Delivering lifelong learning for knowledge, creativity and innovation - implementation of the "Education & Training 2010 work programme"

2008/2102(INI) 21/05/2008

The Council adopted a series of conclusions on the topic of lifelong learning.

Overall, the Council welcomes the October 2006 Commission communication ‘It is never too late to learn’ and the September 2007 Commission Action Plan ‘It is always a good time to learn’, both of which highlight the importance of adult learning as a key component of lifelong learning. In this context, the Council calls on Member States to remove barriers to participation and to increase overall quality and efficiency in adult learning. They also recognise the key role which adult learning can play in meeting the goals of the Lisbon Strategy.

To further improve this awareness, the Council considers it necessary to:

raise the skills levels of a still significant number of low-skilled workers, with a view to enabling all citizens to adapt to technological change;
address the problem of the persistently high number of early school leavers by offering a second chance to those who enter adult age without a qualification;
combat social exclusion due to circumstances such as low levels of initial education, unemployment and rural isolation;
ensure the efficiency, effectiveness and quality of adult learning.

Adult learning should also be given stronger emphasis and more effective support at national level, including through the following measures:

concentrating not only on increased learning opportunities but also ensuring broader access to and greater participation in adult learning;
ensuring complementarity and coherence between the follow-up given to any such measures and implementation of the Bologna and Copenhagen processes, insofar as these relate to adult learners;
using existing research structures for the needs of adult education;
intensifying cooperation with the international organisations and relevant non-governmental bodies working in this field, including outside of the EU.

The Council then proposes a series of specific measures for the period 2008-2010, varied according to the responsibility for implementation.

As for the Commission, with the cooperation of the Member States: it is proposed to:

analyse reforms in education and training at national level, especially the development of national qualifications systems in relation to the European Qualifications Framework and credit transfer systems relating to both formal, non-formal and informal learning, with a view to improving adult access to qualifications systems;
analyse the impact of national education and training reforms in terms of the distribution of funding resources across the various age groups;
support the development of career opportunities, conditions and resources - based on existing good practice in the Member States - for those working in the field of adult learning, in order to enhance the visibility and status of the profession;
carry out further research on the development of quality criteria for adult learning providers;
draw up a common inventory of good practice and projects aimed at motivating those groups which are particularly hard to reach, identifying key factors for their reintegration into the labour market and society, and enhancing their self-esteem;
identify good practice in the assessment of learning outcomes, particularly those of low-skilled and older workers and of migrants;
produce a glossary of agreed definitions used in adult learning and establish a set of European level comparable core data;
support measures to strengthen the place of adult learning within the context of national lifelong learning strategies;
support campaigns aimed at raising awareness and motivation among potential learners and thereby increasing overall participation in adult learning.

In terms of the responsibility of the Member States, with the support of the commission, it is proposed to:

support the exchange of good practice, mutual learning and the development of joint projects in the adult education field;
closely cooperate in identifying and removing barriers to adult learning, and in establishing demand-driven, high quality provision and facilities for the adult learning field;
encourage both higher education and vocational education institutions to reach out more to adult learners, as well as develop partnerships with the business community;
work towards the objective of facilitating access to and increasing participation in adult learning by all citizens, in particular those who leave initial education and training early and would like a ‘second chance’;
ensure effective and efficient use of the Lifelong Learning Programme, the European Structural Funds and other similar sources of funding, in order to improve the delivery of learning opportunities for adults;
promote the development and use of lifelong guidance systems which can provide adults with independent information and advice, individual skills analysis and personalised careers guidance;
consider the contribution of adult learning to social cohesion and economic development;
facilitate the development of methodologies and tools needed to assess key skills and competencies - including those acquired mainly outside the formal learning system - and have them validated and defined in terms of learning outcomes;
endeavour to ensure an adequate share for adult learning when allocating financial resources across the various educational sectors;
promote the active involvement of the social partners and other stakeholders, including NGOs, in securing high quality learning provision tailored to the needs of the various categories of learners. Special emphasis should be placed on ICT learning approaches and the development of ICT skills;
reinforce cooperation with the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) and the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning.

Based on the results obtained after implementation of these measures, consider further possible action beyond 2010 in accordance with the follow up to the ‘Education and Training 2010" work programme.’