Operational Meeting among OIC Institutions
Date: 04 April 2009
Venue: Jeddah - Saudi Arabia

The Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) has organised an operational meeting with the concerned OIC institutions in the area of vocational education and training. The meeting was held 4 April 2009 in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to discuss the monitoring and operational aspects of the implementation of the Vocational Education and Training Programme for the OIC Member Countries (OIC-VET). Representatives from the General Secretariat of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, COMCEC Coordination Office, Islamic Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and Islamic University of Technology (IUT) attended to the meeting.

Dr. Savaş Alpay, Director General of the SESRIC, informed the meeting on the background of the OIC-VET Programme and the actions taken so far; and declared that the OIC-VET Programme aims at enhancing cooperation among the OIC Member States in the field of vocational education and training with the view of establishing a common OIC platform for the benefits of the Member States in this area by incorporating their vocational training programmes into the OIC-VET. He also noted that the SESRIC started the necessary communications with the national authorities of the member states to assign their National Focal Points (NFPs) in order to setup the implementation structure of the OIC-VET Programme with a view to initiate the activities necessary for the pilot application under the Transnational Exchange Projects (OIC-TEPs). Already and as a result of these communications 20 Member States have already nominated their National Focal Points.

Dr. Savaş Alpay continued to stress the possible impact of the OIC-VET Programme on the economic well-being and human development of the Member States and urged the concerned OIC institutions, mainly IDB, IUT, ICCI and ICYF-DC as the members of the Monitoring and Advisory Committee (MAC) of the OIC-VET Programme to render a strong impetus to the OIC-VET Programme by sharing their technical knowledge and expertise with the Member States in a best possible manner. He also mentioned his sincere hope that with the valuable contributions of the concerned OIC institutions, the OIC-VET Programme will achieve tangible results and bring a great success for the Member States in the areas of socio-economic development and cooperation.

Mr. Mehmet Fatih Serenli, Acting Director of Training and Technical Cooperation Department at the SESRIC, has informed the meeting about the preparations for the First Meeting of the Monitoring and Advisory Committee (MAC) scheduled to be held on 13 May 2009 in Izmir, Republic of Turkey on the sideline of the 25th Meeting of the Follow-up Committee of the COMCEC. The nominated National Focal Points of the Member States had been invited to the said meeting and most of them had already confirmed their participation.

The meeting recognized the importance of the OIC-VET Programme, and agreed that it may constitute the basis for intra-OIC cooperation in the area of vocational education and training.