EUROSTAT
Directorate D: Single Market, Employment and Social Statistics
Unit D-5: Education and Culture /
Doc. ESTAT/D5/2005-ETS-30-EN
Version 03.02.2005
Short conclusions
Meeting of the
Education and Training Statistics
Working Group
Luxembourg, 31 January-2 February 2005
1
Meeting of theEducation and Training Statistics
Working Group
Luxembourg, 31 January-2 February 2005
All documents are available on the Eurostat circa web site on Education, Training and Culture Statistics, at the address:
All registered users of the site (i.e. Members of the “Interest Group”) have access to this.
In case of access problems, please contact Ms Marie Zimmer, at the address:
A list of the meeting documents is included in annex I of this document
[The numbering used corresponds to the agenda items]
2Education data collections 2004: status and data delivery report
The progress of the delivery of the 2004 education data collections (UOE and Eurostat tables) as well as the status in the week before the meeting were presented.
The ETS WG took note of the status report and agreed to provide missing information as soon as possible in order to have a minimum number of updates in NewCronos after March 2005.
3Dissemination of education data
Information was provided by the Eurydice European Unit on the progress in the production of Key Data on Education in Europe 2005 (KDE2005) while some highlights were presented from the special volume “Key Data on teaching languages at schools in Europe (2005 edition)” which was just released.
The ETS WG took note of the timetable for the release of the publication KDE2005, since the UOE data providers are invited to make comments through the National Eurydice Units (NEU):
January and February 2005 / March and April 2005 / May 2005EEU / Updating of the PISA 2003 indicator (Jan.)
Continued corrections
Finalisation of the “Main Issues” (Jan.) / Finalisation and dispatch to printers FR/EN (April) / Public Release
NEU
Eurostat / Verification of the last three indicators (Feb.)
Reading of the PISA 2003 indicators (Feb.)
Reading of the “Main Issues” EN/FR (Feb.) / Final re-reading of the overall publication (March)
Eurostat presented the proposed contents of the Statistics in focus (SiF) “Key statistics on education in Europe” and its position in the 2004 data validation process and in the Eurostat dissemination policy fort education.
The ETS WG agreed with the contents of the SIF (with few proposals for additions). Eurostat will send to OECD countries the SiF indicators in week 6 of 2005 asking for comments by the week 8. Countries validated by Eurostat (Eurostat UOE countries) have already received these indicators.
4UOE revision
Information was provided on the progress of the UOE revision exercise as well as on the proposed changes to be implemented in the 2005 UOE and Eurostat education data collections. The basic documents for this discussion were the revised UOE 2005 data collection tables developed jointly by the three data requesters, UIS-OECD-Eurostat. The revised UOE manual will be prepared by the data requesters after the consultation on the tables will have been completed.
The ETS WG welcomed the improved U-O-E co-operation for the definition of the UOE2005 data request and underlined the need to maintain the current focus of the data collection. First comments were also made on the proposed tables for 2005.
The ETS WG members will inform the national UOE data providers so that written comments are submitted in the framework of the consultation on the UOE2005 tables by the 23rd of February 2005to the unique address:
Countries were also requested to indicate the feasibility and timetable of providing data according to the new request.
The U-O-E data requesters were planning to launch UOE2005 by the April 2005
5Finance data and indicators
Information will be provided by DG Economic and Financial Affairs on the work undertaken under the framework of the Ageing Working Group attached to the Economic Policy Committee with special focus on education projections.
The ETS WG took note of the importance of education data for projections on “age-related” expenditure carried out by DG Economic and Financial Affairs as well as of the information that the focus of the “stability and growth pact” is expected to shift to the “longer term”, which means that the importance of education expenditure as a factor to monitor will increase.
Eurostat presented the results of the survey on country profiles on education expenditure as well as a quality evaluation of some important aspects of the finance tables of the UOE data collection and proposals for next steps to further improve data quality. Among them a study to establish a comprehensive list of educational goods and services to use for household expenditure was proposed.
- The ETS WG welcomed the completion of the work on country profiles. Countries andagreed with the need to contribute to the establishment of a list of educational goods and services; work should start in 2005 although it did not seem feasible to consider delivery of data already for UOE2006.
The ETS WG expressed doubts about the feasibility of reconciling UOE and CVTS data on initial vocational training expenditure but would like to be kept inform of the work of the CVTS Task Force on this issue. Countries also agreed on the need to include clear definitions on tax reductions, but underlined that thiswasnot a top priority and therefore work should start after the work on the list of goods and services is completed.
Eurostat presented a proposal to separate R&D statistics in the UOE revision on which countries should comment in the framework of the consultation on the revised UOE 2005 tables. Eurostat (Unit B5 “Research”) presented the situation statistics on R&D expenditure focusing especially on the Higher Education Sector. The list of the national contact persons for R&D statistics in the countries was provided.
The ETS WG took note of the list of R&D contacts provided and the need to intensify co-operation at the national level and agreed on the need to intensify co-operation at national level with the R&D data providers to clarify the coverage of Higher Education Expenditure.
Eurostat proposed to launch an information exchange satellite accounts on education being developed in the different countries in view of examining the feasibility of improving the consistency of the UOE education expenditure definitions and data with those of the National Accounts.
The ETS WG asked Eurostat to launch this work on the establishment of satellite accounts on education and agreed to inform about ongoing activities in this field at the national level.
As part of the exchange of experience between countries in the framework of the ETS WG, Italy (ISTAT) presented “The survey on household expenditures for education and vocational training in Italy”.
6Non-monetary data and indicators: graduates and mobile students
Short information was provided on the proposed changes in the reporting of graduates and mobile students in the UOE data collection. Countries were asked to make comments in the framework of the consultation on the UOE2005 tables
7.1Introduction by Mr M. Glaude, Director, Directorate D “Single Market, employment and social statistics
Mr Glaude informed the group on change sin Eurostat organisation in 2004 as well as on the main orientations for Future work along the following lines:
- Internalisation of “core business”
- Free dissemination of ESS data
- Improved management of the ESS focusing on the following
-new approach for grants to the ESS: provided only for new efforts (capacity building) and not for regular production
-move from gentlemen’s agreements to legal basis for statistical work
-restructuring of co-operation methods which will be organised in the following hierarchical order: Statistical Programme Committee (SPC), Directors of Social Statistics (DSS, including a Bureau, the Strategic Development Group to discuss strategic issues) and one strategic Working Group by domain (the ETS WG in the area of education and training). All technical or survey specific work should be carried out through Task Forces which should have a mandate and a predefined life span.
-intensification and consolidation of co-operation with international organisations, which in the case of ETS is interpreted mainly in the need to improve the arrangements for the management of the UOE data collection.
He also underlined the importance of Education and Training as a domain for development of statistics and indicators especially in the context of the Lisbon Strategy.
7.2Information by policy users
DG Education and Culture presented the latest developments which influence the policy request for statistics on education and lifelong learning. Information was provided on the plans for the development of new indicators as they are described in the 2004 Commission staff working paper “New indicators on education and training” as well as on the work programme of the new “unit” on “Research on lifelong learning” in the Joint Research Centre[1] in Ispra. The new organisation of the DG was also presented which is operational since01.02.2005: a unit on “Analysis, Statistics and Indicators” (Head of Unit: Anders Hingel) has been created under the new Directorate “Lifelong learning: Education and training Policy” (Director: David Coyne).
The ETS WG took note of the recent developments and stressed the need to develop and implement strategies for statistics and indicators in a co-ordinated way taking into account EU policy needs and available capacities in the Member States.
Eurostat welcomed the presence of a representative of the European Trade Union Confederation, underlining the importance of co-operation the social partners at EU level, as key policy users, for the development of the framework of statistical actions on lifelong learning.
Item 8: Leonardo da Vinci statistical work programme – results
The final report of the project “Direct Adult Skills Assessment” has been made available but not presented at the meeting.
10. ETS working group and work programme
Eurostat provided information on the 2005 work programme. No comments were made by the Member States
Eurostat also presented the revised draft mandate of the ETS Working Group mandate taking into account the evolution of the role of working groups in Eurostat as described my Mr Glaude under item 7.1.
The ETS WG agreed with the proposed mandate including the reinforcement of its strategic role, the need for the ETS WG delegates to act as coordinators for the whole area of education and training statistics at the national level (« ETS coordinators »), and the fact that Task Forces would need to be crated to deal with specific subjects.
The ETS WG members agreed to communicate to Eurostat as soon as possible (and preferably by 11.02.2005) the name of the « ETS coordinator » who will be included in a mailing list to be contacted whenever written consultation is required on different issues. Until then the list to be use din consultations would be the list of the participants of the 2005 ETS WG.
The ETS coordinators will be responsible for informing Eurostat of any changes at the national level.
11Legal basis for lifelong learning statistics
Eurostat presented the draft legal basis for statistics on lifelong learning as well as the rationale for proposing it and the results of the consultation launched by Eurostat in November. According to these results 21 of the responding EU countries were in favour (albeit with comments for 4 of them) 2 against and 2 abstained. One EEA country was in favour while one abstained.
The ETS WG was in favour of a legal basis for education and lifelong learning statistics and agreed on a 3 level approach including a general framework act as level 1 and implementing act as level 2 for activities to be covered by the framework act both for the UOE data collection and for the AES; the 3rd level are the data collection manuals to which reference could be made in the higher levels.
Eurostat would redraft within one month the legal basis making it more general, simplifying the annexes and taking into account the possibility of having an implementing act also for UOE.
However the objective of having an opinion by the SPC at its next meeting on 25-27 May 2005 was maintained. This is translated into the following deadlinesfor the preparation of the documents:
- Final document available in English by 18 March 2005
- SPC document available in EN, FR and DE by 8 April 2005
- SPC meeting: 25-27 May 2005
Eurostat underlined the importance of receiving the name of the “ETS coordinators” as requested under item10, before the next consultation on the legal basis.
13Continuing Vocational Training Survey (CVTS)
The ETS WG was informed the adoption on will be informed the positive vote by the Employment Committee of the European Parliament of the progress made towards the adoption of the CVTS legal basis and welcomed the progress made towards adoption of the Council and EP regulation at 1st reading with a workable compromise allowing for sufficient preparation time.
The ETS took also note of the conclusions of the CVTS Working Group meeting (16-17 December 2004) as well as of the planning and the progress made in the preparation of CVTS3 and on the call for expression of interest by countries to participate in the Task Force created to work on the priority activities (through the national CVTS correspondents), which are the following:
Initial Vocational Training (definitions, Scope of questions), costs (improve data quality, consider the form in which enterprise may hold data to improve data quality and reduce non-responses), other forms of training (section to be revised taking consideration of non-formal, informal frame, and Classification of Learning Activities), qualitative variables (considered very important. Redesign based on common theme «professionalism»), coverage (no extension of NACE and enterprise size for CVTS3 but developments to be undertaken with a view to CVTS4), coherence of individual and Enterprise surveys (AES and CVTS development groups to keep in contact during survey development phase).
14Education in the EU Labour Force Survey
Information was provided on the improvements decided for the coverage of education in the EU LFS, as well as on the progress in the quality evaluation, analysis and evaluation of the 2003 LFS ad hoc module on lifelong learning. An outline of a new domain to be crated in NewCronos on “Education and the labour market” was also presented
Further input is expected from countries (the LFS-E subgroup network is involved) as soon as possible to keep the deadline of end March 2005 for the delivery of the final quality report on the LLL module. Moreover the ETS WG will send comments on the Eurostat proposal for a domain on «Education and the Labour Market» in NewCronos by 25 February 2005.
15Adult Education Survey – implementation
Eurostat presented the progress achieved in 2004 concerning the implementation of the AES as well as the current planning for the survey. The ETS WGagreed with the approach proposed for the implementation of the survey and accepted in principle the calculation of the sample size; additional comments and suggestions were expected by the 25th February 2005. Countries agreed also to update the information on the national planning of the surveys and cost estimates as included in annex by the 25 February 2005, taking into account the clarification by Eurostat that in case, existing survey instruments are used, only the additional cost imposed by the AES should be included. The ETS WG took note also of additional information provided by Eurostat on the funding arrangements for the survey in line with the orientations on grant policy presented under item 7.1. The ETS EG agreed also with the creation of a TF “AES pilots” including mainly countries that are piloting the survey in 2005 to facilitate exchange of experience between countries. France, Finland, Sweden, Italy, UKconfirmed their participation while other countries wishing to participate should inform Eurostat by 11 February 2005. The first meeting of this TF is planned for 11-12 April 2005.
16Classification of learning activities (CLA)
Eurostat presented the latest draft of the CLA and the results of the testing of the classification carried out between December and January.
The ETS WGtook note of the results of the testing of the survey and the answers given by Eurostat to questions raised during the CLA testing and agreed to send further comments on the CLA, by 18.02.2005 so that Eurostat can finalise the classification by 11.03.2005. The main remaining issue of concern seems to be the concept of the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ). Therefore the ETS WG asked Eurostat to organise an exchange of information in order to achieve a common understanding.
The final version of the CLA will then be submitted by Eurostat for international consultation (involving at least UIS and ILO).
17Adult Education Survey – questionnaire development
The latest version of the draft AES questionnaire, which was the outcome of the work of the TF “AES Questionnaire Development Group” working between July 2004 and January 2005, was presented.
The ETS WG accepted to keep the modules on social and cultural participation in the core of the survey, although Eurostat was asked to simplify them giving priority to their use as explanatory variables for adult learning over their use as self-standing target variables. Countries accepted also the module on self-reported language skills and asked for the addition of Romanian, Bulgarian and Luxemburgish. They also agreed to keep the proposed way of selection of non-formal education activities (i.e. ask first the “Reminder” question, then establish one list of courses and private lessons, one list of seminars, conferences, workshops and one list of guided on the job training activities and then select one activity from each list) over the other 3 alternatives suggested. Some countries which were against this choice were asked to provide further information justifying their opinion. It was also agreed to ask only questions on the most recent formal activity, to maintain the module on informal learning in the questionnaire and have to have a closed list of informal learning methods used which Eurostat should finalise in cooperation with policy users and should be consistent with CLA definitions.
The ETS WG stressed the importance of the module on obstacles and agreed that it should be maintained and tested as thoroughly as possible in the pilot surveys using alternative methods (including possibly an open question). The module on self-reported ICT skills was also accepted with 2 proposals to consider: a change in the order of questions and the splitting of the “basic level” of ICT skills. It was also agreed to use main labour status in background variables (self-assessment) and to add the variable “date” for the calculation of the age of respondents to be consistent with major possible carrier surveys like the LFS. It was also proposed to add a question on whether participation in the non-formal activity took place “in the country” or “outside the country”.