IEK


IEK is a Greek abbreviation name for the Ινστιτούτο Επαγγελματικής Κατάρτισης in Greece.
IEK was established in 1992 as a type of educational institution specifically to provide adult vocational education and training at the post-secondary education level that is not part of higher education, nor taken as part of an undergraduate degree. Completing it does not allow access to courses at level 6 of the NQF/EQF and ISCED classification. IEK is a comprehensive institution considered to be a body of "non-formal education". Non-typical education providers. Development of Lifelong Learning and other provisions Amendments for non-typical education providers
IEK name variants include Post–Secondary Institute of Vocational Education and Training, Institute of Vocational Education and Training, Institute of Professional Studies.

Public and private IEK

and private IEK offer postsecondary courses accredited by Ministry of Education and the agency of EOPPEP - National Organization for the Certification of Qualifications and Vocational Guidance.
There are approx. 90 regional Public IEK in the administrative regions of Greece, and also over 50 Private IEK administrated by EOPPEP entity, recognized by the Ministry of Education. Additionally, they
also exist public IEKs of Ministry of Tourism at which has hospitality and tourism specialties; of National Center for Emergency Care ; of Ministry of Health; of Workforce Employment Organisation.
Generally, public IEK operates afternoon starting by 15:00 PM in which is usually co-housed and operated at a morning-curriculum school's building, while the laboratory classes conducted off-school at other buildings hosting by sponsors, however they are subject of availability. The IEK is on a two terms system per academic calendar year and shares a common national academic curriculum of Greece Ministry of Education. The students are assessed during the semester in the form of progress test, and the final examination test taken and the end of the semester. The post lower secondary programmes provided by the Institute of Vocational Training have been discontinued, where access to this type of programmes had the students that have completed the gymnasio.

Admission

Admission into an IEK’s programme requires adult-only applicants who have graduated from upper secondary education school in Greece "Regulations for Research and other provisions" "Restructuring of Secondary Education and other provisions". Provisions for the transformation of Upper Secondary Schools of General and Vocational, Vocational Training Institutes and Special Education structures. or its international equivalent officially recognized by the Greek Ministry of Education.
Admission into a Public IEK’s programme is selective, subject to fulfilling the entry criteria. It has to be granted on the basis of the senior secondary leaving certificate grade and other criteria include age, the social insurance stamps of applicants having prior employment relevant to the subject of the study applied for, and specific criteria on an individual basis will be assessed. All Public IEKs are government-funded have free education, without any payment of tuition fee. Prescribed textbooks and some required materials are not provided by the IEKs, and will have to be purchased at student its own cost, subject to the chosen specialty. The VAT number and SSRN are required from the student for its admission. Up until the 2012-2013 academic year, all public IEK students were required to pay up to €367 statute fee for every semester, that has been repealed since 2013-2014 academic year. Admission into a Private IEK’s programme is non-selective, meaning does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement having an open enrollment for those who have graduated from senior secondary school without further admission requirements, since all most private IEKs they are for-profit IEKs financed primarily through tuition fees received from students.

Qualifications and accreditation

Certificate of Vocational Training

The Certificate of Vocational Training signifies completion of four semesters of full-time post-secondary vocational education and training programme of 1200 hours at an IEK school unit and 960 hours at a work placement as part of curriculum, hence also being known as curricular practicum or 5th semester. The work placement is a paid contract CDD compulsory by law at an employment positioning and can be considered upon graduation or during 3rd or 4th semester. However, the IEK programmes can also be offered with a shorter duration including 1200 hours only at an IEK school unit for those students who having already obtained at least 120 social insurance stamps from working in employment corresponding to their study of specialisation, meaning it can to choose the right for exemption from 960 hours at a work placement. The curricular work placement, also called internship, within an employment takes ca. 45% of the study time curriculum. The public ΙΕΚ school is not responsible for finding work placements for its students, and it is determined individually by each public IEK student to find it. Certificate of Vocational Training is also known as Attestation of Studies, Certificate of Completion, Certificate of Graduation, Certificate of Attendance.

Diploma of Vocational Education and Training / Accreditation

Graduates at public and private IEKs having a Certificate of Vocational Training entitles and eligibles them to take part, if they wish, in the qualifying examinations of the National Accreditation Examinations will be held at EOPPEP examination centers of Attica, Central Macedonia, Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Peloponnese, Western Greece, Thessaly, Epirus, Crete, North Aegean, South Aegean.
Once, they have been passed all examinations then are awarded Diploma of Vocational Education and Training , also known as Vocational Training Diploma that denotes to a level of knowledge equivalent to a Level 5 of the National Qualification Framework of Greece which is officially named Hellenic Qualification Framework , to European Qualifications Framework Level 5, to ISCED Level 4. Information for the existing professional accreditation updates of each programme of study can be accessed through the EOPPEP's website. The Diploma of Vocational Education and Training is awarded by the examining body of EOPPEP.

Certificate supplement

A Certificate Supplement of Europass is available in Greek and English, awarded by the EOPPEP – National Europass Centre of Greece. It is a document that includes additional information and standardised description about the content and status of the qualification of studies ensuring that qualifications are easily understood, especially outside the country where they were awarded, but not guarantee recognition – it is not a CV nor a substitute qualification for the original and does not have any legal status in itself. Students can submit their applications at the EOPPEP, which also issues the Certificate Supplement.

Organisation

The IEK system of study is grouped into fields of study which are further divided into departments and each department is then further subdivided into several schools of study. When a field of study does not have departments, the field is by without departments containing only schools. All IEK programmes of study run in terms of demand and vary according to different geographical locations depending on the decisions issued, while over time can be changed, updated, completely withdrawn, replaced or new can be launched. The fields of study are:
  • Agriculture, Food Technology, Nutrition
  • Applied Arts and Art Studies
  • Business Administration and Economics
  • Communication and Mass Media
  • Separate Programmes of Study
  • Hospitality and Tourism
  • Health and Welfare
  • Maritime Professions
  • Technology Applications