Since its establishment in 1995 CPI has cooperated with various ministries, employers, chambers, schools and other national and international organisations. During the past two decades CPI evolved into a recognizable institution in the education system at home and an invaluable partner in various national and international projects.
Ministry of Education Science and Sport announced the beginning of the process of programme modernisation in 2021 which is implemented in two projects:
The modernisation of the of programmes with updating the curriculum also became an integral part of the National Recovery and Resilience plan, confirmed by the Government and the EU Council in 2021.
Participants at Cedefop workshop »Future of VET in Slovenia« on 17th November 2022 within RRF project Modernisation of VET 2022 – 2026
This period is transitional for the CPI, as there was a department reorganisation and Janez Damjan, MSc took over the management.
CPI will remember this period for the COVID-19 epidemic, when our work moved to a great extent at a distance. As the 2020/2021 school year took place in special circumstances that required VET providers to be flexible, innovative and determined to guide students to the planned learning goals and competencies. For the new, less “paved” paths, we prepared various guidelines and recommendations.
For the second time Slovenia held the Presidency of the EU Council this year in the second half of 2021. During the Presidency, the topic of vocational and non-formal education wass addressed in the second half of 2021, as part of the European Vocational Skills Week. This was also an opportunity to strengthen dialogue with social partners and citizens.
International Conference: 10 years of Slovenian Qualifications Framework, Brdo pri Kranju, 2020
In 2017 the Apprenticeship Act was adopted and Slovenia reintroduced apprenticeship into the VET system as a 3-year pilot.
In 2009 CPI, appointed for a national coordination point (NCP) for European Qualifications Framework (EQF), coordinated the preparation of Slovenian Qualification Framework (SQF). SQF was referenced to the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) in 2013.
The CPI also became a national contact point for various networks, hosting European Qualifications Framework EQF, EUROPASS, Cedefop’s REFERNET network, ECVET, EQAVET and EUROSKILLS, thus further linking our operations across the European Union. In 2009 Elido Bandelj became a new director of CPI.
International conference on the introduction of apprenticeships in Slovenia, 2017
10. anniversary of CPI
This period brought a change in the top CPI management as Metka Zevnik took over as directress in 2005.
With the accession to the European Union and the use of European Social Fund, finances strengthened and expanded the international project participation of CPI. Therefore, a new project unit was created at the CPI, which supervised and managed projects throughout the following period. During this period, school consortiums appeared, influencing the development and implementation of new educational programs.
The new wave was in full swing by 2004, as an intensive reform of the education programmes took place lasting until 2010, involving CPI, school consortiums and employers. Systematic teacher training was required, with thorough monitoring of the implementation of the new programs.
10 years of CPI
The year 2000 was a very important turning point as the Vocational Qualifications Act was adopted. Evaluations indicated some deficiencies of the previous reform, so in 2001 new Guidelines for the preparation of the upper secondary VET programmes were published. The Guidelines implemented vocational standards as the mandatory basis of VET programmes, replacing nomenclatures. A standard has a dual role, as it also became the basis for National Vocational Qualifications, gained through the certification system. Due to the transition from the nomenclature of professions to vocational standards, CPI created a new department for the preparation of vocational standards and catalogues of professional skills.
Vladimir Tkalec, Director of CPI with Charles, prince of Wales
In this period, CPI was a partner in the Phare MOCCA, which provided a framework for the evaluation and deliberation on the VET system reform of the 1990’s.
The completion of this project brought a Memorandum on the further development of vocational and technical education. During this period, the National Observatory and the National Coordination Unit of the Leonardo da Vinci program were set up at the CPI, nowadays a separate institution named CMEPIUS. This period also saw the beginning of the intensive international cooperation for CPI.
Leonardo da Vinci CPI delegation visiting Brussels
The development of the CPI in the early years coincided with the first Phare project (1995-1998), which represented European aid for the assistance and renewal of VET. As the central research, development and advisory body for VET, CPI was responsible for developing the contents of the whole project. CPI also coordinated the activities and thus contributed to the reform and modernisation of VET in Slovenia.
The Phare project provided material and professional support and also enabled contacts with similar institutions and experts in other EU countries. The results achieved influenced the system for the next ten years. The first Guidelines for the preparation of education programs were developed influencing the curriculum reform. The Guidelines also re-introduced the dual system, master craftsman, foreman and shop manager exam, higher VET schools and vocational courses.
The VET Act and the White book on Education and Training was also adopted in 1996, which along with the guidelines served as the basis for the preparation of new upper secondary VET programmes, the first ones were implemented in the 1997/8 school year.
Phare project, logo
CPI was established on 25 May 1995, by a special decision of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia as the founder (the Ministry of Education Science and Sport and the Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs) and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia and the Chamber of Craft and Small Business of Slovenia as co-founders. This decision meant that the idea had matured in the Republic of Slovenia that Vocational Education and Training (VET) has to be based on social partnership, therefore it needs a separate institution that would monitor and facilitate the development of VET in Slovenia. The tasks of the CPI were development of modern education programs (short, vocational and technical upper secondary education), connecting schools and employers regarding work-based learning of students, development and maintenance of the certification system and maintenance of the VET programs records.
Samo Hribar Milič from the Chamber of Commerce became the first acting director and was succeded replaced by Vladimir Tkalec, a renowed expert for the field of European VET, who managed CPI for the next 10 years.
Vladimir Tkalec, Director of CPI
