Centre d'études et de recherches sur les qualifications

Centre d'études et de recherches sur les qualifications
Name	Centre d'études et de recherches sur les qualifications
Native name	Centre d'études et de recherches sur les qualifications
Established	1970s
Type	Research institute
Location	France

Centre d'études et de recherches sur les qualifications is a French research institute focused on vocational qualifications, labour market studies and skills policy, founded during debates involving François Mitterrand, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing and European institutions such as the European Commission, Council of Europe, and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; its work connects to stakeholders including Ministry of Labour (France), Confédération générale du travail, Confédération française démocratique du travail, and sectoral bodies like UNESCO. The centre has produced policy-relevant analyses cited by actors such as European Parliament, International Labour Organization, World Bank, OECD Skills Strategy, and national bodies including Conseil économique, social et environnemental and regional authorities in Île-de-France and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.

History

The institute emerged amid policy shifts following events such as the Oil crisis of 1973, debates in the Assemblée nationale (France), and reforms associated with the administrations of Georges Pompidou and Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, while interacting with research traditions exemplified by CNRS, INSEE, Ministère de l'Éducation nationale (France), and vocational networks linked to AFPA and Chambers of Commerce and Industry (France). During the 1980s and 1990s it engaged with projects tied to Delors Commission, Single European Act, Maastricht Treaty, and comparative studies involving Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, and Sweden, collaborating with institutions such as London School of Economics, Max Planck Institute, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, and Bocconi University. In the 2000s the centre adapted to policy frameworks influenced by the Lisbon Strategy, Bologna Process, and initiatives from European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training and continued exchanges with think tanks including Institut Montaigne, Fondation Jean-Jaurès, Brookings Institution, and Chatham House.

Mission and Objectives

The centre's mission links actors across Ministry of Labour (France), European Commission, International Labour Organization, OECD, and UNESCO to produce evidence pertinent to qualification systems, certification frameworks, and occupational standards, aiming to inform decisions by bodies such as Conseil régional and employer federations including Medef and Confédération des petites et moyennes entreprises. Its objectives align with comparative agendas exemplified by European Qualifications Framework, National Qualifications Framework (United Kingdom), and policy reports from World Bank and ILO Committee on Employment and Social Policy, emphasizing measurable outcomes used by Agence nationale pour la formation professionnelle des adultes and social partners represented by CFDT and CGT.

Research Areas and Publications

Research themes encompass analyses of vocational certification systems in contexts like France, Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, Brazil, and South Africa, drawing on methodologies associated with École des hautes études en sciences sociales, Sciences Po, University of Oxford, Harvard University, and University of Cambridge. The centre publishes working papers, policy briefs, and books cited alongside works from Pierre Bourdieu, Émile Durkheim, Michel Foucault, and comparative labour studies from Richard Sennett and Guy Standing, and contributes to journals such as Revue française de sociologie, International Journal of Educational Development, European Journal of Education, Labour Economics, and Journal of Vocational Education & Training. Major outputs include reports referenced by European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, OECD Skills Outlook, and national white papers used by Ministry of Education (France).

Organizational Structure and Governance

The centre operates with a governance model interacting with bodies like Ministry of Labour (France), Conseil scientifique, university partners such as Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, Université Paris 8 Vincennes-Saint-Denis, and research institutions including CNRS and INSEE. Its board has historically included representatives from Medef, CFDT, CGT, and academic chairs linked to Collège de France, École normale supérieure, and international advisors connected to European Commission directorates and the OECD Directorate for Education and Skills. Administrative oversight follows practices seen at Institut national de la recherche agronomique and Institut national d'études démographiques.

Collaborations and Partnerships

The centre maintains partnerships with supranational bodies such as European Commission, Council of Europe, UNESCO, ILO, and World Bank, and research networks including European Forum on Vocational Education and Training, EUA (European University Association), Cedefop, EURASHE, and universities like University of Bologna, Humboldt University of Berlin, University of Amsterdam, and Utrecht University. It has collaborated on projects funded by Horizon 2020, Erasmus+, and bilateral initiatives with national agencies such as ANR and British Council, and with trade unions and employer organisations including Medef and CFDT.

Impact and Influence on Policy

Analyses from the centre have influenced frameworks such as the European Qualifications Framework, national reforms inspired by the Law on the Freedom of Higher Education (France), and labour market interventions discussed within forums like European Parliament committees and ILO assemblies, and have been cited in reports by OECD, World Bank, Cedefop, and regional councils in Île-de-France and Hauts-de-France. Its work informs collective bargaining dialogues involving CFDT, CGT, FO (France), and employer federations including Medef, and has been referenced during legislative debates in the Assemblée nationale (France) and deliberations of the Conseil d'État.

Notable Projects and Case Studies

Case studies include comparative analyses of apprenticeship systems in Germany and France, sectoral qualification frameworks for automotive industry partnerships with firms such as Renault and PSA Peugeot Citroën, and cross-national projects on recognition of qualifications involving European Commission directives, bilateral accords with Canada and Australia, and pilot schemes in Morocco and Tunisia involving cooperation with Agence française de développement and vocational agencies like AFPA and OPCOs.

Category:Research institutes in France Category:Vocational education