The year of 2011 was for CONSEPT project a passing term from phase I to phase II. In 2011 CONSEPT continued to support training activities for teaching staff of partner schools and to endow their workshops with equipment and consumables, meanwhile the project carried out preparation activities for its second phase.

In this sense a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Foundation Liechtenstein Development Service (LED) and the Ministry of Education, concerning the support in implementing the phase II of the project “Strengthening of Vocational Training in Moldova (CONSEPT)”.

During this year, within CONSEPT, the Centre of Continuing Education of TUM carried out 15 trainings by 10 days each. Training beneficiaries were 183 people: teachers, instructors, management staff of VET schools and university lecturers. The number of teaching staff upgraded with CONSEPT support is growing every year.

Training activities conducted by TUM trainers provided the teaching staff with a full training package made up of 5 modules that promote the Learner Centered Methodologies. Thus, 3 trainings were conducted for the module Teach Skills, 2 trainings for Teach Knowledge, 4 trainings for Assessment, 5 for Teach Visuals, and 1 for Supervision.

Following these trainings, the beneficiaries were coached by TUM master trainers to implement the new teaching methodologies. Coaching is a partnership that speeds up the teacher’s learning rhythm, their performance and progress. In the follow-up activities, it was proved that the Learner Centered Methodologies got perfectly integrated into the teaching-learning-assessment process while reflected in teachers’ endeavor to increase the teaching quality. The entire methodological package is widely and successfully applied by project partner schools.

In CONSEPT agenda for 2011 there were 2 Occupational trainings organized for the cooks and accountants from partner-schools, in partnership with Professional Association Culinary Catering Moldova and Association of Professional Accountants and Auditors (ACAP).

Another important activity that took place at the yearend was the selection of new VET schools to be enrolled in CONSEPT in the second phase. Vocational schools were visited by LED Moldova and selected jointly with Ministry of Education. LED Moldova and new partner schools will make efforts that vocational training for cook, pastry cook, electrician and tailors in Moldova become more professional and more efficient.

CONSEPT team has completed 2011 with the inventory mission for equipments and consumables (twice a year), conducted together with the Ministry of Education representatives. All equipments and consumables procured by schools with the LED financial support will be used for at practical activities with clearly defined learning outcomes. For 2011, the project invested in schools workshops 1.697.972,00 MDLMDL.

In early 2012, traditionally, LED Moldova will organize a planning workshop with all partners and beneficiaries to outline the activities for the current year.

Mrs. Aurelia Frick, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Culture and Justice of Liechtenstein, assisted by Josef Biedermann, deputy president of Liechtenstein Development Services and other officials, conducted an official trip to the Republic of Moldova within December 1-3, 2011.

During her visit, Mrs. Frick met with her Moldovan counterpart, Mr. Iurie Leancă. The discussions held in the meeting covered the bilateral and multilateral cooperation, as well as the projects implemented in our country with support provided by the Government of Liechtenstein. In this regard, Mr. Iurie Leancă expressed gratitude to the authorities of Liechtenstein for the support offered through LED projects. Mr. Leanca also appreciated that Moldova is one of LED priority countries.

The delegation also had a meeting with Mr. Mihail Şleahtiţchi, minister of education. Within the meeting, memorandums of understanding for the implementation of two projects were signed: “Strengthening Vocational Education in Moldova CONSEPT II” and “Infrastructure Improvement of LED partner schools”. Both projects aim at further supporting the reforms of vocational education. The memorandums were signed by the minister of education, Mr. Mihail Şleahtiţchi, and the deputy president of LED, Mr. Josef Biedermann.

Mrs. Aurelia Frick visited the Vocational School from Floreşti, which is a beneficiary institution of CONSEPT project, as well as the Technical University of Moldova, project implementation partner. The delegation also visited the Social Centre from Dubăsarii Vechi and Concordia City of Children from Pîrîta, both being supported by the citizens of Liechtenstein.

The delegation members were impressed and pleased with the results achieved by the beneficiary institutions of projects implemented and supported by Liechtenstein Development Service in Moldova.

From September 26 to October 7, 2011, at the Center of Continuing Education from UTM, „Teach Knowledge” training is taken place, with the participation of the instructors and teachers from VET schools beneficiaries of the CONSEPT project. This training is one of the 5 training modules for VET staff, which are based on Learner Centered Methodology.

Training participants will learn how to design creative training sessions that include the required key knowledge and focused on learning and not teaching; they will analyze skills and broad topics connected to teaching facts, concepts, procedures, processes and principles; trainees will have to demonstrate mastery of common forms of visual media and other important topics. Training participants will deliver knowledge-based training sessions that actively involve the learner.

This training will utilize a wide variety of learning strategies, methods and techniques. Participants are encouraged to seek solutions to training problems they have encountered and to experiment with new “ways” of teaching.

With the beginning of the new academic school year, CONSEPT project has resumed its support for teachers of vocational training sector.

In the period 20 – 22 of September 2011, CONSEPT in partnership with the Center of Continuing Education from TUM, organized a training on Instructional Supervision with participation of the directors and vice-directors from vocational schools included in the project.

The goal of this training was to guide the trainees to develop a concept of instructional supervision as a means for improving teachers’ performance in the classroom and workshop.

This training primarily was focused on producing relevant data from systematic classroom observation and communicating them effectively. The trainees also were made acquainted with the goals of instructional supervision and with the stages of a full cycle of instructional supervision. After the introduction to instructional supervision the participants learned about complex observation tools and techniques such as Learner-Centered Observation Instrument, to name one of them. Also at the training it was discussed how to conduct an instructional supervision and to help instructors form a positive attitude about continuous professional development.

A very important moment was the application of the observation tools in a real school situation. To exercise this observation tools was possible thanks to Vocational Lyceum no 2 and College of Constructions from Chisinau.

From 4 to 8 of July 2011, CONSEPT project in partnership with Association of Culinary Catering Moldova, organized a master class “Professional secrets of the culinary art”. The purpose of this training activity was to train instructors from vocational schools in order to develop advanced professional skills and to teach new technologies and techniques of cooking using different products.

During this training instructors learned various techniques of preparing and decorating desserts for different occasions using various ingredients. They also learned to make different dough twists; they became familiar with various techniques in preparation of delicious and healthy soups, desserts, and fish and meat dishes.

All these professional secrets were shared by the best cooks in the country, who are members of Association of Culinary Catering Moldova, which is conducted by Elena Ciobanu.

This unrepeatable experience will be disseminated by teachers in practical classes with their students.

In May – early June 2011, CONSEPT team, together with the Ministry of Education, organized the inventory mission for equipment and consumables procured with the support of the International Foundation “Liechtenstein Development Service (LED)” within the CONSEPT project.

The purpose of support is exclusively to enhance the quality of training in vocational schools. Consumables purchased with LED financial support will be used strictly in workshops, for practical training activities, in particular to strengthen the student’s practical skills with clearly defined learning outcomes.

Beneficiaries: CONSEPT partner – schools.

Procurement of equipment for schools takes place in two rounds, this is the first procurement in 2011.

Recently the team of trainers from TUM made ​​visits of coaching to vocational schools participants in the project.

The purpose of coaching was to identify changes after participating in instructional training activities of the instructors within the CONSEPT project.

Another objective of the coaching was to identify the problems and difficulties in applying teaching strategies centered on the needs of learners;  to identify needs on methodological content and in developing assessment tools.

Trainers assist at the lessons and come with individual feedback with concrete suggestions for improvement.

In early July 2011, CONSEPT project in partnership with Culinary Association from Catering Moldova will organize a master class for instructors and teachers of cook and pastry cook specialty, from beneficiary VET schools.

The goal of the training and master classes is to train instructors from vocational school in order to develop advanced professional/occupational skills and to acquire new technologies of food preparation.

The trainees will be trained by the most skilled, talented and professional chefs in the country, who also benefited of the extensive training in this area, and who are owners of numerous medals at world championships in most famous cuisine.

This is the second joint activity of LED Moldova and Catering Moldova    in supporting VET schools to enhance the quality of training provision.