Sustainable Policy Transfer in Vocational Education—The Case of Social Dialogue and Apprenticeship in Slovenia

Abstract

This study examines the policy transfer process in vocational education, focusing on the re-introduction of apprenticeships in Slovenia following the European Alliance for Apprenticeship’s 2013 initiative. Policy transfer, defined as the adoption of models from other regions, involves multiple actors and can range from voluntary to coercive influences. The research highlights the challenges Slovenia faces in developing sustainable social partnerships within its vocational education, particularly apprenticeship, which shares several characteristics with Germanic vocational education systems. By using mixed-methods research combining qualitative and quantitative research techniques, the implementation of apprenticeships in Slovenia post-2017 was monitored. The study aims to identify conditions that could foster sustainable social partnerships and apprenticeship. The research confirmed that participatory research can become one of the key tools for more sustainable policy transfer.