EVER – Economists in Vocational Education Research
Connecting economists to advance research and policy on vocational education and training.
WHAT is EVER
EVER is an international research network dedicated to advancing the economic analysis of vocational and professional education and training (VPET). It connects researchers across institutions and countries who study the design, functioning, and outcomes of vocational education systems. The network promotes rigorous empirical and theoretical research on vocational education and its role in shaping labor market trajectories, skill formation, and productivity. By fostering international collaboration, EVER provides a platform for presenting ongoing work, developing joint projects, and building lasting academic connections across the fields of labor economics, economics of education, and related disciplines. A key priority of EVER is to support early-career researchers by creating opportunities to present research, receive feedback, and engage with an international community of scholars. Through workshops, conferences, and other academic activities, the network facilitates high-quality exchange and visibility. Beyond academia, EVER contributes to evidence-based policy by generating insights relevant to policymakers and stakeholders involved in vocational education and training systems. EVER is hosted by the Swiss Leading House on the Economics of Education, building on Switzerland’s strong research base and international reputation in vocational education and training.
Objectives
Advance research
Promote rigorous empirical and theoretical work on vocational education, skills formation, and school-to-work transitions.
Foster collaboration
Provide a platform for exchange among researchers working on VPET across countries and disciplines.
Support early-career researchers
Create opportunities for PhD students and postdoctoral researchers to present their work, receive feedback, and build academic networks.
Inform policy
Contribute evidence-based insights to policymakers and stakeholders engaged in vocational education and training systems.
Activities
Workshops and conferences
EVER brings together researchers in the economics of education and labor economics through workshops, conferences, and related academic events.
Research exchange
The network supports the presentation of ongoing work and encourages structured discussion and feedback across institutions and countries.
Networking opportunities
EVER facilitates academic connections and collaboration by creating opportunities for researchers to build lasting relationships across fields and institutions.
Policy engagement
The network aims to connect academic research with policy debates and practice by highlighting evidence-based insights relevant to vocational education and training.
Research focus
Returns to vocational versus general education
Comparative evidence on educational pathways, skills, and later labor market outcomes.
Apprenticeships and dual training systems
Institutional design, firm participation, and the functioning of apprenticeship-based training systems.
School-to-work transitions
How young people move from education into employment and which frictions shape this process.
Skills, productivity, and firm behavior
The role of skills for firm decisions, productivity, and training investments.
Inequality, mobility, and access to training
Differences in educational opportunities, training access, and labor market mobility across groups.
Technological change and future skill needs
How digitalization, automation, and structural change reshape the demand for skills.
Institutional design and governance of VET systems
Governance structures, policy frameworks, and cross-country differences in vocational education systems.