A Comparative Study on the Financing of Vocational Education & Training in the United Kingdom, Germany and Finland

Abstract

In order to successfully materialize the construction and operation of a life-long vocational education and training system that can respond to the changes in the economic environment of knowledge-based societies, it is indispensible to secure the necessary financial resources at the right time, and to maximize the investment effects through efficient financial management. Seen from this perspective, Korea's financial systems of vocational education and training possess several problems. In seeking a new financial system of vocational education and training that resolves these problems and proactively responds to future economic environment changes, comparative studies of the related policies and systems of the world's major countries can provide meaningful suggestions. Hence, this study has compared and analyzed the financial systems of vocational education and training of the U.K., Germany, and Finland from the viewpoint of “Who should take how much burden of the investment costs of vocational education and training so that the 'who' and the 'how much' are proper?" and "How should the secured financial resources be distributed and supported in order for this to be rational?". And, this study has extracted the policy suggestions regarding the improvement of the system in Korea. Specifically, by applying the 4 types of analytic reference standards of the internal efficiency, external efficiency, equity and adequacy from the standpoint of "Are the financial systems of vocational education and training of the U.K., Germany, and Finland appropriately responding to the environmental changes in vocational education and training policies?", each country's vocational education and training systems, financial resources for vocational education and training, the distribution of finance, support methods, and the operational organizations of the finances for vocational education and training have been analyzed.