The health sector is facing many challenges of which digital transformation of work, equality and equity of care, new types of pandemics as well as patients’ rights and involvement in their care are just a few. On the other hand, rapid technological developments and new forms of treatments are opening up new opportunities for the health of patients and populations. The changes and challenges also affect pedagogical and didactical practices of technical and vocational education and training of professionals and their commitment to continuous learning throughout their careers.
This issue of TVET@Asia gathers original research, case studies, and theoretical perspectives that shed light on the challenges, opportunities, and best practices in health care education including patient-centred education and health promotion. The issue takes a broad approach to the subject in relation to education of professionals, focusing on innovative approaches, evidence-based strategies, and emerging trends that enhance teaching, learning, and practical training in the healthcare field.
In her case study on Vietnam, CHIEU LINH THI DO (Ho Chi Minh City Vocational College) investigates the social-emotional development for vocational school students through teaching soft skills. Social-emotional learning (SEL) has emerged as a vital component in preparing vocational students for both academic success and mental well-being. In Vietnam, while soft skills are part of the vocational curriculum, the integration of SEL into these programs remains underexplored. This study investigates the social-emotional skill levels among vocational students and examines how soft skills education can foster SEL development. This is done through a quantitative survey with 185 students from technical schools and technical colleges in Ho Chi Minh City, using a structured questionnaire based on the CASEL framework encompassing five core competencies: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. The findings highlight several challenges faced by vocational students, which underlines the importance of embedding SEL more explicitly within soft skills curricula. The study concludes with practical recommendations for educational administrators and teachers.
The study by JONAS WINZEN, ANNABELL ALBERTZ, & MATTHIAS PILZ (Chair of Business Education and International VET Research, University of Cologne) compares nursing training in terms of health promotion between Indian and German curricula. Thereby, the scope of the analysis is limited to the health promotion of trainee nurses and explicitly not to patients. To address this, the current curricula in nursing training in India and Germany are examined using a content analysis. In addition, three interviews with Indian nurses are conducted to complement the curriculum analysis and to validate implementation in the classroom. The results show that the German curriculum covers the topic of trainees’ health promotion both quantitatively more frequently and qualitatively in greater depth. The Indian curriculum focuses more on general concepts and emphasises the role of nurses as productive members of society. Also, nutrition is treated in more detail in the curriculum in India than in Germany. The results are both innovative, as no detailed studies exist to date, and of practical importance, as they can be used to target recognition processes and any necessary post-qualification activities in the context of the migration of nurses from India to Germany.
In his paper, ENOCK MUSAU (Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies-Africa, University of Johannesburg & Department of Management Science, Kisii University) discusses the promotion of sustainable healthcare transport in health education in Sub-Saharan Africa. The extent to which green mobility concepts are integrated into healthcare education remains largely unexplored so far. This study conducts a bibliometric analysis to map the intellectual landscape at the intersection of sustainable healthcare transport and health education. Drawing from Scopus and Web of Science databases (1970–2025), the analysis utilizes VOSviewer and the Bibliometrix R package to examine co-authorship networks, publication trends, thematic clusters, and keyword co-occurrences. Results indicate growing interest in electric medical vehicles, telemedicine-enabled transport, and low-carbon healthcare logistics. Despite these advancements, sustainability remains marginal in healthcare curricula. This study highlights a significant pedagogical gap and calls for integrating climate-smart transport knowledge into professional training. The findings offer practical insights for educators, curriculum developers, and policymakers aiming to align health education with global sustainability and climate resilience goals.
The paper by PHILIPP STRUCK (Catholic University of Applied Sciences, Mainz) investigates perspective of apprentices entering nursing education in the German TVET system and its consequences for the recruitment of professionals. In many countries, the educational pathway into nursing is an academic study program. While in Germany, it is also possible to study nursing, the path via TVET is much more frequently chosen. For this study, 15 first-year apprentices were interviewed about their career choice criteria and their future prospects. The interview results indicate that personal motivation or individual reasons for entering the nursing profession are the strongest incentives for pursuing nursing education. Career orientation and internships, as well as biographical experiences and private environment, also played an important role in the career choice. The apprentices cite various factors that could increase their chances of remaining in the nursing profession in the long term. Responses to career choice criteria questions were examined and classified using established theories. The results are discussed in terms of possible consequences and implications for TVET teachers and instructors, with the aim of understanding the perspectives of recruiters and exploring ways to enhance and promote the appeal of nursing education in the German TVET system.
In their paper, ROSZIATI IBRAHIM, KHADIJAH MD ARIFFIN, MAZIDAH MD REJAB, SAPIEE JAMEL & ABDUL RASID ABDUL RAZZAQ (Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Malaysia) summarize their findings regarding career advancement for students undertaking TVET matriculation program after high school in Malaysia. TVET has long been the main pillar in producing highly skilled human capital in technical and vocational fields in Malaysia. In 2023, TVET matriculation curriculum has been introduced in Malaysian education to expand for meeting the TVET demands in the country. However, concerns persist regarding its effectiveness in preparing the students for their career advancement. This paper summarizes the findings based on the survey instrument that are distributed to the first batch of the students who take the TVET matriculation program. The results from the analysis show that career opportunities are the main factor driving students to choose this program, with 49% of respondents emphasizing this factor. From the academic aspect, 75.2% of the students have a background in pure science during secondary school, indicating an interest and inclination towards technical disciplines. Meanwhile, 40.9% of students stated interest as the main factor influencing their choice. These results show that TVET continues to be a relevant choice among students who want to build a strong career.
This paper refers to vocational education and training in general terms and is not strictly linked to the CfP.
The Editors of Issue 25:
Marianne Teräs, Suci Tuty Putri, Chee Sern Lai, & Junmin Li
