Adult education at the European level

2

Why EU is active in education and VET?

Article 165 The Union shall contribute to the

development of quality education by encouraging

cooperation between Member States and, if necessary, by supporting and

supplementing their action, while fully respecting the

responsibility of the Member States for the content of teaching

and the organisation of education systems and their cultural and

linguistic diversity.

Article 166 The Union shall implement a

vocational training policy which shall support and supplement

the action of the Member States, while fully respecting the

responsibility of the Member States for the

content and organisation of vocational training

The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union

Education and Training

Adult learning in Europe

The entire range of formal, non-formal and informal activities, general and vocational, undertaken by adults after leaving initial education and training.

European benchmark: 15% of 25-64 year olds participate in learning by 2020.

In 2014, the rate was 10.7% and there are significant differences between countries

Who is the average adult learner?

Demographics Learning activities

Female

Young (below 34)

Employed

High educational attainment

From Northern Europe

Work-related

Company financed (short duration)

Non-formal learning

EU's 70 million low skilled adults

Vicious circle: people with high level of literacy 2.5 times more likely to participate in learning than those with low level of literacy (PIAAC) 1/5 EU adults lack literacy and numeracy skills 1/4 EU adults lack ICT problem-solving skills

Low skilled people: • are in jobs that offer no training • do less learning than high-skilled people • get stuck in 'low skills trap' • miss the benefits of continued learning

Consequences include: poor employment prospects, low wages, more socially excluded, poorer health, lower civic participation, less trust in state

Tackling the low skills trap

• Ensure initial education/VET make young adults acquire high levels of literacy, numeracy and digital competences

• Tailor opportunities for specific groups of adults(esp. most vulnerable) in a learner-centred approach

• Adopt a global vision on access challenges (motivational issues, accompanying measures for financial barriers…)

Developing the Open Method of Coordination

What the EU strives for

2011 Renewed European Agenda for Adult Learning: Underpinning ET2020

• Making LLL and mobility a reality

• Improving quality and efficiency

• Promoting equity, social cohesion and active citizenship

• Enhancing creativity and innovation

• Improving the knowledge base, monitoring

EU Agenda for Adult Learning: Vision 2020

Access to high quality learning any time in life for personal, social and economic ends

Awareness of lifelong learning benefits by learner/employer

Fairly shared responsibility, adequate resourcing

New approach to provision – flexible, learner-centred, clear learning outcomes, leading sometimes validation

Learning locally in a partnership approach will all stakeholders

Active learning for seniors, mutual learning between generations

Implementing the European Agenda:

National Coordinators for adult learning

Erasmus+

• Staff mobility

• Strategic partnerships

EPALE

• To inform & network the AL community in Europe

• Events, news, blogs, research, partners, materials

ET2020 Working Group 'Adult learning'

• National authorities and European stakeholders represented

Studies, data collection

Promoting recognition and validation of skills and competences acquired through

non-formal and informal learning

Koen NOMDEN, DG EMPL, European Commission

Date: in 12 pts

Council Recommendation on Non-Formal and Informal Learning 20 December 2012

•Member States agreed to put in place

arrangements for the validation of non-formal and

informal learning (VNFIL) experiences by 2018,

enabling individuals to obtain a qualification

(or part of it) on the basis of their validated

experiences.

Date: in 12 pts

Elements of VNFIL arrangements:

IDENTIFICATION

DOCUMENTATION

ASSESSMENT

CERTIFICATION

Date: in 12 pts

VNFIL

Main principles of VNFIL arrangements:

•Linked to qualifications frameworks and in line with the EQF

•Same/equivalent standards of qualifications obtained through formal education

•Transparent quality assurance measures supporting reliable, valid and credible validation methodologies and tools

•Information and guidance available to individuals and organisations

•Special "focus" on disadvantaged groups/individuals (e.g. skills audit)

•Professional development of staff

•Use of EU transparency tools

•Synergies with credit systems

Date: in 12 pts

Key actors:

•Member States: to implement the Recommendation and

report on progress

•European Commission: to support and work with MS

(Inventory, Guidelines, PLAs) and report on progress

•Cedefop: to provide expertise to support the implementation

of the Recommendation

•EQF AG: forum through which Member States and the

Commission should cooperate to follow up to the

Recommendation

Date: in 12 pts

Stakeholder involvement:

•Involvement of all relevant stakeholders

•Employers, youth organisations and civil society organisations

to promote and facilitate the documentation of learning

outcomes acquired at work or in voluntary activities

•E&T providers to facilitate access to further learning and

to award exemptions/credits for NFIL

•Coordination between stakeholders in the education,

training, employment and youth sectors and other relevant

policy areas.

• OUTPUTS

o 36 reports (covering

33 countries)

o 8 Thematic studies

o 2 case studies

o A survey of projects on validation

o A synthesis of main findings

o An executive summary

1. Early school leavers 2. Multi-level governance 3. Skills audits in the public sector 4. Validation methodologies

5. Guidance and counseling

6. Raising awareness 7. Competence assessment

in the private sector 8. Research themes

2014 European Inventory on validation

Date: in 12 pts

European Guidelines for validating non-formal and informal learning (2015)

http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/publications-and-resources/publications/3073

VNFIL

Date: in 12 pts

Looking ahead

•2016 – Light update of the European Inventory

•2018 – Update of the European Inventory

•2018 – One-off national reports. Political response to the Council Recommendation

•2019 - Commission's report to the Council Reports on the experience gained and implications for the future, including if necessary a possible review of the Recommendation.

VNFIL