Call for Papers: Issue 5

Curriculum Development and Implementation

The International Journal of Vocational Education Studies is pleased to announce a call for papers for the thematic section of issue five dedicated to "Curriculum Development and Implementation in Vocational Education and Training".

The term curriculum in this issue encompasses the intended, the implemented and the achieved curriculum. The exploration of curriculum in VET is pivotal. Curricula must not only respond to the evolving demands of labour markets but also anticipate future skills needs, ensuring that learners are equipped with both the technical competencies and the transversal skills required for sustainable careers. A deep understanding of curriculum structures and their development and implementation — from the development of national frameworks to the implementation of specific programs in local contexts — provides crucial insights into how VET systems can achieve their mandates of fostering employability and contributing to social equity and personality development.

This issue invites papers that delve into various dimensions of curriculum development and implementation in VET, including but not limited to:

Curriculum Development and Design: The exploration of innovative approaches to integrating academic and vocational learning in VET curricula. Contributions can examine theoretical frameworks such as competency-based, modular, or holistic models. Papers may also focus on the role of stakeholders – employers, policymakers, educators, and learners – in shaping curriculum development to align with labour market demands and educational objectives.

Implementation in Practice: Challenges and strategies in applying VET curricula across various institutional and workplace settings. Contributions can include comparative analyses of curriculum implementation in different VET systems or contexts, both within and across countries. Papers may also explore the impact of teacher training, resources, and institutional culture on effective curriculum delivery.

Achieved Curriculum and Outcomes: Evaluation of VET curriculum outcomes, focusing on learner achievements, employability, and social mobility. Contributions can address methodological innovations for assessing impacts at individual, institutional, and societal levels. Papers may also include longitudinal studies examining the long-term effects of curriculum reforms.

Comparative and Historical Perspectives: Comparative studies of curriculum models and their development across countries, time periods, or cultural contexts. Contributions can explore how historical changes in labour market demands, educational paradigms, and policy priorities have shaped VET curricula.

Curriculum Theory and Methodology: Advancing theoretical and conceptual understandings of curriculum in vocational education. Contributions can address methodological challenges in researching curriculum design, implementation, and outcomes, as well as offer critical perspectives, for instance on the alignment between curriculum theory and practice or on competency-based approaches.

This issue will be published in April 2026, and the deadline for submissions is September 30, 2025. It is the practice of this journal to publish slightly longer papers than usual; the editors do not limit the length of a paper, but ask that authors not submit excessively long works (approx. 35 pages).

IJVES is a diamond open access journal, meaning that article publication is free of charge for authors. All articles are freely accessible immediately upon publication and are published under the Creative Commons license CC BY 4.0.

The editors also invite other contributions to this issue. Besides the thematic section it is possible to submit a paper for the general section or the forum. Book reviews are also invited. For further information please see our website [here].

If you are interested in submitting a paper, please contact the editorial office [ijves@uos.de] with a brief message stating your research proposal so that we can plan and organize the upcoming issue accordingly. When submitting your paper, please follow the instructions provided [here].