BRIDGES TO CO-OPERATIVE ADULT LEARNING IN EUROPE

4TH. EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ONGRUNDTVIG 2 LEARNING PARTNERSHIPS

Hull (UK), 6-9 October 2005

Grundtvig – Past achievements, future perspectives, and the

challenge of adult learner mobility

Alan SmithDG Education & Culture, European CommissionDeputy Head of Unit B3 – Comenius-Grundtvig

Overview

• Stock-taking: what has Grundtvig achieved so far?

• Contextualising: how does Grundtvig fit into the larger picture of EU educational policy and programme initiatives ?

• Crystal ball-gazing: what lies ahead for Grundtvig post-2006?

• Filling the vacuum : some questions for discussion in the « open spaces » (or coffee breaks) during the Hull conference…

Grundtvig 2005

• European cooperation projects (Grundtvig 1)• Learning partnerships (Grundtvig 2)• Mobility for further training of adult education staff

(Grundtvig 3)• Networks (Grundtvig 4)

• 2005: 30mio €, 400 LPs, 71 projects, 10 networks, around 2500 participating organisations Europe-wide

Grundtvig 2000-2005

• 372 Grundtvig 1-Projects with 2500 partners

• Around 800 G2 Learning partnerships (5800 partner grants)

• 4500 training grants under Grundtvig 3

• 29 grants to Grundtvig 4-Networks

• Preparatory visits and thematic seminars

• Many conferences etc. under the Accompanying measures

• Smoothly functioning network of National Agencies

Learning partnerships

• Around 800 G2 Learning partnerships (5800 partner grants)• 50 mio €• Largest of the Grundtvig sub-actions for first time 2005• Continuing large growth in demand (2004 55%, 2005 40%)• Approval rate 2005 64% (Grundtvig 1: 16%)• Typical activities: conferences and seminars, publications, fieldwork, staff and

learner exchange, exhibitions and performances, development of new pedagogical tools

• Strong social cohesion agenda (> 70% address socially disadvantaged groups, disability or gender equality)

• Thematic strengths in active citizenship (13%), intercultural learning (11%), basic skills (9%), ICT (8%), European issues (8%), new pedagogy (7%), arts (7%), languages (6%)

Grundtvig impacts

External evaluation 2003-2004

▼ ▼ ▼

• Increasing quality through sharing of experience

• Beginnings of impact at system / policy level

• Enhancing training of adult educators

• Assisting in EU enlargement

• European dimension of adult education organisations

• European networks of adult educators

Obstacles

• Diversity of the field (nationally, internationally)

• Weak institutional infrastructure

• Precarious employment profile

• Personal

• Lack of tradition of European cooperation

• Inadequate funding

EU Lifelong learning policy initiatives

• Amsterdam Treaty (1997) and « Lisbon » (2000)

• Memorandum on Lifelong Learning (2000)

• Communication « Making a European Area of Lifelong Learning a Reality » (2001)

• Resolution of the Council (2002)

• LLL in the Joint Employment Strategy

• Education and training as a dimension of other policy fields

• Work programme on common objectives

• Underpinned by indicators and benchmarking

EU Policy response to the challengeof LLL: « Education & Training 2010 »

Phase I – Working groups involving all Member States

A – Teacher and trainer educationB – Basic skills, language teaching, entrepreneurshipC – ICT in education and trainingD – Increasing participation in maths and scienceE – Resources: investing in education and trainingF – Mobility and European cooperationG – Open learning environment, active citizenship, social inclusionH – Making learning attractive, strengthening links with working life and

society

Phase II – Thematic clustering, including adult learning,on an opting in basis

Lifelong learning : key issuesemerging from EU debate

• Putting the learner at the centre: Valuing learning

• Information, guidance and counselling

• Bringing together learners and learning opportunities

• Still a need for focus on basic skills

• Innovative pedagogy

• Investing time and money in learning

EU Programme response tochallenge of LLL

• Socrates

• Leonardo da Vinci

• Youth

• Ad hoc initiatives– E-Learning– European Years (against racism 1996; lifelong learning 1997;

languages 2001; education through sport 2004; inter-cultural dialogue 2008?)

– R3L (2002-2004)

Grundtvig: looking forward…

– Executive Agency for the centralised actions from 2005

– Towards new programme generation 2007-2013:

enhanced importance for adult education: « Grundtvig »

a full sectoral programme for general adult education alongside those for schools, higher education and vocational training

Grundtvig: looking forward…

Adult education in Europe:between the rhetoric and hype of LLL policy discourse …

… and the reality of budgetary curtailment and penury

– Need to redefine / re-position

– Relationship between general and vocational

– Move to a more learner-centred approach

– Need for innovative pedagogy

– Need to enhance the professional profile of adult educators

– Need for private investment in adult education

– Yet need to retain strong sense of public commitment

– Need for greater cooperation between all ‘players’

The new generation of educationand training programmes

The Commission ProposalIntegrated programme for LLL – structure

Integrated Programme

ComeniusSchool education

ErasmusHigher education

& advanced training

Leonardo da Vinci

Initial and continuing VET

GrundtvigAdult education

Transversal programme4 key activities – Policy development; Language learning; ICT; Dissemination

Jean Monnet programme3 key activities – Jean Monnet Action; European Institutions; European

Associations

History: adult education in the EUeducation programmes

Increasing importance,reflecting the growing emphasis on LLL throughout Europe:

• Pre-1995: Non-existent

• 1995-1999: Sub-Action within Chapter 3 of Socrates I(<3% of total Socrates budget)

• 2000-2006: Full Action within Socrates II(>7% of total Socrates budget)

• 2007-2013: Full Sectoral programme within IntegratedProgramme for Lifelong Learning(>3% of total Integrated Programme budget = ?)

Grundtvig: Objectives

General: to promote in the sector of adult education, within the overall integrated programme:

Quality, innovation & the European dimensionAccessibility and attractiveness of learningPersonal fulfilment, social cohesion, active citizenship,

gender equality, particip.of learners with special needsCreativity & employabilityIncreasing learning participation at all agesLanguage learning & linguistic diversityEuropean citizenship, intercultural toleranceQuality assuranceDissemination & exchange of good practice

Specific overall objectives of Grundtvig:Respond to educational challenge of ageing populationAlternative pathways to knowledge and competence

Operational objectives of Grundtvig:Increase mobility of staff and learners (2013: 25,000)Increase volume and quality of European cooperation

between adult education organisationsFacilitate development and transfer of innovationPromote alternative learning access routes

for socially disadvantaged and reluctant learnersImprove pedagogical approaches and management

Programme design:Continuity + Innovation

ContinuityIndividual training grants for adult education staffLearning PartnershipsMultilateral cooperation projectsThematic NetworksAccompanying measures

Innovation ( external evaluation) (mostly from 2009) Individual mobility of adult learnersEuropean assistantships for young adult educatorsTeaching visits and exchanges for adult education staffLarge-scale innovation projectsEuropean events within Learning Partnerships

Decentralisation: 60%+ for mobility & partnerships

Grundtvig: Features

Simplification

Proportionality

Integration of education and training

Increased imp. of LLL increased budget?

Grundtvig Actions - I

Mobility (decentralised)Adult education staff

o Participation in further training courseso Study visits and job-shadowingo Teaching visitso European assistantships in adult education ?

Adult learnerso European study circles ?

- residential seminars

- focusing on topics of common interest

- priority: European themes &/or disadvantagedo European adult volunteers scheme ?

Individual ? Via Learning partnerships?

Grundtvig Actions - II

Grundtvig Learning Partnerships (decentralised)

Basic activitiesExchanges

o Staff visits and exchangeso Learner visits and exchanges

European events

Grundtvig Actions - III

Multilateral Cooperation Projects (centralised)

Cooperation projects (existing Grundtvig 1)o Smaller scaleo Adaptation, transfer, dissemination, sharing experience and good practiceoBottom-upo Larger numbers

Innovation projects (new)o Larger-scale (systemic impact)o Europe-wideo Top-downo Limited in number

Grundtvig Actions - IV

Networks (centralised)o All participating countrieso Forum, needs analysiso Dissemination, ‘clustering’

Accompanying measures (centralised)o Varying in scale, mostly smallo Activities ineligible under main action lineso Mostly one-off and annualo Conferences and seminars, prizes and awards, publications, small-scale surveys,

awareness-raising campaigns etc.

Previous G2 European Conferences

Aarhus (DK) 2002G2 a welcome and potentially effective new instrument for adult education cooperation in EuropeImpacts, success factors, obstacles, administrative rules

Rimini (IT) 2003Need for greater involvement of learners in LPs (planning, transnational liaison, activities, evaluation, dissemination, contacts with local community)Impacts of LPs on learners: increased motivation, improved ICT skills, better communicative competence, enhanced awareness of importance of lifelong learning, stronger commitment to active citizenship

Previous G2 European Conferences

Noordwijk (NL) 2004Focus on concept of quality and quality assurance of cooperation processDissemination methodsTips for new coordinators: Idea to develop the “Grundtvig Navigator”Initial discussion on future programme (stress on need for stronger learner involvement)Recommendation for 4th. European conference to focus on learners

Expectations of Hull Conference

Exchange of experience and ideas

Reality check by adult learners on LPs: what works and does not work, how to improve the LP concept further?

Feedback from participants on what LPs can contribute in terms of improving adult learning in their respective thematic areas

Advice on the future Gruntvig programme, and in particular on how to promote more and better adult learner mobility

Making new contacts, forging new partnerships with other participants in the conference

Indirectly, using the conference as means of stimulating involvement in Grundtvig 3, especially non-formal types of training (encouraging participants’ organisations to send and receive grant recipients)

Learner Mobility: 7 key questionsfor discussion at the conference

1. Does it make sense to promote more mobility and exchanges for adult learners at all, or should we continue to concentrate more on the adult education providers?

2. If you were designing a programme for adult learner mobility, what would it look like?

3. Grundtvig tries to focus on disadvantaged groups in society. How can this be achieved in a mobility action for adult learners?

4. Another focal point for the future programme are older learners. What sorts of mobility activities could we envisage for this target group?

5. What do you think about the ideas for adult learner mobility which have been floated by the Commission: European study circles ? (residential seminars

focusing on topics of common interest) European adult volunteers scheme? (does this ‘fit’ in

Grundtvig? If so, should it be limited to ‘education’ ?)

6. Should adult learner mobility activities be organised within G2 Learning partnerships or in some other way?

7. How could the future Grundtvig programme best help to improve citizens’ knowledge of the EU as such and their awareness of how Europe impacts on their lives?

• alan.smith@cec.eu.int

• http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/education_culture/index_en.htm