Explore our publications

Explore our publications

February 2022

Strengthening the social dialogue. Customization per country and per sector

Every country is different. This is also true for any form of social dialogue. This is why DECP does not present a blueprint for the way in which social partners in countries and sectors should organise the social dialogue, but offers inspiration to explore the possibilities for a dialogue and to get started with it. The focus is not so much on the content, but on the organisation and strengthening of the dialogue process and the negotiating skills of the participants in that process. In the early years, DECP mainly focused on the social dialogue at national level, but in recent years the need for support focused on the dialogue at sectoral level has also increased. There are several reasons for this. The first is that the social dialogue at national level often requires deepening and concretisation at the sectoral level. Secondly, it is precisely the sectors that face major challenges, for example when it comes to increasing the sustainability of value chains and tackling risks such as child labour. Finally, a strong dialogue at sectoral level increases the legitimacy of the sector and the relevance of the sector organisation. For this reason, DECP now also focuses on advice and training aimed at sectoral consultation between trade unions and employers

An extensive very enlightening brochure has recently been published in English, French and Spanish. We would like to recommend that you take note of these insights.

English version: Reinforcement of social dialogue

French version: Renforcement du dialogue social

Spanish version: Fortalecimiento del diálogo social

July 2021

L’apprentissage mixte. Comment tirer le meilleur des deux

Avec l'apparition de la pandémie du virus COVID-19, la vie quotidienne a changé dans le monde entier. La distance sociale a émergé pour arrêter la propagation du virus, obligeant les institutions à vivre une transition du physique au numérique façonnée par des défis technologiques et organisationnels. En quelques mois, le monde des réunions, des échanges d'idées, de l'enseignement et de l'apprentissage a subi une transformation numérique qui a permis aux entreprises, aux organisations et aux gouvernements de "rencontrer" virtuellement des personnes à l'autre bout du monde. La réduction du temps et des coûts de déplacement promet des gains considérables en termes de productivité, d'efficacité et de durabilité, offrant de nouvelles opportunités qui peuvent être reconnues, ancrées et maintenues même après la pandémie.

Ces opportunités n'ont pas été manquées par le DECP, qui a reconnu la valeur de l'intégration d'éléments en ligne et hors ligne dans ses activités. Fort de ce constat, le DECP a entrepris d'en savoir plus sur les possibilités de l'apprentissage mixte, avec l’aide d’une équipe de six étudiants en master de l'université de Maastricht. Après sept semaines de travail acharné, les étudiants ont découvert que les possibilités offertes par l'apprentissage mixte sont infinies, ce qui ajoute inévitablement de la difficulté à ce qui semblait être une question simple. En effet, après avoir effectué une recherche documentaire approfondie sur l'apprentissage mixte, ils se sont retrouvés avec plus de questions qu'au départ. Pour enrichir leur point de vue, les étudiants ont demandé l'aide de 27 experts du réseau de la DECP et de leur propre réseau.

July 2021

Online and offline learning. How to get te best out of both

With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, everyday life has changed all over the world. Social distance emerged to stop the spread of the virus, forcing institutions to experience a shift from physical to digital, a transition shaped by technological and organisational challenges. Within a few months, the world of meeting, discussing, exchanging ideas, teaching and learning has undergone a digital transformation that has enabled companies, organisations, and governments to virtually 'meet' people on the other side of the globe. Reducing travelling time and costs promises considerable gains in productivity, efficiency, and sustainability, offering new opportunities that may be acknowledged, ingrained, and sustained even after the pandemic.

These opportunities were not missed by DECP, who recognized the value of incorporating both online and offline elements into their activities. With this insight in mind, DECP set out to discover more about the possibilities of blended learning, with the help of a team of six Master’s students from Maastricht University. After seven weeks of hard work, they discovered that the possibilities blended learning offers are endless, which inevitably adds a layer of complexity to what seemed like a simple question. Indeed, after conducting an extensive literature search on blended learning, the students were left with more questions than when they started. To enrich their perspective, the team enlisted the help of 27 experts from DECP’s and their own network.