemen a ion o new p og ams and cu icula o new kinds o
expe s? (scale 1-5, e y ele an -no ele an a all; why is i ele an /wha could be he
bene i s o new p og ams, open ques ion).
10. In e es o pa icipa e? (scale 1-5, e y in e es ed-no in e es ed a all).
11. Any o he issues, ques ions, commen s o esea che s e c.
Appendix 2. In e iew guide
In e iews we e implemen ed in languages o each con ex . The ollowing guideline was
used, al hough ques ions a ied ega ding he in e iew p ocess.
1. In o and ins uc ions (simila o ques ionnai es)
2. Posi ion and s a us o in o man ; Rela ion o adul and oca ional educa ion
3. The ele ance o cu en p og ams and cu icula o de eloping adul and oca ional
educa ion o sus ainable de elopmen in communi y and indus ies?
F om he poin o iew o aining p o essionals (scale 1-5, 5 he bes )
F om sus ainabili y iew (scale 1-5, 5 he bes )
4. S a e o in e ac ion and collabo a ion be ween ac o s/s akeholde s in de eloping and
implemen ing p og ams and cu icula? Reasons?
How good is he cu en collabo a ion be ween di e en s akeholde s (educa ional
ins i u ions, indus y, policy o ganisa ions, local communi ies)? (scale 1-5)
5. Need o new expe ise in de eloping adul and oca ional educa ion? C i ical issues and
sec o s o indus y? Reasons?
Any ideas o imp o emen , p oblems o o he commen s ega ding he i s wo ques ions
(open ques ion).
Wha a e he mos impo an aspec s in de eloping VET and adul educa ion owa ds
sus ainabili y and endo sing local communi ies? (open ques ion)
Which sec o s and ields o VET a e he mos impo an o in need o de elopmen ? (open
ques ion)
Wha kind o expe ise and p o essionals a e needed in he u u e? (open ques ion)
6. Need and isions o new collabo a i e p ac ices in de eloping and implemen ing
p og ams and cu icula o new expe s? Who should be in ol ed and how? Reasons?
Who a e he mos impo an s akeholde s and ac o s in u u e collabo a ion? (open ques ion)

86
7. Rele ance o s a ing pilo p ojec o expe imen ing new collabo a i e p ac ice in c ea ing
p og ams and cu icula o expe s o adul and oca ional educa ion p omo ing social and
en i onmen al sus ainabili y o local communi ies and indus ies?
How impo an do you ind he de elopmen o new p og ams and cu icula? (scale 5-1, 5
e y impo an and 1 no impo an a all)
How in e es ed a e you o pa icipa e in u u e de elopmen (scale 5-1, 5 e y in e es ed, 1
no in e es ed a all)?
8. Any o he issues, ques ions, commen s o esea che s. (open ques ion).
87
Lis o ables, igu es and pic u es
Table 3.1. Implemen a ion o su eys………………………………………………………29
Table 3.2. Implemen a ion o in e iews……………………………………………………31
Table 4.1. Rele ance o cu en cu icula and p og am in uni e si ies/HEIs………......36
Table 4.2. Cu en collabo a ion …………………………………………………...............43
Table 4.3. Expec a ions owa ds new expe ise. ………………………………………….51
Table 4.4. Expec a ions owa ds collabo a ion in cu iculum and p og am de elopmen
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..57
Table 4.5. Mos impo an issues and sec o s o expe ise and collabo a ion.……….. 62
Table 5.1. Summa y o indings o esea ch ques ions (RQs)……………………………66
Table 5.2. In e es in u u e collabo a ion among pa icipan s o he s udy …………….81
Figu e 1. Resea ch design o he s udy. ……………………………………………………23
Pic u e 1.1. S uden s in on o Tampe e Uni e si y main building. Pho o Jonne Ren all. Ca
mechanic s uden s in TREDU. Pho o h ps://www. edu. i/koulu us/au omekaanikko/)... 8
Pic u e 1.2. Baoji Uni e si y o A s and Sciences (Gaoxin campus) Pho o
h ps://jyxy.bjwlxy.cn/. ………………………………………………………………………...11
Pic u e 1.3. School o Voca ional and Technical Educa ion and T aining, Sou h China
No mal Uni e si y (Shanwei Campus). Pho o Li Bian. E-comme ce S uden s in seconda y
oca ional school. Pho o Zhihong Li…………………………………………………………12
Pic u e 1.4. Mzumbe Uni e si y Main Campus Mo ogo o. MU websi e………...............15
Pic u e 1.5. Mo ogo o Voca ional Teache T aining College. Pho o MVTCC. S uden s a
cons uc ion si e. Pho o Anja Heikkinen. ……………………………………………………16
Pic u e 1.6. Kisii Uni e si y Main ga e. Pho o E ic Oyunge. Tea Fac o y. Pho o Pamela
Wadende. ………………………………………………………………………………………17
Pic u e 1.7. Technical and oca ional eache educa ion block, Kyambogo Uni e si y. Pho o
D Kin u Denis. Fishe ies T aining Ins i u e Class oom blocks. Pho o Opwonya
Nelson………………………………………………………………………………………….. 18
Pic u e 5.1. Fo es machine in ac ion. Pho o Tiina Eklund. Res o a ion o ac o y a ea in o
“sma g een ci y” in Tampe e. Pho o Pasi Tii ola. …………………………………………69
Pic u e 5.2. A oca ional eache g adua ed om SCNU leading s uden s win he p o incial
e-comme ce skills compe i ion. Pho o Chen Aihui. Logis ics obo sys em solu ion. Pho o
88
h ps://www.cema -asia.com/news_/shownews.php?lang=cn&id=4744.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..70
Pic u e 5.3. Baoji Cul u e and A Cen e. Reno a ion o ac o y a ea in o “Ci y Lib a y and
You h Ac i i y Cen e” in Baoji. Pho o
h p://www.baojinews.com/baoji/2021/0225/60101.h ml. ...............................................70
Pic u e 5.4. Tex ile ac o y in Mo ogo o. Pho o Anja Heikkinen. Tea plan a ion and na u al
o es s su ounding a ac o y in Kisii. Pho o Pamela Wadende. …………………….......71
Pic u e 5.5. Lea ning ishpond cons uc ion and boa building in Fishe ies T aining Ins i u e.
Pho o Nelson Opwonya. ……………………………………………………………………...71
89
Re e ences
Abuya, B 2021. Go e nmen injec s Sh34 Billion o boos TVETs. Kenya News Agency.
Ali-Y kkö, J., Rou inen, P., Sinko, P., Tuhku i, J. 2016. Finland in global alue chains.
Helsinki: P ime Minis e 's O ice.
An Ecomode nis Mani es o 2015. h p://www.ecomode nism.o g/ (02.09.2022).
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E ick Oya o is a esea ch assis an based in Kisii Uni e si y Resea ch and Ex ension
Di ec o a e. He joined his s udy om his in e es in Voca ional and Adul Educa ion. He is
in e es ed in cu iculum de elopmen p ocesses o adul educa ion cou ses a Kisii
Uni e si y and his s udy ga e him mo e in o ma ion abou he skills employe s o g adua es
needed. Con ac : e ickoya o(a )kisiiuni e si y.ac.ke/, e ickoya o(a )gmail.com.
Nelson Opwonya is a s uden a Kyambogo Uni e si y pu suing MA in Voca ional Pedagogy.
He de eloped in e es in joining he s udy o lea n ac ual esea ch, eco e y o he los
alues in g een li ing, main aining g een en i onmen , obse ing social and economic
sus ainabili y in indi iduals wi hou o e u ilizing he g een en i onmen , lo e o li elong
educa ion. As a lec u e o boa building, he has obse ed ha some o he p ominen ee
species o building boa s a e ge ing ex inc in Uganda. The beach boa builde s and his
mo he ins i u ion FTI ha e no plan o he eco e y o hese ee species by e o es a ion.
He is in e es ed in de eloping he cu icula ha p omo e adul educa ion and encou age
eco e y o los ee species. The s udy enables him o con ibu e o policy making so ha
echnical and oca ional schools and ins i u ions in Uganda ope a e e ec i ely, wi hin
sus ainable g een en i onmen . Con ac : nepwonya(a )gmail.com.