Preface [to Vocational Education in European Regions. Lower Saxony and Lombardy in Comparison]

Comparative studies on vocational education and training (VET) models take different theoretical approaches, and numerous classifications have been developed over time. The problem with these typifications is that they tend to overlook the real-world complexity and for this reason scholars have begun to emphasise case-specific differences within types. Despite the close link that VET systems have with the world of work and local institutions (even when the governance of the system is centralised), the distinctive characteristics of regional VET systems are rarely investigated