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/ COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIESBrussels, 25.11.2009
SEC(2009) 1598 final
COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT
Accompanying document to the:
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS
Key competences for a changing world
PROGRESS TOWARDS THE LISBON OBJECTIVES IN EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Analysis of implementation at the European and national levels
{COM(2009) 640 final}
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 6
PART I : EU implementation of the education and training 2010 work programme 9
1 The Open Method of Coordination in Education and Training (OMC) 10
1.1 New tool for the dissemination of peer learning results 10
1.2 Education and Training 2010 Coordination Group (ETCG), High Level Group and preparation of the new ET 2020 Strategic Framework 11
2 Progress on transversal lifelong learning policies and instruments 12
2.1 New Skills for New Jobs 12
2.2 European Qualifications Framework (EQF) 13
2.3 Validation of non-formal and informal learning 14
2.4 Lifelong guidance 14
2.5 Mobility 15
2.6 External dimension strategy 15
3 Schools 16
3.1 A European Agenda for cooperation on schools 16
3.2 Key competences 17
3.3 Teachers 18
3.4 Social inclusion and migration 19
4 Progress in implementing the Copenhagen process for vocational education and training 19
4.1 The Copenhagen policy framework: Assessing progress and preparing the future 19
4.2 ECVET - European credit system for VET 21
4.3 EQARF - Quality Assurance in VET 21
4.4 Teachers and Trainers in VET 22
5 Higher Education 22
5.1 Progress on higher education 22
5.2 Higher education and the Bologna Process 23
5.3 Quality Assurance in Higher Education 24
5.4 Other on-going initiatives to support the Modernisation agenda 24
5.5 University –Business partnerships 24
5.6 European Institute of Innovation and Technology 25
6 Progress on the Adult learning Action Plan 26
PART II: Thematic cross-country analysis 34
1 Key Competences Framework 35
1.1 The provision for key competences in national policies 35
1.2 Key Competences in the Curriculum 40
1.3 Key Competences for the disadvantaged 70
1.4 Supporting adults in developing Key Competences 78
1.5 Teacher Education 86
1.6 Assessment of key competences 91
1.7 Monitoring and Evaluation 95
1.8 Summary Conclusions on the implementation of Key Competences 99
2 transversal Lifelong Learning Issues 103
2.1 Lifelong learning strategies (LLLS) 103
2.2 Establishment of lifelong guidance systems 105
2.3 Development of national qualification frameworks 107
2.4 Learning outcomes based approaches 108
2.5 Measures to assess and validate non-formal and informal learning 109
2.6 Conclusions on transversal lifelong learning issues 111
3 Vocational education and training 113
3.1 Attractiveness 113
3.2 Relevance to labour market needs 119
3.3 Conclusions on attractiveness of VET and link to labour market needs 123
4 higher education 124
4.1 Income Streams in Higher Education 125
4.2. Opening up to lifelong learners 130
4.3. Conclusions on income streams and the opening up of HEIs to lifelong learning 133
Part III: Progress at national level 136
BELGIUM 137
bulgaria 142
Czech republic 145
denmark 149
germany 153
ESTONIA 167
IReland 171
GREECE 176
spain 181
france 185
italy 189
cyprus 193
Latvia 197
Lithuania 201
LUXEMBOURG 205
hungarY 209
MALTA 213
The netherlands 217
Austria 221
Poland 225
portugal 229
ROMANIA 233
Slovenia 236
SLOVAKIA 240
FINLAND 244
sweden 248
The United Kingdom 252
CROATIA 256
iceland 260
Norway 264
Turkey 268
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INTRODUCTION
This Commission staff working document accompanies the Commission Communication proposing the 2010 Joint Report on progress under the Education and Training 2010 work programme (i.e. the open method of coordination in education and training contributing to the European Union's Lisbon agenda for growth and jobs).
Context
Every two years the Council and the Commission adopt a Joint Report on the implementation of the Education and Training 2010 work programme, including the field of higher education and the Copenhagen process in vocational education and training (VET). The next Joint Report will be adopted in February 2010, based on the Commission's draft. Member States and the Commission had agreed that it should focus in particular on the progress made in implementing key competences policies, following the adoption in 2006 of a Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council on key competences for lifelong learning[1].
This staff working document reports on the implementation of the Education and Training 2010 work programme at the European level (PART I), it contains a detailed cross-country analysis of progress (PART II) and an analysis of progress at national level (PART III).
The 2010 Joint Report should be read together with this report on 'Progress towards the Lisbon Objectives in Education and Training - Analysis of implementation at European and National Level' as well as the report on 'Progress towards the Lisbon Objectives in Education and Training - Indicators and benchmarks - 2009', which are both annexed to the Commission's draft joint report.
The present report is based on important contributions from competent authorities in the Member States on their different situations. It values European diversity and the unique opportunities which this affords, and fully respects the Member States' responsibility for their education systems.
Aims and objectives
The main aims of this document are therefore:
- To describe the progress made since 2006/7 in the implementation of selected elements of the Education and Training 2010 work programme at the national and European levels and to illustrate this progress with examples of recent developments.
- To review the state of progress in the Member States on the implementation of key competences in schools, vocational education and training (VET) and adult learning.
- To comment on the support provided by the Key competences recommendation to national key competences policies.
Status and caveats
Parts II and III of this document are based primarily on the analysis of national reports received from the participating countries in mid-2009, which were prepared following Commission guidelines. Reference is however also made to other Commission sources providing information on country progress (in particular information from Cedefop and Eurydice).
As the information provided in the 2009 national reports on specific measures within key competences, lifelong learning (LLL), vocational education (VET) and higher education (HE) is often not detailed, the examples cited in the report have been chosen to illustrate the progress being made, rather than as examples of good or best practice.
National reports were received by 31 out of the 32 participating countries (Member States, EFTA/EEA, and candidate countries; Liechtenstein did not report).
Report structure
PART I - provides an overview of the EU IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EDUCATION AND TRAINING 2010 work programme since the 2008 Joint Report.
PART II – provides a cross-country analysis which closely reflects the structure of the 2009 national reports, which themselves reflect the guidelines provided by the Commission:
Chapter 1 describes the progress relative to the KEY COMPETENCES FRAMEWORK in particular: provision, curriculum, key competences for all, supporting adults in developing key competences, teacher education, assessment, monitoring and evaluation.
Chapter 2 describes the progress relative to TRANSVERSAL LIFELONG LEARNING ISSUES in particular: lifelong learning strategies, lifelong guidance systems, national qualification frameworks, learning outcomes based approaches, and non-formal and informal learning.
Chapter 3 describes the progress relative to VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING in particular: attractiveness and relevance to labour market needs
Chapter 4 describes the progress relative to HIGHER EDUCATION, in particular: income streams in higher education and lifelong learning.
PART III – provides factual analyses of progress at national level (country by country).
Supporting the Lisbon Strategy through education and training
The Education and Training 2010 work programme was adopted as a joint work programme of the Council and the Commission in 2001/02 to support the Lisbon process in education and training. Over the last seven years the Education and Training 2010 work programme has, as the open method of coordination in this field, made a vital contribution towards achieving the overall objectives of growth and jobs. The European Council has on various occasions (most recently in March 2008 and 2009) emphasised that education and training/lifelong learning is a key driver of the Lisbon Strategy.
Furthermore education and training is identified as a key element throughout the renewed Social Agenda for opportunities, access and solidarity. This stresses the role of education and training in relation to children and youth; investing in people, more and better jobs and new skills; mobility; longer and healthier lives; and combating poverty and social exclusion.
The increased focus on education and training in the Lisbon context over the years led the Education Council to invite the Commission to come forward with a proposal for an updated strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training in key messages which were endorsed by the March 2008 European Council. This was based on a specific request in the 2008 Joint Report of the Council and the Commission.[2]
Following a comprehensive consultation process with participating countries, social partners and other stakeholders[3] the Commission adopted the communication: "An updated strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training"[4] in December 2008. This was followed up by Council Conclusions on a strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training ("ET 2020")[5] adopted in May 2009.
The Strategic Framework introduces a few new elements in the OMC in terms of policy priorities and implementation. Four broad strategic objectives are identified for the period until 2020 as well as priority areas for 2009 – 2011. Implementation will be strengthened through more focused work on the short term priority areas, more focused peer learning, better dissemination of results, joint reports focused on a thematic area and including factual analyses of the situation in countries. This approach is also used in this staff working document, which has a thematic focus on Key Competences (PART II) and includes factual analyses of the situation in countries (PART III).
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PART I: eu implementation of the education and training 2010 work programme
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eu implementation of the education and training 2010 work programme
This section of the staff working paper takes stock of the progress made at EU level to date since the 2008 Joint Interim Report in achieving concrete outcomes at European level and thus provides an update of the Commission Staff Working papers from 2003[6], 2005[7] and 2007[8] covering the first six years of implementation of the Education and Training 2010 work programme.
1 The Open Method of Coordination in Education and Training (OMC)
The Education and Training 2010 work programme has involved different activities using various working methods depending on the nature of the thematic priority being addressed. The tools have involved for example clusters, peer learning activities, networks, university-business partnerships and the activities under the Copenhagen process.
1.1 New tool for the dissemination of peer learning results
Peer Learning Activities (PLAs)[9] have been undertaken since 2005 mainly by clusters of countries sharing a common interest in a thematic priority[10]. The current clusters have focused on seven topics: Modernisation of higher education; Teachers and trainers; Maths, science and technology; Access and social inclusion; Key competences; ICT; and Recognition of learning outcomes. As a key tool in the OMC, peer learning is also used by the Adult learning working group and the University-Business Forum.
The work of the clusters and PLAs is intended to contribute, on the one hand, to the initiation of the policy development process at the European level (reflection, ideas) and, on the other hand, to support national policy development and implementation of agreed European objectives and principles through mutual learning and exchange of good practice.
To disseminate the results of E&T 2010 cooperation, and especially the results of peer-learning, the Commission has set up at special website: www.kslll.net which opened in 2009. On the KSLLL (the Knowledge System for Lifelong Learning) all PLAs which have taken place are listed with a short and a long summary, a list of participating countries, and background documents[11]. The KSLLL also contains the option for countries or other relevant stakeholders to post examples of good practice directly in the compendia developed through the clusters.
1.2 Education and Training 2010 Coordination Group (ETCG), High Level Group and preparation of the new ET 2020 Strategic Framework
The implementation and further development of the education and training OMC has been carried out in close cooperation between the Member States and the Commission.
The Education and Training 2010 Coordination Group (ETCG) has overseen the operational management and implementation of E&T 2010 in a lifelong learning perspective. Since mid 2007, the ETCG has held five meetings and discussed operational issues such as the work of the clusters, the state of lifelong learning strategies, and the biennial reporting exercise.
The High Level Group, which brings together political advisers to national ministers, has held seven meetings since mid 2007 and discussed strategic political questions relating to the European cooperation.
The High Level Group played a key role in providing Member States the opportunity to feed into the preparation of the Commission’s Communication on an update of the education and training open method of coordination of December 2008[12], which led to the adoption of Council Conclusions on a Strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training (ET 2020) in May 2009[13].
In this context, also a broad consultation of countries, social partners and stakeholders was carried out in 2008. The feedback gained on the E&T 2010 Open Method of Coordination was largely positive. The general result was that, although some progress was apparent, the overall challenges and objectives for European cooperation remained valid. Also some improvements to the working methods were recommended in order to increase their focus and effectiveness.
1.3 Monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the work programme (indicators and benchmarks)
The 2009 Report "Progress towards the Lisbon objectives in education and training–indicators and benchmarks" which accompanies the present Staff Working Paper analyses the national and European performance related particularly to the set of indicators and benchmarks which exist for the period until 2010.