The Diversity Challenge is a project of Charta der Vielfalt e.V. – a corporate initiative to promote diversity in companies and institutions. The aim of the team competition is to get young people excited about diversity and to strengthen their commitment to a prejudice-free and appreciative working environment. The competition gives young employees between 16 and 27 the chance to shape diversity – with creative and innovative actions. The central competition question is: How can we promote diversity in our working environment and fill it with life?

BBJ advises and supports the initiative in the organization, implementation and follow-up of the competition, including internal and external communication and moderation of the jury meetings. At the big closing event, the winning teams will be announced and the commitment of all CHALLENGE teams will be celebrated – with a diverse program, according to the motto: Shape, live & rethink diversity!

Project duration: 01.06.-31.12.2023

BBJ Consult AG was commissioned with the audit of the proof of use of the model funding of the Federal Agency for Civic Education. Our service includes the arithmetical examination of the numerical proof incl. the voucher lists under consideration of the VV to § 44 BHO, the ANBest-P, under consideration of the BRKG as well as the special additional regulations of the BpB.

Project duration: 22.06.2022 – 31.01.2023

Our BBJ experts provide consultancy services relating to the development of proposals for EU-funded service contracts and projects. This includes

• supporting the development of technical offers and project proposals for EU service contracts and EU grant applications
• analysis of tor and advice on proposal structure
• working plan development
• development of full written drafts of technical offers and project proposals
• proofreading

in the following sectors

• Public and Cultural Diplomacy
• International Cultural Relations
• Political Cooperation
• Strengthening of Civil Society, Civic Tech, Active Citizenship
• Culture and Creative Industries
• Formal and Non-Formal Education, incl. teacher training
• Youth

Project duration: 21.06.2022 – 31.12.2025

With the UP!Life program, the German Children and Youth Foundation supports children and young people of all ages throughout Germany in overcoming the consequences of the Corona pandemic and regaining everyday structures. The funding program is aimed at local and regional organizations that carry out effective projects in the field of children’s and youth work, as well as non-profit organizations and associations, initiatives and networks that unite several organizations.

Our team accompanies the entire funding process – from the (amendment) application review to the disbursement and accounting of funds to the review of the proof of use – and provides advice to the applicants and project implementers as well as to the specialized office.

UP!Life is a program of the German Children and Youth Foundation, funded by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth. The program is part of the German government’s action program Aufholen nach Corona.

Project duration: 01.11.2021 – 31.12.2022

In response to challenges in the VET sector and youth employment in Nigeria, the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development has been funding a range of projects, implemented through GIZ and KfW as well as Civil Society organisations. A process of Programme Development for this focal area is under way, together with the development of a Nigeria Country Strategy by BMZ. On the part of GIZ, a Cluster approach to the portfolio of projects within the focal area of Sustainable Economic Development has been implemented since 2018. Within this Cluster, the SKYE project is aimed at improving employment and income opportunities for Nigerian young people. To achieve this, the project follows an integrated approach to employment promotion. Measures on the supply side of the labour market (promotion of vocational training) are combined with measures on the demand side (development of the private sector, especially micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, MSMEs) and with interventions in the area of employment services (job placement / matching, career counselling / guidance and labour market information). The project focuses on employment-intensive sectors (f.i. construction and agriculture).

BBJ Consult AG is providing the following services:

• Develop an assessment methodology with criteria for policy gap analyses;
• Identification of areas for potential further in-depth analysis, with the aim todevelop policy/ regulatory/ institutional reform recommendations;
• Assist with stakeholder engagement throughout the identification, analyses and dialogue processes;
• Provide high level policy advisory support in the context of a planned series of Policies in Nigeria, organised by SKYE and/or the SEDEC Cluster;
• Assisting with drafting of policy primers, technical papers relating to TVET (and where good practice and/ or benchmarking documentation in the field of TVET / employmentpromotion in Africa or from other countries with similar economic and social development contexts as Nigeria;
• Participation as resource person and/or facilitator of policy dialogue forums organised by the project;

Project duration: 23.10.2020 – 28.02.2023

The Multi-Donor-Action EU4Skills aims at supporting the reform of the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector in Ukraine. The reform foresees to operationalize the National Qualifications Framework, improve the quality of training and establish an independent assessment and certification system. The objective is to improve the attractiveness and quality of VET and increase the relevance to the labour market.

The overall objective of this specific assignment includes completion of the following subobjectives:

1. Elaborate methodological requirements for preparing Self-Assessment Report on the referencing National Qualifications Framework to the European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning
2. Prepare a draft of Self-Assessment Report according to the requirements in cooperation with the stakeholders.
3. Develop recommendations for the implementation of the National Qualifications Framework for the development of occupational standards, VET standards, curricula, assessment of learning outcomes and other relevant aspects of qualification system.
4. Elaborate methodological guidelines for the development of Sectoral qualifications framework in cooperation with the main stakeholders and test it by elaborating a draft of SQF for one chosen field of professional activity (sector/industry).

BBJ Consult AG is responsible for the following services, divided into four work packages:
Self-Assessment Report on referencing NQF to the EQF, Implementation of the National Qualifications Framework, Sectoral qualifications framework and Capacity development measures.

Project duration: 15.10.2020 – 31.12.2021

“Rehabilitation of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Somalia” is a measure implemented by the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) with funds from the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

The three core objectives are 1) to improve the capacities of selected vocational training centres to implement labour market-oriented basic and higher qualification programmes, 2) to improve the quality of basic and higher qualification training programmes for selected occupational profiles and 3) to promote the substantive requirements for institutionalized labour market-oriented vocational training.

In this contract BBJ Consult AG, together with the GOPA Consulting Group, implements the core objective 2. The module objective of the project is: “The supply of qualified labour covers the demand of the labour market in selected areas of Somalia”. The project is initially being implemented in Hargeisa (“Somaliland”), Garowe (Puntland) and Kismayo (Jubbaland) and in Mogadishu. The services to be provided are divided into three main processes:

1. Development of curricula, teaching materials, examination procedures and documents
2. Training of master trainers and training and further training of teachers in the new curricula and in the use of the newly developed teaching materials in cooperation with the master trainers
3. Develop proposals for exchange formats between trainees from different countries (within Somalia)

Project duration: 01.08.2020 – 30.06.2022

The Council of Europe is currently implementing a joint EU/CoE project in Kosovo in the field of education: “Building Capacity for Inclusion in Education – INCLUDE”. The aim of the project is to improve access to quality education of students from disadvantaged groups – in line with the Ministry of Education’s policies and priorities and Council of Europe standards and practices. The project targets improved access to education and support services of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian children as well as of special needs education in pre-primary, primary and secondary education.

In this project, BBJ Consult AG provides support and expertise in the fields on inclusive education, anti-discrimination, democratic school culture and human rights education. In detail, this includes:

• Research and analysis
• Development of standards and practices for inclusive education
• Planning and implementation of capacity building activities for trainers, teaching and teaching support staff
• Organization and facilitation of conferences, seminars, workshops, roundtables, trainers sessions and work with schools, education professionals and other project target groups
• Coordination with selected pilot schools, learning centres, and/or regional resource centres in their activities related to the implementation of the project
• Support to the production of different specialised materials based on the needs of the project
• Conduction of awareness raising activities

Project duration: 10.07.2020 – 31.12.2023

On the basis of a framework agreement BBJ Consult AG provides international expertise for the GIZ pool of experts for the evaluation of international projects. The evaluations generally relate to projects that GIZ carries out on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) together with various partners in the fields of economic development and employment as well as education: Within the framework of mid-term and final evaluations and using an appropriate combination of quantitative and qualitative methods of empirical social research, the projects are subjected to a critical, analytical review with a focus on project implementation and results, if necessary taking into account predecessor projects, in order to draw conclusions regarding long-term results and sustainability.

The evaluations are designed to provide a robust insight into the outputs, outcomes and impacts of the approaches in partner structures. To ensure the comparability of project evaluations in German development cooperation and at international level, the five evaluation criteria agreed by the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) are applied: relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability. The particular challenge lies in verifying a causal relationship between measures and results up to impacts and in plausibly substantiating the contribution of those measures to the results.

Project duration: 06.07.2020 – 16.07.2024

The SEDIN and SKYE projects are part of the Sustainable Economic Development Cluster (SEDEC) of GIZ projects in Nigeria.

“Pro-Poor Growth and Promotion of Employment in Nigeria Programme – SEDIN” supports micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in optimising their employment and income situation as well as the capacity development of people and organisations through training in the form of various training and coaching formats. The project thus responds to the high level of un- and underemployment in Nigeria and underlines the central role of MSMEs in job creation. To improve sustainable access to demand-oriented financial services, the programme, in cooperation with the Central Bank and other actors, contributes to improving the management and product development of selected microfinance banks (MFBs) on the supply side and to improving the financial education of MSME owners, farmers, women and young people on the demand side. To this end, SEDIN is active in four areas of intervention (access to financial services, business framework conditions, access to business services, entrepreneurial and management skills).

“Skills Development for Youth Employment in Nigeria – Promotion of Needs-based Technical and Vocational Education and Training and Youth Employment in Nigeria (SKYE)” is being implemented on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The aim is to improve employment and income opportunities for Nigerian youth. To achieve this, the project pursues an integrated approach to employment promotion. Measures on the supply side of the labour market (promotion of vocational training) are combined with measures on the demand side (development of the private sector, especially of MSMEs) and with interventions in the field of job placement (employment services, matching, cereer counselling and guidance, labour market information). By improving employability while promoting a favourable environment for the creation of new jobs in labour-intensive sectors and supporting the matching of labour supply and demand, the project – together with the other SEDEC projects – is intended to have an impact on the short and long-term employment and income prospects of the target groups.

BBJ Consult AG provides a team of international short-term experts for project evaluation on site. The main topics and tasks are, among others:

• Preparation and implementation of a 3-week on-site mission in Nigeria
• Preparation of an audit report as well as the draft of two change offers for the two projects SEDIN and SKYE
• Critical analysis of available project documents with regard to the consideration of gender analysis
• Quality assurance and revision of the written gender analysis for the GIZ Safeguards & Gender Standards
• Checking the specific SEDIN component during the on-site mission
• Technical evaluation and redesign in the areas of intervention: Economic and employment promotion and policy implementation, business enabling environment, local economic development and measures to promote the value chain, entrepreneurship and MSME development, role of intermediaries and target group organizations, joint cooperation programmes with state governments
• Reporting

Project duration: 01.03.2020 – 30.06.2020

“Rehabilitation of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Somalia” is a measure implemented by the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) with funds from the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

The three core objectives are 1) to improve the capacities of selected vocational training centres to implement labour market-oriented basic and higher qualification programmes, 2) to improve the quality of basic and higher qualification training programmes for selected occupational profiles and 3) to promote the substantive requirements for institutionalized labour market-oriented vocational training.

BBJ Consult AG is mainly responsible for the implementation of the third core objective and deals with the revision of existing and the development of new elements of capacity building for a unified VET system in Somalia that enables the recognition of qualifications and the mobility of graduates from one federal state to another. The necessary cooperation between the public sector, private sector and civil society will be supported at regional and federal level to address the government’s challenging development process. The aim is to develop comprehensive national TVET guidelines and strategies, which will be discussed with the relevant public authorities in the project regions (Somaliland, Jubaland, Puntland), the federal government, the private sector (chambers of commerce, trade unions and business associations) and other relevant non-state actors in a participatory process.

Project duration: 2019 – 2022
Volume: EUR 144,777.00

“Rehabilitation of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Somalia” is a measure implemented by the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) with funds from the European Union and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The measure pursues a multi-level approach and combines formal and non-formal labour market-oriented vocational qualification offers in the field of vocational education and training in future-oriented sectors. This is done in three fields of action:
(1) Improving the capacities of selected vocational training centres to implement labour market-oriented basic and higher-qualification training programmes. This will enable selected vocational training centres in the project regions to implement continuous training and further training programmes.
(2) Increasing the quality of basic and higher-qualifying training programmes for selected occupational profiles through the development and implementation of modular training programmes.
(3) Creation of content prerequisites for institutionalized labour market-oriented vocational training. To this end, structure-building elements are being developed for the establishment of a uniform vocational training system in Somalia.

Within the framework of action field 3, a harmonised national (vocational training) qualification framework is to be developed, which has been discussed between the relevant public units in the project regions (Somaliland, Jubaland, Puntland and Benadir Region/Mogadishu), the Federal Government and other relevant non-governmental actors. In order to guarantee the permeability of the educational programmes within Somalia, there should be a (vocational training) qualification framework applicable throughout Somalia.

BBJ Consult AG is responsible for the development of the national (vocational training) qualification framework (NQF/VQF) in Somalia and the (further) development of a vocational training qualification framework for Somaliland and Puntland. In addition to the existing (enterprise-based and institutional-based) and “dual” training courses newly developed by the GIZ project, fragmented vocational training courses offered by non-governmental organisations and other training providers are also taken into account. The newly developed qualifications framework should take into account existing documents from Somalia as well as those from the EU, South Africa, the Gulf States, East Africa, Rwanda and Liberia in its development, where appropriate. To this end, we conduct a comprehensive literature search. The aim of the qualification frameworks is to enable more transparency and permeability on the basis of learning outcomes and thus more mobility, better creditability and recognition of learning outcomes. Our team supports the assignment of qualifications to qualification frameworks and performs the following tasks:

• Development of a common understanding and promotion of the commitment of the target groups, promotion of the understanding of the core principles (learning outcomes, examinations, quality assurance, validation, recognition, the role of the NQF and the scope) among the relevant stakeholders
• Workshops with representatives of the Federal Government, Puntland, Jubaland and Benadir, the private sector and other key players
• Promote awareness raising as well as consultation and support of relevant documentation of awareness raising activities
• Technical testing of the NQF
• Support in the operational phase, e.g. in the official recognition of the (V)QF at national level
• Documentation of the process and the results
• Carrying out an evaluation, determining the impact and (re)design

Project duration: 01.10.2019 – 31.05.2022

The International Delegations (ID) Team of the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) in Berlin is responsible for advising and supporting specialist delegation trips for GIZ partners abroad. Supported by external service providers and experts, Team ID is the first point of contact for all inquiries and advice from the GIZ external structure on delegation trips to Germany and Europe. The aim is to promote direct exchange between GIZ project partners abroad and Germany, European or third country partners.

About 300-400 international delegations to Germany, Europe or third countries are conducted annually. Mostly, the participants are high-ranking representatives of the partner countries, who want to and should meet equal contacts in the host country.

BBJ Consult AG provides support with conceptual program design, selection and preparation of interview partners, travel logistics and financial processing and follow-up of specialist delegation trips to Germany, Europe or third countries, including backstopping in the travel implementation phase. In detail this includes

• Preparation of calculations on the total and individual costs of the trip
• Organization of the logistics of the delegation trip
• Search for suitable institutions and partners, contact, appointment coordination and preparation of interviews
• Provision of interpreters and travel guides
• Preparation of documents for the escort to content, procedure, institutions and guests as well as the transmission of relevant information to the other service providers
• Creation of a program booklet
• Continuous maintenance of a protected work area in the document management system (DMS) of the GIZ for all processes associated with the trip

Project duration: 01.09.2019 – 31.08.2023 and 01.09.2024 – 31.08.2027

While in many EU countries crime rates are generally falling, the number of incidents of domestic and gender-based violence are either stagnating or on the rise. The projects purpose is to organize mutual exchanges, mutual learning and joint work on strategies for prevention but also on methods to help victims. For that a partnership between associations, educational centres and social work organizations in Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Spain and Turkey was forged:

The transnational project “Love doesn’t hurt” aims to train relevant civil society actors in strategies, concepts and approaches to combat domestic and gender-based violence and to bring them into an exchange on good practices. Each of the partner organizations hosts training events for all other partners to share and teach their specific and individual approach but also to get feedback and collegial advice on how the approach can be improved. Project activities also involve local actors and persons affected in order to incorporate their approaches and perspectives and to make the results of the meetings public. Key to tackling the problem is an open and differentiated public debate, which is why the partners are committing considerable resources from the project to designing and implementing an awareness-raising campaign.  

BBJ Consult AG acts as the coordinating partner. Our main tasks are project coordination, budget management, cost and success monitoring, reporting to the national agency or EU Commission.  

Project duration: 01.09.2018 – 30.09.2020

Metropolis is a network of currently about 140 capitals and cities with more than one million inhabitants. The aim of this network is the mutual exchange and the support and common lobbying for the interests of the city towards international organizations (UNO etc.) and national governments. Berlin’s Governing Mayor Michael Müller acts as interim president of the network and has submitted his candidacy for the office of network president.

The SCC project aims to develop concrete strategies, ideas and formats that enable the functioning of mutual support and exchange between cities and form a solid scientific basis for city strategies. Within the framework of SCC, city authorities and researchers/institutions concerned with urban sustainability will be connected. Several tools have been developed for this purpose, such as the digital platform “use (urban sustainability exchange)”. It functions as an instrument for the implementation of the New Urban Agenda (NUA) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and is aimed at those responsible for planning in politics and administration as well as at urban practitioners. By means of international case studies and the networking of actors from research, politics, administration and urban practice, what use achieves in digital space is to be transferred to urban space.

Regular interactive webinars offer city officials and academics the opportunity for informal exchange on strategies and projects. These webinars are led by Prof. Paul James, Director of the Institute for Culture and Society at Western Sydney University, and his team.

In order to create the conditions for effective networking, interface meetings are organized where city officials and researchers meet physically. The project also promotes the development of local staff (working groups of city officials, academics and stakeholders) on a topic that cities consider important. These local employees can then connect with similar structures, experts or municipal officials who are working on a similar challenge or who have worked recently.

BBJ Consult AG’s support for the concerns of the Berlin Senate includes …

• … the coordination and organizational support within the framework of the Berlin interim presidency of the Metropolis Network, in particular the participation of the Governing Mayor in the annual meetings 2018, 2019 and the World Congress 2020;
• … the content and coordinating support in linking various activities of the Berlin Metropolitan Region, in preparing the World Council meetings organized by the UCLG, the Executive Committee meetings and the General Assembly as well as the Berlin Metropolitan Initiative “Sustainable Cities Collaboratory”;
• … the acquisition of the participating cities, speakers, moderators, participants and scientific institutions within the framework of Berlin initiatives and events as well as the communication, coordination and correspondence with them and with the general secretariat of the metropolis, scientific advisors, the Senate Chancellery and the UCLG Secretariat;
• … the development of objectives, the conception, preparation, implementation and follow-up of events.

Project duration: 12.03.2018 – 31.12.2020

The digital platform use (urban sustainability exchange) is an online platform dedicated to promoting sustainable urban development. It showcases successful programmes, projects and policies and connects citymakers who work in this field. The platform functions as an instrument for the implementation of the New Urban Agenda (NUA) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and is aimed at those responsible for planning in politics and administration as well as at urban practitioners: By means of international case studies and by networking actors from research, politics, administration and urban practice, what use achieves in digital space is to be transferred into urban space.

BBJ Consult AG was significantly involved in the planning and construction of the platform and is responsible for the editorial support including newsletter dispatch, display of the social media channels, community management, construction and maintenance of the partner network and event management. We work closely with the Institute for Culture and Society at Western Sydney University, which is responsible for the scientific support of the platform.

use (formerly Policy Transfer Platform) was launched in 2014 as a Metropolis Initiative led and co-founded by the City of Berlin.

@use_platform #useMetropolis

Project duration: 31.01.2018 – 31.12.2019

The “Verstärker” network of the Federal Agency for Civic Education (bpb) is aimed at multipliers of youth, social and educational work. In various formats, strategies and model project ideas are developed for working with young people from so-called hard-to-reach and disadvantaged milieus with the aim of strengthening them and actively integrating them into socio-political life. A constant comparison of scientific findings, jointly experienced practical work and the follow-up of the developed concepts takes place.

BBJ Consult AG is entrusted with the organization, maintenance and support of the network “Verstärker” and the coordination of all (online & offline) network activities.

Every year we draw up a detailed work plan and detailed concepts for the organization, implementation and follow-up of various events such as working group meetings, national specialist conferences, network meetings with >100 participants, one-day and multi-day workshops (“action formats”) for young people, method workshops for skilled workers and multipliers, as well as the 2021 established, digital series of events “Verstärker in dialogue”. In addition, we coordinate a modular training series for multipliers. This includes five modules with thematically relevant focal points such as argumentation training, youth living environments, project management and social media.

Our tasks include press and public relations work, the writing of press releases and mailings for bpb and the support of the Facebook Group, as well as the continuous stimulation of (online) discussions on education policy topics.

Project duration: 01.10.2017 – 29.02.2024

The European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) are the most important financial instruments in the European Union to strengthen economic and social cohesion between Member States. In the current funding period 2014-2020, the ESIF are aligned with the Europe 2020 strategy and focus on smart, sustainable and integrative growth: strengthening of investments in education, research and development as well as stimulating a green, more resource efficient economy and a more competitive industrial sector, increasing the employment rate and reducing poverty. 

Within those, the European Social Fund (ESF) is the most important labour market policy instrument for promoting employment in Europe. It focusses on projects that offer personal and professional skills development, invest in education, (vocational) training and life-long learning, and promote social inclusion to combat poverty and discrimination. By investing in Europe’s present and future workforce, the ESF helps people obtain (better) jobs, integrating disadvantaged people into society and ensuring better education and fairer life opportunities for all.  

“The ESF gives people the tools to actively take control of their professional future, even if facing difficult circumstances or making a second attempt to get their career started.” (German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs) 

In the 2014-2020 funding period, the federal state of Berlin can draw around 215 million euros from the ESF and invest them in the people living there. The main target groups are disadvantaged young people (particularly those without a school-leaving or vocational qualification), women, long-term unemployed, low-skilled or low-income workers, and people from a migrant background, especially those facing difficult personal circumstances (e.g. refugees). 

In accordance with the “Guiding Principles for the Selection of Projects” in the Operational Programme for the ESF in Berlin for the funding period 2014 – 2020 (approved by the EU Commission in December 2014), the projects to be funded are selected by two central institutions. As a subcontractor to one of the two, BBJ Consult AG provides support in the review of project applications submitted within the framework of the ESF Berlin.  

Our ESF team is responsible for the examination and evaluation of applications and offers according to the following criteria: 

• Reliability and professional competence of the applicant 
• Project description and plausibility of the content of the application 
• Appropriateness of the cost calculation and the financial planning (grouping into salary groups (as per TV-L/wage agreement for the public service sector), calculation of personnel costs, plausibility of participants’ income, contributions to the Employer’s Liability Insurance Association, plausibility of rental cost calculations, depreciation, leasing, travel costs, material costs) 
• Other indicators (plausibility of time planning, target group(s), participants, number of hours, division between theory and practice) 
• Formal aspects (Compliance with the relevant disclosure requirements, necessity and appropriateness of funding, initial/double funding, conflict of interest and fraud prevention, bookkeeping and management, reliability, financial, operational and administrative capacity, SMEs, de minimis, etc.) 
• Requirements of the project call, contribution of the project to the achievement of the specific objectives of the Operational Programme and the horizontal principles of the ESF 
• Criteria by which the success of the project can be measured 
• Compliance with Union law and relevant national law 
• Compliance with publicity regulations 

Our service includes the examination and evaluation of projects and offers as mentioned, as well as the documentation and audit report.  

In addition, we offer consulting services for the applicants and support them during the application process.  

The examinations are conducted in consultation with the following Senate administrations: Senate Administration for Education, Youth and Family, Senate Administration for Economics, Energy and Business, Senate Administration for Health, Care and Equality, Senate Administration for Integration, Labour and Social Affairs, Senate Administration for the Environment, Transport and Climate Protection, Senate Administration for Culture and Europe, Senate Administration for Justice, Consumer Protection and Anti-Discrimination, The Governing Mayor / Senate Chancellery incl. Science and Research. 

Project duration: 01.09.2017 – 31.12.2019 and 01.01.2020 – 31.12.2022

In accordance with the Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2008 on the establishment of the European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning (EQF), a German Qualifications Framework (DQR) was developed in Germany. It defines eight different competence levels for the allocation of qualifications of the different education sectors, to which more than 1,000 qualifications have so far been allocated. The implementation and further development of the DQR is coordinated by the “Federal Government-Federal State Coordination Point” (B-L-KS DQR). This process involves stakeholders from general education, vocational education and training, higher education and in each case including continuing education, the social partners and business organizations as well as other experts from both science and practice, who build the “DQR Working Group” (AK DQR) together with the B-L-KS DQR.

The aim of the DQR development is to facilitate orientation in the German education system and to contribute to the comparability of German qualifications in Europe. This promotes access to and participation in lifelong learning and the use of qualifications for all, including those who are disadvantaged or affected by unemployment.

The comparability of educational qualifications in Europe is promoted by identifying the competences based on a qualification, i.e. the learning outcomes, and by referring the national qualifications frameworks to the European Qualifications Framework as meta frameworks. This leads to greater transparency and supports the mobility of learners and workers as well as labour market permeability. It will enable employees across Europe to communicate more clearly which competences they have acquired. By indicating the EQF level on qualification certificates, employers in Europe can better classify qualifications. In addition, the general description of competences of the DQR can also be used within a company to create more transparency. This supports the design of requirement profiles, job descriptions and job advertisements as well as target-actual analysis. Communication between education and the world of work is also facilitated.

BBJ Consult AG conducts support services for the implementation and further development of the DQR. This includes the technical and organizational support of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) as follows:

1. general support of the BMBF in terms of content and organization

• Technical and content-related input on questions from the subject areas DQR and EQF,
• Content development of cross-disciplinary topics and questions, e.g. accompanying studies and evaluations on the effects of the DQR/EQR on companies and the labour market,
• Content and organizational support in the preparation, implementation and follow-up of meetings of the DQR committees

2. supporting the BMBF in terms of content and organization within the framework of the allocation of qualifications to the DQR

• Telephone and/or written information and advice to organizations responsible for qualifications that are interested in allocating a qualification to the DQR.
• Formal check for completeness of the documents to be submitted as listed in a specific manual.
• Support in the coordination of the allocation procedure
• Preparation of decisions for the DQR committees

3. content and organizational support in the preparation, implementation and follow-up of events, e.g.information and training events for the labour market and educational institutions on how to use the DQR instrument
4. content and organizational support regarding the activities at EU level, including participation in Joint Policy Networks Meetings of the EQF National Coordination Points, the Euroguidance Centres (EURES vocational guidance) and the National Europass Centres (also professional exchange on a national level)
5. support in further development and maintenance of the DQR website
6. assistance in public relations for the DQR, including information and advice for companies, labour market and educational institutions and employees

Project duration: 01.04.2013 – 31.01.2017 and 01.02.2017 – 31.12.2020

Since 2010, BBJ Consult AG has supported the Berlin Senate Department for Environment, Transport and Climate Protection with various services in the area of EU and international affairs. These include, among others

• Preparation, implementation and evaluation of events in Germany and abroad in terms of content and organisation
• Communication support
• Chairmanship of working group meetings
• Evaluation and evaluation of meetings as well as the preparation and dissemination of meeting minutes
• Political, professional and technical support in the implementation of a memorandum (Berlin – Moscow)
• Coordination of activities between the participating Senate and municipal administrations
• Linguistic support

Working Group “Accessible Cities for All”

We support the Senate Administration in its role as Chair of the Working Group “Accessible Cities for All” in the framework of the EUROCITIES Mobility Forum. Our services include the preparation of events in terms of content and organization, support in communication with the members of the working group (22 cities and 4 organizations) and, in part, chairing working group meetings, subsequent evaluation and preparation and dissemination of minutes.

Town twinning Berlin-Moscow

Political, professional and technical support in the implementation of a memorandum signed by Berlin and Moscow focusing on the training of the Moscow city administration in barrier-free urban planning. We advise on the annual organization of one-day and multi-day events in Berlin and Moscow, design the specialist programmes, coordinate the activities of the two city administrations and provide linguistic support for the events.

“Thinking Europe through”

Organisational and technical support in the planning and implementation of the training programme “Thinking Europe through”, which takes place every two years in Brussels. The training programme with different specialized lectures and discussions addresses high-level personnel of the Berlin administration.

“No regrets – Pre-acting and adapting to climate change”

Support in the preparation, implementation and evaluation of two dialogue events, “No regrets – Pre-acting and adapting to climate change”, in Berlin and Brussels. BBJ Consult AG was responsible for recruiting speakers, organizing the conference and communicating with all participants.

Project duration: 01.03.2010 – 31.08.2014 and 01.09.2014 – 31.12.2019

BBJ Consult AG supports the Berlin Senate Department for the Environment, Transport and Climate Protection and the Ministry for Labour and Social Affairs in Moscow at political, professional and technical level in implementing a memorandum signed by both cities. The focus is on training the Moscow city administration in barrier-free urban planning. Our team advises on the annual organization of events lasting several days in Berlin and Moscow, designs the specialist programmes, coordinates the activities of the two city administrations and provides linguistic support for the events.

Project duration: 01.03.2010 – 31.08.2014 and 01.09.2014 – 31.12.2019

Since 2010, BBJ Consult AG has been supporting the Europe-wide activities of the Berlin Senate Department for the Environment, Transport and Climate Protection, among other things in its function as chair of the working group “Barrier-free Cities for All”. The working group was created within the framework of the Mobility Forum of EUROCITIES for the implementation of the European Strategy for People with Disabilities (2010-2020).

Our services include the content and organizational preparation of one-day and multi-day events, support in communicating with the members of the working group (22 cities and 4 organisations) and, in part, chairing working group meetings, the subsequent evaluation as well as the preparation and dissemination of meeting minutes.

In addition, we were able to participate in the preparation, implementation and evaluation of two dialogue events “No regrets – Pre-acting and adapting to climate change” in Berlin and Brussels. This service included the recruitment of speakers, the organisation of the conference and communication with all participants.

Project duration: 01.03.2010 – 31.08.2014 and 01.09.2014 – 31.12.2019

The SocIEtY project examined and evaluated over a period of two years how disadvantaged young people aged between 15 and 24, increasingly exposed to social exclusion and poverty and left behind by society, politics and public institutions, live in different European countries. The aim was to find out what social and institutional opportunities must be created to enable them to lead a good life.

The project provided an empirical basis for developing a broad knowledge base to promote socially innovative policy making and highlighted the need for a transnational youth strategy based on cooperation between policy makers and stakeholders at European, national, regional and local levels. In addition, SocIEtY provided valuable recommendations for policy makers and societal actors to develop and define social policies and action plans at European level.

A total of 13 project partners from 11 countries were involved in the project funded by the European Commission.

As a consortium partner, BBJ Consult AG was responsible for the preparation, presentation and dissemination of the project results and the recommendations developed in the project for political actors at European level. This included the planning and steering of the project activities with regard to the presentation of the project results, the development, design and implementation of communication materials such as project flyers, homepage and newsletter, network work related to the project results in the European area as well as the preparation, implementation and follow-up of the international final project conference in Brussels.

Project duration: 01.01.2013 – 31.12.2015