Global players, local changes: The European Union's impact on vocational education reforms in Azerbaijan

Bayramli, Majid (2024) Global players, local changes: The European Union's impact on vocational education reforms in Azerbaijan. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

This dissertation uses Azerbaijan as a case study to investigate how international organizations, particularly the European Union, shape and guide VET policies in developing nations. Through an in-depth case study of Azerbaijan, a non-EU member country that underwent VET reform with EU assistance, this research illuminates the complex interplay of political, economic, and cultural factors shaping the adoption of EU-endorsed VET mechanisms. Employing a qualitative approach grounded in the Cultural Political Economy (CPE) framework and a historical institutionalist perspective, the study unravels motivations driving policy choices and expands the theoretical understanding of EU-Azerbaijan policy transfer in the VET sphere. Findings reveal a dynamic process where both global and national forces interact. While the EU-inspired VET model initially gained legitimacy as a solution to domestic challenges, local actors strategically adapted mechanisms to suit their political and economic interests. Key factors influencing the reform process include human capital deficiencies, skills shortages, centralised governance structures, and a negative perception of the Soviet legacy. The EU's role was significant in problematizing VET underdevelopment, proposing solutions, and catalysing the implementation process. This dissertation enriches the scholarly discourse on VET policy adoption by demonstrating the intertwined nature of global and national forces in reforms. It addresses a gap in the literature by elucidating the historical context shaping post-Soviet VET transformations outside the EU. The findings contribute to theoretical debates on policy transfer within the VET sector, offering insights into policymakers' motivations, contextual influences, and the complexities of translating global models to localised settings.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Subjects: L Education > L Education (General)
• Colleges/Schools: College of Social Sciences > School of Education
• Supervisor's Name: Valiente, Professor Oscar, Boeren, Professor Ellen and Fontdevila, Dr. Clara
• Date of Award: 2024
• Depositing User: Theses Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:2024-84778
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 06 Jan 2025 13:50
• Last Modified: 08 Jan 2025 10:00
• Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.84778
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/84778