Lifelong Learning Measures Promoting Sustainable Pensions ...
Lifelong Learning Measures taken from Sample EU Member States and Other Countries
Table of Contents
01. Introduction 1
02. Definition of Lifelong Learning 2
02.1 Lifelong Learning and the Pensions System 2
02.2 Limitations of this analysis 3
03. Malta’s Initiatives in Lifelong Learning 4
04. Sample EU Member States’ Initiatives in Lifelong Learning 13
04.1 United Kingdom 13
04.2 France 14
04.3 Czech Republic 17
04.4 Slovenia 20
04.5 Germany 22
04.6 Luxembourg 23
04.7 Austria 24
04.8 Denmark 26
04.9 Estonia 29
04.10 Finland 31
05. Lifelong Learning Measures in use by Countries outside the European Union 34
05.1 Japan 34
05.2 Australia 35
06. Lifelong Learning references in EU Countries Pension Strategy Reports 2005 40
06.1 Hungary 40
06.2 Ireland 40
06.3 Republic Of Cyprus 40
06.4 Austria 40
06.5 Belgium 41
06.6 Lithuania 41
06.7 Slovenia 42
06.8 Germany 42
06.9 Greece 43
07. List of Recommendations 44
08. References 46
01. Introduction
This document aims at reviewing the Life-long Learning (LLL) initiatives with respect to Malta’s pensions reform programme (2006), highlighting the effort which a select number of local government entities are applying on the subject.
Furthermore, the current lifelong learning initiatives of a number of EU member states and non-EU countries in relation to their respective pension systems have also reviewed.
This document is intended to portray what policy instruments EU member states adopt to support their pensions’ systems. In this regard, lifelong learning is seen as a leverage tool to ensure the respective pensions system is adequate. This is targeted at helping Malta identify areas of improvement in the current and proposed measures of the pensions reform.
The recommendations put forward in this paper have attempted to support the argument by considering financial, social and economic parameters, ultimately to introduce methods of enhancing economic growth, employment and social cohesion through a more qualified workforce.
02. Definition of Lifelong Learning
Lifelong learning has been defined as:
‘All learning activity undertaken throughout life, with the aim of improving knowledge, skills and competencies within a personal, civic, social and/or employment-related perspective.’
The definition is broad and inclusive, with lifelong learning going well beyond formal credentials to embrace active citizenship, personal fulfilment and social inclusiveness, as well as basic skills learning and the cultivation of lifelong learning.
02.1 Lifelong Learning and the Pensions System
Extracts from speech by Joaquín Almunia[1], highlight the difficulties and importance of sustainable pensions systems, indicating the importance of lifelong learning as a key contributor to ensuring the targets of the Lisbon Agenda (2000):
“While globalisation is happening at an extraordinary speed, ageing is a slow trend, with no deep impact from one year to another, but in the long term it can drastically alter the solidarity between generations, and in particular the ratio between active and non-active people on which our social model is built.
According to the latest Eurostat’s estimates, the old-age dependency ratio is projected to double in the EU from 24% today to almost 50% in 2050. This would imply increased expenditure on pensions and health care and a reduction of labour supply that would limit seriously the potential for economic growth.
In order to avoid such a negative scenario, action is urgently needed in three directions.
1. To get more people to work, starting with the 19 million unemployed in Europe. Active labour market policies are essential to this end. On the other hand, employment rate in the EU is well below the one in the US and in Asian countries. If, like stated in the Lisbon Strategy, we raise the employment rate in particular for women and young people, we will partially offset the huge number of persons retiring from the labour market in the forthcoming years.
2. By raising productivity growth in Europe we will be able to produce a higher output with the same labour force, or even with less people employed. To this end, we ought to ensure that our best resource, the human resource, is well prepared and skilled. That means a higher investment in education and in life-long learning. A more intensive use of technology will also move up productivity.
3. We have to adapt social systems to the financial challenge of ageing, starting by ensuring sound public finances and lowering the level of public debt in those countries where the situation today shows some concerns from the sustainability point of view. This is an issue that we have seriously taken into account in the reform of the Stability and Growth Pact. We recognise that structural reforms of pension systems can have a short term negative impact on public finances and, if it is the case, it should be considered in the assessment of a Member State fulfilment of the rules of the budgetary discipline.”
02.2 Limitations of this analysis
In a sense, analysing Life-long Learning LLL measures within the parameters of a Pension Reform Programme has been somewhat a contentious task. Most information relating to LLL is not related to pension reforms but seen in the totality of an educational method of enhancing the workforce throughout one’s working life. Little documentation was found discussing directly Pension measures relating with LLL. To this effect, the Authors attempted to consider LLL in depth and in breadth.
Due to time constraints, it was not possible to assess the efforts being made by all EU and non-EU countries. The sample of EU countries reviewed includes pre–accession former member states as well as EU25 states. The assessment was compared to LLL initiatives in Australia and Japan – both countries have integrated lifelong learning within their culture.
Directly linking LLL to the National Pensions Strategy seems to be a new concept, (at least in Europe). Thus most EU member state national reports (on pensions) merely highlight the subject of LLL.
Another limitation of this analysis is the unavailability of the Malta Lifelong Learning Policy at the time of writing of this document. All the information regarding lifelong learning initiatives in Malta was obtained from:
- Meetings held with government officials from various areas responsible for education, employment and social security.
- Information obtained from documentation forwarded to the Authors by the respective officials or their representatives.
- Information obtained from the Internet.
Time constraints did not allow for cross checking the accuracy of the information obtained from official websites. Further studies on the subject should consider investigating the respective references to re-affirm authenticityas.
03. Malta’s Initiatives in Lifelong Learning
New jobs often require higher qualifications. This imposes demands on the competence of individuals and their capacity for lifelong learning. The foundations for this are established in the preschool and the school. In an ideal state, no individual should leave secondary school (or the relative educational curriculum) with incomplete basic knowledge. It is expensive both in terms of human and financial resources to remedy such shortcomings at a later stage of an individual’s life. The secondary school system must provide a base that is sufficiently effective and broad to stimulate the labour market and prevent educational dead-ends.
Adults should have the opportunity to acquire new knowledge and supplement deficiencies in their earlier education in order to increase their areas of competence. Independent citizens with good self-confidence help to create a flexible labour market and good development opportunities for individuals, companies and society. An investment in education at all levels reduces the risk of exclusion from the labour market and helps to counteract widening gaps in society.
Initiatives in the Public Sector
National
- The Department of Further Studies and Adult Education consists of two units[2]:
(1) the Vocational Education and Programme Development Unit which provides post-secondary courses in subjects such as, Animal Husbandry, Hair Dressing and Beauty Therapy and Health care; and
(2) the Lifelong Education Unit which provides educational, vocational and cultural evening courses for adults of all ages and from all walks of life.
- In the University of Malta[3] there are two initiatives directly related to the non-formal process of learning. Firstly, available for all university students, with the exception of First Years and Post-graduate candidates, an Extracurricular Credits System is in place. Under this system, students have the opportunity to engage in an activity / project which helps them manoeuvre outside of purely academic limits. On completion of the activity / project, the individual student is assessed both by his/her particular activity supervisor and by the Extracurricular Credits Board. The mark obtained will be weighted as 0.5% of the final global mark that is considered for degree classification purposes. Secondly, as part-fulfilment of the course requirements, participants at the Youth Studies Programme at the University of Malta, coordinated by Dr Anthony Azzopardi are required to undergo 300 hours of Fieldwork placement. As prospective youth and community workers who are considered as the major providers of non-formal learning, the Placement is formally recognised, validated and accredited by the University[4]
- The National Minimum Curriculum envisages the development of a number of schools into Community Learning Centres. These centres are meant to cater for the education of adult members of the community and, as such, they can be seen as an extension of the Government’s Adult Education Programme. Specific objectives have been proposed the foremost amongst which would be “to ensure that non-formal education is given its due consideration and is accorded the place it deserves in the national educational and cultural agenda”[5] . This is one of the few written declarations whereby the status of non-formal education is being specified in terms of recognition. In the build-up to this strategy, the Ministry, in conjunction with the Faculty of Education of the University of Malta, has organised a Certificate of Attendance Course for prospective coordinators of the Learning Centres. The participants were chosen from among members of the teaching staff in primary and secondary schools.
- The Employment and Training Corporation[6] was established in 1990 under the Employment and Training Services Act. It was set up as a corporate body with a distinct legal personality, to provide and maintain a national public employment service. In essence, this means assisting people in finding suitable employment and assisting employers to find suitable employees. It was also given the mandate to provide training courses to promote employability, and to gather the information required to establish labour market requirements in Malta.
The Organisation is based on the twin European values of solidarity and subsidiary. Its mission is “to provide and ensure equitable access to training programmes and employment opportunities and to contribute towards the social and economic development of the community” Training services, Placement schemes, Apprenticeship schemes and specialist and individualised attention to disadvantaged groups are the main services that the Corporation offers[7]
Sub-National
- The Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology[8], was set up in 2001 with the aim of providing “universally accessible vocational and professional education and training with an international dimension, responsive to the needs of the individual and the economy”[9]. The College provides a variety of courses of vocational educational training in, among others, Agribusiness, Art and Design, Building and Construction Engineering, Business and Commerce, Community Services, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Information and Communication Technology, Mechanical Engineering, and a Maritime Institute. The College is a major provider of the off-the-job educational training element of apprenticeship schemes. It works closely with the Employment and Training Corporation in ensuring these schemes meet the needs of local employees.
- The Institute of Tourism Studies[10], set up in 1987, provides vocational education within the tourism industry on the Maltese islands. The accelerated growth in tourism increased the pressure on the local labour market for highly qualified technical and management personnel. Apart from certificate and diploma level courses, the Institute has apprenticeship programmes that fall under the Employment & Training Corporation’s Extended Skill Training Scheme’ (ESTS). These programmes offer students the possibility to equip themselves with skills for entry into the hospitality and catering industry.
- Trade Unions – The two main trade unions on the island are the General Workers Union (GWU)[11] and the Malta Workers Union – better known as the Union Haddiema Maghqudin (UHM)[12] . While the GWU has the Reggie Miller Foundation as a branch for the organisation of courses for Youth Leaders and a number of academic and cultural study sessions (e.g. Music, Crafts, Health and Safety, and Information Technology) – for which a certificate of attendance is awarded – the UHM does not include in its activities list any form of non-formal or informal learning.
- The Malta Qualifications Council was working in consultation with social partners to adapt competency-based vocational qualifications, and is ensuring that these fit into the wider European frameworks. This includes an Accreditation of Prior Experience and Learning (APEL), which will improve the employability profiles of those workers without formal qualifications.
Initiatives in the Private Sector[13]
The Federation of Industry does not offer any courses / activities related to non-formal / informal learning. However, individual organisations are now taking the plunge and moving away from the conventional mode of production bonus systems to reward employees for learning more skills and performing using these, in their department.
Initiatives in the Third Sector
The Youth Policy of Malta has been described by an international group of experts, acting as a Review Team, as ‘a sound piece of work’[14]. More specifically, the Team particularly welcomed the ‘reference to the accreditation of the acquired experience and skills through non-formal and informal learning’[15]. The expert team also stated that ‘it is our view that investment in youth work would be money particularly well spent in Malta’[16] since ‘youth work is, of course, the location within which non-formal education can take place very successfully’.[17] Articles 6.4 and 6.5 of the National Youth Policy [18]confirm that the State will follow a policy that complements formal education with non-formal and informal education. The policy also states that the various education and employment bodies should ensure the implementation of measures for the accreditation of prior learning and skills acquired through non-formal learning/education (author’s emphasis).
The Youth Information Handbook provides a list of 112 Youth Organisations with a social, political and religious orientation (2004:p118) and 45 Sport Organisations (2004:p171). Among these organisations there are a large variety of opportunities for non-formal and informal learning experiences both in Malta and abroad. In particular cases, recognition is limited to terms of sponsorship for activities, such as exchange programmes offered by established institutions. There is no record of accreditation procedures being followed although participants in the various activities have claimed that Certificates of Attendance and Reference Notes have been given some consideration by employees’ interviewing Boards[19]
Framework of Actions taken at National Level for the Lifelong Development of Competencies and Qualifications
With reference to the development of competencies and qualifications as a contribution to the implementation of the Lisbon strategy, The Government of Malta the set up The Malta Qualifications Council which has taken place of the former ‘Malta Professional Vocational Qualification Awards Council’ (MPVQAC), the aims and objectives of this council as being:
- to establish and maintain a framework for the development, recognition and award of professional and vocational qualifications based on standards of knowledge, skill or competence to be acquired by learners;
- to promote and facilitate life-long learning access, transfer and progression;
- To foster the recognition abroad of professional and vocational certificates awarded in Malta under these regulations.
Members of this Council include representatives:
- from the Employment and Training Corporation (ETC);
- from the Education Division;
- from the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology;
- from the University of Malta;
- from Employer Organisations;
- from Trade Unions;
- of Vocational Education.
Lifelong Learning measures in the National Reform Programme[20]
It is Government’s intention to sustain the pace of reform in education so as to further increase existing participation rates in further and higher education in an inclusive manner in line with the nation’s socio-economic development needs. In particular, Government will:
- Implement inclusive education and training policies aimed at adult learners and at reducing the number of early school leavers. The targets set in Malta’s National Action Plan for Employment (2004) are hereby re-confirmed at 35% for early school leavers and 65% of 22 year olds should have completed upper secondary education by 2010;
- Ensure that education and training pathways are attractive, accessible and flexible to provide maximum possible fulfilment of the potential of all persons throughout their working lives. It is Government’s belief that access to education and training should be easy for all. Government aims at removing any barriers for education and training whilst providing specific assistance for those willing to learn but facing particular constraints (including those students/families in need and Gozitan students / trainees). The target set by Malta in the National Action Plan for Employment (2004) is of 7% of the adult working age population by 2010 and this figure is hereby reiterated as part of the National Reform Programme; and
- Respond to new occupational needs, key competences and future skills requirements. Today’s ever-changing working environment and technological developments require continual adjustment and different skill competencies. Therefore, it is a challenge for the country to ensure that the supply of its human resource meets the demand of the changing labour market. If this is achieved, job seekers will be in a better position to find employment, as they will have the necessary skills to meet the market demands.
Initiatives by Government Entities on Lifelong Learning and the Pensions Reform
A number of government entities have taken various initiatives to introduce and promote the concept of lifelong learning in Malta:
Ministry for the Family and Social Solidarity (MFSS)
The Pensions Working Group, responsible for the pensions reform programme, together with the MFSS have reaffirmed that a reformed pensions system should be used as a positive instrument to leverage lifelong learning.
Lifelong Learning references made by the Pensions Working Group in the document “65 Years Retirement Age: Impact on Manual Workers and other Demanding Jobs” (June2005)
“Individuals in manual jobs and other demanding jobs, who perceive that they will not be able to maintain their current job until they reach retirement age, should be encouraged to invest in their own employability. This can be achieved by promoting the life-long learning concept from the very early years in the education system, and possibly through educational campaigns/policies that encourage older workers to participate in training initiatives currently being taken by various entities. On their part workers have to do their utmost to improve their employability and respond positively to training initiatives.”
“Persons in strenuous and stressful positions should be offered reskilling opportunities to allow them to continue to be part of the labour market albeit in a different type of employment (e.g. a mason could be retrained to act as a site foreman, a loader could be retrained to become a salesman etc). This also indicates that the educational system must be geared to instil in everyone the importance of continuous professional development as a means for securing one’s own competitiveness in the labour market.”
Lifelong Learning references made by the Pensions Working Group in the document “Incentivising Female Participation in the Work Force to ensure a Sustainable Pension System (June 2005)
“Government’s policy is to increase labour force participation with a view to establish a more inclusive labour market, increased productivity and a sustainable dependency ratio. This also applies to older workers. Hence, both National Action Plans on Poverty and Social Inclusion and Employment focus on the design and implement measures to:
- make work pay;
- take a life course approach to improving quality of work;
- ensure that lifelong learning opportunities are accessible and relevant to older learners; and
- Implement pension reforms whereby the retirement age of men and women will be raised in a phased manner.”
The following recommendations are based on a system of “credits” whereas unpaid periods of training, re-skilling and continuous development, are considered positively:
- A person over 30 years of age who takes a period between 6 and 12 months for academic or vocational higher education with institutions accredited with the Ministry of Education and Youth and Employment should have their pension credited; and
- Furthermore a person who follows a Doctorate Degree (PhD) with an accredited institution should have their pension credited for their first year of study as well as the ability to back-fill unpaid contributions of the remaining years of study at any point in time prior to the person’s retirement; subject to the condition that the contribution paid will equate to the amount due at the time the payment is made.
Employment & Training Services Corporation (ETC)
In order to achieve with National Action Plan for Employment targets, the ETC has re-aligned its services and the following actions were introduced or accelerated:
1. increasing adaptability of workers and enterprises;
2. attracting more people to enter and remain on the labour market: making work a real option for all;
3. investing more and more effectively in human capital and lifelong learning; and
4. Ensuring effective implementation of reform through better governance.
Youths attending school are being encouraged by their guidance teachers to further their studies past the compulsory school leaving age. This could be either via an academic route or through vocational training, where various apprenticeship schemes are available to give school leavers with the necessary work experience to be employable.
Additionally, when adult jobseekers register as unemployed, within a fortnight of registration, registrants will be required to attend the one-day seminar in job search skills. Profiling and referral to Guidance will occur after only one month of unemployment (in view of the fact that adult unemployed have far longer unemployment spells than youth). Adult jobseekers will not be allowed to register for occupations for which they are not qualified, and will be invited to sit for a trade test where necessary. After the lapse of three months of registration, adult jobseekers will attend a two-week job motivation course and advanced job search skills, with an emphasis on multi-skilling. Personal Action Plans will be drawn up following this course.
After the lapse of the ninth month of registration, jobseekers will be referred to short competence based courses, or placed on either the Employment Training Placement Scheme or the Training and Employment Exposure Scheme. Both involve training, work placements and differing degrees of wage subsidy.
ETC Training Programmes
European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL)
The European Computer Driving Licence® (ECDL) is the European-wide qualification which certifies that the holder has knowledge of the basic concepts of information Technology (IT) and is able to use a personal computer and common computer applications at a basic level of competence.
In practice the ECDL certificate indicates that the holder has passed one theoretical test that assesses his or her knowledge of the basic concepts of IT, and six practice-based tests which assess the holder's basic competence in using a personal computer and working with common computer applications.
The ECDL is an internationally accepted certificate. It can simplify employment procedures and assure the employer that the applicants and staff have the necessary level of knowledge and competence to use common computer applications. The ECDL is a certificate of knowledge and proven competence and is based on a single agreed syllabus.
The objectives of the ECDL
- To promote and encourage computer literacy for all;
- To raise the level of knowledge about IT and the level of competence in using personal computers and common computer applications;
- To ensure all computer users understand best practices and the advantages of using a personal computer;
- To increase the productivity of all employees who need to use computers in their work;
- To enable better returns from IT; and
- To provide a basic qualification which will allow all people, regardless of their background, to be a part of the Information Society.
Night Institute for Further Technical education (NIFTE)
The principal lines of action by the Night Institute for Further Technical education (NIFTE) are:
- By way of providing professional skills’ updating, it helps industrial workers progress professionally on their workplace.
- Retraining courses for employees whose skills no longer fit the demands of the market.
- Multi-level supplementary education in technology in co-ordination with the institutions of technology.
- Reduction of the gap between the trainees’ competence and the requirements of the industry.
- Professional retraining and training of the unemployed for jobs in the industry.
Apprenticeship Schemes
Apprenticeship Schemes are an effective medium of vocational education and training. In Malta they are based on the dual system. This witnesses the apprentice following a training programme at a vocational educational institution and carry out on-the-job training at a place of work.
There are two apprentice schemes being employed:
1. Technician Apprenticeship Scheme (TAS); and
2. Extended Skill Training Scheme (ESTS).
The apprentice, the employer (also known as the sponsor) and the ETC enter into an agreement laying down the rights and obligations of all parties during the apprenticeship.
Apprentices are obliged to attend at a vocational educational institution to acquire the underpinning knowledge (off-the-job training) related to their calling. Public and private sector firms provide the on-the-job training, the latter employing the largest number of apprentices in both schemes.
1. Technician Apprenticeship Scheme (TAS)
The TAS, established in 1990, provides an apprenticeship to persons aged 16 and over. The on-and off-the-job training of the apprenticeship gives the apprentices an occupational competence at either level three or four of the occupational structure
2. Extended Skills Training Scheme (ESTS)
The ESTS offers a wide range of opportunities to young persons willing to learn a trade or skill at level two of the Occupational Structure.
Europass Mobility
To remove obstacles to mobility, due to lack of transparency of vocational qualifications and competences in the European Union, a Europass Mobility document has been introduced.
Europass Mobility is intended to provide a consistent framework for the recognition by employers and training providers of acquired skills, competences and qualifications obtained by trainees, throughout Europe. This develops closer European co-operation in vocational education and training and supports the idea that citizens who obtain such qualifications can move freely between different jobs, regions, sectors and countries in Europe.
Europass Mobility involves a partnership between the organisation sending the holder of the Europass Mobility (sending partner) and the organisation hosting the holder of the Europass Mobility abroad (host partner).
Europass Mobility provides a detailed record of the skills and competences acquired by an individual—of whatever age, educational level and occupational status — during a European mobility experience for learning purposes in another European country. It aims to encourage European mobility, by making its results more visible and easier to communicate. This document also establishes link with work where appropriate and facilitates access to lifelong learning.
The Department of Further Studies and Adult Education
The Department of Further Studies and Adult Education (DFSAE) has overall responsibility for promoting lifelong learning and for facilitating opportunities and creating possibilities for continuing education. It is also taking on the role of regulator of lifelong learning provision. In fact the DFSAE interests are focussed mainly on:
- Human Capital
- Social Capital
- Cultural Capital.
The Department offers a very wide range of basic education, vocational, craft and leisure courses. It is also responsible for the Media Education and Broadcasting centre; an educational television station (Channel 22) broadcasting educational programmes for students and adults and is currently developing e-learning programmes. A very wide range of lifelong learning course is also provided by the Malta College for Arts, Science and Technology, the Institute of Tourism Studies, the University and a variety of commercial education and training institutions.
Applicants enrolling at the Institute for Tourism Studies are assessed at the initial stage on the basis of their academic qualifications or Accreditation for Prior Learning (APL) and on their work experience or Accreditation for Prior Learning Experiential (APEL). Most of these courses will prepare the student to sit for a certification examination at the course’s end. They are designed for the students who wish to:
- improve their academic qualifications;
- seek employment or improve their chances for a better position at work;
- be able to help their children in their homework or studies;
- finish off their secondary or post-secondary education;
- become computer literate;
- obtain the ECDL certificate;
- overcome literacy or numeracy problems;
- learn a craft;
- pursue some subjects for pleasure;
- tap their creative resources through Art, Music or Drama.
Malta Qualification Recognition Information Centre (MQRIC)[21]
(Member of the European Union NARIC network)
Malta’s National Academic Recognition Information Centre (NARIC) regulates the implementation and recognition of credit frameworks under Directives 89/48/EEC and 98/51/EEC and works in conjunction with the Malta Qualification Recognition Information Centre (MQRIC), the University of Malta and the MPVQAC).
The aims of MQRIC are:
- to ensure and facilitate appropriate application of the EU Directives regarding comparability of higher education professional and vocational qualifications;
- to collect and disseminate information related to professional and vocational qualifications in the European Union;
- to provide information and advice in consultation with the Malta Equivalence Information Centre, the University of Malta and the Malta Professional and Vocational Qualifications Awards Council on the comparability of international and Maltese qualifications;
- to act as an information and consultation centre to the Commission on related matters;
- to submit to the Commission a report on the application of the system every two years;
- to promote recognition of Maltese professional qualifications abroad
MQRIC Method of Working
- reception of all communications from the Internal Market D G of the Commission dealing with professional qualifications and will be responsible for the timely dissemination of material received to the appropriate institutions;
- act as an information centre and as a consultant to interested bodies and will facilitate the implementation of EU directives, decisions or recommendations regarding professional qualifications;
- guide students, employers, teaching institutions and interested parties on the equivalence/comparability of qualifications issued in EU member states through consultation with their respective National Academic Recognition and Information Centres;
- consult with the boards, councils or university as necessary, answer queries submitted by the NARICs in EU member states or by individuals regarding the equivalence / comparability of Maltese qualifications;
- promotion of the recognition of Maltese professional and vocational qualifications abroad;
- organisation of consultation and information meetings with professional boards, University or councils regulating the professions as necessary;
- organisation of general meetings or conferences as necessary for the promotion of professional and vocational qualifications.
Policy Unit at MEYE
From information gathered the Policy Unit within the Ministry of Education Youth and Employment were working on a policy document specifically treating the subject of Lifelong Learning. However, the reported situation about this document was that it was put aside since the implementation of the recommendations would have been unsustainable. A new document is in the process of being drafted, but there is no date of completion available.
There is also a draft policy available treating the subject of Adult Learning. This was recently sent to the Minister of Education for endorsement, and was not available at the time of writing of this document.
Recommendations
The following recommendations emerge following the analysis of the local initiatives
- Establish a forum between ETC, UOM, MCAST, ME, FOI, NSO and other stakeholders with the aim to monitor the matching of the demand and supply side of skills.
- Inculcate a culture of lifelong learning, learning from EU states who have succeeded in the field (e.g. Denmark, Sweden, Finland)
- Consolidate the national profession and career counselling entities into a single focal point of contact for persons seeking career and employment advice, training and assistance.
- Establish a sustainable National Lifelong Learning Policy which complements and adequate and sustainable pensions system
04. Sample EU Member States’ Initiatives in Lifelong Learning
04.1 United Kingdom
Lifelong Learning Strategies
The UK Government wants to ensure that all adults have the opportunity to acquire skills and improve them throughout their working life, as a route to sustainable and better-paid employment. The Government’s strategy for achieving this is to create a flexible, demand-led training system that has the involvement of all social and economic partners, and to focus Government intervention on tackling market failures in the provision of training. These market failures reduce investment in skills needed for the economy and society, and are most acute for those with low skills.
To tackle these market failures and create a step change in training opportunities for the low skilled, the UK Government will offer an entitlement for free tuition up to full upper secondary level (level 2) qualification for any adult without one, and free training in literacy, language and numeracy skills. This offer will be delivered to individuals through Further Education colleges and other training providers from 2006-07, and to employers through the National Employer Training Programme. In Northern Ireland, the Essential Skills for Living Strategy is helping adults to improve their literacy and numeracy skills.
The National Employer Training Programme will deliver this training in the workplace, tailored to employers’ needs. It will be supported by a network of independent, publicly funded brokers that will assess the training needs of employers and help source appropriate training provision. The programme will be rolled out from 2006-07 to cover the whole of England by 2007-08. A similar programme is being pursued in Wales through a new Workforce Development Programme, and in Scotland through Business Learning Accounts which are aimed at small businesses.
To help improve the number of people in the workforce with intermediate skills levels the National Employer Training Programme will also encourage employers to invest in training at higher levels (level 3) in areas of regional or sectoral priority. Two regional pilots have started running in England since April 2006 to test extended subsidised support at level 3. In Wales, the Modern Skills Diploma for Adults helps existing employees to gain higher-level skills.
To ensure training supply is clearly linked to employers’ skills priorities, a network of 25 Sector Skills Councils has been set up. These will cover 85 per cent of the workforce and provide a clear mechanism to bring employers together within each sector to agree on priorities for collective action on skills. A network of 12 Skills Academies will also be set up by 2007-08, to design and deliver skills training for young people and adults and help to deliver the training that employers want. The Academies will act as national sector based centres of excellence, and will incorporate the best that is known about working with employers to meet their current and future skills needs.
As part of its partnership approach the Government will also help the Unions build on the success of the Union Learning Fund and the 12,000 strong network of Union Learning Representatives. Through this network they have been able to encourage and support many people back into learning who would otherwise not have had the confidence, information or networks to do so. Since April 2006 a new Union Academy stated working with employers, colleges, universities and other training providers to help them deliver the type of learning opportunities that working people want and need to progress, in ways that suit their individual circumstances.
Achievement of the Government’s skills ambitions depends on more adults having access to information and guidance about what training opportunities are available and how to get them. The current system has been reformed by integrating national telephone and online advice and information services with local ones, and focuses on adults who have not yet reached upper secondary level qualifications. From January 2006, this was extended on a trial basis to offer more intensive guidance focused on those wishing to acquire higher-level skills.
The complexity and inflexibility of the current system of vocational qualification is a frequently identified barrier to learning. The Government will therefore reform the qualifications framework to make it credit based, thereby allowing learners to build up achievements over time. Scotland and Wales are well advanced with their comprehensive credit-based Credit and Qualifications Frameworks, England is developing a new Framework for Achievement and similar developments are being taken forward in Northern Ireland. These reforms will be compatible with the proposed European Qualifications Framework, to support mobility between the UK and other EU Member States.
Improving ICT skills at all levels is another key element of the Government’s skills reforms. The Government’s e-learning strategy will deliver integrated online content and services to support basic skills for adult learners, enhance leadership and staff development in ICT, and build a common digital infrastructure for the education, training and work-based sectors.
Finally, the Government has asked Lord Leitch[22] to carry out a review of the UK’s longer-term skills needs and priorities for business and the economy. The Review will report to Government on what skills profile it should aim to achieve in 2020 in order to support productivity and growth over the longer-term.
Recommendations
- Carry out a review of the long term skills needs and priorities for business and economy.
04.2 France
Lifelong Learning Measures for a more sustainable Pensions System
Adjusting pensions and contribution periods to encourage work
Similar to the recommendations made by Malta’s Pension Working Group (PWG), the reform has set up a neutral actuarial system with ‘discounts’ for people who want to retire before qualifying for full retirement benefits. The French reform has also rolled out ‘premiums’ to encourage contributors to work longer than qualifying period for full benefits. New savings products have also been introduced to provide supplemental retirement benefits appropriate for those who so desire. Malta’s PWG has recommended that persons over 30 years of age will have their pension credited if they take a period between 6 to 12 months for academic or vocational education. Additionally, PHD students will have their pension credited for their first year of study and the ability to back-fill unpaid contributions for the remaining years of study at any point before retirement.
It should also be pointed out that the reform will encourage older workers to stay in the labour market if they so want and thus improves the participation rate of this population category.
Encouraging life-long vocational training is also a major reform track. The Act on Lifelong Vocational Training and Labour and Management Dialogue passed in 2004 were the outcome of collective bargaining. The Act has set up a new ‘individual right to training.’
Any wage earner with an open-ended contract will now have the right to 20 hours per year of training or to 120 hours accumulated over six years. The Act has also created a new ‘professionalisation contract’ for young people looking for first-time jobs and adult job seekers. According to the Act, they can attend established training courses that alternate periods devoted to academic, technological and vocational education with time spent at active jobs related to the targeted skills.
Ensuring young people’s professional integration
A twofold outlook underlies the education and training effort:
1. By socialising individuals of all ages, training and education contribute to social cohesion.
2. They are investments in human capital. In this respect, they are also part of the actions requisite to founding a new economy
Accompanying students of all ages to promote everyone’s success
Several systems will be rolled out in primary schools and junior high schools. For instance, a ‘personalised academic success programme’ is a system of aids that are available when a student might not acquire the basic skills taught in the grade he or she is attending. During 2005-2006, the system was tested in each département, with a view to its nationwide rollout throughout 2006. Also, in an effort to provide new motivation to students about to drop out, a ‘professional discovery’ programme was set up in ninth grade at the beginning of the 2005 school year. The programme will have a several-hour module that will help potential dropouts discover trades (a lighter formula will be provided to the other students). In high schools, 1,500 teaching assistants will be set up in the 344 biggest problem-schools.
Lowering the number of dropouts and preventing academic failure
Preventing academic failure as early as primary school is an ongoing concern. Various student assessment schemes are continually adjusted or created to identify students with academic problems.
In junior high school, the fight against academic failure will be strengthened. Combined job/school schemes will be offered to volunteer students (minimum age, 14) who are facing academic failure. They will discover concrete, gratifying apprenticeships connected to the professional world. Dispositifs relais (relay schemes) have been created for dealing with potential junior high school dropouts temporarily and for bringing them back to school to attend academic, technological or professional courses.
A major effort will keep addressing priority education. Priority education is tending to become a mass policy. One out five i.e., 1,700,000 students are schooled in ZEPs (zone d’éducation prioritaire, priority education area). Testing focused on the biggest problem schools will identify the most appropriate methods for basic knowledge acquisition. The purpose is also to promote higher education opportunities for academically successful high school students from schools located in priority education areas. For this purpose, a ‘Charter for Equal Opportunity for Access to Outstanding Academic Education’ was signed on 17 January 2005 with university presidents, Grandes Ecoles directors, and directors of top-level engineering schools.
Finally, the ‘second chance defence’ scheme specifically targets the 60,000 young people who exit the school system without a diploma or a skill. Thanks to training courses using the army’s expertise, the scheme will offer these young people a second chance where they can learn to obey the rules governing group life, prepare for the life of responsible citizens, acquire an education validated by the national education system, and integrate professional life. The goal of this scheme is to reach 20,000 young people. The first ‘Second Chance Defence Centre’ was set up in late September.
Modernising higher education while participating in the European drive
The reform of the French higher education system is implemented under the Sorbonne-Bologna process, through four-year contracts between establishments and the Ministry in charge of Education and Higher Education. The reform targets the set-up of a format for higher education degrees that is easily readable and comparable throughout Europe.
The architecture is built on three main curricula: bachelors, masters and doctorates. It will include professionalisation at the undergraduate level with the creation of a professional bachelor’s degree.
Banking on the European and international outlook also means encouraging mobility through individual aids (for example, mobility scholarships, Erasmus diploma supplement) and the institutionalisation of the ‘European scope’ (double degrees and joint masters policy). The outlook also rests on European co-operation in quality-assurance including the principle of regularly assessing higher education establishments and setting up training and certification schemes. In exchange for undergoing stringent assessment procedures, schools will have greater autonomy when determining their academic curricula.
Preparing and improving the school-to-work transition and meeting needs for skills
Developing apprenticeship programmes
The development of apprenticeship, which is handled at the undergraduate level in France, is a government priority. The public education system is fully involved in this policy. In 2003-2004, there were 366,294 apprentices, including 22,300 attending public schools. The ‘social cohesion plan’ provides for a rise ranging from 370,000 to 500,000 apprentices over five years. The reform targets the mobilisation of business. It has overhauled the funding system for apprenticeships. The reform now provides a new tax credit to businesses as a greater incentive for them to train apprentices. The reform also intends to increase the attraction of apprenticeship for young people. The reform enhances apprentice status and remuneration (increase of housing and mobility allowances, national apprentice card, etc.) and promotes the discovery of trades through better information on recruitment outlooks to young people. The national framework agreement for apprenticeship development signed in April 2005 illustrates the strong mobilisation of vocational training facilities, chamber of commerce and industry networks, and management organisations of apprentice training centres.
Promoting entrepreneurship
Actions are being carried out to promote entrepreneurship, specifically with the implementation of the agreement protocol called Une ambition partagée: développer
l'esprit d'entreprendre (a shared ambition to develop entrepreneurship) signed between the Ministry in charge of Education and the Ministry in charge of SMEs. Contributions to local economic development under technological co-operation ventures with businesses or business creation simulations are now pooled actions via a Website widely disseminating good practices in the field. A national ‘Youth Initiative’ competition (open to apprentices and students attending vocational high schools and academic and technological high schools) of the best school projects on business creation has been set up by the Ministry in charge of Education. The purpose of the School-Business Week is to strengthen the ties with the business world and cultivate the students’ taste for entrepreneurship by providing them with face-to-face time with businesses. The initiative is organised by regional Deans and MEDEF9 Chairs and draws high numbers (more than 4,000 committed companies, 2,590 schools, 110,000 students and 13,000 teachers).
Regardless of age, adapting a person’s skills to new economic needs
Greater proficiency in foreign languages is one of the main goals of the policy and Multiyear Estimates Act for the Future of Schools. Language teaching will be updated with the adoption of the common reference framework of the European Council and the breakdown of classes into proficiency groups to foster comprehension and oral communication skills. As of now, learning a modern language is a widespread requirement for all third grade students. In 2007, it will become a general requirement for second grade students.
The access to apprenticeship and the command of information and communication technologies in academic curricula is another way of meeting needs for new skills. This action is consistent with the reforms implemented for the dissemination of ICT use the Computer and Internet Skills School Certificates (B2i®) (in primary school, secondary school and high school) testify to students’ course-acquired proficiency. Level 1 university Computer and Internet Skills University Certificates (C2i®) certify students’ proficiency in undergraduate skills (bachelor’s degree) and Level 2 certificates acknowledge the student’s proficiency in ICT skills for professional use.
Investing in youth steadfastly
In addition to different training measures that teach young people job-appropriate skills, various schemes will help successfully integrate young people into the workplace. Access to the business world is a major focus of the measures in favour of young people.
Supporting young people’s integration into the workplace
This policy is an ongoing concern for the government. The Emergency Employment Plan launched in June 2005 by the Prime Minister has been organising appointments with the ANPE for each of the 57,000 unemployed youth for more than a year. Sixty percent of the young people have received a job or training offer.
Consistent with supporting young people, (contrat d’insertion dans la vie sociale, social integration contracts) signed with local task forces or career counselling offices for a one year period addresses 16 to under 26 year-olds who are having problems. It organises the actions required to achieve their integration into a durable job.
Recommendations
- Adjust pensions and contribution periods to encourage work.
- Set-up of a format for higher education degrees that is easily readable and comparable throughout Europe.
- Increase the attraction of apprenticeship for young people.
- Regardless of age, adapting a person’s skills to new economic needs.
04.3 Czech Republic
Lifelong Learning Initiatives
Promotion of Active Ageing
Active Aging is a Programme for Ageing Workers proposed by the Czech National Action Plan for Employment 2004-2006 aimed at creating working conditions that will help to maintain the job, e.g. by providing further education, by respecting the rules for health and safety at work, by innovative and flexible forms of work organisation and by suitable instruments that will motivate employers to employ older workers. This programme will include legislative changes and promotional campaign to persuade general public and employers about positive outcomes of giving jobs to older workers. Implementation of measures proposed by the National Plan was assessed before the end of 2005 and will be again in 2007. Measures aimed at older workers are also included in the National Action Plan for Employment 2004-2006, which assumes extending of the existing counselling activities and drawing up of individual action plans followed by possible retraining. These retraining programmes will focus mainly on extending of knowledge and skills in own profession in order to maintain the job, long-term specialised courses for adaptability at work and courses of specific retraining for acquiring working skills suitable for a specific profession.
Increase Professional Mobility by Re-Training
This solves the mismatch between qualification structure of job seekers and demand on labour market. The labour offices adapt their supply of retraining on the basis their own labour market monitoring and employers’ requirements. The new Employment Act allowed for extension of the existing retraining activities also to job seekers and for purchase of counselling services. In future, both the role and effectiveness of retraining and counselling will increase. It will also be supported by ESF programmes, most of which concentrate on such activities. In the coming years, the demand for retraining is expected to double and the demand for counselling even to triple, which is considered to be a reaction to social and economic needs.
Other employment policy instruments will be reduced and re-oriented on specific groups, i.e. long-term unemployed or those threatened by long-term unemployment. Together with programmes focused on activation and motivation of workers by individual approach, measures will also be taken to remove the existing barriers to equal entry on the labour market and thus to integrate people with different handicaps, i.e. people with disabilities, mothers with children, persons after maternity or parental leave, people with low or no qualification, older people and people with different socio-cultural background. The share of expenditures on these activities currently reaches about 20% of total expenditures on active labour market policy. Before 2008 this share is expected to increase to 30 to 40%.
Reform in the Area of Primary Education
A curricular reform has been launched concerning education provided by schools and other education institutions. Its implementation will allow for modernisation of education in the CR by focusing on increase in quality, effectiveness and innovativeness of educational system at all its levels and by motivating pupils to positive attitude towards education and lifelong learning. In the coming period the educational system will focus on acquiring key competences and practically oriented skills, as a way to accomplish the targets of employment policy. The National Education Programme will be elaborated and adopted before the end of 2006. The formation and introduction of framework educational programmes will continue. On the one hand, these programmes follow contemporary approach to the aims of education and define the necessary content of education. On the other hand they leave sufficient room for schools and teachers to decide about specific forms of education and thus to react flexibly to labour market requirements and to students’ needs. Before the end of 2008, a reform of the school leaving examination in all upper secondary vocational schools will be carried out. The reform of school-leaving examination in upper secondary general and technical schools will continue, so that the new examination could be introduced in the school year 2007/2008.
In the Czech Republic the share of tertiary education graduates low compared to some EU countries, mainly due to relatively high proportion of early withdrawals. Another reason was insufficient supply of shorter and more practically oriented forms of tertiary education. This is however will change with the restructuring of study programmes. The Curricular Reform will focus not only on quantitative expansion of tertiary education, but also on further diversifying and facilitating the penetrability between different types of tertiary education. More attention will also be paid to practical assertion of graduates and to improvement in the quality of study programmes.
Promoting the cooperation between employers, educational institutions and professional institutions
This will be realised by allowing employers to take part in preparing new educational programmes, participation of experts in education by providing practical experience, and by promoting mobility of students and teachers via practical traineeships in enterprises. The interconnection of activities between universities, other educational institutions and professional institutions on the one hand, potential employers on the other hand, could help to bring more funds into educational system. In future, the representatives of employers will participate on the school-leaving examinations of students and they will also be invited to discuss the framework education programmes on a countrywide level. As part of upper secondary technical education compulsory four week traineeships for students in enterprises will be introduced. A system project PILOT S has been in effect since 2005 and is expected to continue till 2008. This project focusses on creation and certification of pilot education programmes on selected upper secondary technical schools and selected upper secondary vocational schools. It is being co-financed from European Social Fund (ESF).
Closer cooperation between employers, representatives of employees, educational institutions, professional organisations and institutions of state and public administration, notably on regional level, should help to reduce the disparities between educational institutions’ outcomes and employers’ demand. These reforms will be accompanied by an integrated system of counselling at schools, notably career counselling, which is crucial for further assertion of school graduates on the labour market. In the period 2005 – 2008 a system project VIP Kariera will be implemented with this purpose. The project will be co-financed from ESF.
The ability to react flexibly to the changing requirements of labour market depends on the system of lifelong learning, which should be open to all citizens. In accordance with the systematic approach to lifelong learning, interconnection between the systems of primary and continuing education is crucial. To achieve the interconnection, National system of qualifications will be finalised by means of a system project financed from ESF in the period 2005 – 2007. This system will be a basis for recognition of qualifications in the labour market and will therefore boost employment. Before the end of 2007, a system of recognition and verification of the outcomes of continuing education will be set up. The certificates that will be an outcome of standardised, formalised and transparent procedure will be transferable into practice. As part of the concept of lifelong learning, continuing education on primary, secondary, post-secondary schools and universities will be promoted. The aim is to use the existing infrastructure and capacities and also to promote continuing education pedagogical staff. These activities are part of the already adopted national and grant projects financed from ESF.
Lifelong learning is closely related to promotion of transmigration between the different stages of tertiary education, which will allow for access to education regardless of student’s age and the desired level of education. Students will be therefore allowed to continue in their studies at any stage (in the sense of lifelong learning) at either domestic or foreign institution providing tertiary education. Both the vertical (i.e. to start a different study programme after obtaining a bachelor degree or its equivalent) and horizontal penetrability between educational programmes will be promoted.
The opportunity to switch from higher stages of education to lower ones (e.g. from university to post-secondary technical school) may limit the number of unsuccessful students, who leave the educational system after spending certain effort but without increasing their qualification and thus improve economic effectiveness of the system. To implement the concept of lifelong learning, creation of national framework of qualifications for tertiary education, which would be compatible with the European framework of qualifications, is necessary. Development of combined and distance forms of studies, creation and introduction of learning supports (multimedia teaching aids), e-learning, interactive teaching programmes and other background necessary for these forms of studies, provision of joint educational laboratories and introduction of project and problem oriented study, will be promoted by means of development programmes, or possibly the projects of Higher Education Development Fund.
Education and training of employees imposes non-negligible costs on employers. Furthermore, many enterprises do not develop human resources effectively. Therefore reconciliation of education targets with enterprises’ targets is needed. As from 2006 enterprises have been given the opportunity to introduce and obtain a standard “Investors in people“(IIP) on the Czech territory. The programme for promoting introduction of standards in SMEs will also be prepared. Furthermore it is necessary to give preferential treatment to firms providing education as part of employees benefit system.
The technologies and services of so-called e-learning and educational software in general are considered to be an effective way of improving the access to information literacy. Their use will therefore be promoted in school system, libraries and public administration but also for education of public. An important instrument to develop information skills of the general public from all professions and qualifications is the existing National Computer Literacy Programme. Its purpose is to offer to the public an opportunity to learn the basics of work with computers and with internet and to overcome the fear of new technologies. Before the end of 2006 all educational institutions (including libraries) will be connected to the internet. Before the end of 2006 at least half of citizens will master the basic computer literacy and selected public administration employees will be obligated to acquire certificate of computer literacy.
Education Reform Measures
- Implement curricular reform;
- Improve the access to post-secondary technical and tertiary education;
- Promote cooperation between employers, employees and educational and professional institutions;
- Improve the interconnection between the systems of primary and continuing education;
- Promote transmigration between specific stages of tertiary education;
- Promote continuing education in firms;
- Increase information literacy.
Recommendations
- Promote increased cooperation between employers, educational institutions and professional institutions
04.4 Slovenia
Slovenia has prepared a sweeping and thorough reform at all levels of formal education, which actually began during Lifelong Learning Year (1996). The reform, which is currently in progress, covers technical and vocational education, educational programmes for pupils with special needs, and higher education including university education. Simultaneously, the system of non-formal learning has been transformed and supplemented in many spheres. In 2004 the Resolution on the National Programme for Adult Education in the Republic of Slovenia up to 2010 was adopted. This is realised through annual adult education programmes in which the competences of different departments are envisaged. Lifelong learning is a constituent part of the system of education and learning, and fully comparable to other EU countries. Slovenia has begun implementing the programmes of the SPD, Phare and other programmes that will support the realisation of the lifelong learning process via a more modern range of education and training, training for teachers and trainers, the development of local/regional centres, widening the system of quality assurance and direct assistance for the education of adults with an education deficit, and reducing the drop-out rate.
A relatively high share of GDP (which is still increasing) is devoted to the education system, and this includes integrating all interested partners in the provision of an accessible and quality system of learning and education supported by all necessary infrastructure (ICT, information / advice centres, a wide and accessible network of institutions, methods and forms of learning and education, etc.). Slovenia is putting lifelong learning into effect in higher education mainly by widening access to higher education (e.g. widening entry conditions, the possibility of mobility from post-secondary to higher education, etc.) and by encouraging diversity in the courses offered and the constant growth of this diversity.
Slovenia’s priority task is the establishment of an effective regionally balanced network of vocational and technical schools, lifelong learning and consultancy centres and contact points which will support and respond to the priority tasks of national and regional economies.
Among the priority objectives are the reform of the higher education sector (the Bologna process), vocational and technical education, music schools and special needs programmes, and the improvement of the general level of education of adults; boosting the educational and qualifications level in the direction of increasing employment possibilities; opportunities for study and inclusion in education, mobility and competitiveness. With regard to horizontal priority tasks, the objective is to increase a positive attitude to lifelong learning, equal opportunities, creativity, the environment and health in the family, in local communities and in enterprises.
Slovenia intends to achieve these objectives through the following measures:
1. the preparation of a National Programme of Higher Education 2006-2010, in accordance with the ongoing higher education reform;
2. changes to the Professional and Academic Titles Act;
3. the establishment of a public agency for higher education through the Council for the Evaluation of Higher Education; (iv) the preparation of a national qualifications framework in line with the European Qualifications Framework for all forms of education (formal, non-formal and informal) and all levels;
4. the preparation of a national strategy for lifelong learning;
5. the enabling of transitions from post-secondary education to university education;
6. The provision of public responsibility for higher education and consideration of the social dimension in the ongoing higher education reform (system of study supports, equal access, transferability of scholarships and loans, attractiveness of employment in higher education and research, etc.).
As part of the efforts to improve the quality and application of knowledge, an integral reform of the university system will be carried out over the next few years. The principal elements of this reform are:
1. to deregulate the establishment of public and private higher education institutions and courses and encourage the formation of new universities in regional centres;
2. to link financing to international comparisons according to the criteria of academic excellence, cooperation with the business sector, the success of graduates in the market and international cooperation;
3. to study the possibility of introducing a voucher system and/or deferred fees;
4. to increase flexibility in the design of courses, employment of teachers, mobility of students between courses, international cooperation;
5. to encourage the cooperation of universities with research institutes in the scientific/technical field and boost enrolment in undersubscribed scientific and technical courses;
6. To increase public and private expenditure on tertiary education and improve conditions for teaching and research work at colleges and universities.
Priority measures for the development of human resources and lifelong learning
1. Formulate an integrated and detailed strategy of lifelong learning.
2. Reform higher education, post-secondary technical education and secondary technical and vocational education and guarantee opportunities for horizontal and vertical mobility at the national and international level (ECTS credits, European and national qualifications framework).
3. Complete the reform of the university sector by increasing the number of providers, greater adaptability to the needs of the economy, greater quality and competition.
4. Provide education for sustainable development.
Flexible systems of education and training
Over the last ten years Slovenia has implemented a range of measures and activities supporting the improvement, quality, flexibility and attractiveness of vocational education.
New legislation has been adopted (1996 and 2000), and on the basis of the results of two Phare programmes for the development of vocational education and training (VET), a Memorandum on the further development of VET has been prepared (2000) and Starting Points for the preparation of programmes of lower and secondary vocational education and secondary technical education (2001) drawn up as a strategic document on the basis of evaluation of solutions to date and European guidelines. Among the basic objectives in this sphere are the following:
- opening the national curriculum for the needs of the economy at the local and regional levels;
- modularisation of courses, interconnection of general, technical and practical education;
- integration of education of young people and adults on the basis of clearly defined standards of knowledge;
- recognition of non-formally and informally acquired knowledge, skills and competences on the labour market and in the formal education system;
- strengthening of international comparability and transparency of vocational qualifications;
- quality assurance;
- development of innovations in learning, teaching and assessment, and training for the new roles of teachers and mentors;
- reducing the drop-out rate in schools and greater support for individuals in the acquisition of new knowledge and competences, and promoting the integration of young people into the labour market;
- Strengthening the autonomy and the developmental role of the school.
Slovenia intends to achieve these objectives through the following measures:
- adoption of a national strategy on the realisation of adopted principles on the strengthening of information and consultancy at all levels of education, training and work;
- development of an information and consultancy network for young people who are not included in the education system;
- building of a national qualifications structure by sectors and activities and a national qualifications framework;
- implementation of the tools and mechanisms developed within the Copenhagen process (Europass, common quality frameworks, common principles relating to non-formal learning, textbooks and instructions) and the adoption of a new act governing technical and vocational education;
- improving appropriate incentives for employers and employees to invest more in education;
- forming of appropriate partnerships at the regional and local level;
- Improvement of the reputation and quality of vocational and technical education and thus of enrolment in this type of education.
Priority measures for education and training
- Improve the quality and increase the attractiveness of vocational education – adoption of a new act.
- Widen employment possibilities through the evaluation and recognition of non-formal and informal learning and ensure transparency of all processes connected to this.
- Improve appropriate incentives for employers and employees.
Recommendations:
- Identify methods of improving the reputation and quality of vocational and technical education. This in turn will help increase enrolment in this type of education.
- Widen employment possibilities through the evaluation and recognition of non-formal and informal learning and ensure transparency of all processes connected to this.
- Improve appropriate incentives for employers and employees.
04.5 Germany
Life-long learning Initiatives in the Germany National Strategy Report on Old Age Pension Provision 2005
Education and skill-building of elderly persons and employees who have already been working for a long time, is continually gaining in significance. Amongst other things, there is also a need for close cooperation with the companies who have to shape work such that learning is possible both in terms of time and of content. This means for everyone closer orientation to the possibilities available to establishments and to elderly persons' specific learning prerequisites, learning needs and existing skills. Life-long learning is a central prerequisite both for employability in all phases of life, and also for willingness and ability to continue to participate in society to an advanced age.
Through promotion within projects, support was lent to this end to developing and testing specific further training concepts to accommodate the special learning and educational needs of elderly persons. The content of the projects focussed and continues to focus on the following:
- support for self-organised learning activities,
- use of new media and information technologies (reducing access barriers),
- trends of the "learning location character" in existing self-help groups for elderly persons,
- transfer of individual vocational and life experiences to community activities,
- transfer of knowledge between the generations within further training facilities,
- Support for "Learning in a social environment" (such as preserving elderly persons' skills in the event of unemployment).
It should be considered overall that life-long learning encompasses the career of a person from early childhood up to and including the phase of retirement. In July 2004, the Federation and the Länder[23] adopted the "Strategy for Life-Long Learning in the Federal Republic of Germany" in the Federation-Länder Commission for Education Planning and Research Promotion. This shows the fields of action which make life-long learning automatic in each educational biography in the educational areas of school, vocational training, higher education and further training.
Today's elderly generation has much better possibilities for activity than all previous ones. Elderly persons are healthier and more mobile; they have more education and greater experience, they have a broader spectrum of interests and skills, better financial situations and also a more positive attitude towards their own age. The usual division of life into three phases, namely an ever-longer educational and an ever shorter earning and an ever expanding "old phase" is outdated against the background of continually-increasing life expectancy, and must be corrected. This should include the extension of elderly persons' active contribution phase and greater integration of education, work, voluntary commitment and leisure time into careers.
With the support of the social partners and the Länder, the Federal Government has initiated many reforms and measures in recent years for greater employment of the elderly, as well as for increasing the effective average age of leaving working life (cf. National Employment Policy Action Plans). These can be largely sub-divided into three fields of activity:
- Stabilising employment by reducing disincentives;
- Improving integration opportunities through measures of labour market policy;
- Initiatives to launch a fundamental change of awareness and an experience of good practices.
The cumulative effect of measures in these three fields of activity is expected to considerably improve the employment opportunities and the share in wage-earning activity of elderly employees.
04.6 Luxembourg
In Luxembourg, lifelong education has not been officially defined although the term is often used in discussions about continuing (vocational) training. In fact, the two expressions currently used are formation (professionnelle) continue (continuing vocational training) and formation des adultes (adult education and training).
Continuing vocational training has been defined by 3 items of legislation:
1. The Law of 4 September 1990 for the reform of technical secondary education and continuing vocational training;
2. The Law of 22 June 1999 for the support and development of continuing vocational training.
3. The Law of 19 July 1991 led to the creation of a Service for Adult Education and attributed a status to the Luxembourg Languages Centre.
The aims of continuing vocational training and adult education and training have been specified in the foregoing legislative texts.
The Law of 4 September 1990 stated that its aims are as follows:
- offer those persons engaged in a professional activity, whether salaried or self-employed, as well as the unemployed, the opportunity to study for the diplomas and certificates awarded in technical secondary education and to obtain a vocational qualification in a system for rapid training;
- help people holding a vocational qualification to adapt it to trends in technological progress and to economic requirements, or to supplement or broaden it;
- Reinforce and supplement, on the basis of proposals from the professional chambers concerned, the practical forms of learning provided in firms.
Continuing vocational training may be provided by the Ministry of Education, professional chambers, the municipalities and private associations with formal individual approval from the Ministry for this purpose.
The Law of 22 June 1999 aims to support and develop continuing vocational training. This includes all training activities, excluding school education or training.
Its aims are as follows:
- adapting the qualifications of workers and company managers by ensuring that their skills in the techniques and technologies of organisation, production and marketing are at the required level;
- the retraining of workers and company managers with a view to them entering another professional occupation;
- the promotion of workers by preparing them for more demanding duties or posts, or for greater responsibility, and making the most of skills and potential used only slightly or not at all.
Training provided for in the above-mentioned Law relates only to the private sector of the economy (it concerns neither the government nor the municipalities).
The July 1991 Law for the setting up of an adult education service has entrusted this service with the following responsibilities:
- coordination of the education and training offered adults in evening classes, through secondary education, technical secondary education, the Higher Technological Institute and the University Centre, as well as the training provided by the Languages Centre;
- establishing arrangements for adults through evening classes that provide a gateway to the diplomas and certificates awarded in normal daytime education;
- offering basic instruction to adult residents in Luxembourg;
- organising courses of general interest in areas corresponding to formation générale and promotion sociale (mainly comprising general adult education);
- Establishing and administering contracts for adult courses provided by municipalities or non-profit-making associations.
The general aims of ‘lifelong education’ in Luxembourg are thus characterized primarily by a strengthening of basic learning in the case of adults, and encouragement of training for adults as such, with a view to improving their integration into the job market and professional life in general.
Recommendations
- Provide an infrastructure permitting self-organised learning in addition to learning organised by others.
04.7 Austria
Austria considers training and constantly retraining the labour force one of the best ways of preventing unemployment. To this end, the principle of “Lifelong Learning” is being made an integral part and institutionalised in as many areas as possible.
The Public Employment Service, schools and non-school educational and training institutions will provide the training modules needed. Special importance should be paid to the possibility for school leavers to take the school-leaving examination at a later date. The modularisation of vocational training adopted by Parliament in July 2005 is designed to make it possible for more firms to take on apprentices. It should also create in the field of vocational training the conditions necessary for closer integration between initial training and further training. The apprenticeship initiative (Lehrlingsoffensive) addresses this very point.
With the 2002 higher education reform, which entered into force on 1 January 2004, a major impetus was given to modernisation of higher education, with special attention being paid to university independence. Alongside this, study courses at technical colleges were set up as independent back-up and alternative to existing courses available at universities.
The vocational and practical training offered by higher education attaches special importance to the academia/business interface.
Measures promoting Lifelong Learning
AMS (Austria’s Public Employment Service) subsidised business apprenticeship bonuses (Programme started September 2005)
Employers providing additional apprenticeships will be subsidised with a bonus per apprentice and month (EUR 400 per month and apprentice in the first year of apprenticeship, EUR 200 in the second year and EUR 100 in the third year). This programme started in September 2005
Jobs for You(th) ´05 - Youth-specific skills-training and employment programme. (J4Y ´05) (March – December 2005)
Over 10 000 young people are expected to be enrolled, over 50% of whom are female. Another target group comprises persons with only compulsory schooling.
Individual Coaching (autumn 2005 till end 2006)
The AMS will enhance the skills-training aspect of programmes for young people. In autumn 2005, a joint initiative by employers and the AMS was launched for young people out of work for more than six months.
Modular design of apprenticeships (Beginning 2006)
The training system "modular design of apprenticeships" is by way of response to the fact that increasingly specialised companies often are no longer able to provide apprenticeships that cover the whole range of an apprenticed trade. The modular approach was targeted at a marked reduction of the currently around 250 apprenticed trades.
Five-point programme on female employment
1. Specific measures at AMS offices;
2. awareness-raising and support for young women in their career choices;
3. skills development for those groups most at risk of losing their jobs;
4. opening up the growing market of health and nursing occupations;
5. Improving the framework for reconciling work and family life.
Extension of working life (Beginning of 2005)
Between 2005 and 2007, an appropriate priority programme is to be carried out for employees aged 40+ and job-seekers aged 50+.
Age-compliant work (Beginning 2006)
Aspects of age-compliant work are to be incorporated into labour-inspection routine (providing counselling to employees, evaluating age-compliant workplaces).
Labour-Market Reform Act (Arbeitsmarktreformgesetz) (In force since January 2005)
- Revised job-suitability criteria,
- The obligation for the AMS to draft personalised action plans.
Pension-Harmonisation Act (Pensionsharmonisierungsgesetz) (In force since January 2005)
- Creation of a uniform pension law for the entire active population,
- Introduction of a transparent and performance-based pension account.
With the entry of the Pension Harmonisation Act (Pensionsharmonisierungsgesetz) on 1 January 2005, a uniform pension law for the entire active population has been created. It involves a transparent and performance based pension account for workers aged under 50. Early retirement schemes will be gradually abolished and a changed calculation method for pension levels has been introduced. Women will benefit from higher actuarial credits for periods of childcare towards their pensions (contribution base of €1,350 per month since January 2005) and from the introduction of voluntary pension splitting. The financial sustainability of pension systems has been substantially improved by raising the retirement age, extending the assessment period to 40 years and revising the actuarial additions and deductions. If compared to the situation prior to 2003, the longer-term savings are expected to reach 1.2 percentage points of GDP in 2035 (time of greatest demographic burden) and 1.6% percentage points of GDP in 2050.
Quality initiative for vocational schools (QIBB) (Started School-Year 2005/2006)
Pilot projects in some strands of vocational schools.
Amendment to the Vocational Training Act (Berufsausbildungsgesetz) (In force since January 2006)
The modular design of vocational training should enable more employers to train apprentices and create conditions for better dovetailing of initial training and further training.
Recommendations
- Age Compliant Work - Introduce measures to ensure that the work being carried out by employees is compliant to their age
- Subsidised Business Apprenticeship Bonuses - Employers providing additional apprenticeships will be subsidised with a bonus per apprentice and month
04.8 Denmark
A stronger focus on vocational education and training
The following five central challenges have been identified:
1. All young people should complete an upper secondary education.
2. There shall be sufficient apprentice places.
3. Vocational education and training shall be orientated so that it is attractive and of high quality in relation to both able and not-so-able young people.
4. The right balance should be achieved between consideration for the labour market of today and that of tomorrow in vocational education and training courses.
5. Vocational education and training courses shall follow trends in the labour market, so that new sectors and job areas are covered by education and training.
The government will set up two committees, which will submit proposals on how to meet these challenges.
1. One committee will submit a proposal for an action plan to achieve the target of at least 85 per cent and at least 95 per cent of a secondary school year completing an upper secondary education in 2010 and 2015 respectively.
2. The other committee will prepare a proposal to future-proof the content, structure and control of vocational education and training courses.
Reintroduction of the Apprenticeship Scheme
The government will reintroduce the apprenticeship as a supplement to the existing opportunities for providing vocational education and training. This initiative will help to ensure that 3,000 additional apprenticeships are made available by the end of 2006 and that at least 95 per cent of a secondary school year completes an upper secondary education in 2015.
This scheme is expected to be introduced on 1 July 2006 and will enable a pupil to enter into an education and training agreement with an enterprise and undergo practical training at the enterprise during the first part of the course programme. This will entirely or partially replace the basic programme.
The scope of any school-based teaching as a supplement to practical training will be agreed for each individual pupil between the company, pupil and school. With some courses and enterprises, there will be little or no need for supplementary school based teaching, whilst with other courses and enterprises there will be a need for certain essential elements of school-based teaching. The skills of the pupil before commencing the training will also play a part in determining the need for any school based teaching.
Basic social and health courses
From 1 January 2007, an apprentice access route into social and health courses and basic educational courses will be introduced alongside the school route as a parallel route to the apprentice route into vocational education and training courses. This scheme is based on pupils being admitted to courses on the basis of an employment agreement with a relevant employment authority or a private supplier to a public sector authority of personal and practical support.
Currently pupils can only be admitted by a school, which then places the pupil with the employers who make apprenticeships available. As a general rule, the employment authorities cannot choose which pupils they employ. In future, schools will be obliged to accept pupils who have signed an agreement on employment with an apprenticeship provider.
To further improve the education and training opportunities for practically oriented young people, the government bill includes provision for the two courses that started on the 1 July 2006 with either an apprentice period or a school-based period as chosen jointly by the pupil and the apprentice provider regardless of whether the pupil has been admitted via the apprentice or school access route.
A new upper secondary class
Through earlier and better guidance, it will become the general rule for young people to start upper secondary education after the 9th class. The small group of young people who are not ready for this as a result of inadequate decision-making skills or inadequate knowledge or skills and those young people who drop out of a upper secondary education will be offered teaching in a secondary school class.
In the future teaching in the secondary school class will be targeted at the group of young people who need a special education and preparatory programme in order to choose, begin and complete an upper secondary education. The aim is to improve the qualifications of young people to enable them to meet the requirements of upper secondary courses and to make them secure in their choice of education. Pupils will be admitted to the secondary school class after receiving comprehensive guidance from the secondary education institution whose advance approval is not a requirement.
Implemented higher education initiatives Development contracts
The University Act gives universities more freedom. The universities have become independent institutions with boards with an external majority, an external board chairman and employee managers. The central governing tool is the development contract, which will describe the university’s strategic objectives, means and initiative areas and will be centred on the university’s core areas. These development contracts will include quantitative and measurable indicators. The development contracts for government’s aims, is to improve the coherence between courses and to reinforce customer needs in the development contracts.
Specific access requirements and a new admission system
Admission to a university course requires certain secondary school qualifications. For most courses, applicants must also fulfil certain specific access requirements, e.g. a grade ‘B’ at secondary level in English, in order to be able to study English at university or a grade ‘A’ in mathematics at secondary level in order to study engineering.
From the 2008 intake, the specific access requirements will be simplified and tightened in order to create more coherence between the output level of secondary level courses and the input level of universities. This simplification will be reflected in the fact that the same course at different universities will have the same specific access requirements. In addition, tightening of the requirements will mean that an ‘A’ grade at secondary level will be required in the chosen language in order to study it at university.
Free places and Scholarship Scheme
In an amendment to the University Act from May 2005, a free place and scholarship scheme has been set up for the best foreign students at the universities in order to attract more highly qualified students from abroad to relevant courses. Through the scheme, university boards will be able to prioritise the subject areas in which they want to attract the best students from outside the EU/EEA. The scheme will be introduced from 2006.
More and better engineers
In May 2005, the government presented “More and better engineers”, which describes a number of specific ways in which recruitment to engineering courses can be improved and how engineering courses can be improved. In concrete terms, an image campaign will be carried out during the spring of 2006 to attract applicants right from the summer 2006 intake. An international panel of foreign experts will also be set up to give advice and provide inspiration for Danish engineering courses, which can reinforce the overall education effort.
Strengthen the development of the higher education sector outside the universities
The government has already strengthened the development of the higher education sector outside the universities, partly by improving the vocational colleges and establishing strong, broadly orientated centres for medium-cycle higher education courses.An emphasis is also placed on a close and dynamic interaction between theory and practice in attractive, forward-looking short and medium-cycle higher education courses.
In 2004, the Danish Parliament decided that centres for higher education could use the term ‘University College’, provided that they meet the conditions to increase their capacity. The use of this term has clarified the requirements and basis for the knowledge management of the institutions.
Planned higher education initiatives
Evaluation of Ph.D. education
The government plans to increase Ph.D. admissions by 50 per cent. The Government Platform states that recruitment must be doubled annually from the current 1,200 Ph.D. students. Danish researcher education was last evaluated in 1999 and a new evaluation has just been started with the aim of assessing the organisation, structure and quality of Ph.D. education. The results of this evaluation will be available in February 2006.
Entertainment economy
A working group under the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Development on “Courses for the entertainment economy” describes the current education and training picture within the entertainment economy as flickering and characterised by patchy coverage and insufficient collaboration and co-ordination. The working group points to the need for a marked lift of competences in the entertainment sector through the professionalisation of managements and organisations and more systematic educational co-ordination of commercial, humanistic and creative courses.
As a follow-up to the working group’s clarification of the need for new courses within the entertainment economy, the Ministry is planning to send out calls for tenders for new master’s degree courses relating to the entertainment economy in the autumn of 2005, with the aim of bringing about a series of master’s degree courses that are targeted at the competence needs of the entertainment economy.
Targeted education research
It has been decided to establish a national forum for research into education. A conference on this topic will be held in the autumn of 2005. One of the aims of this conference is to discuss the establishment of a professional knowledge centre for education research, that can bring together the most important trends within Danish and international research within the field and ensure the effective dissemination of knowledge. Such a knowledge centre, also known as a clearing house, will among other things collate, assess and disseminate important results of Danish and foreign research.
Recommendations
- Explore the possibility of establishing a Professional Knowledge Centre for education research.
04.9 Estonia
Measures aimed at improving Lifelong Learning
1. Increasing the share of primary school graduates that opt for vocational education by targeted planning of state-commissioned education (2009).
2. The creation of state-commissioned study places at the higher education level: 50% for the secondary schools graduates and up to 10% for the vocational education graduates (on the basis of primary education), preferably in professional higher education level (2006–2008).
3. To diversify the choices of basic and secondary education students, more vocational training opportunities will be created, including opening of vocation training classes (in cooperation with nearby vocational education institutions) (2008).
4. The improvement of a support system (study, dormitory and transportation supports) in order to create opportunities for economically less-insured students to participate in vocational training (2005-2008).
5. The enforcement of regulations in line with the European qualifications framework (2007), creating better opportunities for step-by-step movement between vocational and higher education curricula, with the main emphasis on the restructuring of upper secondary vocational training system. In addition, the creation of opportunities for the transition from vocational to higher education by the financing of supplementary general education studies of up to one year (2006).
6. The popularisation of the specialities of natural and exact sciences and technology among young people by offering innovative programs in general education schools and vocational education institutions, offering scholarships at the level of higher education, and supporting state hobby schools (e.g. technical houses, nature houses) and youth centres (2006–2008).
Activities aimed at improving quality of education
1. The development and implementation of new basic and secondary education curricula (2007); compiling professional standards for teachers and introduction of a system for acquiring occupational qualifications (2006); development of an integrated counselling system and system for internal and external evaluation of schools; improving the financing model for general education (2006).
2. Increasing the international competitiveness of higher education by greater specialization, infrastructure investments40, improvement of quality standards regulations, concentration of resources, licensing of educational institutions, and adopting legislation for joint degrees and diplomas (2006–2008).
3. Fostering state initiatives to improve IT-related knowledge and skills as well as to develop respective infrastructure and learning environment in order to encourage the shift from basic skills development to the more intensive use of ICT in the learning process and provide support in coping with the challenges of a knowledge-based society (“The Learning Tiger” for general education and vocational schools (2006–2009), “Tiger University+” (2006–2008)).
4. Improving the quality of the learning environment in vocational schools (rooms, study equipment) (2010).
5. The development and implementation of a quality assurance system (2007) and preparation and supplementary training systems for vocational teachers (2005-2008) in order to improve the quality of vocational education. Better organisation and update of the curriculum system in vocational education (2008) and preparation of a package of measures necessary for the implementation of the reforms (legislative package, vocational education standards, professional standards, state curricula).
6. Improving cooperation with employers/entrepreneurs and educational institutions in order to increase the learning quality, including making the apprentice’s system more effective and increasing the role of employers in the councils of vocational education institutions (2007)
Activities aimed at increasing the employment readiness of young people by improving the effectiveness of Youthwork
1. The involvement of youth participative bodies and youth representative bodies in youth related decision-making regarding education, employment, health, culture and social affairs, and thereby creating the respective consultation schemes at the state (I stage) and local level (II stage) (2006–2008).
2. The improvement of the quality of Youthwork by implementing professional standards (2006) and a quality evaluation system (2008) for youth workers.
3. The strengthening of Youthwork institutions and Youthwork networks by fostering the programs for open youth centres, information and counselling centres and specialty schools (2006-2008) and improving cooperation of stakeholders incl. supporting cooperation projects with schools and employers in local level (2006–2007).
Activities aimed at developing a supplementary training and re-education system in line with the principles of lifelong learning
For being competitive in the labour market throughout the life-cycle, skills and knowledge acquired at vocational or higher education is not sufficient. Dealing constantly with improving individual qualification’s and openness for acquiring a new profession has become a key factor of competitiveness. Hereby, the task of the state is to create sufficient opportunities for employees for ongoing professional improvement and to assist in guaranteeing the quality of provided education. Therefore, working out a framework for the financing of lifelong learning has vital importance in Estonia.
1. Creation of better opportunities for supplementary training and re-education for both unemployed and employed (2006-2008).
2. The development of a quality assurance system for adult education, incl. the training of trainers in order to insure a sense of security for both teachers and students regarding the quality of the training (2007).
3. The development of a financing system for adult education in order to promote access to education for all adults and improve development of qualifications and acquisition of new qualifications, in order to guarantee the competitiveness of Estonian labour (2006).
4. The reorganisation of the collection of statistics concerning adult education and approving priority fields of research, in order to guarantee solid base of analysis for future projections and development activities (2007).
Activities aimed at developing vocational, career, and learning counselling
1. The development and implementation of a uniform profession and career counselling network (2007).
2. The development of implementation principles of a nation-wide APEL (accreditation of prior experiential learning) system to attach more importance to previous training and work experience (2007).
3. To foster a system of professional qualifications in order to increase flexibility of educational system and improve its conformity with the demand of labour market (2006–2008).
4. To improve forecasting of long- and short-term labour market needs through introducing and implementing a system of sectoral needs analysis by working out respective methodology (2006) and introducing regular monitoring of the labour force needs of employers (2007).
Recommendations:
- Consolidate the national profession and career counselling entities into a single focal point of contact for persons seeking career and employment advice, training and assistance.
04.10 Finland
Lifelong Learning for Adults in Finland
Finland has been extremely successful in fostering the education of its citizens. The country’s policy has been praised in recent years at many occasions and by many institutions, most prominently by the OECD.
A central objective of Finnish education policy is to provide all citizens with equal opportunities to receive education irrespective of age, domicile, sex, mother tongue and economic situation. The right to free basic education for all residents of Finland – and not just for Finnish citizens – is guaranteed by statutes.
In addition, everyone has the right to post-basic education. There is a wide-spread consensus that general education is not sufficient for active participation in society and economy.
The country has very high youth education attainments levels, which is partly a result of high quality state-provided higher education being affordable for everybody due to state subsidies.
Lifelong learning is defined in Finnish policymaking in a very broad way, as a general principle and comprising initial as well as adult education.
The basic principles are understood to be:
1. a high standard of education in general;
2. development of learning skills (“learning to learn”);
3. ensuring an adequate amount of chances and implementation methods for continuous learning of adults;
4. Appreciation and promotion of learning outside educational institutions.
There is consensus that the rapid development of the Information Society both requires and facilitates an increase in the knowledge level of all citizens. The government has stated that “from the viewpoint of working life and the citizens’ society, it is necessary to steer educational input increasingly to the adult population and to build the support structures of educational provision and learning to extend throughout life
Against this background, the basic aims of Finland’s policy towards lifelong learning are:
1. Taking into account all age groups.
2. Formal recognition of skills and knowledge obtained outside educational institutions.
3. Enlargement of learning environments.
4. Improvement of guidance and counselling.
5. Fostering on-the-job learning.
6. Reorganisation of financing systems to promote results-oriented education.
7. Improvement of teaching skills.
8. Securing high-quality education.
9. Development of learning skills.
10. Ensuring flexibility and in options.
11. Responding to the challenges of the information society.
A review from 2001 (carried out on behalf of Cedefop[24]) identified four major challenges which need to be tackled in order to increase the reach, intensity and effectiveness of lifelong learning by adults.
1. The provision of lifelong learning services differs strongly between regions, and is least developed in sparsely populated areas;
2. Finnish educational institutions and working life continue to be quite far apart, in spite of extensive educational policy reforms having been implemented to bring them closer;
3. Skills acquired through non-formal education are not properly acknowledged in the education system, which means they are not put to good use. Knowledge and skills obtained by self-learning, on-the-job or through extracurricular activities do not receive sufficient accreditation; and
4. Adult education still does not reach all population groups to the same extent. Adult education continues to appeal primarily to people who already have a good educational background, and who do not necessarily belong to the older working group. On the other hand, it has also been realised that adult individuals cannot be forced to participate in training – they must take responsibility for their own lifelong learning.
Total public expenditure on education, as a share of GDP, is much above the EU average. The country’s primary and secondary education systems are systematically – and successfully – preparing the large majority of pupils for entering tertiary education. This has been shown repeatedly in international benchmarking exercises such as the OECD’s PISA study Finland’s excellent performance in education matters is not limited to initial education. Rates of participation in adult education are among the highest in the world, and the share of enterprises providing training to their staff is exceptionally high (75%). Adult education and training is provided by over 1000 institutions scattered around the country. Some of them provide education and training only for mature students, but the majority cater for both young people and adults.
Adult education courses are developed by universities and polytechnics, public and private vocational institutions, adult education centres and summer universities, adult upper secondary schools, study centres, sports institutes, and music institutes. A special form of adult education is adult employment training, where the employment administration provides unemployed people and those at risk of unemployment with courses purchased from institutions, mainly preparing for certain occupations. The large variety of training offers available make it all the more necessary that citizens can obtain advice and counselling about the courses best suitable for them. Such support is provided by the Employment Offices, the web pages of municipalities, the information services of the Ministry of Education (including its website), the websites of adult education providers, and from Opintoluotsi[25], a portal dedicated to comprehensive information on adult education.
Policy Documents
The country’s policy towards adult education is based on a number of strategy documents including:
1. the National Lifelong Learning Strategy ‘Joy of Learning’ (1997);
2. recent Development Plans for Education and University Research (for example 1999–2004;2004-2006);
3. the Information Society Programme (1995-99) and related recent strategies, all of which emphasising the need for adults to acquire eSkills in the broadest sense of that term;
4. the National Strategy for Education, Training and Research in the Information Society (2000-2004);
eLearning
Distance education traditionally plays an important role for tertiary and adult education in Finland because of the large distances and low population density in large parts of the country. For obvious reasons, the potential of utilising ICTs for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of distance learning have been explored from early on, and implemented in a variety of ways.
Finland has already gained considerable experience from the launching and implementation of a large number of eLearning projects, both in businesses and within the public administration. Firms meet their internal training and development needs increasingly through the use of eLearning tools (such as web-based training implementations), usually by combining these with various knowledge management systems, digital work support systems, but also with traditional types of classroom-type training. The Finnish supply of the market for eLearning services (courses) can be divided into:
1. Established educational institutions utilising eLearning methods as part of their teaching;
2. Other organisations in the public sector offering eLearning courses;
3. Private eLearning service providers.
The so-called “Virtual teaching networks” include:
- The Virtual School for Basic Vocational Education;
- The Virtual School for Further Vocational Education for Adults;
- The Finnish Virtual University and Virtual Polytechnics;
- Open Universities and Polytechnics.
A stocktaking exercise carried out in 2002 came to the result that the number of private sector eLearning providers (approximately 150) has exceeded the number of public educational institutions offering online courses (of which there are about 100). However, many of these are small in size and operations have not advanced much beyond the pilot phase. AsMarkkula points out in his 2004 report to the Ministry of Education; there is a strong need for better integration of the market supply in order for eLearning to be taken up by larger shares of the population.
The government’s approach to eLearning is outlined in the “Information Society Programme for Education, Training and Research” (2004-2006). The programme recommends the extensive use of ICT in teaching and learning at all educational levels. The aim is that by 2007:
- Finland will be an open and secure, networked society with high-level information society knowledge;
- All citizens will have the opportunities and the basic capabilities to use eServices and content;
- Appropriate use is being made of ICT in everyday learning and teaching at schools;
- ICT is used widely and appropriately in research;
- Electronic materials will be of a high quality, pedagogically justified, serve different user groups and be available openly;
- Also, electronic materials will be comprehensively available for science and research; and
- The programme actions are to be evaluated on a continual basis with a view towards development.
Current policy-making puts much emphasis on fostering the development of the Finnish content production industry. A ministerial working group set up for drafting a strategy for the area defined a number of key aims/targets in 2002, including Finland to become “the leading Nordic country in content creation” and to have “a significant number of nationally and internationally successful companies in the field” ensuring that “domestic content production in the old and new media is abundant and of a high quality both in content and technologically”. These objectives have been agreed upon against the background of a dominant position of US companies among suppliers of internationally marketed online teaching materials.
Every municipality in Finland is obliged to develop its own ICT strategy concerning educational services. However, when compared to the central public administration and the private sector Finnish municipalities have been slow to adopt eLearning. Among the reasons behind this, the variety and incompatibility of current technological solutions, the lack of standards and the non-existence of common guidelines or verified best practice appear to be most relevant.
05. Lifelong Learning Measures in use by Countries outside the European Union
05.1 Japan
Measures aimed at creating a Lifelong Learning System
Improving Systems and Infrastructures for Lifelong Learning
With the aim of creating a lifelong learning system and achieving structured improvements in learning opportunities, a comprehensive system to promote lifelong learning will be developed in cooperation with the relevant public and private organisations, such as social education facilities and institutions of higher education. Meetings and conferences will be organised to establish regional cooperation, and master plans necessary for comprehensive implementation will be developed.
In addition, to strengthen the infrastructure for providing lifelong learning opportunities, lifelong learning will be promoted, information and consultation services will be improved, instructors will be trained, and learning achievements will be appropriately evaluated.
Providing Diverse Learning Opportunities
In order to meet citizen's diversifying and growing demands for learning, diverse lifelong learning opportunities will be provided through the promotion of social education at community centres, libraries, and museums, cultural activities at art museums, and sports activities, by utilisation of information and communication networks while ensuring the sound development of private sector.
Ensuring Diverse Learning Opportunities at School
At primary and secondary educational institutions, understanding of elderly people and challenges concerning the aged society such as care and welfare will be deepened through interaction between students and older people in social service experiences like volunteer activities provided with the cooperation of the local community.
Moreover, at higher educational institutions, such as colleges and universities, efforts will be made to implement special enrolment systems for adults, establish night graduate schools, offer day and night courses, and establish and improve learning circumstance of the University of the Air service nationwide in order to provide adults with advanced and practical learning opportunities. School functions and facilities will also be made available to the public for open seminars aimed at local residents and the utilisation of unused classrooms for social education.
Supporting Working People's Learning Activities
To develop a system in which working people can learn by taking leave from their workplace for lengthy periods of time, paid-vacation systems for education and training will be promoted and measures will be developed to directly support individual workers who try to develop their occupational skills through their own initiative.
Various efforts have been made to realise a society providing life-long learning based on the "Law for Improving the Systems to Promote Measures for the Advancement of Life-long Learning" (Law No. 71, 1990) and the reports by the Central Council for Education. In addition, life-long learning has been promoted through the provision of services for supporting private organisations promoting life-long learning and municipalities making efforts to create better communities through the promotion of education, culture, and sports.
The National Lifelong Learning Festival was held with the purpose of spreading and enlightening life-long learning, including a symposium and experimental workshops. Through the festival, opportunities were provided on a nationwide scale for the general public to participate in activities related to life-long learning. (During the period from October 9 to 13, 2004, the festival was held under the theme of "The circle of leaning brings together the hospitality extended by people" in Ehime Prefecture.)
The "Rich Experience Activity Model Program" has been developed so that students of elementary schools, junior high schools and high schools can participate in a variety of experiential activities including experience of social service activities such as volunteer activities. One of the programs is to designate the schools and regions promoting experiential activities in each prefecture, which will serve as models for other schools.
Many learning opportunities are provided for a wide range of age groups in citizens' public halls, libraries, museums, women's education centres, and other social education facilities, as well as in the Boards of Education. Among these programs are classes or courses for further understanding aging society or those for the elderly themselves.
So that the elderly themselves can positively participate in society with a sense of fulfilment while finding their own role, it is essential to make efforts to improve various environmental conditions in society. For this purpose, Senior Citizens' Clubs engaged in positive comprehensive social activities in local communities are subsidised for their further promotion.
In order to promote the elderly's fulfilment and health, grants are provided for enlightenment and diffusion of municipal social activities for the elderly, and for support of elderly volunteer activities, etc. In addition, subsidies are provided for programs to develop elderly leaders and to establish organisational networks, which have been conducted by the "Prefectural Offices to Promote a Prosperous Longevity Society" located in each prefecture. In October 2004, the National Welfare Festival for the Aged was held in Gunma Prefecture.
From the viewpoint of supporting social participation activities utilising the abundant knowledge and experiences and learning results of the elderly, the National Forum for Social Participation of Older Persons was held so that a variety of generations of the nation might widely exchange opinions about measures to promote social participation by the elderly (held in Ehime Prefecture on October 12, 2004, with the theme of "Singing and laughing are the source of power: Tips of learning").
Recommendations
- Explore the possibility of organising an annual National Lifelong Learning Festival.
- Creation of a National Forum for Social Participation of Older Persons. This will enable society to make use of the abundant knowledge and experience of the elderly was held so that a variety of generations of the nation might widely exchange opinions about measures to promote social participation by the elderly.
05.2 Australia
The increasing demand for lifelong learning forms the background to a set of important developments in the qualification system of Australia during the 1990s. These developments include:
1. the implementation of the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF);
2. the implementation of VET in Schools programs in upper secondary education;
3. the introduction of school-based apprenticeships in upper secondary education;
4. the growth of credit transfer between post-school VET and higher education;
5. the growth of awards delivered through both sectors (sometimes known as dual sector awards linking post-school VET and higher education; and
6. delivery of degrees in the VET sector.
The implementation of the AQF
Qualifications under the Australian Qualifications Framework range from the Senior Secondary Certificate of Educations (SSCE) and basic VET to higher degree work in universities. Characteristics of learning outcomes or competencies are described in field-free or generic terms for each award level. The awards, and the relationship between them, are nationally recognised. Except for the two diploma qualifications, which are accredited in both VET and HE, each qualification is accredited in only one sector.
However, delivery of qualifications may occur across sectors, subject to the quality assurance regimes set by the accrediting sector. For example, schools deliver Certificate II and Certificate III level courses in VET (and in rare cases Certificate IV) as well as the SSCE; there is also a small but growing trend for selected students to undertake university subjects at school. Registered Training Organisations (including TAFE institutes) deliver SSCEs as well as VET qualifications, and recent moves allow for TAFE delivery of degrees (hitherto extremely rare).
Universities offer courses at sub-degree level (including Certificate IV courses) in addition to degrees, and adult and community providers run courses that range from Certificate I to Diplomas (as well as many non-award courses). The main drivers behind the development of the AQF include:
1. The opportunity for clarification in VET qualification levels arising from competency standard development at the national level (replacing divergent State-based standards);
2. the need for portability of qualifications across jurisdictions to support workforce mobility and micro-economic reform;
3. The need for seamless cross-sector mobility to support the accumulation of human capital, micro-economic reform, and individual mobility;
4. The need for quality assurance arising from growing diversity of providers of postsecondary education. The AQF publishes registers of accredited providers (self-accrediting and others) and sets parameters for the learning outcomes for each award which form the basis of course accreditation; and
5. The growing internationalisation of education and training, leading to a need for an internationally recognised framework in the context of mutual recognition of qualifications across national boundaries and the provision of information for prospective overseas students.
Vocational Education and Training (VET) in schools
The implementation of nationally accredited vocational modules in senior certificate programs across Australia represents a change of far-reaching importance in the qualifications sanctioning completion of secondary school. Until the mid-1970s (and generally somewhat later), the senior certificate was a university entrance exam, even while operating in other ways (such as for employment in administrative and clerical jobs or for entry to technical institutes or teachers’ colleges).
During a first phase of reform, the curriculum was widened to include wholly-school based programs which were not recognised by universities. In some jurisdictions, these courses were sanctioned by alternative credentials to mark the end of secondary education as a phase in its own right. In a second phase of reform—roughly the 1990s—effective transition, including preparation for employment, became the dominant theme. This led to the introduction of industry-endorsed VET modules within mainstream senior certificates. Elements included AQF award courses (generally at Certificate II level) — nested in different ways within the senior school program—and structured workplace training.
Participation in VET in Schools programs has risen dramatically since the mid-1990s, with an estimate 1 in 4 of all upper secondary students enrolled in a program (at various year-levels, mainly Year 11). The major drivers behind the implementation of VET in Schools programs include:
1. the need to strengthen the links between the senior certificate and employment;
2. student demand for vocational skills and training prior to leaving school;
3. the need to improve student engagement in learning by offering stronger economic incentives, available to all students;
4. student demand for flexible options and choice in school programs;
5. employer concerns that schools meet industry-standards of VET (rather than offering non-accredited courses);
6. the need to reduce early leaving where based on low achievement or lack of interest in schoolwork; and
7. policy concerns about low transfer rates from school to post-school VET and the need for greater articulation between these sectors.
School-based apprenticeships
Prior to 1998 students seeking employment-based training were required to leave school to begin an indenture agreement, involving full-time work with day or block release for instruction at a VET institute. This traditional arrangement was suited to an age when most young people left school at 14 or 15 and when boys in particular could plan on skilled training in manufacturing or construction industries. However, the shrinking full-time labour market and the increasing concentration of jobs in the services sector have changed the context as has the tendency for many young people to work part-time during their final years at school.
More flexible arrangements have now been introduced which enable variable combinations of work and study. This means that the senior certificate is now, for some students, employment based, involving substantial periods of work and on-the-job training, and strengthening the employment value of the credential as a dual award (VET and academic). The major drivers behind the implementation of school-based apprenticeships have been:
1. student demand for flexible options, including combinations of work and study;
2. the need to strengthen links between the senior certificate and employment;
3. the potential to expand structured workplace training through part-time work; and
4. the potential to reduce early leaving where based on demand for work by flexible work-study combinations.
Credit transfer between post-school VET and higher education
Prior to the 1990s, student movement between VET and higher education was hampered by lack of recognition of VET courses as a basis for advanced standing in university courses. In certain areas, such as accounting, there were demonstrable overlaps between Associate Diploma studies in VET and foundation studies at university. During the 1990s, there was a growing appreciation of the need to enable VET graduates to build on (rather than duplicate) their training and for universities to avoid costly duplication of effort.
In July 1997, the Australian Vice-Chancellors’ Committee agreed to expand credit transfer facilities, with four in five universities participating in a national approach, covering eleven fields of study (The Australian, 23/7/97). Currently about 34% of all VET students admitted to universities receive some exemption in view of their VET studies (Long and Burke 2002:6). The main drivers behind the implementation of credit transfer arrangements between VET and higher education have been:
1. student demand for professional registration, requiring progression from Diploma to degree;
2. recognition of duplication and waste of resources due to course overlaps;
3. recognition of equity issues in the non-recognition of VET awards for the purpose of giving advanced standing; and
4. the need to harmonise improvised and sometimes inconsistent credit transfer arrangements and to rest decisions about exemption on qualifications, not individual circumstances.
Dual sector activity linking VET and higher education
One important consequence of the credit transfer initiatives taken during the 1990s was the development of integrated dual sector delivery. These involve a structured progression from middle-level training to degree programs in which VET studies substitute for foundation studies either in the same university (where this institution is cross-sectoral) or across collaborating VET institutions and universities. Such awards were pioneered in the mid-1980s through an initiative funded by the-then Commonwealth Tertiary Education Commission (CTEC) which linked an Associate Diploma in Technology (Computing) at Holmesglen and Peninsula Colleges of TAFE to the Bachelor of Technology at the former Chisholm Institute of Technology (Teese 1998: 11). They are based on a variety of different models. Some involve articulation from one or two years of middle-level training (the ‘foundation year’ model). Others involve a progression through different awards which are integrated in a single sequence (Certificate IV, Diploma, Degree), and from which students can exit at any award point. In this sense they can therefore be regarded as dual or double awards. The major drivers behind the development of dual sector delivery have been:
1. recognition by universities of the quality of VET Diploma students;
2. recognition by universities of the pedagogical advantages of establishing foundation years in VET institutes;
3. student demand for flexible pathways in tertiary education and for a vocational emphasis which does not exclude subsequent university studies;
4. the strategic perceptions of certain universities in seeking to attract enrolments through distinctive ‘products’; and
5. Recognition of resource economies and more strategic emphasis through universities shedding part of their foundation studies load to VET.
Delivery of degrees in the VET sector
Increasing collaboration between universities and VET institutions was a growing trend during the 1990s, attested not only by increasing provision of credit transfer, but by various resource-sharing initiatives and by joint delivery arrangements. VET delivery of degrees has evolved from, and represents an extension of credit transfer. For example, in August 1998 an agreement was signed by Charles Sturt University and Holmesglen TAFE in Victoria under which Holmesglen’s viticulture students gained credit for admission to Charles Sturt’s bachelor of business studies program (The Australian, 19/8/98). In effect, Holmesglen became the provider of elements of first-year business studies at Sturt (foundation year model).
But, by extension, a TAFE institute might deliver the whole of a degree program rather than simply the first or second years. By arrangement with a sponsoring university—a statutory requirement, where such degrees have been authorised, as in Victoria—TAFE institutes are able to progressively extend their work to delivering the whole of a Bachelor’s course.
The major drivers behind this very recent initiative are similar to those behind credit transfer arrangements and dual-sector delivery, for example:
1. recognition of the need to provide more strongly focused vocational programs in higher education;
2. a policy concern to reduce attrition in higher education through provision of more vocationally oriented degree options;
3. recognition of learning dynamics in which early engagement in vocational studies stimulates interest in theoretical work and more research-based studies;
4. a policy concern that the demand for vocational skills and training after completing a degree (evident in post-degree enrolments in VET) could be more effectively managed by integrated delivery of applied and theoretical studies during a single degree program; and
5. Recognition of employer interest in a more applied and practical emphasis in university studies.
Quality assurance arrangements
Recent years have seen quality assurance initiatives in both higher education and VET. In higher education, the development of a quality assurance framework has affected both self-accrediting and non-self accrediting providers of higher education. This has involved the endorsement by the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA) of National Protocols for Higher Education Approval Processes and their recognition in legislation by State and Territory governments. In addition, the newly established Australian Universities Quality Agency will audit the activities of Australian universities and State and Territory accreditation authorities on a five-year rolling cycle.
In VET, the National Training Framework (comprising the Australian Quality Training Framework and Training Packages) helps ensure that the VET system provides quality, industry-relevant training and that its products and services are mutually recognised by all registered training providers across State and Territory borders.
Qualifications according to Sector
|Schools sector |Vocational education and Training |Higher Education Sector |
| |Sector | |
|- Senior Secondary Certificate of|- Advanced Diploma |- Doctoral Degree |
|Education |- Diploma |- Masters Degree |
| |- Certificate IV |- Graduate Diploma |
| |- Certificate III |- Graduate Certificate |
| |- Certificate II |- Bachelor Degree |
| |- Certificate I |- Advanced Diploma |
| | |- Diploma |
Recommendations
- Investigate possibilities to transfer credit between post-school VET and higher education.
- Linking of activities between VET and higher education.
- Investigate the possibility of the delivery of degrees in the VET sector.
06. Lifelong Learning references in EU Countries Pension Strategy Reports 2005
06.1 Hungary[26]
Strategies for securing future adequacy
Concerns regarding assuring an adequate pension level on long term have been voiced for some time in debates to transform the pension scheme. Despite a variety of different positions, there is wide agreement that the measures:
- Will have to accelerate the lifelong learning programme, support NGO initiatives of model value for older persons, and adjust adult education to market demands.
06.2 Ireland[27]
The National Centre for Partnership and Performance was established in 2001 to support and drive change in the Irish workplace. The Centre’s remit is to enable organisations in the private and public sectors, through partnership, to respond to change, to build capability and to improve performance. The Centre recently launched its Report of the Forum on the Workplace of the Future. The Report outlines a national strategy with a comprehensive list of recommendations on areas that have a direct impact on organisations and on the lives of workers, including the development of work/life balance arrangements, training and lifelong learning, childcare provision and choice, equal opportunities, and improved information and consultation. A High-Level Implementation Group will oversee the implementation of the National Workplace Strategy which aims to translate the Forum’s vision of the Workplace of the Future into reality.
06.3 Republic Of Cyprus[28]
Employment Policies
- Further development of education and training within the framework of the lifelong learning policy
06.4 Austria[29]
Increasing the employment rate of older persons
Since about twenty percent of the annual average of unemployed persons belong to the age group fifty plus, which is especially prone to long-term unemployment, active labour market policy gives priority to keeping these persons employed or re-integrating them in the labour market. In the framework of the programme “Older unemployed and older workers”, the Public Employment Service has therefore considerably stepped up support measures. Life-long learning activities were also intensified with a view to supplying the economy with well-qualified skilled workers.
Increasing the employment rate of younger persons
Combating youth unemployment and ensuring the occupational training of young people facing difficulties on the labour market are important objectives of an active labour market policy. In accordance with the Act on Guaranteeing Youth Training, teenagers not finding apprenticeship places after compulsory school education, disabled young people and those difficult to place on the labour market are offered temporary apprenticeship places so that their occupational training will not be delayed. Apprenticeship places for occupations in demand on the labour market are provided by training institutions to enable the young people to change from the training course directly to a regular apprenticeship place. In 2003 13,000 young people have used this support network. In 2004 an additional 500 trainee positions were created for young people difficult to place. Besides an improved, more effective and efficient education of students, the university reform 2002 had the crucial aim of drastically reducing the – by international comparison – excessive length of study courses in Austria.
Apart from these two target groups, the measures planned and implemented in the framework of gender mainstreaming focus on women. Furthermore, half of the budget earmarked for an active labour market policy is used for measures geared to the needs of women, notably of those to be re-integrated in the labour market.
06.5 Belgium[30]
Finally, there are too many – especially older – salaried workers who are insufficiently retrained to actualise their skills or to reorient their professional career. They are expelled from the labour market because their productivity in the function they execute is insufficient to justify the labour costs. This pleads for a reduction of the labour costs for unskilled workers and for investments in human capital. The continued professional training is an excellent means to acquire new skills and to actualise one's qualifications throughout his or her professional life. In this context, efforts have been made to extend the training offer and the objectives set by the social partners to increase the participation in life-long learning are very encouraging
06.6 Lithuania[31]
However life-long learning is too little developed: in 2003 only 8.8% of the population aged 25-34 was studying, within the age group of 35-44 – 4.1%, and among those aged 55-64 – 1.2%. The share of companies organising continuous training courses for their employees in Lithuania is almost thrice as small as in the old Member States of the EU.15 Adult education, especially continuous vocational training, in the Lithuanian life-long learning system is the weakest link. It is planned to improve the legal base which would set out the duties of employers and employees in the field of professional development and economic incentives for employers to finance the participation of their employees in training programmes.
It is planned to create mechanisms which would allow cooperating state, employers’ and people’s finances for continuous vocational training. The provisions of the State Educational Strategy for 2003-2012 demonstrate the necessity to ensure the accessibility, continuity and justice of the education development. The objective is to develop education and create conditions for the Lithuanian population to have real opportunities to learn life-long and continuously update and develop their skills.
In 2004 the Strategy for Ensuring Life-Long Learning was drafted according to which all Lithuanian residents having not acquired general elementary education, secondary education or a vocation will be invited and encouraged to study so that every year at least 15% of adults of the working age would study. Apart from other skills when implementing this strategy, at least 85% of the Lithuanian population of the working age will have real opportunities and will be able to use information technologies.
06.7 Slovenia[32]
In the transition period, Slovenia succeeded in maintaining a fairly favourable level of social protection. Several indicators considered, it has achieved or even surpassed the average EU-15 level. The level of social protection is increasing and the risk of poverty diminishing, measured income inequality is not growing, while regional disparities are growing much slower than in most transition countries.
At the same time life expectancy is increasing and infant mortality falling. On the other hand the share of the inactive population is too big, in particular among the elderly and less educated, and lately also among young job seekers. Educational attainment remains too low, and life-long learning too limited to enable ongoing adaptation to changes in the environment. In the next decade Slovenia will increasingly face economic and social challenges due to a changing population structure, low birth rate, and rising longevity, which means that the present model of inter-generational solidarity will place an increasingly heavy burden upon the active population. A shorter-term problem of insufficiently targeted social benefits is added to what has been said above.
06.8 Germany[33]
Life-long learning
Education and skill-building of elderly persons and employees who have already been working for a long time is continually gaining in significance. Amongst other things, there is also a need for close cooperation with the companies who have to shape work such that learning is possible both in terms of time and of content. This means for everyone closer orientation to the possibilities available to establishments and to elderly persons' specific learning prerequisites, learning needs and existing skills. Life-long learning is a central prerequisite both for employability in all phases of life, and also for willingness and ability to continue to participate in society to an advanced age.
Through promotion within projects, support was lent to this end to developing and testing specific further training concepts to accommodate the special learning and educational needs of elderly persons. The content of the projects focussed and continues to focus on the following, inter alia:
- support for self-organised learning activities,
- use of new media and information technologies (reducing access barriers),
- trends of the "learning location character" in existing self-help groups for elderly persons,
- transfer of individual vocational and life experiences to community activities,
- transfer of knowledge between the generations within further training facilities,
- Support for "Learning in a social environment" (such as preserving elderly persons' skills in the event of unemployment).
It should be considered overall that life-long learning encompasses the career of a person from early childhood up to and including the phase of retirement.
In July 2004, the Federation and the Länder adopted the "Strategy for Life-Long Learning in the Federal Republic of Germany" in the Federation-Länder Commission for Education Planning and Research Promotion. This shows the fields of action which make life-long learning automatic in each educational biography in the educational areas of school, vocational training, higher education and further training.
06.9 Greece[34]
Employment and measures of support
- Improving employability of human resources, with an emphasis on training and development of the workers’ skills and the promotion of life-long learning.
07. List of Recommendations
- Establish a forum between ETC, UOM, MCAST, ME, FOI, NSO and other stakeholders
The forum would aim at monitoring the matching of the demand and supply side of skills.
- Inculcate a culture of lifelong learning
Analyse lifelong learning instruments of EU states who have succeeded in the field.(e.g. Denmark, Sweden, Finland) .
- Consolidate the national profession and career counselling entities into a single focal point of contact.
This may help to reduce any overlap in the services provided while making educational resources more easily accessible by all persons seeking career and employment advice, training and assistance.
- Carry out a review of the long term skills needs and priorities for business and economy.
Adopt a proactive approach towards lifelong learning skills required to ensure every business area has a stable supply of experienced human capital available.
- Promote increased cooperation between employers, educational institutions and professional institutions.
Whilst there are definitely certain levels of cooperation between educational & professional institutions and the industry, a more coordinated and standard approach in this respect will ensure that the guesswork is taken out of the equation, making the market a more level playing field for prospective job seekers
- Identify methods of improving the reputation and quality of vocational and technical education.
In turn the recommendation will help increase enrolment in Lifelong Education.
- Evaluation and recognition of non-formal and informal learning
Introducing a framework for the evaluation and recognition of non-formal and informal learning will help widen employment possibilities. However transparency of all processes connected to this must be ensured.
- Improve appropriate incentives for employers and employees.
Improve on measures and activities supporting the improvement, quality, flexibility and attractiveness of vocational education
Provide an infrastructure permitting self-organised learning in addition to learning organised by others.
- Age Compliant Work
Introduce measures to ensure that the work being carried out by employees is compliant to their age.
- Subsidised Business Apprenticeship Bonuses
Investigate the possibility for employers providing additional apprenticeships to be subsidised with a bonus per apprentice per month.
- Explore the possibility of establishing a Professional Knowledge Centre for education research
The centre will, amongst otherthings, identify and bring together the most important trends within Maltese and international research in the field of lifelong and vocational education and ensure the effective dissemination of such knowledge. Its tasks will include the collation, assessment and dissemination of important results of Maltese and foreign research.
- Explore the possibility of organising an annual National Lifelong Learning Festival
The National Lifelong Learning Festival would spread and enlighten life-long learning, including a symposium and experimental workshops. Through the festival, opportunities would be provided on a nationwide scale for the general public to participate in activities related to life-long learning.
- Creation of a National Forum for Social Participation of Older Persons.
The National Forum would enable society to make use of the abundant knowledge and experience of the elderly by bringing together a variety of generations of the nation to exchange opinions about measures to promote social participation by the elderly. Japan held such a forum in the Ehime Prefecture on October 12, 2004, with the theme of "Singing and laughing are the source of power: Tips of learning".)
- Investigate possibilities to transfer credit between post-school, VET and higher education.
Credit transfer will enable VET graduates to build on (rather than duplicate) their training and for the university to avoid costly duplication of effort.
- Linking of activities between VET and higher education.
The linking of activities will involve the development of an integrated dual sector delivery to enable a structured progression from middle-level training to degree programs in which VET studies substitute for foundation studies either in the same university (where this institution is cross-sectoral) or across collaborating VET institutions and universities.
- Delivery of degrees in the VET sector
As an extension of credit transfer between post-school, VET and higher education, the delivery of degrees in the VET sector may eventually be possible, given the previous recommendation is endorsed.
08. References
Malta Lifelong Learning References
National Reform Programme October 2005 – Malta’s Strategy for Growth and Jobs Pg16
Malta 65 Years Retirement Age Impact on Manual Workers and other Demanding Jobs
Malta - A European inventory on validation of Non-Formal Learning – Dr Anthony Azzopardi – University of Malta
Dr Anthony Azzopardi, A.E., 2003, ‘Strategic Review of ETC Services for Young People’, Report, Employment and Training Corporation
Youth Policy in Malta - International Review Team
National Youth Policy Report 2003:p59
National Youth Policy Report 2003:p29
National Youth Policy Report 2003:p28
Youth Information Handbook, 2004:p18
Prospectus, 2002-3:p6 Mission Statement
Interview, 06.09.04, Teuma, M., president, Malta Association of Youth Workers and president of the Zaghazagh Azzjoni Kattolika – .
EU and Member States References
UK: National Reform Programme
Ireland: National Reform Programme
Czech Republic: National Reform Programme
Germany: National Strategy Report on Old Age Pension Provision 2005
Republic of Slovenia – Reform Programme for Achieving the Lisbon strategy Goals
Scotland: Lifelong Learning Strategy - Learning Through Life
Federal Republic of Germany: Lifelong Learning Strategy
Austria: National Reform Programme (Parts 1-3)
Denmark: National Reform Programme
Estonia: Action Plan for Growth and Jobs
Finland: The Financing of Lifelong Learning - Country Report for the OECD
Hungary National Strategy Report On Pensions 2005 Pg 18
Ireland National Strategy Report On Pensions 2005 Pg 32
Republic Of Cyprus National Strategy Report On Pensions 2005 Pg21
Austria National Strategy Report On Pensions 2005 Pg 17
Belgium National Strategy Report On Pensions 2005 Pg 30
Lithuania National Strategy Report On Pensions 2005 Pg 29
Slovenia National Strategy Report On Pensions 2005 Pg 3
Federal Republic of Germany National Strategy Report On Pensions 2005 Pg 26
Greek National Strategy Report On Pensions 2005 Pg 17
The Contribution of Education systems in the Member States of the EU (Luxembourg Extract)
European Report on Quality Indicators of Lifelong Learning
European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs - Europe: the best way towards Social Justice in the Global World Austrian Chamber of Labour Brussels, 24 October 2005 Pg7
Council of Europe & European Commission, Youth Research Partnership (2004), Draft Papers, p. 86
Proceedings: National Curriculum on its Way, 2000:p358
Non EU Countries’ References
Japan - General Principles Concerning Measures for the Aged Society
Australia - The Role of National Qualifications Systems in Promoting Lifelong Learning
Australia - Mechanisms for the Co-finance of Lifelong Learning
Australia - AQF Implementation Handbook
World Wide Web References
.mt
um.edu.mt
.mt
mcast.edu.mt
.mt
.mt
.mt
.mt
-----------------------
[1] European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs - Europe: the best way towards Social Justice in the Global World Austrian Chamber of Labour Brussels, 24 October 2005 Pg7
[2] .mt
[3] um.edu.mt
[4] (Council of Europe & European Commission, Youth Research Partnership (2004), Draft Papers, p. 86).
[5] Proceedings: National Curriculum on its Way, 2000:p358
[6] .mt
[7] Azzopardi, A.E., 2003, ‘Strategic Review of ETC Services for Young People’, Report, Employment and Training Corporation). (.mt).
[8] mcast.edu.mt
[9] Prospectus, 2002-3:p6 Mission Statement
[10] .mt
[11] .mt
[12] .mt
[13] .mt
[14] National Youth Policy Report 2003:p59
[15] National Youth Policy Report 2003:p59
[16] National Youth Policy Report 2003:p29
[17] National Youth Policy Report 2003:p28
[18] Youth Information Handbook, 2004:18
[19] Interview, 06.09.04, Teuma, M., president, Malta Association of Youth Workers and president of the Zaghazagh Azzjoni Kattolika – .
[20] Malta National Reform Programme October 2005 Pg16
[21] Sometimes referred to as the Malta National Academic Recognition Information Centre (Malta NARIC), the EU equivalent entity.
[22] Lord Leitch 'Sandy'
Lord Leitch joined the board in 2005. He has held a number of senior roles in financial services. He was Chairman and CEO of Zurich Financial Services' UKISA (UK, Ireland and South Africa) and Asia Pacific division and Head of its Global Life Businesses. He has been chairman of the Life Insurance Council and the Association of British Insurers. He is also a Non-Executive Director of United Business Media Plc and BUPA. He was Chairman of UK Cares and Deputy Chairman of Business in the Community. He chairs the National Employment Panel and is Deputy Chairman of the Commonwealth Education Fund. He is also Chairman of "The Leitch Review of Skills in the UK" - an independent review body advising Government on the UK's skills mix.
[23] Individual German states
[24] Cedefop: The European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training
[25]
[26] Hungary National Strategy Report On Pensions 2005 Pg 18
[27] Ireland National Strategy Report On Pensions 2005 Pg 32
[28] Republic Of Cyprus National Strategy Report On Pensions 2005 Pg21
[29] Austria National Strategy Report On Pensions 2005 Pg 17
[30] Belgium National Strategy Report On Pensions 2005 Pg 30
[31] Lithuania National Strategy Report On Pensions 2005 Pg 29
[32] Slovenia National Strategy Report On Pensions 2005 Pg 3
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