Recently, the 9th International Network on Innovative Apprenticeship (INAP) Research Conference came to a successful end at the Field Centre of the University of Hertfordshire in the UK. Held from May 8th to 9th, 2025, this marked the first full-scale in-person gathering of the conference series since 2019, attracting scholars, policymakers, and practitioners from the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector worldwide who are engaged in apprenticeship research.​

The conference delved into six core themes related to apprenticeships, including:

Theme 1. Making apprenticeships more attractive to potential learners and to employers
Theme 2. Apprenticeships and the future: the economy
Theme 3. Apprenticeships and the future: society
Theme 4. Apprenticeship curriculum, standards and delivery
Theme 5. Governance, including stakeholders' roles and responsibilities
Theme 6. Teaching and teachers in VET

Researchers from various countries shared original research findings covering key topics such as how national apprenticeship systems attract enterprise participation, the impact of artificial intelligence and Industry 4.0 on apprenticeships, cross-group participation and social integration, and innovations in school-enterprise cooperation models.​

Notably, the conference featured several internationally renowned experts as keynote speakers, including Ashwani Aggarwal, Global Head of Skills and Lifelong Learning Policies at the International Labour Organization, and Leesa Wheelahan, Emeritus Professor at the University of Toronto. In addition, a panel of experts consisting of Professor Philipp Gonon from the University of Zurich, Professor Oscar Valiente from the University of Glasgow, and Professor Matthias Pilz from the University of Cologne, among others, conducted a thematic discussion on "Transnational Transfer of Dual Vocational Education", offering diverse perspectives for global apprenticeship practices. The successful holding of this conference has further advanced knowledge sharing and practical innovation in the global apprenticeship field.

These research outcomes are currently included in the special collection of the Vocational, Technical & Education (VTE) journal and can be accessed via https://www.hksmp.com/journals/vte/catalog/category/apprenticeships, providing a reference for the academic and industrial communities.

Recently, the 9th International Network on Innovative Apprenticeship (INAP) Research Conference came to a successful end at the Field Centre of the University of Hertfordshire in the UK. Held from May 8th to 9th, 2025, this marked the first full-scale in-person gathering of the conference series since 2019, attracting scholars, policymakers, and practitioners from the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector worldwide who are engaged in apprenticeship research.​

The conference delved into six core themes related to apprenticeships, including:

Theme 1. Making apprenticeships more attractive to potential learners and to employers
Theme 2. Apprenticeships and the future: the economy
Theme 3. Apprenticeships and the future: society
Theme 4. Apprenticeship curriculum, standards and delivery
Theme 5. Governance, including stakeholders' roles and responsibilities
Theme 6. Teaching and teachers in VET

Researchers from various countries shared original research findings covering key topics such as how national apprenticeship systems attract enterprise participation, the impact of artificial intelligence and Industry 4.0 on apprenticeships, cross-group participation and social integration, and innovations in school-enterprise cooperation models.​

Notably, the conference featured several internationally renowned experts as keynote speakers, including Ashwani Aggarwal, Global Head of Skills and Lifelong Learning Policies at the International Labour Organization, and Leesa Wheelahan, Emeritus Professor at the University of Toronto. In addition, a panel of experts consisting of Professor Philipp Gonon from the University of Zurich, Professor Oscar Valiente from the University of Glasgow, and Professor Matthias Pilz from the University of Cologne, among others, conducted a thematic discussion on "Transnational Transfer of Dual Vocational Education", offering diverse perspectives for global apprenticeship practices. The successful holding of this conference has further advanced knowledge sharing and practical innovation in the global apprenticeship field.

These research outcomes are currently included in the special collection of the Vocational, Technical & Education (VTE) journal and can be accessed via https://www.hksmp.com/journals/vte/catalog/category/apprenticeships, providing a reference for the academic and industrial communities.

INAP holding slide 2025 INAP keynotes and organizers Conference materials