Virtual conference report: UNESCO-UNEVOC TVeT Forum, 16 to 24 July 2018. The virtual conference on ‘Improving the image of TVET’ was organized on the occasion of the 2018 World Youth Skills Day. UNESCO-UNEVOC follows the United Nations’ stride in celebrating World Youth Skills Day every year on 15 July, which raises awareness about the importance of youth skills development.

While the importance of TVET is increasingly recognized in international discourse and policies, the image of TVET can be quite challenging when compared with other educational pathways such as higher, academic education. Even in countries where there is a high-quality TVET system, initial enrollment in TVET is declining and many students continue to prefer to go to follow the academic education track as their first choice. The low image of TVET is therefore a universal concern.

There are multi-dimensional reasons influencing the image of TVET: poor quality, weak linkages with stakeholders particularly the industries, social stigma, cultural barriers, and a lack of qualified and competent teachers all contribute to the image of TVET. In order to understand these multidimensional factors in a deeper way, UNESCO-UNEVOC organized a virtual conference on ‘Improving the image of TVET’. Participants explored the varying and similar reasons behind the image of TVET in their countries, whilst emphasizing the responsibilities of all stakeholders, from the government to the community, to address this universal concern.