Communication from the Commission on Adult learning

1
Communication from the Commission on Adult
learning

• Its never too late to learn
• ACVT, October 2006

2
Why is adult learning important?

• Rapid economic progress in other regions in the
  world
• 72 million low skilled workers
• Demographic trends
• Poverty and social exclusion

3
The challenge is great

• 12.5 of adults in LLL by 2010 an additional
  4 million participants

4
but Member States differ widely

• Participation in LLL varies from
• 1.1
• to
• 34.7

5
What is adult learning?

• all forms of learning undertaken by adults
  after having left initial education and training

6
What is an adult?

• Adult all adults, low and high skilled you
  and me

7
What are the barriers to participation?

• Lack of good and timely information
• Costs
• Lack of Time
• Entry requirements
• Lack of support by environment
• Lack of awareness and motivation
• Lack of incentives

8
What can we do to increase equitable
participation?

• All stakeholders have to play a role and work
  together
• Public authorities must take the lead in removing
  barriers for the low skilled
• Develop high quality guidance and information
  system
• Establish local partnerships

9
How can we improving the quality of adult learning

• Quality is multifaceted
• Information and guidance
• Relevant learning content
• Learning support
• Assesment
• Validation and recognition

10
We need to foster a culture of quality

• Invest in teaching methods and materials adapting
  to the needs of the learner
• Take measures to qualify and up-skill staff in
  adult learning
• Improve initial and continuing training
• Introduce quality assurance mechanisms
• Improve delivery

11
What do we need for a system of validation and
recognition?

• Participation and contribution of all relevant
  stakeholders
• Better assessment methods
• Reformulation of objectives of learning in terms
  of learning outcomes

12
Recognition and validation of learning outcomes

• 5 years deadline for Member States
• Link to National Qualification Frameworks and the
  European Qualification Framework
• Link to development of European Credit point
  system for Vocational Education and Training

13
We must invest in our ageing population

• Throughout lifecycle, but middle age is crucial
• By government, professional bodies, sectors and
  individuals
• Expand learning provision

14
We must also invest in migrants

• Improve the quality of education and training in
  migrants home countries
• Mechanisms for assessing their competences
• Expand their learning opportunities to
  linguistic, social and cultural integration

15
Particular attention to ageing population and
migrants

• Invest in education and training of older people
  and migrants
• Develop an efficient approach that feeds the
  needs of these learners
• Raise awareness about the import role migrants
  and older people play in society and economy

16
How do we measure progress?

• Improve the quality and comparability of data
• benefits of adult learning
• barriers to be removed
• providers, trainers and delivery
• Improve coverage, frequency and timeliness of
  data
• Reliable gender-disaggregated data is required

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Overall message

• Member States can not longer afford to be without
  an efficient adult learning system
• We must increase labour market access for all
• We must improve social integration
• We must be well prepared for active ageing

18
Action plan results Helsinki

• The adult learning sector itself
• Adult learning in relation to the other sectors
• Adult learning in relation to several policies