German Research Center for Comparative Vocational Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.)

The exchange of goods, people and knowledge has become both indispensable and typical in the modern globalized world. This fact have also influenced economics and business education in Germany.

While German recognition about the importance of professional qualifications for young adults outside of Germany has grown, foreign interest in vocational education and training in Germany has also continually increased.

Due to this, G.R.E.A.T. is concerned with international and comparative research in vocational education and training. The main focus for development, however, should not be the blind adaption of other training units or country-specific vocational systems, but should rather primarily focus on the following three aspects:

1. A deep and reflective understanding of different sysetms of vocational education and training will make it possible to locate well-established processes and structures in other countries ("best practice approaches"), which help optimizing domestic vocational education and training through country-specific adaption.                                                                                                                       
2. Knowledge of foreign circumstances enables a clearer perspective on the domestic situation; learning from the mistakes of others is crucial to foreseeing possible obstacles.                                                                                                                                                                                     
3. New scientific epistemological interests, research findings and method developments in comparative research focusing on vocational education and training are of important value in making the best program possible.

In the context of the three aspects outlined above, tasks and efforts of G.R.E.A.T. are set in the fields of comparative research, developmental and implementation support and consulting and training services.

In principle, we aim at cooperating with partner all over the world. The main focus, however, will be on European countries, North America and the Asian countries including India.

You would like to contact us? Please use our central contact address: GREAT-Cologneuni-koeln.de

Board of G.R.E.A.T.

Birgit Thomann (Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training, Bonn); Board member

Dirk Matter (Indo-German Chamber of Commerce); Board member

Prof. Dr. Gregor Lang-Wojtasik (PH Weingarten); Board member

Tilman Nagel (GIZ); Board member

G.R.E.A.T. in India

Dr. Balasubramanian Ramani (Ministry of Economics, Transport, Building and Digitization of Lower Saxony); Chief Advisor G.R.E.A.T. in India

Dr. Shyamal Majumdar (formerly Unesco-Unevoc); Chief Advisor G.R.E.A.T. in India