TOWARDS THE LEARNING SOCIETY

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WHITE PAPER ON EDUCATION AND TRAINING

TEACHING AND LEARNING

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TOWARDS THE LEARNING SOCIETY


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"We must have the courage to examineeverything, discuss everything and even toteach everything"

Condorcet

FOREWORD

This White Paper is part of a process designed simultaneously to provide ananalysis and to put forward guidelines for action in the fields of education andtraining. It takes forward the White Paper "Growth, competitiveness, employment",which stressed the importance for Europe of intangible investment, particularly ineducation and research. This investment in knowledge plays an essential role inemployment, competitiveness and social cohesion. This White Paper whilstlooking forward to the Madrid European Council meeting, draws upon the

conclusions of the Cannes European Council of June 1995, which state that:"Training and apprenticeship policies, which are fundamental for improvingemployment and competitiveness, must be strengthened, especiallycontinuing training".

Articles 126 and 127 of the Treaty establishing the European Community stipulaterespectively that "the Community shall contribute to the development of qualityeducation by encouraging cooperation between Member States and, if necessary,by supporting and supplementing their action" and that "the Community shallimplement a vocational training policy which shall support and supplement theaction of the Member States".

These articles are the clear basis for the debate which the Commission, inpresenting this White Paper, intends to launch in 1996, the year which the Counciland the European Parliament have chosen as the European Year of LifelongLearning.

After describing what is at stake and analysing the changes which need to beconsidered, while respecting the principle of subsidiarity, the White Paper sets outthe action to be taken in the Member States and the support measures to beintroduced at Community level. The main lines of action at the European levelenvisaged for 1996 include objectives to:

- encourage the acquisition of new knowledge;

- bring school and the business sector closer together;

- combat exclusion;

- develop proficiency in three European languages;

- treat capital investment and investment in training on an equal basis.


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CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 1

PART ONE: THE CHALLENGES 5

I. THE THREE FACTORS OF UPHEAVAL 5

A. The impact of the information society 6B. The impact of internationalisation 7

C. The impact of scientific and technological knowledge 7

II. A FIRST APPROACH:FOCUSING ON A BROAD KNOWLEDGE BASE 9

A. Grasping the meaning of things 10B. Comprehension and creativity 11C. Powers of judgement and decision making 11

III. A SECOND RESPONSE:DEVELOPING EVERYONE'S EMPLOYABILITY

AND CAPACITY FOR ECONOMIC LIFE 12

A. What are the skills required ? 12B. How can a person become employable ? 14

IV. DIRECTIONS FOR THE FUTURE 22

A. The end of debate on educational principles 22B. The central question: towards greater flexibility 23C. Action in the Member States 23D. New developments 25


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PART TWO: BUILDING THE LEARNING SOCIETY 28

I. FIRST GENERAL OBJECTIVE :"ENCOURAGE THE ACQUISITION OF NEW KNOWLEDGE" 32

A. Recognition of skills 32B. Mobility 33C. Multimedia educational software 33

II. SECOND GENERAL OBJECTIVE :"BRING SCHOOLS AND BUSINESS CLOSER TOGETHER" 36

A. Apprenticeship/Trainees schemes 37B. Vocational training 38

III. THIRD GENERAL OBJECTIVE : "COMBAT EXCLUSION" 40

A. Second chance schools 40B. European voluntary service 42

IV. FOURTH GENERAL OBJECTIVE :"PROFICIENCY IN THREE COMMUNITY LANGUAGES" 44

V. FIFTH GENERAL OBJECTIVE :"TREAT CAPITAL INVESTMENT AND INVESTMENT IN TRAININGON A EQUAL BASIS" 47

GENERAL CONCLUSION 50

Annex 1 : Some data and figures 52

Annex 2 : Examples of Community programmes in the field of educationand training 55

Annex 3 : The educational world of Alyat Hanoar 60

Annex 4 : The experience of "Accelerated schools" in the USA 62


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INTRODUCTION

Much of the effort made in recent years to stem the rise of unemployment inEurope has not had lasting effects. Jobs created in the wake of a return to periodsof higher growth have not reversed the long term trends. Long term unemploymentcontinues to increase and the spread of social exclusion, particularly among youngpeople, has become a major problem in our societies.

Education and training have now emerged as the latest means for tackling theemployment problem. It may be surprising that the realisation of the role they canplay has come so late and that it has taken an economic recession to bring itabout. Yet it is unfair to expect education and training alone to make up for everyfailure: education and training cannot solve the employment problem on their ownor, more generally, the problem of the competitiveness of industries and services.

Moreover, while it is true that the Treaty on European Union has opened up scopefor Community action in these areas, it also states explicitly that the role atEuropean level is to support and supplement action taken by the Member States.

Be that as it may, the countries of Europe today have no other option. If they are tohold their own and continue to be a reference point in the world, they have to buildon the progress brought about through closer economic ties by more substantialinvestment in knowledge and skills.

The Commission established the general framework for its analysis in its WhitePaper "Growth, competitiveness and employment", drawn up on the initiative of

Jacques Delors, which stressed that the development of education and training isone of the conditions for the development of a new model of more employment-intensive growth.

The Essen European Council of December 1994 confirmed this in its conclusionsand re-affirmed them in Cannes in June 1995, in the light of the report from theAdvisory Group on Competitiveness.

There are two major challenges: firstly, providing immediate solutions to currenteducation and training needs; secondly, preparing the future and outlining anoverall approach capable of assembling the efforts of the Member States and

those of the European Union, each acting within its area of competence.

Since the 1960's, Community action in education and training has had significantresults in terms of cooperation, exchanges of experience, supporting innovationand the development of training products and materials. It has also boosteddecisively European mobility of students and people in training. It has alsocontributed to the promotion of learning Community languages and to thedevelopment of communication between European citizens (see annex 2).

The basis of this White Paper is the concerns of every European citizen, young oradult, who faces the problem of adjusting to new conditions of finding a job and


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changes in the nature of work. No social category, no profession, no trade isspared this problem.

The internationalisation of trade, the global context of technology and, above all,the arrival of the information society, have boosted the possibilities of access toinformation and knowledge for people, but at the same time have as aconsequence changed work organization and the skills learned. This trend hasincreased uncertainty for all and for some has led to intolerable situations ofexclusion.

It is clear that the new opportunities offered to people require an effort from eachone to adapt, particularly in assembling one's own qualifications on the basis of'building blocks' of knowledge acquired at different times and in various situations.The society of the future will therefore be a learning society. In the light of thisit is evident that education systems - which means primarily the teachers - and allof those involved in training have a central role to play. The social partners, in

exercising their responsibilities, including through collective bargaining, have aparticularly important role, as these developments will condition the workingenvironment of the future.

Education and training will increasingly become the main vehicles for self-awareness, belonging, advancement and self-fulfilment. Education and trainingwhether acquired in the formal education system, on the job or in a more informalway, is the key for everyone to controlling their future and their personaldevelopment.

Education and training remain one of the determining factors in equality of

opportunity. Education systems have already played an essential role in theemancipation and the social and professional advancement of women. Educationcan and must contribute further to the crucial equality between men and women.

Immaterial investment and getting the best out of our human resources willimprove competitiveness, boost jobs and safeguard social achievements. Theindividual's place in relation to their fellow citizens will increasingly be determinedby their capacity to learn and master fundamental knowledge.

The position of everyone in relation to their fellow citizens in the context ofknowledge and skillstherefore will be decisive. This relative position which could

be called the "learning relationship" will become an increasingly dominantfeature in the structure of our societies.

The ability to renew and innovate will depend on the links between thedevelopment of knowledge in research and its transmission through education andtraining. In all this, communication will be essential both for generating anddisseminating ideas.

The future of the EU and its development will depend largely on its ability tomanage the progress towards this new society. The objective is to make it into a

just and progressive society based on its cultural wealth and diversity. There is a


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need to whet society's appetite for education and training throughout life. Thereneeds to be permanent and broad access to a number of different forms ofknowledge. In addition, the level of skill achieved by each and everyone will haveto be converted into an instrument for measuring individual performance in away which will safeguard equal rights for workers as far as possible.

There is no single pattern for all to follow throughout their working lives.Everyone must be able to seize their opportunities for improvement insociety and for personal fulfilment, irrespective of their social origin andeducational background. This particularly applies to the most disadvantagedgroups who lack the family and social environment to enable them to make themost of the general education provided by school. These groups should be giventhe chance not just to catch up, but to gain access to new knowledge which couldhelp to bring out their abilities.

Given the diversity of national situations and the inadequacy of global solutions in

this context, proposing a model is not the answer. This would be doomed to failuregiven the pivotal role of the individual in the construction of the learning societyand the social and cultural diversity of the Member States. The purpose of thisWhite Paper is to plot out the route to this new society by identifying the optionsavailable to the EU in education and training. Its suggestions, guidelines and aimsare intended to support and supplement education and training policies, theresponsibility for which rests first and foremost with national, regional and localauthorities. The objective is not to impose common rules, but rather on the basisof a broad debate to identify the points of convergence and the actions capable ofmeeting the current challenges.

The diversity of the education systems of the EU notwithstanding, there is aEuropean approach to education based on common historic roots, from whichstems the success of cooperation between higher education establishments, forexample, in the ERASMUS programme which has provided mobility for 500,000young students.

In the new context of the internationalisation of the economy, dissemination of newtechnologies and the risk of cultural uniformity, Europe more than ever before is anappropriate level for action. This will in the future be amply borne out by the impactof the free movement of people, which will make it essential for national educationand training systems to consider the European dimension.

To examine education and training in the context of employment does notmean reducing them simply to a means of obtaining qualifications. Theessential aim of education and training has always been personaldevelopment and the successful integration of Europeans into societythrough the sharing of common values, the passing on of cultural heritageand the teaching of self-reliance.

However, this essential function of social integration is today under threat unless itis accompanied by the prospect of employment. The devastating personal and

social effects of unemployment are uppermost in the minds of every family, every


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young person in initial training and everyone on the labour market. The best wayfor education to continue to exercise this essential function is to seek to provide aconvincing response to alleviate these concerns. The very foundations of anyEuropean society purporting to teach its children the principles of citizenship wouldbe undermined if this teaching were to fail to provide for job prospects.

In the face of unemployment and technological upheaval, training must go beyondthe framework of initial education and develop an on-going capacity for therenewal of the technical and vocational skills of workers around a solid, broadknowledge base.

This White Paper takes the view that in modern Europe the three essentialrequirements of social integration, the enhancement of employability and personalfulfilment, are not incompatible. They should not be brought into conflict, butshould on the contrary be closely linked. Europe's assets in the area of science,the depth of its culture, the capacity of its business, industry and institutions should

enable it both to pass on its fundamental values and prepare for employment. Thispresupposes that European society stays tuned to the underlying trends at workwithin it.

On this basis, the White Paper considers in turn:

the importance of education and training to Europe in the current context oftechnological and economic change; and

the guidelines for action in the pursuit of objectives to build up high-qualityeducation and training.


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PART ONE: THE CHALLENGES

As this century draws to its close, wecan see that the causes of change insociety have been diverse and haveaffected our education and trainingsystems in different ways.Demographic trends have increasedlife expectancy radically changing atthe same time the age structure ofthe population, thereby increasing theneed for lifelong learning. Thesubstantial rise in the number ofworking women has altered the

traditional place of the family inrelation to school and the upbringingof children. Expansion of technicalinnovation in all areas has generatednew knowledge requirements.Consumption patterns and lifestyleshave changed. In addition, peoplehave been alerted to environmentalproblems and the use of naturalresources and this has affected botheducation and training systems and

industrial activities.

Three major, profound and wide-ranging factors of upheaval haveemerged, however, which havetransformed the context of economicactivity and the way our societiesfunction in a radical and lastingmanner, namely: the onset of theinformation society; the impact of thescientific and technological world; and

the internationalisation of theeconomy. These events arecontributing towards the developmentof the learning society. They bringrisks, but also opportunities whichmust be seized.

The construction of this society willdepend on the ability to respond intwo important ways to theimplications of these events. The first

response focuses on the need for abroad knowledge base and thesecond is designed to build upabilities for employment andeconomic life.

Establishing the learning society willalso depend on how those involvedand the institutions in educationand training pursue the developmentsalready under way in the MemberStates.

I. The three factors ofupheaval

Like the rest of the world, Europe hasto face up to the effects of thewidespread dissemination ofinformation technologies, pressure onthe world market and a relentlessonward march of science andtechnology. These challengesrepresent a step forward by placingpeople in a closer relationship withanother.

Europe has been confronted byglobal technological and economicdevelopments in a context ofunemployment levels higher than inother parts of the world and anincrease in social exclusion. This hasled some to consider technology asan intrinsic and definitive obstacle toemployment growth, while othersbelieve that the level of socialprotection in those countries hardesthit has generated fixed costs whichneed to be seriously reconsidered. Ithas forced others back into anationalistic shell which can beinterpreted as an inability to deviseand build a new model of society.

This White Paper considers thatEuropean society is in a

transitional phase towards a new


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form of society beyond currentshort term forecasts.

A. The impact of the information society

The report "Europe and the globalinformation society" (May 1994),produced by the high-level groupchaired by Mr Bangemann, stressed,"that throughout the world,information and telecommunicationstechnologies are bringing about anew industrial revolution whichalready looks to be as important andradical as those which preceded it".

This revolution like previous ones willhave consequences for work andemployment.

It has not been demonstrated thatnew technologies reduceemployment levels. Sometechnologically advanced countrieshave created around the newinformation related activities, a

number of jobs comparable, indeedin some cases higher, than those lostin other areas.

It is however certain thatinformation technologies haveradically changed the nature ofwork and the organisation ofproduction. These changes arecurrently affecting deeplyEuropean society.

Mass production is declining andmaking room for a more customizedtype of production. The traditionalpattern of growth in paid employment,i.e. full time and permanent, appearsto be on the decline. Productionrelationships and conditions ofemployment are changing. Corporateorganisation is increasingly turning

towards flexibility and

decentralisation. The search forflexibility, the development ofnetworked-based cooperation, theincreased use of subcontracting, thedevelopment of work in teams, aresome of the consequences ofinformation technology.

Information technology is contributingto the disappearance of routine andrepetitive work which can be codified,programmed and automated. Workcontent will increasingly be made upof intelligent tasks requiring initiativeand the ability to adapt.

Although it makes thedecentralisation of tasks easier,information technology coordinatesthese tasks in interactive on-linecommunication networks whichfunction equally well acrosscontinents as from one office andfloor to another. The result issimultaneously a higher level ofindividual autonomy for workers, buta less clear perception of the context

of their actions. The newtechnologies have a twofold effect.On the one hand, they considerablyincrease the role of the human factorin the production process, while onthe other make workers morevulnerable to changes in workorganisation because they are mereindividuals within a complex network.

Information technologies are making

significant inroads into production-related activities and into educationand training, thus bringing the'learning system' and the 'producingsystem' closer together. There is amarked convergence between theworld of work and the world oflearning/training as far as thecapacities required are concerned.


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Change connected with informationtechnology has wide economic andsocial consequences for thedevelopment of: self-employment;service industries; new forms of workorganisation known as the "learningorganisation"; managementdecentralisation; and flexible workinghours.

The information society,notwithstanding the new knowledgetechniques it heralds, raises thequestion of whether the educationalcontent it carries will enhance or, onthe contrary, diminish the knowledge

of the individual. The focus up to nowhas been on the potential offered byinformation highways, through therevolutionary quasi-instantaneousness that theINTERNET, for instance, brings tocontacts between firms, researchersand academics. The fear is the riskthat the quality of multi-mediaproducts, particularly in educationalsoftware, could lead to knowledge of

the "lowest common denominator" inwhich people lose their historical,geographical and cultural bearings.

This is why the Commission,particularly at the G7 meeting on theinformation society in Brussels inFebruary 1995, stressed the need tostimulate European production ofeducational software. The informationsociety is going to change teaching

methods by replacing the excessivelypassive teacher/pupil relationshipwith a new - and seemingly promising- interactive relationship. At the sametime, however, changing teachingmethods does not affect the contentof the material taught.

B. The impact of internationalisation

The internationalisation of theeconomy is the second factor ofupheaval, which has given rise tounprecedented freedom ofmovement for capital, goods andservices.

Sooner than is generally believed, aglobal and distinctive labour marketwill emerge. Large and smallcompanies, and even the mobileprofessions, are already using

"teleporting" to have work done on-line in low-wage countries.

In its White Paper "Growth,competitiveness and employment"the Commission opted clearly for aEurope open to the rest of the worldbut stressed that its futuredevelopments should have a distinctEuropean dimension, placingparticular emphasis on the

preservation of the European socialmodel. Internationalisation thussimply strengthens Europe'sposition on the world stage. In achanging and uncertain world,Europe is a natural level oforganisation. This has been shownthrough trade policy, technicalharmonisation, environmentalprotection, solidarity between theregions and through real progress in

the field of education and training,e.g. in the ERASMUS programme.Yet, Europe still needs todemonstrate to ordinary peoplethat it is not there just to makeregulations, but that it is close totheir everyday concerns.

This option, involves improving thecompetitiveness of our economies,

and will increase the quality of life


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through more efficient distribution ofresources in the world. Itnevertheless implies majoradjustments in every country.

There is a risk of a social rift with allthe adverse and even drasticconsequences this may entail.

C. The impact of scientific andtechnological knowledge

The developments and disseminationof scientific and technical knowledgeis accelerating.

A new model of production ofknowledge and know-how isemerging, combining extremespecialisation and cross-disciplinarycreativeness. Industry reliesincreasingly on science to developnew products (e.g. special alloys forsports equipment, biologicalprocesses for environmentalindustries) and scientific researchneeds equipment with a high degree

of technical sophistication (e.g.supercomputers, high-performancecommunications networks, humangenomes).

But instead of celebrating progressas was the case a century ago,public opinion often perceivesscientific ventures andtechnological progress as a threat.

These growing anxieties are asignificant feature of the end ofthis century. Paradoxically, whereasscience is making significant progress(limiting, if not overcoming famineand many diseases, increasing lifeexpectancy, providing fastercommunication etc.), this progress isfor many people matched by a sense

of fear which has some parallels in

the transition from the Middle Ages tothe Renaissance.

Media coverage also presents aviolent picture, re-enforcing theseanxieties.

To tackle this crisis better informationis essential but insufficient on its own.It is by disseminating knowledge that

this irrational climate can beovercome. By demonstrating the linkbetween science and the progress ofmankind, while being fully aware of itslimitations, today's scientific andtechnological world will be accepted

and in a better position to spreadwidely an innovative culture.

In many European countries, theresponse is pitched at two levels,cultural and ethical.

- The promotion of a scientificand technical culture is thesubject of a sustained effort bythe public authorities.

Activities at national level onthis issue have, since 1993,been enhanced andcomplemented by a timelyEuropean event, the"European week of scientificculture", the success of whichis growing in all the countriesof the European Union. But itis at school that the issue isreally determined. Scientific

and technical information is allthe more rewarding when builton a solid foundation ofscientific education acquired atschool.

- The second level is ethical.The development ofbiotechnologies, man'srelationship to intelligentmachines, new approaches to


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procreation, a heightenedsense of co-existence withother species, protection of theenvironment, are all newissues which Europe mustprepare to face. The sameproblem arises in relation tothe information society. The'information highways' to whichyoung people and evenchildren will have increasinglyeasier access, could well findthemselves inundated withmessages offending humandignity. This clearly raises thematter of protecting our

children. The ethics ofresponsibility must become anintegral part of basic educationand the training ofresearchers.

Throughout Europe, in all MemberStates, these three factors ofupheaval and their repercussionsfor industry and employment areincreasingly being taken on board

and addressed. For example, seethe report of the German FederalGovernment on "The future ofGermany as an industrial location"(Bundesministerium fr Wirtschaft,September 1993). At European level,the White Paper on "Growth,Competitiveness and Employment"and the conclusions of the EssenEuropean Council, reiterated inCannes, stress the link between

competitiveness, employment,education and training.

The response to these three factorsof upheaval is multi-faceted, for itentails a radical shake-up ofEuropean society.

The ultimate goal of training, to buildup the individual's self-reliance and

occupational capacity, makes it the

linchpin of adaptation and change.The two main responses focusedupon in this White Paper areaccordingly to give everyoneaccess to a broad base ofknowledge and to build up theirabilities for employment andeconomic life.

II. A first approach: focusingon a broad knowledge base

In the future, individuals will be calledupon to understand complexsituations which will change in

unforeseeable ways, but whichadvances in science shouldnevertheless make it easier tocontrol. They will also be confrontedwith an increasing variety of physicalobjects, social situations andgeographical and cultural contexts. Inaddition, they will have to contendwith a mass of fragmentary andincomplete information open tovarying interpretations and partial

analysis.

There is therefore a risk of a rift insociety between those that caninterpret; those who can only use;and those who are pushed out ofmainstream society and rely uponsocial support: in other words,between those who know andthose who do not know.

The main challenge in this kind ofsociety is to reduce the gap betweenthese groups whilst enabling theprogress and development of allhuman resources.It is possible to understand the worldif the way it interacts and functionscan be grasped and a sense ofpersonal direction found. This is themain function of school. This is

particularly appropriate to the building


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of Europe. By imparting a broadknowledge base to young peopleenabling them both to pick their waythrough its complexity and to discussits purpose, education lays thefoundations of awareness and ofEuropean citizenship.

By the same token, the developmentof a broad knowledge base, namelythe ability to grasp the meaning ofthings, to comprehend and to make

judgements, is the first factor inadapting to economic and labourmarket change. The report from theRound Table of European

Industrialists (February 1995)stressed the need for flexible trainingwith a broad knowledge base,advocating a 'learning to learn'approach throughout life. It statedthat, "the essential mission ofeducation is to help everyone todevelop their own potential andbecome a complete human being, asopposed to a tool at the service of theeconomy; the acquisition of

knowledge and skills should go handin hand with building up character,broadening outlook and acceptingone's responsibility in society.".

This need for a solid and broadknowledge base which is literary,philosophical, scientific, technical andpractical, does not only concern initialtraining. There are many examplesto show that the vocational

retraining of employees who areunder skilled or highly specialisedon account of the Tayloristapproach to work depends uponthe acquisition of this base as thefoundation for new technical skills.When retraining workers, trainingestablishments are increasinglyhaving to give them a generalgrounding before teaching them a

new job.

There is, moreover, an increasingdegree of convergence betweenbusiness and the world of educationwhen it comes to the usefulness ofreconciling general education andspecialised training.

More generally speaking, theforceful return of a broadknowledge base as the key tounderstanding the world outside thecontext of education can be seen.

A. Grasping the meaning ofthings

In an essentially universal societybased on knowledge, a social andcultural identity can only be passedon in part. It has to be built up, notonly by school the role of whichcontinues to be irreplaceable, but theindividuals who draw on the collectivememory while assimilating the varietyof information to which they areexposed, through their involvement in

different, vocational, cultural, socialand family circles.

The future of European culturedepends on its capacity to equipyoung people to question constantlyand seek new answers withoutprejudicing human values. This is thevery foundation of citizenship and isessential if European society is to beopen, multicultural and democratic.

In this regard, the most eminentacademics stress the importance ofadequate scientific awareness- notsimply in the mathematical sense -toensure that democracy canfunction properly. Democracyfunctions by majority decision onmajor issues which, because of theircomplexity, require an increasing

amount of background knowledge.


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For example, environmental andethical issues cannot be the subjectof informed debate unless youngpeople possess a certain scientificawareness. At the moment, decisionsin this area are all too often based onsubjective and emotional criteria, themajority lacking the generalknowledge to make an informedchoice. Clearly this does not meanturning everyone into a scientificexpert, but enabling them to fulfil anenlightened role in making choiceswhich affect their environment and tounderstand in broad terms the socialimplications of debates between

experts. There is similarly a need tomake everyone capable of makingconsidered decisions as consumers.

The radical changes taking place inthe scientific and technologicallandscape, require individuals (even ifthey do not aspire to a career inresearch) increasingly to be able tograsp the meaning of things.Individuals must also learn to think

more in terms of systems and toposition themselves both as a userand as a citizen, as an individual andas a member of a group.

Literature and philosophy fulfil thesame function in respect to theindiscriminate bombardment ofinformation from the mass mediaand, in the near future, from thelarge informatics networks. They

arm the individual with powers ofdiscernment and a critical sense. Thiscan provide the best protectionagainst manipulation, enablingpeople to interpret and understandthe information they receive.

It is nevertheless worth stressing theeducational role the mass media canfulfil. Wide-audience TV channels,e.g. the BBC in the United Kingdom,

or more specialised channels e.g. LaCinquime in France, offereducational programmes, providingviewers with a substantial range oflearning material.

In conjunction with the publicauthorities, the mass media makes itpossible to reach attainment targetswhich could not be achieved bytraditional means. A very successfulexample of this is the BBC's recent"Read and write" campaign targetedat disadvantaged groups, parentsand children alike and designed tohelp stamp out illiteracy.

A broad knowledge base enablespeople to find their way in theinformation society, that is to say tobe able to interpret in a critical waythe images and information theyreceive from a variety of sources.

B. Comprehension and creativity

The ability to understand is thecapacity to analyze how things areassembled and taken apart. Onefunction of this White Paper is todraw attention to the crucial matter ofteaching to promote innovation.

In fact an excessive standardisationof knowledge prevails. It tends to givethe impression that everything has tobe taught in a strictly logical order

and that producing and identifyingquality is a question of mastering adeductive reasoning system basedon abstract concepts, in whichmathematics play a predominant role.In certain cases deductiveapproaches can thus make studentspassive and restrict the imagination.

Observation, common sense,curiosity, interest in the physical and


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social world around us and the desireto experiment are qualities which areoften neglected. Yet these are thequalities which will enable us to traininventors rather than meretechnology managers.

In yesterday's Europe, irrespective ofwhether it was rooted in rural life or inmanufacturing industry, learning wasnaturally directed primarily at theacquisition of abstract concepts toround off practical skills absorbedfrom day-to-day life outside school.The greater part of this practicalknowledge base has been modified

and has regressed in our urbanised,automated, media-dominated society.It needs to be brought back into abroader knowledge base as a way ofpreparing individuals to master thetechnical instruments they will have touse, so that they, rather than thetechnique, are in charge.

Developing these aptitudes meanspromoting an appreciation of how

society has been enriched byinvention and how such inventioncame about. Any action taken by theMember States to introduce thehistory of science and technology intoschools and to strengthen the linksbetween research and basiceducation should be encouraged.

C. Powers of judgement anddecision making

Powers of judgement and the abilityto choose are the two essential skillsfor understanding the world aroundus. They involve: criteria for makingchoices; remembering the lessons ofthe past; and an ability to assess thefuture.

The ability to choose is based onpersonal and social values, as well as

being able to rationalize the world inwhich we live.

Recalling and understanding the pastis essential in order to judge thepresent. Knowledge of history(including scientific and technologicalhistory) and geography has a dualfunction as a guide in time and spacewhich is essential to everyone if theyare to come to terms with their roots,develop a sense of belonging and tounderstand others. It is small wonderthat the hallmark of authoritarianregimes and dictatorships has beenthe undermining and falsifying of the

teaching of history. The penaltysociety pays for forgetting the pastis to lose a common heritage ofbearings and reference points. It isnot surprising that, not knowing thehistory of European civilisation, thatsuch expressions as, "being out inthe wilderness", "having a cross tobear", "Eureka!", "the judgment ofSolomon" or "the tower of Babel"have lost their meaning.

In the end, it is by presenting theworld not as a completedconstruction, but as something to beconstructed, that an instinct for thefuture will be cultivated.

School must not only allow forcritical faculties to be developed atall levels, among both pupils andteachers, it must also encourage it.Its open environment, cooperationrequirements and duty to prepareyoung people for employment mustnot be allowed to prevent it fromaccomplishing its main function,however, which is to guide the youngpeople in its care in their personaland social development. This WhitePaper contends that in tomorrow'ssociety these two demands will be


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even more compatible than atpresent.

III. A second response:developing everyone'semployability and capacityfor economic life

One of the central issues this WhitePaper seeks to answer, is how bestto use education and training tocommit European countries to aprocess of job creation, whilst takingcontrol of the internationalization ofthe economy and the arrival of new

technologies

Two questions follow: what are theskills required and how can they beacquired?

A. What are the skills required?

In today's world, knowledge in thebroad sense can be defined as anacquired body of fundamental and

technical knowledge, allied tosocial skills. It is the balance of thisknowledge acquired through theformal education system, in thefamily, on the job and through variousinformation networks, which make itthe broad and transferable body ofknowledge which is most favourableto employment.

Basic knowledge is the foundationon which individual employability isbuilt. This is par excellence thedomain of the formal education andtraining system. A good balance hasto be struck in basic educationbetween acquiring knowledge andmethodological skills which enable aperson to learn alone. It is thesewhich today need to be developed.

Over the past few years, Europeancountries have opted to re-centrebasic teaching on the "three Rs" -reading, writing and arithmetic - inorder to prevent school failure whichplays a major role in social exclusion.

An early start in education i.e. at thepre-school age is also becomingmore common. Pupils who receivepre-school education are seen tosucceed on average better duringtheir school careers than others.They take their studies further andseem to integrate more easily.

Language learning also needs to beencouraged. A project entitledEuroling is being carried out in thiscontext under the SOCRATESprogramme and has producedteaching material in three languages(Italian, Spanish, Dutch) for nurseryand primary schools. Early teachingof language, starting at nurseryschool, should become part of basicknowledge. The European

Commission believes that it isnecessary to make proficiency inat least two foreign languages atschool a priority, as is proposed inthe second part of this WhitePaper.

Technical knowledge is knowledgewhich permits clear identification withan occupation. It is acquired partlywithin the vocational education andtraining system and partly on the job.This knowledge has substantiallychanged with the advent ofinformation technology and thedemarcation lines betweenoccupations are breaking down.Within this framework of knowledge,certain "key skills" are central to anumber of different occupations andtherefore essential in order to be able

to change jobs. Basic training in


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information technology across theboard has therefore become anecessity.

However, acquiring technicalknowledge should not be restricted toleading-edge or newly-emergedsectors. There are long-established,but still efficient sectors of industry,with a genuine tradition ofcompetence totally in keeping withthe notion of work-shadowing andmentoring. This tradition is still a validsource of inspiration and producesworkers who have mastered all thedifferent facets of their craft and who

are able to pass them on to others.

Social aptitudes concern inter-personal skills, i.e. behaviour at workand a whole range of skillscorresponding to the level ofresponsibility held, such as the abilityto cooperate and work as part of ateam, creativeness and the quest forquality. Full mastery of these skillscan be acquired only in a working

environment and therefore mainly onthe job.

The employability of a person andtheir capacity to adapt are linked tothe way they are able to combinethese different types of knowledgeand build on them. In this context,individuals become the principalconstructor of their own abilities andcan combine the skills acquired

through the traditional institutionalroutes, with those acquiredthrough their occupationalexperience and those acquired byvirtue of their personal trainingeffort.

By diversifying education provision,building bridges between variouschannels, increasing pre-

occupational experience and by

opening up the potential for mobilityas widely as possible, people canbuild up and build on their level ofemployability and better control theircareer.

B. How can a person becomeemployable?

1. The traditional route: the paperqualification

People today opt for generaleducation or vocational trainingroutes leading to paper qualifications,remaining as long as possible within

the education system.

There is indeed a trend in all theMember States to lengthen the periodof study and strong social pressure tobroaden access to higher educationand thus raise the level achieved bythe greatest number. This alsoconcerns young people who haveopted for vocational courses andeven those who have had work

experience. This situation raisesproblems for the attractiveness ofvocational education, which in severalMember States is considered as a'second best' option offering limitedcareer prospects. Young peopletherefore tend to go for generaleducation at the risk of feelingoverqualified in their jobs.

This type of behaviour by young

people is rational because level ofstudy and the paper qualification stillprovide far and away the bestpassport to employment. However,from the social point of view thisraises problems. Young people whohave lower levels of qualification areforced into lower-qualified jobs thanthose to which they hoped to aspire.This "domino effect" also affectsthose with few or no paper


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qualifications and becomes a majorfactor of social exclusion. Over-qualification for jobs also hinderscareer progress.

In most European systems, paperqualifications are designed with aview to filtering out at the top theelite which will lead administrationand companies, researchers andteaching staff. In certain countries,they are even the quasi-absolutereference points for assessingcompetence, which makes it apowerful incentive to pursue long-term studies and to take one's

chance in very selective courses.Moreover, a worker's occupationalstatus is in many countries defined bythe diploma held. This link betweenpaper qualification and status,however logical it may be,accentuates the internal lack offlexibility of the labour market.

It could be considered that society"locks out" in this way much talent

which is frequently unconventionalbut innovatory and that it thereforeproduces an elite which is not trulyrepresentative of the available humanresource potential. This point of viewis borne out by a number of recentsurveys which show that over a longperiod the more elitist types oftraining are more often than not theprerogative of the upper managerialor intellectual strata.

This is not, of course, to say that thepaper qualification is not a valid route.The substantial efforts made by theMember States, and supported bythe Community through SOCRATESand LEONARDO to strengthen initialtraining must of course be pursued.But in parallel with this, we need tomake the best use of skills andabilities irrespective of how they were

obtained and to enhance everyone'spotential by catering more closely forthe needs of the individual, businessand industry. What is needed is amore open and flexible approach.Such an approach should alsoencourage lifelong learning byallowing for and encouraging acontinuing process of skill acquisition.

2. The modern route: integrationwithin a network whichcooperates, which educates,trains and learns

If people are to exercise their

responsibilities to a greater extent inshaping their skills and abilities theymust first be able to enter institutionaltraining systems more easily. Thisimplies familiarity with them, broaderaccess and better mobility betweenthe different courses.

There are two possible answers.Either the level of paper qualificationsis maintained, in which case the

number of young people having nopaper qualifications increases, or elsethe number of paper qualifications orthe number of young people holdingsuch qualifications has to beincreased, thus inevitably placingquestion marks around the quality ofthose qualifications.

These are questions which recur in allMember States, as does the question

of the high number of young peopleleaving education withoutqualifications and with a feeling ofpersonal failure, who areconsequently vulnerable on theemployment market through the totallack of any recognised skills.

This White Paper suggests a thirdway forward, which already existsin some Member States. This


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solution does not detract from thepaper qualification, but on thecontrary helps to maintain itsquality and is to recognise partialskills on the basis of a reliable

accreditation system. Thoserejected by the formal system ofeducation would be encouraged tocultivate the skills they have. Thisdoes not mean qualifications in thebroad sense but skills based onspecific fundamental or vocationalknow-how (knowledge of a language,a given level in maths, accounting,using a spreadsheet, wordprocessing, etc.). These partial skills

could also be possessed by adultswho have some expertise due to theirown self-teaching efforts (e.g.computer skills) and who could beencouraged to hone these skills.Accreditation of this kind could, ofcourse, lead to the recognition on abroader basis of the technicalknowledge acquired in a firm, whichis currently more often than notevaluated solely for the company's

use.

However, whether the knowledge andskills are acquired within a formalsystem of education or in a lessformal way, the individual still needsto be assisted. The most efficienteducation and training approachesare those which operate within anetwork. These networks may beinstitutional (education and training

establishments cooperating withfamilies or firms) or informal networksof knowledge which are rapidlyspringing up (adult educationestablishments, educationcooperatives, etc.).

a) Promoting access toeducation and training

Once the basics have been secured,two conditions would appear to benecessary if individuals are to be ableto exercise responsibility in buildingup their abilities:

- adequate information andguidance;

- access to training along withall the opportunities availablefor mobility.

i) Information and guidanceconstitute the first condition.

. For a young person seekingto find their way, for an adultundergoing vocational orcontinuing training, there is theproblem of an abundance ofprovision and its presentation. The

citizen of Europe has betterinformation when choosing a hotelor a restaurant then whenchoosing a type of training.

Being better informed means being ina position to survey training provision.This was stressed in the report of theAdvisory Group on Competitivenesswhich proposed the setting up of'knowledge resource centres' to actas an interface between the supply ofand demand for information ontraining.

It also implies an independentassessment of training, i.e. anassessment made outside theeducation system. This assessmentshould be simple, establish a rankingand make clear comparisons, making

it possible to establish the real


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contribution to employability made bytraining. It is also important toevaluate how training reduces thesegregation in the labour market byencouraging more women to entertraditionally male-dominatedoccupations. Such an assessmentprocess would remove the firstobstacle to guidance.

The second obstacle to guidance isthe problem of knowing howoccupations will develop and whatskills will be required. Asking thisquestion at the European level wouldmake it possible to have a

comparative outlook which is broaderand which could contribute to findinga solution.

The third obstacle lies in attitudes.Significant progress has been made,but social origins continue to mark,indeed condition, choices made byindividuals which can work againsttheir social advancement.

ii) The second condition is broadand open access servingindividual aptitudes andneeds.

. Fulfilling this condition impliesmobility between educationalestablishments. This mobility hasmarkedly increased in the MemberStates, a trend which is to be

encouraged.

Mobility has also increasedthroughout Europe and theCommunity has made a significantcontribution to this process,particularly through the ERASMUSprogramme. Yet mobility levelsremain unsatisfactory.

There are two main obstacles to theoccupational mobility of people, bethey workers - employees, teachers,researchers, unemployed people - orthose in training, particularly students.

First of all, there is the major issue ofsecuring genuine recognition ofknowledge within the EU. Mutualrecognition of diplomas isguaranteed for the regulatedprofessions and has beenconfirmed through Communitycase law. But recognition ofdiplomas still comes up againstrestrictions for other occupations.

The diploma signifies academicrecognition, but the componentparts which make up the diplomaare not recognised, except when itis encouraged by the Communitythrough cooperation betweenhigher education establishmentsand so through Communityfunding. An example is thecooperation between over 40translation/interpreting schools withinthe Tradutech network, which hassince 1986 provided mobility forteachers and students by applyingthe European Course Credit TransferSystem (ECTS) as part ofERASMUS.

Validation of occupationalachievements, outside the paperqualification, between one Member

State and another is even moredifficult to achieve.

Legal and administrative barriersare the second major obstacle totransnational mobility. Dependingon the situation and the MemberState concerned, these barriers stemfrom social protection provisions(particularly as regards pensionschemes), right of residence

(especially in the case of persons


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who are legally resident in a MemberState but are nationals of a non-EUcountry) and fiscal regulations (e.g.those applying to study grants orresearch bursaries). The fact thatnational higher education studygrants are not transferable from onecountry to another is an additionalbarrier to mobility.

The move towards the learningsociety means doing away withbarriers to the physical mobility ofpeople in Europe in an age when,due to the new communicationstechnologies, instant non-physical

mobility is a reality.

There must be access to training throughout life.

The conclusions of both the Essenand the Cannes European Councilsstressed the need to developcontinuing training, as have theauthorities in the Member States andthe social partners.

Yet there is no sign of much progressin recent years. On the contrary, thebite of the recession, the presence ofsurplus labour market and the arrivalof overqualified young persons on thesame labour market have donenothing to spur a training drive by thebusiness sector, particularly for thebenefit of the older and less-qualifiedemployees. Inequalities in access to

training between different types ofcompanies and groups of employeespersist. In particular, this works to thedisadvantage of workers in SMEsand under- or unqualified workers.This also affects women, eitherbecause they are under-representedin senior management positions andin technology-intensive sectors, orbecause of the employment status ofmany of them (for example part-time

workers). However, some progresshas been made, for example"IDEALS", a project supported underthe Community's 'Telematicsapplications' programme, has, inconjunction with SMEs and technicalteaching establishments, made itpossible to develop training for SMEs(data bases of course modulestailored to the requirements of thedifferent SMEs involved), at the placeof work or at local teaching centres.

The overall training effort remainstoo modest. The emergence of theinformation society and the resulting

changes in the content andorganisation of work neverthelessmake it urgent to improve workers'access to training. They also make itnecessary to enhance its content,which should not stop at mereadaptation to a new job.

All the opportunities offered bythe information society mustbe seized.

What is at stake must be seen fromthe point of view of both theeducation and the business sector.The facts are there. Competition fromthe USA is stiff generally inmultimedia and in multimedia foreducation in particular. Europe'sweakness does not lie in a lack ofcreativity. Far from it.But Europeaninventors and industrialists are

seriously hampered by the highdegree of fragmentation of themarket caused by the cultural andlinguistic diversity of Europe. It isconsequently difficult to make local,regional and national investmentcost-effective, hence the case forencouraging the preparation ofproducts which can be sold not onlyin Europe but throughout the world.


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Teachers must also be given theopportunity to adapt to newtechnologies and to theirconsequences. The penetration rateof educational multimedia at school isstill too slow. There are severalreasons for this. The quality of theproducts available today is not yetgood enough to prompt teachersto use multimedia techniques. Thedevelopment of multimediaeducational software which theEuropean Commission issupporting through the creation ofthe Task Force on educationalmultimedia software is, therefore,

particularly important. In addition,teaching staff do not always have theright type and the right amount ofhardware. Finally, teachers are not, inthe main, sufficiently well-versed inthe use of educational multimediatechniques.

The information society also raisesanother question. As stressed by theEU's Committee of the Regions in its

opinion (September 1995) on"Education and training in the face oftechnical and social challenge: firstthoughts" the question is how, "topromote equal access to educationfor men and women alike, and toensure that disadvantaged groups(rural communities, the elderly, ethnicminorities and immigrants) do notbecome second-class citizens asregards access to the new technologies and opportunities forlearning.".

The Commission believes thatthere remains too much inequalityin the access to training and to thelabour market and that thepossibilities offered by theinformation society must be fullyused to reduce them.

Information technology will certainlypermit substantial growth in all formsof distance teaching. This was a pointmade by the European Parliament inits July 1993 resolution on open anddistance learning, on the basis of thereport by Mrs D. Pack.

The achievements of the OpenUniversity, which has for many yearsdeveloped distance learning on asubstantial scale, should also bementioned in this context.

. Lastly, specific career accesspathways enabling marginal or

excluded sectors of the population tofind subsequently either training or awork-related activity still need to bedeveloped. This White Paperconsiders this to be a priority.There has been a substantial effort inthe Member States to set upspecialised routes and arrangementsfor bringing marginalized groups backinto the mainstream. The results,particularly in the problems of re-

integrating young people, suggestthat there is need for "secondchance" arrangements, for whichthe European Union could providesome support, as proposed in thesecond part of this White Paper.

b) Recognition of acquiredskills

In the learning society individualsmust be able to have their basic,technical and occupational skillsvalidated, how they were acquired.There are already instances of this:the driving licence, English (TEFL)and maths (Kangaroo test). Apersonal skills card providing a recordof skills and knowledge accredited inthis way should be available to allthose who want one.


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This could be applied to certainfundamental areas of knowledgewhich can be easily broken down intodifferent levels (languages, maths,management, informatics, law,economics, etc.). It could also beapplied to technical areas ofknowledge which are assessed incompanies (accounting, financing,exporting, etc.) and even tooccupational areas which cut acrossa number of different disciplines(sense of order, certain areas ofdecision-making, etc.). In this way, forinstance, someone with no paperqualifications can approach a

prospective employer, show that theyhave accredited drafting, language,word processing and spreadsheetskills, and thus attract interest in therange of skills they have put together,even though they do not have thepiece of paper giving them the statusof a qualified secretary. There areother examples, such asmanagement and computing.

A number of skill accreditation andassessment systems developed fortheir own purposes by companies inEurope, could also be adopted forgeneral use subject to validation byexperts.

An accreditation system of this kind,on a voluntary basis, widely availablein Europe and involving universities,chambers of commerce and specific

business sectors, would complementthe formal qualifications systems andwould in no way be a replacement.

The introduction of new methodsof validating skills, as proposed inthe second part of this WhitePaper, would be a step towardsthe learning society.

c) Positioning the individualwithin a supportingcooperative network

While reliance on a single institutionto build up employability is anincreasingly unsatisfactory option,people cannot be left to fend forthemselves either. The indicationsare that it is by being positioned in co-operative a network that people willbe best served in educational terms.

i) Cooperation between

institutions and othersconcerned.

Adapting and improvingeducation and training systems hasto be strengthened throughpartnerships: no single institution,school or company can claim to beable to develop the skills needed forachieving employability.

In early childhood, it is cooperationbetween school and family whichbest secures the acquisition of basicknowledge. Special attention must bedevoted in this connection to the roleof the family, particularly in thedisadvantaged areas. Families mustbe closely associated in the operationof "second chance" institutions andbe provided with supportprogrammes.

At a later stage, this cooperationtakes place between educationinstitutions and enterprises. In manyMember States on-and-off-the-jobtraining is being developed,particularly apprenticeship, which isstill the most effective form of thiscooperation. Apprenticeship shouldbe encouraged at European level andapprenticeship pathways made


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possible between the Member States.In the second part of this WhitePaper it is accordingly proposed todevelopapprenticeship/traineeship at

European level.

Generally speaking, it is to be hopedthat partnerships between companiesand education establishments can beestablished.

Cooperation of this type is catchingon, particularly through thecontribution of Community action inthe COMETT programme. Mention

can be made of ECATA (EuropeanConsortium for Advanced Training inAeronautics), a transnational projectbringing together seven universitiesfrom several countries and elevenEuropean manufacturers within apartnership to train young engineers,with the training being certified by adiploma. There is also Biomerit,involving some thirty-three partners -universities, firms, particularly SMEs -

from seven European Unioncountries.

The challenge of cooperationbetween education establishmentsand enterprises is to acceptenterprises as full partners in thetraining process. It is no longerpossible to consider the company'srole as solely that of recruiter oftrained individuals or supplier of extra

training. The enterprise is a majorgenerator of knowledge and newknow-how.

It should be noted that trends intraining processes (particularly in thetransversal areas: environment,health, consumption) is increasinglyaccompanied and sustained by avery broad partnership involving, forinstance, local authorities, consumer

associations and specialised bodies(tourism, energy, environment).

ii) A network which is teaching-oriented and is itself a learningsystem.

. As stressed by Carnoy andCastells (in "Sustainable flexibility: aprospective study on work, family andsociety in the information age" of theSchool of Education, University ofStanford, Berkeley University, April1995), this condition applies tocooperation within organisations,

cooperation between networks oforganisations and cooperation atlocal level.

Internal training networks

In an enterprise it is acknowledgedthat working as a member of a teamwhich has been given responsibility,makes it possible to improve thequality of production. Quality circles,

job enrichment, plans bringingtogether workers, production andmarketing managers, have allenabled working groups to learn andto teach, bringing benefits toeveryone. On the basis ofoccupational experience, suchcooperation has made it possible totransform automatic know-how into acapacity for autonomy, i.e. into agenuine form of knowledge.

This is becoming more widespreadeven outside quality circles. Oneexample, concerns a leadingEuropean car manufacturer's plant inwhich a problem of blistering on carroofs was solved by having theworkers themselves do the statisticalsurveys, monitoring and analysis ofthe problem (FORCE programme).


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This cooperation is beginning tobring about a radical change in thenature of vocational training inenterprises, which is increasinglytaking place on the basis of a

training plan which the workersthemselves and theirrepresentatives have beeninvolved in preparing. In the mostprogressive and most efficientcompanies, this training is organisedless and less around the acquisitionof skills for a specific task or even aclearly-defined job. Such specifictype of training is now more generallyused to complete the training of

young people entering the companystraight from school or university.

Teaching methods in teachingestablishments should also move inthe direction of learning how tocooperate.

There have already been somenotable achievements. For instance,the 'European School Project'

initiated by the Centre for Technicaland Collaborative Innovation at theUniversity of Amsterdam, involves400 schools. It uses the "teletrip"principle, an educational projectdesigned by teaching staff workingtogether and covering informationresearch, the exchange of results andproblem solving. Several hundred

"teletrips" have taken place in anumber of different languages,involving thousands of students.

External cooperation networks

Throughout Europe, there is a movetowards local cooperation (in scienceand technology parks, urban multi-site technology zones, etc.), basedon the exchange of information andtraining between research institutes,

companies and teaching

establishments. In involving all thekey interests, particularly nationaland local authorities, such localnetworks represent another factorpromoting individual employability.

Similarly, the networks linkingindividuals and collective bodiesinvolved in local development,particularly those active in communitylife, often enable jobs to be found,which, although they are of lowadded value, help to prevent theproblem of exclusion. In general,these networks aim not only to findconstructive employment for young

people and others excluded from thelabour market, but to teach them tocommunicate, to do something usefuland to change their socialenvironment. Their motives arealtruistic, generally unrelated to paidemployment but give them anopportunity to acquire the key skills inthe learning society.

Regional and local cooperation is

therefore of prime importance inenhancing employability. Itenables the creation of jobs withhigh added value to be combinedwith the development of policies tohelp marginalised groups tointegrate. It is also one of the mainways of generalising vocationaltraining and strengtheningcohesion in the European Union.

Local knowledge exchange networksare spreading across Europe, inFrance, Germany, Austria, Belgium,Spain, Switzerland, enabling peopleto share skills and train themselvesby 'exchanging knowledge', everyonetaking their turn to be first teacher,then pupil. There is a wide variety ofareas which are conducive toexchange, ranging from informatics to

languages and even chess games.


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Significantly, these networks are ingeneral involved in eliminatingilliteracy and providing support forschool work. This has served as theplatform for the development of aninformatics-based method formanaging skills, designed to developgroup training. This method iscurrently being tried out by severalenterprises.

IV. Directions for the future

The crucial problem of employment ina permanently changing economy

compels the education and trainingsystem to change. The design ofappropriate education and trainingstrategies to address work andemployment issues is, therefore, acentral preoccupation.

Everyone is convinced of the need forchange, the proof being the demiseof the major ideological disputes onthe objectives of education.

The central question now is how tomove towards greater flexibility ineducation and training systems,taking take account of the diversity ofpeople's demands. Debate within theUnion must now focus on this priorityissue.

The diversity of current educationalpractice within the Member States

shows that responses to thisquestion are already emerging.

Major developments in the adaptationof education and training are takingplace in the following three mainareas: greater autonomy for thoseinvolved in training; awareness of theneed to evaluate the effectiveness ofeducation; and the realization that

disadvantaged groups need specialattention.

A. The end of debate on educational principles

Heated debates concerning theorganization of education and trainingsystems - including debates oncontent and training methods - havetaken place over the last few years.

Most of these debates now appear tohave come to an end.

A broad knowledge base andtraining for employment are nolonger two contradictory orseparate things. There isincreasing recognition for theimportance of generalknowledge in using vocationalskills.

Bridges are being built

between school and thebusiness sector. These showthat the ideological andcultural barriers whichseparated education andenterprise are breaking down,benefiting both. In line with thetraditions in the MemberStates, this cooperation isreflected in initial andcontinuing training.

The principle of equal rights ineducation is being appliedincreasingly in the context ofequality of opportunity,including positivediscrimination in favour ofthose at a disadvantage inorder to prevent under-achievement at school.


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The dawning of theinformation society, whichinitially caused misgivingswithin the teaching profession,has now revealed newdemand for education andtraining and has started torenew teaching approaches,while facilitating thedevelopment of contacts andlinks between teachers andinstitutions on a Europeanscale.

B. The central question:towards greater flexibility

The current structure of educationand training institution must changeto meet the needs of different groups.

These institutions remain too rigid toeducate and train citizens or workersfor permanent employment. Eventhough some institutions or teachersare experimenting with newapproaches, they remain too isolated.

There needs to be a commitment togreater flexibility to meet greater andmore diverse demands.

How can this be achieved? An urgentdebate on this issue is needed basedon some key questions.

How can the development ofschooling and access to

higher education for morepeople, be reconciled withmaintaining quality ineducation?

How can the purposes ofeducation be adapted to thediversity of demands, whilsttheir remains some reluctancein education to differentiatebetween its clientele?

How can the status ofteachers and trainers bemaintained and improvedwhilst motivating them to meetthe manifold needs of thelearning society?

How can teachers and trainersbe prepared for thedevelopment of the purposesof education and theconsequent transformation ofteaching methods and tools?

How can the conditions for life-

long learning be created,namely, the on-going accessto the renewing of skills andthe acquisition of newknowledge?

C. Action in the Member States

Significant developments are takingplace throughout Europe. Alleducation systems are seeking to

improve quality, to develop trainingprovision, to provide life-longlearning, and to improve the use offinancial resources.

1. The search for quality

In initial education, the focus isshifting back to acquiring andmastering basic skills, particularly the"three Rs" - reading, writing and

arithmetic. There is also a generalmovement towards advancedlearning of foreign languages.Member States are also seeking tofamiliarise young people with newinformation technologies.

Teachers and trainers are developingnew innovative approaches bothinside and outside the institutionaleducation system. At school, this


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involves various methods e.g Decroly(Belgium), Steiner (Germany),Montessori (Italy), and Freinet(France). Innovatory methods arealso emerging for adult education,e.g. the adult education schools or'Outward Bound' courses asdeveloped in the United Kingdom,offering exercises and approacheswhich transform the content oftraditional continuing training byseeking to adapt behavioural patternsrather than abstract knowledge.

All these experiments show teachersand trainers possess genuine

creativeness waiting to express itself.Teachers and trainers in the field areusually ahead of the educationsystems and it is among their ranksthat the pioneers of the learningsociety are to be found.

At higher education levels, trendstowards longer studies and wideraccess for a greater number, areclear signs of an overall increase in

the quality of human capital.However, all higher educationsystems face the problem of tacklingthis sudden numerical increase,while maintaining the quality of theirqualifications.

2. The search for new types ofqualifications

All Member States consider the links

between education and training asbeing of key significance. SomeMember States are seeking toprovide for the acquisition of basicskills within the education systemplacing an emphasis ontrainee/apprenticeship schemes.Some have opted for twinningarrangements between schools andbusinesses. The main concern beingboth to place young people in a "work

situation" while maintaining thequality of teaching. Other MemberStates prefer to delay the initialvocational training phase.

The involvement of businesses andthe social partners in organisinginitial training and young people'stransition to working life appears tobe an established trend, notably inthe form of on-and-off-the-jobtraining (for instance in the "dual"system).

Some Member States are trying todevelop "re-integration" or

"guaranteed training" structures,which aim is to provide young job-market entrants lacking qualificationswith another opportunity to acquireindispensable vocational and basicskills.

Several Member States are debatingthe processes of certification,validation and recognition of skillsacquired, in particular those obtained

in a work situation, as traditionalprocesses are often too formal andrigid.

3. The development ofcontinuing training

The concept of key skills isspreading throughout training.Occupations and qualifications arebecoming more flexible. All MemberStates believe that the separationbetween education and vocationaltraining is becoming less and lessclear.

The widespread growth of socialexclusion and the mid-termdemographic outlook, have promptedmost Member States develop theiradult education, particularly at local

level.


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In several Member States, trainingarrangements are emerging on thebasis of a joint approach between thesocial partners, involving discussion,negotiation and even management oftraining issues. In view of the sharedinterests in, for instance, on-and-off-the-job training and arrangementscombining working time and training,the collective agreement approach atdifferent levels is becoming morenoticeable in a number of MemberStates.

4. New methods of funding and

evaluation

Some Member States are trying outnew methods for fundingeducation and training. Theserange from educational vouchers toco-funding of continuing training,where those involved themselvesbear some of the cost (through taxallowances, subsidised loans or theintroduction of a "training fund").

The search for new forms of fundingfor education and training isset in a context where, eventhough they occupy a majorposition in public spending,there has been a certainretrenchment over the pastfew years.

The debate now in progress inMember States on the public funds

and resources to be devoted toeducation and training is beingaccompanied by an increaseddesire for greater transparency ofthe systems and, above all, forevaluation of the costeffectiveness of public expenditurein this field. The problem is to obtainreliable reference benchmarksand,above all, data on private funding

(households, companies, etc.). At a

time when the discussion on transfersof funds is picking up speed in allMember States, those in positions ofresponsibility are showing increasinginterest in improving cost-benefitappraisal methods.

D. New Developments

In the light of these changes andexperiences, new developments canbe seen clearly to be going in threemain directions.

The first concerns the increase inautonomy for those involved in

education and training.

It is by giving greater autonomy tothose responsible for education anda clear understanding of its purposethat education and training systemscan adapt better to meet modernneeds.

There is the question of whether togive greater autonomy to schools.

Experience has shown that the mostdecentralised systems are also themost flexible, the quickest to adaptand hence have the greatestpropensity to develop new forms ofsocial partnership.

In the field of continuing training, thisnecessary autonomy must be part ofthe process of negotiation betweenthe social partners at various levels

(company, sectoral, regional, inter-sectoral), the essential aim being toensure that all workers, particularlyemployees in the SMEs, have accessto training.

The second new development isevaluation, which is needed to justifythe essential increase in funding.


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Evaluation is equally relevant inascertaining how effectivelyeducation and training cater for theneeds of target groups as well as inthe search for ways of improvingachievement at school, integrationinto working life and vocationalretraining. Education can also help totailor more effectively both initial andcontinuing vocational training to therequirements of the employmentmarket, characterised as it is atpresent by a high rate ofunemployment and a shortage oflabour in certain sectors and certaintrades.

Evaluation can enable continuingtraining to be considered as aninvestmentmade by enterprises andby workers. In addition, moneyspent on in-company retraining orapprenticeship, for example,constitutes an asset for thecompany alongside its other fixedassets e.g. research equipment.Such investment should therefore

be treated in the same way for taxpurposeswithout prejudicing the freemovement of workers. This isproposed in the second part of thisWhite Paper.

Evaluation can also help topublicise and disseminateexperience and best practice,which is why in the second part ofthis White Paper setting up anobservation system to monitorinnovatory vocational trainingpractices is proposed.

Finally, the third new developmentconcerns the attention being given todisadvantaged groups.

It is becoming increasingly clear thatthose not integrated into society

should receive special attention, so

as to give them basic skills, andcultivate fundamental values. As theEuropean Parliament stressed in itsinitial resolution of March 1993,based on Mrs Dhrkop-Dhrkop'sreport on the schooling of immigrantchildren, school plays a vital role insocial integration.

Positive discrimination in favour ofthose at a social disadvantage isessential, particularly in theproblem suburbs and inner-cityareas. Otherwise, the risk is that thesocial rift widens even further. Theseareas must benefit from increasing

public aid and the concentration ofinstitutional means to implementpolicies based on local administrationand the social fabric, in particular

local associations. They should begiven the most highly qualifiedteachers - not inexperienced ortemporary staff - using newinformation technology. Support atschool must be strengthened in closeconjunction with families.

** *

Moving towards the learning societyis a twofold challenge.

The first challenge is economic. TheEU, as the world's leading exporter,has quite logically opted to open upto the international economy. This

means it has to continuallystrengthen its economiccompetitiveness as the route toachieving the "...sustainable and non-inflationary growth respecting theenvironment..." and the "high level ofemployment and of social protection..." set out in Art. 2 of theTreaty establishing the EuropeanCommunity.


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As stressed in the Commission'sWhite Paper "Growth,competitiveness and employment" itshuman resources constitute the EU'smain economic asset. More recently,the Commission Communication "Anindustrial competitiveness policy forthe European Union" clearly set outthe terms of the issues at stake: "TheEuropean Union's greatest asset forboosting its industrial competitivenessis its capacity to generate and useknowledge, with the aid of the greatpotential of its labour force and thesocial consensus laying thefoundation for harnessing it."

Europe must invest in education toraise the general level of skills ofemployees and the workingpopulation, through basic educationand by fostering the acquisition ofnew knowledge throughout life. Thisintangible investment must make itpossible to meet the challenge posedby developments in the labour marketi.e. the mismatch between

qualifications sought andqualifications available, demographicchange, the growth of service sectoractivities and changes in theorganisation and content of work.

All this is accompanied on the socialfront by an urgent need to avert arift in society. Social exclusion hasbecome widespread in Europe inrecent years and there is no need to

dwell on the consequences of thissituation.

Clearly, a special effort has to bemade for the most vulnerablesections of the population, particularlyin the urban areas hardest hit byunemployment. This effort dependson initial and continuing training, aswell as measures to give young

people leaving school with noqualifications a second chance.

Naturally, everything starts at school,which is where the learning societyhas its roots. If this White Paper hasplaced so much emphasis on the roleof individuals as the main protagonistin that society, through his self-reliance and the thirst for knowledgewhich will enable them to take chargeof their own future, it is only tohighlight the role of school in thisprocess. School has to adapt, butnevertheless remains theirreplaceable instrument of

everyone's personal developmentand social integration. Much is askedof it because it has such so much tooffer.


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PART TWO: BUILDING THE LEARNING SOCIETY

Action guideline proposals

The learning society will not come about overnight. It cannot come about bydeclaration. It has to emerge from an ongoing process. This White Paper does notpurport to present a package of measures. The Commission neither has norproposes any miracle solution. The White Paper merely offers a basis for thoroughconsideration and outlines some courses of action.

The scale of the changes in progress nonetheless requires an all-round effort ifEurope wishes to make the urgent need to invest more and more efficiently inknowledge something more than a mere slogan.

What is now needed is a different approach for three reasons:

- giving priority to quality in education and training has become vital to theEU's competitiveness and to the preservation of its social model; indeedEurope's very identity over the next millennium depends on this;

- the demand for education and training is continually increasing; on thesupply side, the emergence of the information society is providing a newpotential;

- social exclusion has reached such intolerable proportions that the riftbetween those who have knowledge and those who do not, has to benarrowed.

Efforts are being made in all Member States to improve the general level of skills,starting with an effort to give back to school its crucial role in society and tostrengthen its role in providing equality of opportunity, in particular betweenwomen and men. The European Union has done its utmost within its limitedbudgetary and legal framework. No one can question the success of programmeslike ERASMUS, COMETT and LINGUA which have served hundreds of thousandsof Europeans well and which have helped to bring about a radical change ofattitude, particularly among the young, for whom Europe has become a reality.

The guiding principles for these programmes when they were launched in the

1980s have been carried through to the LEONARDO and SOCRATESprogrammes. In addition, the reforms to the Structural Funds - particularlyObjective 4 - has made it possible to develop Community initiatives in the form ofspecific programmes such as EMPLOYMENT and ADAPT, which have boostededucation and training efforts. In addition, the 4th framework research programmefor the first time makes financial provision for research into education and training.

The point is not to make a clean sweep of local, national and Europeanachievement, and still less to advocate reform of the education systems, but ratherinstead to attempt to put those involved - trainers, companies, public authorities -


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on the same wavelength as regards new courses of action which could quickly beturned into practical measures.

It is for this reason that this White Paper will to launch in 1996, the EuropeanYear of Lifelong Learning, a debate which, in pursuing common objectives, willconform to the principle of subsidiarity and make it easier to distinguish between:

- action to be carried out at local and national level;

- action to be carried out at European level;

- cooperation and support between the EU and its Member States.

The Commission intends to present the conclusions of this debate and willpropose guidelines for further action.

Based on these respective competencies, the principle of subsidiarity is anessential part of this forthcoming debate for the following reasons:

* Firstly, the authors of the Treaty state explicitly in Articles 126 and 127 thatCommunity action in education and training is to complement and supportaction taken at national level, as responsibility for the content andorganisation of their education and vocational training systems rests withMember States.

* Secondly, the principle of subsidiarity whereby decisions should be taken atthe most appropriate level must be a major feature of any action taken in

education and training and is a major principle of the Treaty.

* More generally, this principle is particularly appropriate, as the highestpolitical level, thus the furthest away from the area of application, shouldonly act when individuals, families, and political authorities at all other levelscannot. As is shown in the analysis carried out in the first part of this WhitePaper, the move to the learning society must be centred on the individual.The Commission is, moreover, fully aware that in several Member Statesresponsibility for action lies with the r

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