Date: in 12 pts

European Agenda for Adult Learning

Martina Ní Cheallaigh

European Commission

Brussels, 6 May 2013

Overview

• Bigger EU policy framework• Rationale and drivers behind EU Education and

Training policy• European Adult Learning Agenda• Some recent policy documents & their

significance for adult learning

A European strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth

Making LLL and mobility a reality E&T quality and efficiency Equity, social cohesion, active citizenshipEntrepreneurship, creativity and innovation

Europe 2020 ET 2020

Policy context

Seven flagship initiatives

Skills mismatch: supply and demand

Educational attainment

Skills supply in 2011 Forecasted skills demand 2020

High 26.8% 35%

Medium 46.6% 50%

Low 26.6% 15%

Higher competence

levels

Skills + key competences

Competences for all - equity

Demographics in the EUPopulation age structure by major age groups

24% 21% 21% 20% 19% 19% 19%

60% 61% 61% 59% 56% 54% 52% 51%

11% 12% 13% 14% 17% 18% 18% 18%

7% 9% 11% 12%

27%

3%3% 5% 6%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 2060

Source: Eurostat: 1990-2010: observed populations 2020-2060: Eurostat projections

Less than 19 years 20 - 64 65 - 79 80 and over

Benchmarks for 2020

• At least 95% of children between the age of 4 & the age for starting primary education in early childhood education

• Share of 15-years olds with insufficient abilities in reading, mathematics & science less than 15%

• Share of early leavers from education and training less than 10%

• Share of 30-34 year olds with tertiary educational attainment at least 40%

• Average of at least 15 % of adults (age group 25-64) participating in lifelong Learning

Progress towards EU benchamarksPRIORITY BENCH

MARKEU AVERAGE

2006EU AVERAGE

2011

Early school leaving 10% 15,5% 13,5%

Tertiary Attainment 30-34 40% 28,9% 34,6%

Early Childhood education 95% 89,3% 92,3%

Employment rate (age 20-34) - Employability

82% 79,0% 77,2%

Adult participation in learning

15% 9,5% 8,9%

Basic skills 15% R 23,1%M 24%S 20,3

R 19,6%M 22,2%S 17,7%

Participation by age

Agenda for Adult Learning – priority areas

• Making lifelong learning and mobility a reality• Improving the quality and efficiency of

education and training• Promoting equity, social cohesion and active

citizenship through adult learning• Enhancing the creativity and innovation of

adult and their learning environments• Improving the knowledge base on adult

learning and monitoring the adult learning sector

Date: in 12 pts

Vision of adult learning by 2020 Access to high quality learning any time in life for personal,

social and economic ends Awareness of each adult /each employer Fairly shared responsibility, adequate resourcing Learner / learning outcomes at centre supported by

guidance, validation, flexible provisions Learning locally with a significant role for social partners,

civil society and local authorities Active learning for seniors and mutual learning & solidarity

between generations

Education and Culture

Date: in 12 pts

Your Working Group-related Issues

Curriculum – impact on flexibility/progression• basic skills (needed for participating actively in modern

society )• transversal key competences, such as learning to learn,

sense of initiative/entrepreneurship, cultural awareness and expression - European Key Competence Framework

• Learning outcomes with a view to "new skills and new jobs" • Assessment• Effective use of ICT, incl. Open Learning Resources• Embedded, e.g. in work; Validation; Higher Education

Education and Culture

Date: in 12 pts

Your Working Group-related Issues

Quality – Personnel - Financing• Improving the quality and efficiency ET2020• Developing quality assurance for adult-learning providers, building on

existing frameworks, etc.• Improving the quality of staff, e.g. by defining competence profiles,

establishing effective systems for initial training and continuing professional development (Grundtvig)

• Intensifying cooperation with stakeholders particularly at regional and local level

• Public commitment to the sector & support for those who cannot pay, balanced distribution of funds across the lifelong-learning continuum

Education and Culture

Date: in 12 pts

Continuity• Building on the achievements of the Action

Plan, 2008-10 & its focus on low-skilled and disadvantaged groups

• Developing the adult learning sector – weakest link in the LLL chain, including access to HE

• Renewed focus on increasing participation, especially of those furthest from learning

• Exchanging good practice & experience among countries; programme support

Education and Culture

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Complementarity• Copenhagen process / Bruges Communiqué• Bologna process & modernisation of higher education• Modernisation of schools: influences from non-formal

sector• Offering compensatory route/second chance to early

school leavers• Assisting early childhood education through improved

parental education• Intergenerational learning & exchange

Education and Culture

Date: in 12 pts

Consolidation• Emphasis on low skilled/low qualified groups & taking

their basic skills „one step up“• Stronger emphasis on implementation within Member

States (national, regional and local level) as well as through EU-level activities

• Effective liaison with all stakeholders: ministries, social partners, business, NGOs, civil society

• Nomination of a national coordinator to steer implementation, launch cooperation with other countries and liaise with the Commission

Education and Culture

Commission contribution to the Agenda

• Awareness-raising• Literacy and other basic skills• Quality of the provision – working group• Financing adult learning – working group• Validation of non-formal and informal learning• Older people – learning for active ageing• Access to higher education• Data on adult learning

Communication on Rethinking Education

1. Building skills for the 21st century Transversal, STEM, Basic skills, VET systems

2. Stimulating open and flexible learning Learning outcomes, assessment & recognition, ICT & OER, Teaching staff (SWD Assessment of Key Competences)

3. Promoting a collaborative effort Funding through efficient investment, partnership between institutions

Recommendation on Validation

Have in place arrangements for validation of non-formal and informal learning, no later than 2018, thus :

•facilitating a better match between skills and labour demand, addressing skills shortages in growing sectors •promoting better transferability of skills between companies and sectors •helping citizens move around the EU to study and work•Increasing motivation for lifelong learning, particularly among economically disadvantaged or low-qualified

Date: in 12 ptsLifelong learning programme

Thank you for your attention!

Contact: martina.ni-cheallaigh@ec.europa.eu DG EAC: http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-

policy/adult_en.htm