EU policies in E

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EU lifelong guidance policy
Part I
Milan REMIŠ DG Education and Culture Unit A1
Lifelong learning contribution to the Lisbon
process milan.remis_at_ec.europa.eu
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Part I Lifelong learning and guidance policy
Part I
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Context challenges of the EU

• globalisation structural changes, relocation of
  manufacturing
• unemployment lt-gt shortages in certain sectors
• demographic changes new types of jobs (mostly
  in social services)
• technological development demand for high
  skilled workers, generic (transferable) versus
  specific skills

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Political context

• Lisbon European Council (2000)
• Barcelona European Council (2002)
• Education Training 2010 co-operation
• Bologna process (Declaration on higher education,
  June 1999)
• Copenhagen process (Declaration on vocational
  training, November 2002)
• EU Lifelong learning policy common
  objectives/targets
• Renewed Lisbon strategy (March 2005)

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Open method of coordination

• Common objectives
• Peer learning
• Monitoring of progress (indicators and
  benchmarks, biennial joint reports)
• EU reference tools supporting national reforms

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(No Transcript)
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Principles and initiatives

• Lifelong guidance
• Validation of non-formal learning
• Europass (transparency/self-assessment)
• Key competences
• ECVET and Quality Assurance package (04/08)
• European Qualifications Framework (adopted
  22/04/08)
• Adult learning action plan and Council
  Conclusions (adopted 22/05/08)

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Forthcoming initiatives

• Green paper on Education Migration (6/08)
• Communication on schools (6/08)
• French presidency
• Guidance conference, Lyon, 17-18/09/2008
• Next stage of Copenhagen process, Bordeaux,
  25/11/08
• New skills for new jobs communication (12/08)
• Future strategic framework for Education and
  Training co-operation post 2010 (12/08)
• European year of creativity and innovation 2009

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Part II Networks in lifelong guidance
Part I
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Euroguidance

• Network of National Resource and Information
  Centres for Guidance, established in 1992
• Objectives
• Develop European dimension in national systems of
  educational and vocational guidance and
  counselling
• Promote mutual awareness and cooperation between
  guidance services
• Support EU policy initiatives in the filed of
  lifelong guidance
• Provide and exchange quality information on
  guidance
• Cooperation on PLOTEUS portal on learning
  opportunities

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European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network

• Resolution on Lifelong Guidance of the EU Council
  (2004)
• Conclusions of the Finnish EU-presidency
  conference (2006)
• Preparatory meeting in Brussels, March 9, 2007
• Inaugural meeting in Helsinki, May 7-8, 2007
• 28 members and one observer
• Co-financed by the Lifelong learning programme

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Finnish presidency conference on lifelong
guidance, 2006

• access to guidance and the quality of guidance
  systems improved in general
• but much remains to be done - many countries
  still have significant gaps in provision and
  deficits in quality
• it is important that collaboration at EU level is
  maintained and enhanced

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National guidance fora

• National guidance fora can play an important role
  in supporting policy development within
  member-states
• Such fora need to embrace all dimensions and
  sectors of guidance provision (including schools,
  VET, tertiary education, public employment
  services, community-based services)
• The nature, tasks and structures of the fora
  should be related to the needs within each
  country
• Active involvement of policy-makers is essential
• The work of national guidance fora could be
  significantly strengthened by the activities of
  the ELGPN

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ELGPN long term objectives

• Support for policy development
• Policy sharing, peer-learning activities
• Information gathering
• Policy analysis and research
• Use of reference tools
• Exploiting project outcomes
• Strengthening representative structures

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ELGPN Co-operation with other structures

• ELGPN and the national fora should be linked,
  through appropriate membership or co-operation
  arrangements, to other relevant networks and
  initiatives at European level
• Euroguidance network
• Public Employment Services (PES) network
• professional networks, e.g. IAEVG, FEDORA
• international organisations, bodies (e.g. OECD)
• other relevant stakeholder networks (e.g. social
  partners, parents)

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Part III Recent initiatives
Part I
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European Qualifications Framework for lifelong
learning
Part I
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EQF reasons and context

• barriers to lifelong learning and mobility
  between Member States and between systems, e.g.
  between higher education and VET within countries
• member states asked the Commission to develop
  instrument for transparency of qualifications and
  mobility
• Bologna/Copenhagen process
• complements other mobility instruments
  Europass/ECTS/ECVET

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EQF approach and objectives

• Looks at learning outcomes
• 8 levels covering general, HE and VET (LLL)
• Create common reference framework as translation
  device between qualifications systems and levels
• Aims enhance mobility and Lifelong learning

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Country A
Country B
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Implementation in countries

• Existing NQFs Ireland, UK France, Malta
• Commitment to NQF Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
  Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy,
  Latvia, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Slovenia and
  Turkey
• Considering or preparing NQFs Denmark, Estonia,
  Finland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands,
  Norway, Poland, Romania and Sweden
• Not preparing Cyprus, Greece, Iceland

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European Credit system for Vocational Education
and Training(ECVET)
Part I
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ECVET is

• dedicated to individuals, in a borderless and
  lifelong learning perspective
• based on learning outcomes (knowledge, skills,
  competence)
• achieved in all learning contexts (formal, non F,
  informal)
• centred on qualifications and fully coherent with
  EQF
• focused on Mobility
• transparency and tool oriented
• compatible with ECTS used in the higher education
  sector

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Learning context A
Learning context B
Country A
Country B
Transcript of record
Validation of L.O. Recognition of
L.O. Accumulation of L.O.
Assessment of L.O. Credit for L.O.
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The ECVET package

• Concepts and glossary
• Description of qualifications in units of
  learning outcomes
• Transfer Process (assessment, validation,
  recognition and accumulation of learning
  outcomes) and partnerships (essential)
• ECVET points allocated to qualifications and to
  units (additional)

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ECVET points indicate the relative weight of
units
Qualification
10 Points
30 Points
60 Pts
20 Points
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Recommendation to Member states

• Promote ECVET and implement it from 2012 at the
  latest
• Support the development of partnerships and
  networks involving VET stakeholders, social
  partners and sectors
• Ensure access to information and guidance
• Ensure that concerned qualifications and related
  Europass documents contain explicit information
  on the use of ECVET
• Promote and apply the principles for Quality
  assurance
• Insure that mechanisms of coordination and
  monitoring are operational

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New Skills for New Jobs
Part I
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New Skills for New Jobs

• Steps forward
• New Skills for New Jobs" Communication to be
  ready by the end of 2008
• First assessment of skills needs up to 2015
  (CEDEFOP)
• Mapping of existing tools at national and
  European level
• Proposal to develop common European forecasting
  approach
• Further after 2008 to establish a long term
  forecasting infrastructure and sector scenarios

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New Skills for New Jobs

• The role of ET systems
• Raising levels of skills
• Ensuring a better match between the skills
   supplied  with skills  demanded  by the
  society/economy (including improved guidance
  services)
• Increasing responsiveness of ET system
• Increasing participation in lifelong learning
• Inclusion of groups at risk (older workers,
  people with disabilities, migrants )
• Change to learning outcomes approach (EQF, ECVET,
  validation of non-formal/informal learning)

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New Skills for New Jobs

• The role of guidance
• Interface between ET and labour market
• Awareness of results of forecasting initiative
  inform the clients to make the right career
  choices
• Increased importance of guidance services in
  relation to New Skills for New Jobs initiative
  and flexicurity strategies
• Council Resolution on NSNJs (11/2007)
  information about skills and competences needs to
  be disseminated through EURES, national
  employment services, European and national
  network on guidance

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• Thank youfor your attention!