COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 30.10.2000
SEC(2000) 1832

COMMISSION STAFF WORKING PAPER

A Memorandum on Lifelong Learning

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 A Memorandum on Lifelong Learning

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Introduction.................................................................................................................. 3
2. Lifelong learning – time to take action ........................................................................ 5
3. A Citizens’ Europe through lifelong learning.............................................................. 7
3.1. Knowledge societies: the challenge of change............................................................. 7
3.2. A continuum of learning throughout life ..................................................................... 7
3.3. Working together to put lifelong learning into practice............................................... 9
4. Taking action on lifelong learning: six key messages ............................................... 10
4.1. Key Message 1: New basic skills for all .................................................................... 10
4.2. Key Message 2: More investment in human resources.............................................. 12
4.3. Key Message 3: Innovation in teaching and learning ................................................ 13
4.4. Key Message 4: Valuing learning .............................................................................. 15
4.5. Key Message 5: Rethinking guidance and counselling.............................................. 16
4.6. Key Message 6: Bringing learning closer to home .................................................... 18
5. Mobilising resources for lifelong learning................................................................. 20

Annex I - Examples of lifelong learning good practice

Annex II - The scope for developing indicators and benchmarks on lifelong learning

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1. INTRODUCTION

The European Council held in Lisbon in March 2000 marks a decisive moment for the
direction of policy and action in the European Union. Its conclusions affirm that Europe
has indisputably moved into the Knowledge Age, with all that this will imply for cultural,
economic and social life. Patterns of learning, living and working are changing apace. This
means not simply that individuals must adapt to change, but equally that established ways of
doing things must change too.

The conclusions of the Lisbon European Council confirm that the move towards lifelong
learning must accompany a successful transition to a knowledge-based economy and
society. Therefore, Europe’s education and training systems are at the heart of the coming
changes. They too, must adapt. The conclusions of the Feira European Council invite the
“Member States, the Council and the Commission … within their areas of competence, to
identify coherent strategies and practical measures with a view to fostering lifelong learning
for all”.1 This Memorandum takes up the Lisbon and Feira European Councils’ mandate to
implement lifelong learning. Its purpose is to launch a European-wide debate on a
comprehensive strategy for implementing lifelong learning at individual and institutional
levels, and in all spheres of public and private life.

The Commission and the Member States have defined lifelong learning, within the European
Employment Strategy, as all purposeful learning activity, undertaken on an ongoing basis
with the aim of improving knowledge, skills and competence.2 This is the working definition
adopted in this Memorandum as a starting-point for subsequent discussion and action.

Lifelong learning is no longer just one aspect of education and training; it must become the
guiding principle for provision and participation across the full continuum of learning
contexts. The coming decade must see the implemention of this vision. All those living in
Europe, without exception, should have equal opportunities to adjust to the demands of social
and economic change and to participate actively in the shaping of Europe’s future.

The implications of this fundamental change in perspectives and practices deserve and justify
the debate proposed here. The Member States, who are responsible for their education and
training systems, should lead this debate. It should also be conducted in the Member States,
and not only at European level. Lifelong learning concerns everyone’s future, in a uniquely
individual way. The debate should take place as close as possible to citizens themselves.
The Commission intends to draw up a report in autumn 2001 based on its outcomes.
This report will be taken up within the framework of the open method of co-ordination agreed
by the Lisbon European Council.3

1
Feira European Council conclusions, paragraph 33.
2
The European Employment Strategy was initiated at the November 1997 Heads of State European
Council in Luxembourg. This strategy established a monitoring and reporting procedure for all Member
States, based on annually revised Employment Guidelines. The Employment Strategy rests on the four
pillars employability, entrepreneurship, adaptability and equal opportunities.
3
Lisbon European Council conclusions, paragraph 37. The new open method of co-ordination involves
fixing European guidelines and timetables for achieving specific agreed goals, establishing (where
appropriate) indicators and benchmarks in order to compare best practice, translating European
guidelines into specific targets and measures adapted to fit national and regional differences, and
establishing mutual learning processes based on regular monitoring, evaluation and peer review of
progress. As stated in paragraph 38, “A fully decentralised approach will be applied in line with the

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This Memorandum opens by stating the case for implementing lifelong learning. Section 2
argues that promoting active citizenship and promoting employability are equally important
and interrelated aims for lifelong learning. Member States agree on its priority, but have been
slow to take concerted action. Section 3 argues that the scale of current economic and social
change in Europe demands a fundamentally new approach to education and training. Lifelong
learning is the common umbrella under which all kinds of teaching and learning should be
united. Putting lifelong learning into practice demands that everyone work together
effectively – both as individuals and in organisations.

In response, Section 4 highlights six key messages which offer a structured framework for
an open debate on putting lifelong learning into practice. These messages are based on
experience gathered at European level through Community programmes and the European
Year of Lifelong Learning (1996). Each key message includes a set of questions, the answers
to which should help to clarify priority areas for action. The key messages suggest that a
comprehensive and coherent lifelong learning strategy for Europe should aim to:

• guarantee universal and continuing access to learning for gaining and renewing the skills
needed for sustained participation in the knowledge society;

• visibly raise levels of investment in human resources in order to place priority on

Europe’s most important asset – its people;

• develop effective teaching and learning methods and contexts for the continuum of
lifelong and lifewide learning;

• significantly improve the ways in which learning participation and outcomes are
understood and appreciated, particularly non-formal and informal learning;

• ensure that everyone can easily access good quality information and advice about
learning opportunities throughout Europe and throughout their lives;

• provide lifelong learning opportunities as close to learners as possible, in their own

communities and supported through ICT-based facilities wherever appropriate.

A framework of partnership should help to mobilise resources in favour of lifelong learning at

all levels; this Memorandum closes, in Section 5, with examples of how European level
actions can assist Member States to make progress. Working together to put lifelong learning
into practice is the best way forward

• to build an inclusive society which offers equal opportunities for access to quality
learning throughout life to all people, and in which education and training provision is
based first and foremost on the needs and demands of individuals;

• to adjust the ways in which education and training is provided, and how paid working
life is organised, so that people can participate in learning throughout their lives and can
plan for themselves how they combine learning, working and family life;

• to achieve higher overall levels of education and qualification in all sectors, to ensure
high-quality provision of education and training, and at the same time to ensure that

principle of subsidiarity in which the Union, the Member States, the regional and local levels. as well as
the social partners and civil society, will be actively involved, using variable forms of partnership”.

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 people’s knowledge and skills match the changing demands of jobs and occupations,
workplace organisation and working methods; and

• to encourage and equip people to participate more actively once more in all spheres of
modern public life, especially in social and political life at all levels of the community,
including at European level.

The key to success will be to build on a sense of shared responsibility for lifelong learning
among all the key actors – the Member States, the European institutions, the Social Partners
and the world of enterprise; regional and local authorities, those who work in education and
training of all kinds, civil society organisations, associations and groupings; and, last but not
least, individual citizens themselves. Our shared aim is to build a Europe in which everyone
has the opportunity to develop their potential to the full, to feel that they can contribute and
that they belong.

2. LIFELONG LEARNING – TIME TO TAKE ACTION

Why is this debate so urgent? Why is putting lifelong learning into practice a top priority for
the European Union? There are two equally important reasons:

• Europe has moved towards a knowledge-based society and economy. More than ever
before, access to up-to-date information and knowledge, together with the motivation and
skills to use these resources intelligently on behalf of oneself and the community as a
whole, are becoming the key to strengthening Europe’s competitiveness and improving the
employability and adaptability of the workforce;

• today’s Europeans live in a complex social and political world. More than ever before,
individuals want to plan their own lives, are expected to contribute actively to society, and
must learn to live positively with cultural, ethnic and linguistic diversity. Education, in its
broadest sense, is the key to learning and understanding how to meet these challenges.

These two features of contemporary social and economic change are interrelated. They
underlie two equally important aims for lifelong learning: promoting active citizenship
and promoting employability. Active citizenship focuses on whether and how people
participate in all spheres of social and economic life, the chances and risks they face in trying
to do so, and the extent to which they therefore feel that they belong to and have a fair say in
the society in which they live. For much of most people’s lives, having paid work underpins
independence, self-respect and well-being, and is therefore a key to people’s overall quality of
life. Employability – the capacity to secure and keep employment – is not only a core
dimension of active citizenship, but it is equally a decisive condition for reaching full
employment and for improving European competitiveness and prosperity in the ‘new
economy’. Both employability and active citizenship are dependent upon having adequate and
up-to-date knowledge and skills to take part in and make a contribution to economic and
social life.

Change can only come about in and through the impetus of the Member States, with
Community-level support and facilitation where appropriate. It is the Member States who, in
the first instance, are responsible for their education and training systems – each according to
their institutional circumstances. In practice, the achievements of these systems are dependent
upon the input and commitment of a wide range of actors from all walks of social and
economic life, including the Social Partners – and not least upon the efforts of individuals
themselves, who, in the last instance, are responsible for pursuing their own learning.

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The importance of lifelong learning for Europe’s future has now been endorsed at the highest
level. The Heads of the Member States agree that in the next decade, the European Union
should set an example for the world. Europe can – and must – show that it is possible both to
achieve dynamic economic growth and to strengthen social cohesion. Emphasising that
“people are Europe’s main asset and should be the focal point of the Union’s policies,” the
conclusion is that, above all, education and training systems must adapt to the new realities of
the 21st century and that “lifelong learning is an essential policy for the development of
citizenship, social cohesion and employment.” 4

These messages are the natural outcomes of a decade during which lifelong learning has once
more risen to the top of national and international policy agendas. In the early 1990s,5
Europe’s economies had to come to terms with sharply changing production, trade and
investment patterns. This threw labour markets out of balance, resulting in high levels of
structural unemployment alongside increasing skills gaps and mismatches. To help resolve
these problems, patterns of education and training provision and participation demanded more
attention. The 1996 European Year of Lifelong Learning (EYLL) showed just how much
interest and commitment exists at all levels for lifelong learning, and this helped to influence
policy thinking in the Member States.6

By the mid-1990s, it was agreed not only that education and training throughout life helps to
maintain economic competitiveness and employability, but it is also the best way to combat
social exclusion – and this means that teaching and learning must place individuals and their
needs at the centre of attention.7 On this basis, lifelong learning became the common guiding
principle for the new generation of Community education, training and youth programmes.8
Since 1998, the Employment Guidelines have stressed the importance of lifelong learning for
employment but the assessment of their implementation has shown that little progress has
been achieved so far in promoting a comprehensive strategy on lifelong learning.9 The
European Parliament strongly supports the view that lifelong learning is the key to ensuring
social integration and to achieving equal opportunities.10 On the international stage, recent G8
Summits have underlined for the first time the importance of lifelong learning for everyone in
the ‘new economies’ of the Knowledge Age.11

4
European Council Presidency Conclusions, Lisbon, 23-24 March 2000, paragraphs 5, 24 and 25, pp. 2
and 8; European Council Presidency Conclusions, Santa Maria da Feira, 19-20 June 2000, paragraph
33, p. 6.
5
Growth, Competitiveness and Employment, European Commission White Paper, 1993.
6
Implementation, results and overall assessment of the European Year of Lifelong Learning (1996),
Report from the Commission of the European Communities, COM(1999)447 final, 15 September 1999.
7
Teaching and Learning – towards the learning society, European Commission White Paper, 1995. The
1997 Amsterdam European Community Treaty subsequently introduced the provision, in its Preamble,
“to promote the development of the highest possible level of knowledge for their peoples through a wide
access to education and through its continuous updating.”
8
Towards a Europe of Knowledge, Communication from the Commission of the European Communities,
12 November 1997 (COM(97)563 final); Council Decision establishing LEONARDO II (1999/382/EC,
26 April 1999) and Decisions of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing SOCRATES
II (253/2000/EC, 24 January 2000) and YOUTH (1031/2000/EC, 13 April 2000)
9
Guidelines for Member States’ Employment Policies 2001, Communication from the Commission,
COM(2000)548, 6 September 2000; Joint Employment Report, COM(2000)551, 6 September 2000.
10
Report on the European Commission report on the implementation, results and overall assessment of
the European Year of Lifelong Learning (1996), European Parliament, Committee on Culture, Youth,
Education, the Media and Sport, 14 July 2000 (A5-0200/2000 final), p. 20.
11
Cologne Charter – Aims and Ambitions for Lifelong Learning, G8 Summit Meeting, Cologne, June
1999; Education in a Changing Society, Chair’s Summary of the G8 Education Ministers Meeting,
Tokyo, 1-2 April 2000; G8 Summit Conclusions, Okinawa, 21-23 July 2000. In addition, at the World

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The Union’s Member States have clearly found a large measure of consensus on their shared
interest in lifelong learning, but this has not yet been translated into effective action. The time
has come to do so.

3. A CITIZENS’ EUROPE THROUGH LIFELONG LEARNING

3.1. Knowledge societies: the challenge of change

Today’s Europe is experiencing change on a scale comparable with that of the Industrial
Revolution. Digital technology is transforming every aspect of people’s lives, whilst
biotechnology may one day change life itself. Trade, travel and communication on a world
scale are expanding people’s cultural horizons and are changing the ways in which economies
compete with each other. Modern life brings greater chances and choices for individuals, but
also greater risks and uncertainties. People have the freedom to adopt varied lifestyles, but
equally the responsibility to shape their own lives. More people stay in education and training
longer, but the gap is widening between those who are sufficiently qualified to keep afloat in
the labour market and those who are falling irrevocably by the wayside. Europe’s population
is also ageing rapidly. This will change the make-up of the labour force and the patterns of
demand for social, health and education services. Last but not least, European societies are
turning into intercultural mosaics. This diversity holds great potential for creativity and
innovation in all spheres of life.

This Memorandum cannot provide an in-depth analysis of the changes summarised so briefly
immediately above. But they are all are part and parcel of the overall transition to a
knowledge society, whose economic basis is the creation and exchange of immaterial goods
and services. In this kind of social world, up-to-date information, knowledge and skills are at
a premium.

People themselves are the leading actors of knowledge societies. It is the human capacity
to create and use knowledge effectively and intelligently, on a continually changing basis, that
counts most. To develop this capacity to the full, people need to want and to be able to take
their lives into their own hands – to become, in short, active citizens.12 Education and training
throughout life is the best way for everyone to meet the challenge of change.

3.2. A continuum of learning throughout life

The knowledge, skills and understanding we learn as children and as young people in the
family, at school, during training and at college or university will not last a lifetime.
Integrating learning more firmly into adult life is a very important part of putting lifelong
learning into practice, but it is, nevertheless, just one part of the whole. Lifelong learning sees
all learning as a seamless continuum ‘from cradle to grave.’ High quality basic education
for all, from a child’s youngest days forward, is the essential foundation. Basic education,
followed by initial vocational education and training, should equip all young people with the
new basic skills required in a knowledge-based economy. It should also ensure that they have
‘learnt to learn’ and that they have a positive attitude towards learning.

Education Forum held in Dakar in April 2000, 182 countries committed themselves to six goals to meet
the basic learning needs of all. These goals include improving adult literacy rates levels and equitable
access to basic and continuing education for all adults.
12
Education for active citizenship in the European Union, OPOCE, Luxembourg, 1998.

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People will only plan for consistent learning activities throughout their lives if they want to
learn. They will not want to continue to learn if their experiences of learning in early life have
been unsuccessful and personally negative. They will not want to carry on if appropriate
learning opportunities are not practically accessible as far as timing, pace, location and
affordability are concerned. They will not feel motivated to take part in learning whose
content and methods do not take proper account of their cultural perspectives and life
experiences. And they will not want to invest time, effort and money in further learning if the
knowledge, skills and expertise they have already acquired are not recognised in tangible
ways, whether for personal reasons or for getting ahead at work.Individual motivation to learn
and a variety of learning opportunities are the ultimate keys to implementing lifelong learning
successfully. It is essential to raise the demand for learning as well as its supply, most
especially for those who have benefited least from education and training so far. Everyone
should be able to follow open learning pathways of their own choice, rather than being
obliged to follow predetermined routes to specific destinations. This means, quite simply, that
education and training systems should adapt to individual needs and demands rather than the
other way round.

There are three basic categories of purposeful learning activity.

• Formal learning takes place in education and training institutions, leading to recognised
diplomas and qualifications.

• Non-formal learning takes place alongside the mainstream systems of education and
training and does not typically lead to formalised certificates. Non-formal learning may be
provided in the workplace and through the activities of civil society organisations and
groups (such as in youth organisations, trades unions and political parties). It can also be
provided through organisations or services that have been set up to complement formal
systems (such as arts, music and sports classes or private tutoring to prepare for
examinations).

• Informal learning is a natural accompaniment to everyday life. Unlike formal and non-
formal learning, informal learning is not necessarily intentional learning, and so may well
not be recognised even by individuals themselves as contributing to their knowledge and
skills.

Until now, formal learning has dominated policy thinking, shaping the ways in which
education and training are provided and colouring people’s understandings of what counts as
learning. The continuum of lifelong learning brings non-formal and informal learning more
fully into the picture. Non-formal learning, by definition, stands outside schools, colleges,
training centres and universities. It is not usually seen as ‘real’ learning, and nor do its
outcomes have much currency value on the labour market. Non-formal learning is therefore
typically undervalued.

But informal learning is likely to be missed out of the picture altogether, although it is the
oldest form of learning and remains the mainstay of early childhood learning. The fact that
microcomputer technology has established itself in homes before it has done so in schools
underlines the importance of informal learning. Informal contexts provide an enormous
learning reservoir and could be an important source of innovation for teaching and learning
methods.

The term ‘lifelong’ learning draws attention to time: learning throughout life, either
continuously or periodically. The newly-coined term ‘lifewide’ learning enriches the picture

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by drawing attention to the spread of learning, which can take place across the full range of
our lives at any one stage in our lives.13 The ‘lifewide’ dimension brings the
complementarity of formal, non-formal and informal learning into sharper focus. It
reminds us that useful and enjoyable learning can and does take place in the family, in leisure
time, in community life and in daily worklife. Lifewide learning also makes us realise that
teaching and learning are themselves roles and activities that can be changed and exchanged
in different times and places.

However, lifelong learning is still defined in a variety of ways in different national contexts
and for different purposes. The latest available policy reviews14 suggest that definitions
remain largely informal and pragmatic, wedded more closely to action than to conceptual
clarity or legal terms. The driving force that brought lifelong learning back onto policy
agendas in the 1990s has been the concern to improve citizens’ employability and adaptability
in the face of high levels of structural unemployment, hitting the poorest qualified hardest.
The prospect of a sharply ageing European population means that the need for up-to-date
knowledge and skills cannot be met by relying mainly on new entrants to the labour market,
as happened in the past – there will be too few young people and the pace of technological
change is too fast, particularly the accelerating shift to the digital economy.

Today, a noticeable shift towards more integrated policies that combine social and
cultural objectives with the economic rationale for lifelong learning is taking place.15
New ideas about the balance of rights and responsibilities of citizens and public authorities
have begun to take hold. More people have become more confident about claiming distinctive
identities and ways of life. There is now widespread demand for decisions to be taken as close
as possible to people’s daily lives, and with their greater participation. For these reasons,
attention has turned to the need to modernise governance at all levels of European societies.16
At the same time, gaps have widened between the mainstream of social life and those who are
at risk of long-term social exclusion. Education and training have become more important
than ever before in influencing people’s chances of ‘getting in, getting on and getting up’ in
life. The increasingly complex patterns of young people’s initial transitions between learning
and working may be an indication of what lies in store for people of all ages in the future.
Employability is obviously a key outcome of successful learning, but social inclusion rests on
more than having paid work. Learning opens the door to building a satisfying and productive
life, quite apart from a person’s employment status and prospects.

3.3. Working together to put lifelong learning into practice

Although comprehensive and coherent strategies have not yet been developed by the majority
of Member States, all recognise that working together in a variety of partnerships is an
essential means of putting lifelong learning into practice. These partnerships include co-
operation between ministries and public authorities to develop co-ordinated policies. They
systematically integrate the Social Partners in the development and implementation process,

13
For example, see: Lifelong Learning and Lifewide Learning, National Agency for Education,
Stockholm, January 2000.
14
EURYDICE European Unit, The challenge of lifelong learning for the education systems of European
Union Member States, Brussels, 2000; CEDEFOP, An Age of Learning, Thessaloniki, 2000; ECOTEC,
The Contribution of Community Programmes, Funds and Initiatives to Lifelong Learning, Report to the
European Commission, Education and Culture DG, August 2000.
15
Kearns, P. et al. VET in the learning age: the challenge of lifelong learning for all, Vol. 1, National
Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), Kensington Park, Australia, 1999, p. 25.
16
This includes the European level; a White Paper on European Governance will be published by the
Commission in 2001.

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in conjunction with public-private initiatives. Partnerships thrive, above all, through the active
involvement of local and regional bodies and civil society organisations, who provide services
that are close to the citizens and are better adapted to the specific needs of local
communities.17 European Community education, training and youth programmes, for their
part, have proved their worth in supporting transnational co-operation, partnership and
exchange to develop good practice.

The continuum of lifelong and lifewide learning also means that the different levels and
sectors of education and training systems, including non-formal domains, must work in close
concertation with each other. Here, working together effectively will mean going beyond
existing efforts to build bridges and pathways between different parts of existing systems.
Creating a person-centred network of lifelong learning opportunity introduces the vision of
gradual osmosis between structures of provision that remain, today, relatively disconnected
from each other. Current debates in the Member States on the future of universities are an
example of how policy thinking is beginning to grapple with the practical implications of this
vision. Opening university studies to new and wider publics cannot be achieved unless higher
education institutions themselves change – not only internally, but also in their relations with
other ‘learning systems’.18 The vision of gradual osmosis brings a dual challenge: firstly,
appreciating the complementarity of formal, non-formal and informal learning; secondly,
developing open networks of opportunity and recognition between all three learning settings.

4. TAKING ACTION ON LIFELONG LEARNING: SIX KEY MESSAGES

4.1. Key Message 1: New basic skills for all

Objective: Guarantee universal and continuing access to learning for gaining and
renewing the skills needed for sustained participation in the knowledge society

This is the essential foundation for active citizenship and employability in 21st century
Europe. Economic and social change are modifying and upgrading the profile of basic skills
that everyone should have as a minimum entitlement, enabling active participation in working
life, family life and all levels of community life – from local through to European. The new
basic skills included in the Lisbon European Council conclusions (paragraph 26) are IT skills,
foreign languages, technological culture, entrepreneurship and social skills. This is not
necessarily an exhaustive list, but it certainly covers key areas. Nor does the list imply that the
traditional basic skills of literacy and numeracy are no longer important. But it is important to
note that this is not a list of subjects or disciplines as we know them from our schooldays and
beyond. It specifies broadly defined areas of knowledge and competence, all of which are
interdisciplinary: learning foreign languages, for example, involves acquiring technical,
cultural and aesthetic capacities for communication, performance and appreciation. General,
vocational and social skills hence increasingly overlap in content and function.
As a starting-point for discussion, this Memorandum defines new basic skills as those
required for active participation in the knowledge society and economy – in the labour

17
The European dimension of education: its nature, content and prospects. Information report, Economic
and Social Committee, Section for Employment, Social Affairs and Citizenship, 13 June 2000
(SOC/019 final). See also the Committee of the Regions Opinion on Citizenship (accessible via:
http://www.cor.eu.int/coratwork/avis_32plen/226-99/226-1999_EN.doc)
18
Responding to challenges for European Universities – Implementing changes in institutional and
disciplinary co-operation, F2000 European Higher Education Forum, EUCEN (European Universities
Continuing Education Network), Liege, July 2000.

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market and at work, in real-time and in virtual communities and in a democracy, and as a
person with a coherent sense of identity and direction in life. Some of these skills – such as
digital literacy – are genuinely new, whereas others – such as foreign languages – are
becoming more important for many more people than in the past. Social skills such as self-
confidence, self-direction and risk-taking are also increasingly important, because people are
expected to be able to behave much more autonomously than in the past. Entrepreneurial
skills release capacities both to improve individual job performance and to diversify company
activities; they also contribute to job creation, both within existing enterprises – especially
SMEs – and for self-employment. Learning how to learn, to adapt to change and to make
sense of vast information flows are now generic skills that everyone should acquire.
Employers are increasingly demanding the ability to learn and acquire new skills rapidly and
to adapt to new challenges and situations.
A solid command of these basic skills is crucial for everyone, but it is only the beginning of a
continuum of learning throughout life. Today’s labour markets demand ever-changing
profiles of skills, qualifications and experience. Skills gaps and mismatches, particularly in
ICT, are widely recognised as a significant reason why unemployment levels are persistently
high in particular regions, industrial branches and for disadvantaged social groups. Those who
have not been able, for whatever reason, to acquire the relevant basic skills threshold must be
offered continuing opportunities to do so, however often they may have failed to succeed or to
take up what has been offered so far. Member States’ formal education and training systems –
whether initial, further/higher or adult/continuing – are responsible for ensuring, as far as
possible, that each and every individual acquires, updates and sustains an agreed skills
threshold. Non-formal learning domains also have a very important role to play in these
respects. This all requires the assurance of high quality learning experience and outcome for
as many people as possible. It equally demands continuous review of basic skills reference
levels, so that what is educationally provided matches what is economically and socially
needed.

Questions for debate

• School and college curricula everywhere are already overloaded with ceaseless demands to
incorporate new content and new skills. What can be done to relieve this pressure? What
principles should inform curriculum organisation and content in the Knowledge Age?

• Can an individual right for all citizens to acquire and update skills through lifelong
learning be envisaged?

• The eLearning initiative has set the target that, by 2003, all pupils leaving school should be
digitally literate. What are the priority areas for action for those groups of citizens – young
and old – on the wrong side of the emerging digital divide?

• How might a shared European framework for defining the new basic skills required for
active participation in the knowledge society and economy be developed as proposed in
paragraph 26 of the Lisbon conclusions?

• The proposal for Employment Guidelines 2001 (Guidelines 3, 4 and 6) calls on Member
States to ensure that young people complete compulsory education and to improve adult
access to learning, especially for older workers, those in part-time or temporary
employment, and the unemployed. What kinds of measures would be appropriate and
effective to achieve these aims as well as the aim of skills updating, more generally?

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• What could be effective ways to monitor and meet new emerging skills needs – and
prevent skills mismatches and recruitment difficulties – through lifelong learning provision
in line with the proposal for Employment Guidelines 2001 (Guideline 7)? How can testing
and self-assessment tools for basic skills be further developed?

4.2. Key Message 2: More investment in human resources

Objective: Visibly raise levels of investment in human resources in order to place priority
on Europe’s most important asset – its people

The Lisbon European Council conclusions set clear aims for all concerned to increase the
annual per capita investment in human resources, and the Employment Guidelines (13, 14 and
16) invite Member States to set corresponding targets. This means not only that current
investment levels are regarded as too low to ensure the replenishment of the skills pool,
but that it is necessary to re-think what counts as investment altogether. Taxation regimes,
accounting standards and company reporting and disclosure requirements in the Member
States differ. For this reason alone, no single solutions are feasible – as in the case of treating
company investment in human resources on an equal basis as capital investment. But neither
would they be desirable: respect for diversity is the guiding principle of Community action.
One way forward could be for Social Partners to establish framework agreements on lifelong
learning generally, setting targets for continuing training (based on best practice) and
introducing a European award for particularly progressive companies. There is equally a need
to make investment in human resources more transparent.

At individual level, however, there is no doubt that incentive measures must be more fully
developed. The idea of individual learning accounts is an example, by which people are
encouraged to contribute to the cost of their own learning through special savings and
deposits that attract matching or supplementary grants and benefits from public and private
funding sources. Company schemes that give employees an amount of time or money to
pursue learning of their own choice or agreed to be vocationally relevant is another example.
In some Member States, rights to subsidised study leave have been negotiated for employees,
and the unemployed, too, have rights to training opportunities. There are, furthermore,
examples of companies that provide opportunities for employees on parental leave to
participate in skills updating courses during their leave period or before they return to work
again. As far as workplace-based or work-related learning is concerned, particular attention
will have to be paid in the coming decade to those aged over 35. This is partly because
demographic trends will increase the strategic importance of older employees. Participation in
continuing education and training also currently falls off sharply for older workers, most
especially for the less qualified and those in lower level jobs.

Employers have registered a rising demand to move to part-time contracts, not simply for
family-related reasons but also in order to pursue further studies. This remains, in many cases,
difficult to organise in practice, although levels of voluntary part-time working do vary
markedly between Member States – room for exchange of good practice clearly exists. More
generally, the Social Partners have an important role to play in negotiating agreements for
co-funding of learning for employees and more flexible working arrangements that make
participation in learning practically feasible. Investing in human resources is therefore also
question of enabling people to manage their own ‘time-life portfolios’ and making a wider
range of learning outcomes more visible for all concerned. Creative and innovative
approaches to investing in human resources are an integral part of developing learning
organisations.

12
Whatever the particular measures devised in individual Member States, industries,
occupational sectors or individual companies, the important point is that raising investment in
human resources requires moving towards a culture of shared responsibilities and towards
clear co-financing arrangements for participation in lifelong learning.

Questions for debate

• How can investment in learning be made more tangible and transparent for the individual
and for the employer or enterprise, in particular by strengthening financial incentives and
removing disincentives? What are promising ways to encourage and enable individuals to
co-fund and take control of their own learning (for example, through individual learning
accounts or competence insurance schemes)?

• A concerted research-based initiative in the Member States and at Community level could
help to clarify the social and economic benefits of investing in lifelong learning, including
developing more transparent input and output measures. Is there sufficient collective will
to do so, and how might this initiative be best launched and carried through?

• How could the Structural Funds, and in particular the European Social Fund, be effectively
used to target investment in the infrastructure of lifelong learning, most particularly for
establishing local learning centres and installing up-to-date ICT equipment? To what
extent can these resources and measures help to ensure that the quality of publicly-funded
education and training does not fall behind that of privately-funded alternatives?

• In what kinds of ways do progressive employers provide time and flexibility for taking part
in lifelong learning, including arrangements that assist parents and carers to fit learning
with their family as well as work responsibilities? How can best practice be made more
accessible to enterprises throughout Europe? How might government and public service
employers become effective models of good practice in these respects?

4.3. Key Message 3: Innovation in teaching and learning

Objective: Develop effective teaching and learning methods and contexts for the continuum
of lifelong and lifewide learning

As we move into the Knowledge Age, our understandings of what learning is, where and how
it takes place, and for what kinds of purposes, are changing. We increasingly expect teaching
and learning methods and contexts to recognise and adapt to a highly diverse range of
interests, needs and demands, not only of individuals but also of specific interest groups in
multicultural European societies. This implies a major shift towards user-oriented learning
systems with permeable boundaries across sectors and levels. Enabling individuals to
become active learners implies both improving existing practices and developing new and
varied approaches to take advantage of the opportunities offered by ICT and by the full range
of learning contexts.

Quality of learning experience and outcome is the touchstone, including in the eyes of
learners themselves. But little effective change and innovation can take place without the
active involvement of professionals in the field, who are closest to the citizen as learner and
are most familiar with the diversity of learning needs and processes. ICT-based learning
technologies offer great potential for innovation in teaching and learning methods, although
practising educationalists insist that, to be fully effective, these must be embedded in ‘real
time’ contexts and relationships between teachers and learners. New methods must also take

13
account of the changing roles of tutors and teachers who are separated from their students by
distance and time. 19 Furthermore, most of what our education and training systems offer
is still organised and taught as if the traditional ways of planning and organising one’s
life had not changed for at least half a century. Learning systems must adapt to the
changing ways in which people live and learn their lives today. This is especially important
for achieving gender equality and catering to an increasingly active ‘Third Age’ citizenry. We
still know and share too little, for example, about how to generate productive self-directed
learning, whilst remembering that learning is ultimately a social process; how senior citizens
best learn; how to adjust learning environments to enable integration of the disabled; or what
the potential for mixed-age learning groups could be for cognitive, practical and social skills
development.

Improving the quality of teaching and learning methods and contexts will mean significant
investment by Member States to adapt, upgrade and sustain the skills of those working in
formal and non-formal learning environments, whether as paid professionals, as volunteers or
as those for whom teaching activities are a secondary or ancillary function (for example,
experienced skilled tradespeople in the workplace or community development workers).
Education and training practitioners work in a wide variety of establishments and with very
different kinds of learners. Quite often, the fact that their work has to do with teaching and
learning goes unrecognised – including by themselves, as in the case, for example, of those
working in youth organisations.20 This all means, above all, thoroughgoing review and reform
of initial and in-service teacher training, so that it genuinely caters to the full range of learning
contexts and target groups.

Teaching as a professional role faces decisive change in the coming decades: teachers and
trainers become guides, mentors and mediators. Their role – and it is a crucially important
one – is to help and support learners who, as far as possible, take charge of their own learning.
The capacity and the confidence to develop and practise open and participatory teaching and
learning methods should therefore become an essential professional skill for educators and
trainers, in both formal and non-formal settings. Active learning presupposes the motivation
to learn, the capacity to exercise critical judgement and the skill of knowing how to learn. The
irreplaceable heart of the teaching role lies in nurturing precisely these human capacities to
create and use knowledge.

Questions for debate

• How can the development of ICT-based pedagogies be effectively combined with the
search for improvement and innovation in human-based pedagogies? How can technical
specialists and teachers/trainers work together more effectively to produce quality learning
materials and resources? Given the growing scale of commercially-produced learning
materials and resources, how can their quality and appropriate use be best monitored,
including through co-operation at European level?

• What would be the best way to monitor and analyse the outcomes of transnational projects
with a view to producing a report on effective lifelong learning methods for specified
contexts, purposes and types of learner? What are the prospects for developing meaningful
qualitative benchmarks drawing on comparative case-studies in this area?

19
For example, see Study Circles in Targeted Intelligence Networks, JRC/IPTS, Sevilla, 2000.
20
Lifelong Learning – A Youth Perspective, European Youth Forum/Free University of Brussels,
Brussels, December 1997.

14
• Training courses and qualifications for education and training practitioners working in
non-formal sectors (such as youth and community work), in adult education or in
continuing training are underdeveloped everywhere in Europe. What can be done to
improve this situation, including through European co-operation?

• What should be the priority themes for applied educational research in the Member States
and at Community level in the coming decade? How can the added value of research effort
be raised through greater transnational co-operation and exchange? What could be done to
support action research in education more effectively, which works closely with
practitioners themselves but which is frequently undervalued in the research community?

4.4. Key Message 4: Valuing learning

Objective: Significantly improve the ways in which learning participation and outcomes are
understood and appreciated, particularly non-formal and informal learning.

In the knowledge economy, developing and using human resources to the full is a decisive
factor in maintaining competitiveness. In this context, diplomas, certificates and qualifications
are an important reference point for employers and individuals alike on the labour market and
in the enterprise. The rising demand for qualified labour by employers and increased
competition between individuals to gain and keep employment is leading to much higher
demand for recognised learning than ever before. How best to modernise national
certification systems and practices for new economic and social conditions has become an
important policy and professional issue in all parts of the Union.

Education and training systems provide a service to individuals, to employers and to civil
society as a whole. Ensuring that learning is visibly and appropriately recognised is an
integral element of the quality of service that is provided. For an integrated Europe, both an
open labour market and citizens’ rights to free movement to live, study, train and work in all
Member States demand that knowledge, skills and qualifications are both more readily
understandable and more practically ‘portable’ within the Union. Valuable progress has been
achieved in transparency and mutual recognition agreements, especially in the higher
education sector and for regulated professional and technical occupations.

There is broad consensus, however, that we need to do much more in this area for the benefit
of much wider segments of the population and the labour market. Explicit recognition – in
whatever form – is an effective means to motivate ‘non-traditional learners’ as well as those
who have not been active in the labour force for some time due to unemployment, family
responsibilities or illness. Innovative forms of certification for non-formal learning are also
important for widening the recognition spectrum altogether, regardless of the type of learner
at hand.

It is absolutely essential to develop high quality systems for the Accreditation of Prior and
Experiential Learning (APEL), and to promote their application in a wide variety of contexts.
Employers and admissions tutors in education and training institutions also need to be
persuaded of the worth of this kind of certification. APEL systems evaluate and recognise
individuals’ existing knowledge, skills and experience gained over long periods and in diverse
contexts, including in non-formal and informal settings. The methods used can uncover skills
and competencies that individuals themselves may not have realised they possess and can
offer to employers. The very process requires the active participation of the candidate, which
in itself raises individuals’ confidence and self-image.

15
Diverse national terminology and underlying cultural assumptions continue to render
transparency and mutual recognition a hazardous and delicate exercise. In this area, recourse
to technical expertise in designing and operating reliable and valid recognition systems is
essential. This must be accompanied by greater involvement of those who ultimately
validate credentials in practice and who are closely familiar with the ways in which
individuals and enterprises use credentials in everyday life. The Social Partners and relevant
NGOs are therefore no less important than are official authorities and professional educators.

Questions for debate

• Innovative forms of assessment and recognition are a priority area for action. What needs
to be done to establish working APEL-type systems in all Member States? In what ways
might systematic information on their use and acceptability be developed and exchanged
between countries? How can appropriate systems be developed to recognise competencies
gained in non-formal and informal contexts, such as youth and community associations?

• With the support of the Community education, training and youth programmes, a number
of assessment and recognition instruments have been co-operatively developed. These
include ECTS (European Credit Transfer Scheme) and the European Diploma Supplement
(in the higher education sector), EUROPASS (recognition for work-linked training), the
EVS certificate (participation in the European Voluntary Service scheme), the ECDL
(European Computer Driving Licence) and various automated self-assessment tools
(European pilot projects). A European diploma for basic IT skills will be developed
through the eLearning initiative. How can these various instruments be extended and
developed in coherent ways? What scope might there be for a broad credit-based initiative
linked to the development of a common format for a ‘European cv’ as proposed in
paragraph 26 of the Lisbon conclusions?

• The proposal for Employment Guidelines 2001 (Guideline 4) calls on Member States to
improve the recognition of knowledge, qualifications and skills to facilitate mobility and
lifelong learning. What measures should be undertaken to do so? How might the existing
European Forum on the Transparency of Qualifications21 be developed in service of these
aims, and what kinds of similar initiatives could enhance the development of common
approaches and the dissemination of good practices for assessing and recognising
competencies?

• How can communication and dialogue between the Social Partners, enterprises and
professional associations be improved in order to raise mutual confidence in the validity
and utility of more diverse forms of recognition?

4.5. Key Message 5: Rethinking guidance and counselling

Objective: Ensure that everyone can easily access good quality information and advice
about learning opportunities throughout Europe and throughout their lives.

In the past, moving between education, training and the labour market happened only once in
most people’s lives – as young people, leaving school or university to find a job, perhaps with
one or more periods of vocational training in between. Today, we may all need information
and advice on ‘what to do next’ at several times in our lives, and perhaps quite unpredictably.
This is an integral part of planning and carrying through a life project as an ongoing process,

21
This Forum was set up as a joint initiative by the European Commission and CEDEFOP.

16
in which paid work is but one component, however important that might be. Weighing up the
options and making decisions certainly demands relevant and accurate information, but
professional advice can frequently help to clarify one’s mind.

In this context, a new approach is needed which envisages guidance as a continuously

accessible service for all, and which overcomes the distinction between educational,
vocational and personal guidance, and which reaches out to new publics. Living and working
in the knowledge society calls for active citizens who are self-motivated to pursue their own
personal and professional development. This means that systems of provision must shift from
a supply-side to a demand-side approach, placing users’ needs and demands at the centre of
concern.

The practitioner’s task is to accompany individuals on their unique journey through life, by
releasing motivation, providing relevant information and facilitating decisionmaking. This
includes developing a more proactive approach – that is, reaching out towards people rather
than simply waiting for them to come for advice, and following up on progress made. It also
includes taking positive action to prevent and recoup failure to learn and drop-out from
education and training courses.

The future role of guidance and counselling professionals could be described as ‘brokerage’.
With the client’s interests in the forefront, the ‘guidance broker’ is able to call on and tailor a
wide range of information in order to help decide on the best course of action for the future.
ICT/Internet-based sources of information and diagnostic tools open up new horizons for
improving the range and the quality of guidance and counselling services. They can enrich
and extend the professional role, but clearly cannot replace it – and the new technologies
bring new potential problems to resolve. For example, guidance and counselling practitioners
will have to develop high-level capacities for information management and analysis. They
will be called upon to assist people to find their way through the information labyrinth,
helping them to search out what is meaningful and useful for their own needs. In a globalised
universe of learning provision, people will also need guidance on the quality of what is on
offer.

For all these reasons, guidance and counselling services must move towards more ‘holistic’
styles of provision, able to address a range of needs and demands and a variety of publics. It is
self-evident that such services must be locally accessible. Practitioners must be familiar with
the personal and social circumstances of those for whom information and advice is provided,
but must equally know the profile of the local labour market and employers’ needs. Guidance
and counselling services also need to be linked more firmly into networks of related personal,
social and educational services. This would enable the pooling of specific expertises,
experiences and resources.

In recent years, it has also been increasingly recognised that a good deal of information and
advice is sought and found through non-formal and informal channels. Professional guidance
and counselling services are beginning to take these factors into account, not only by
developing networks with local associations and voluntary groups but also by designing ‘low
threshold’ services in familiar settings. These are important strategies for improving access
for highly disadvantaged target groups.

Traditionally, guidance and counselling have been provided as public services and were
originally designed to accompany initial transitions between school and the labour market.
Over the past thirty years, market-based services have mushroomed, especially for the highly
qualified. In some Member States, many guidance and counselling services are wholly or

17
partially privatised. Companies themselves have also begun to invest in guidance services for
their employees. Nevertheless, it remains the responsibility of the public sector to set
agreed minimum quality standards and to define entitlements.

Questions for debate

• How can existing initiatives22 and services be enhanced so that guidance and counselling
becomes an integral part of an open Europe?What improvements are needed to provide
interconnected European databases on learning opportunities throughout life? 23 What are
the implications of emerging ‘borderless education’ – that is, learning provided in one
country and accessed from another – for guidance and counselling services?
• The eLearning initiative proposes that, by the end of 2002, vocational guidance and
counselling services should offer universal access to information on training, labour market
and career opportunities in ‘new technology’ skills and occupations. How can this target be
achieved? More generally, how can further impetus be given to the development of
Internet-based tools for self-guidance?

• What can be done to modernise and improve initial and in-service training and professional
development for guidance and counselling practitioners? Where are the most urgent needs
for enriched training? What kinds of projects in this field should be prioritised under the
SOCRATES II, LEONARDO II and YOUTH programmes?

• There is a clear need to expand service provision at local level, in accessible forms and
designed for specific target groups. How can innovative approaches – such as ‘one-stop-
shops’ – be applied more widely across Europe? What is the role of marketing strategies in
guidance and counselling, and how might they be made more effective? How can inter-
agency networks be developed that enable local-level providers, via a pool of specialist
sources, to offer genuinely ‘tailored’ services on an individualised basis?

• How can quality of service be best assured in a mixed public and private market for
guidance and counselling? Would it be appropriate to develop quality guidelines for
guidance and counselling services, including through co-operation at European level?

4.6. Key Message 6: Bringing learning closer to home

Objective: Provide lifelong learning opportunities as close to learners as possible, in their

own communities and supported through ICT-based facilities wherever appropriate.

Regional and local levels of governance have become increasingly influential in recent years
in line with intensified demand for decisionmaking and services ‘close to the ground’. The
provision of education and training is one of the policy areas destined to be part of this trend –
for most people, from childhood through to old age, learning happens locally. Local and
regional authorities are also the ones that provide the infrastructure of access to lifelong
learning, including childcare, transport and social welfare services. Mobilising the resources
of regional and local authorities in support of lifelong learning is therefore essential.Equally,
civil society organisations and associations have their strongest roots at local level, and

22
For example, the Euroguidance network of National Resources Centres for Vocational Guidance, the
FEDORA (European Forum for Student Guidance) network, the EURES system and the Internet-based
Gateway to the European Learning Area are already established or underway.
23
For 2001, Employment Guideline 7 seeks to enhance the functioning of labour markets by improving
interconnected European databases on jobs and learning opportunities.

18
typically possess vast reservoirs of knowledge and experience about the communities of
which they are part.

Cultural diversity is Europe’s distinctive trademark. Particular localities may have different
characteristics and problems, but they all share a unique distinctiveness of place and identity.
The familiar distinctiveness of people’s home community and region gives confidence and
provides social networks. These resources are important for lending meaning to learning and
for supporting positive learning outcomes.

Varied and locally accessible lifelong learning opportunities helps to ensure that people are
not compelled to leave their home region to study and train – although they should equally be
able to choose to do so, and the experience of such mobility should be a positive learning
experience in itself. For some groups, such as the disabled, it is just not always possible to be
physically mobile. In such cases, equal access to learning can only be achieved by bringing
learning to the learners themselves. ICT offers great potential for reaching scattered and
isolated populations in cost-effective ways – not only for learning itself, but also for
communication that serves to maintain community identity across large distances. More
generally, ‘round-the-clock’ and ‘on-the-move’ access to learning services – including on-line
learning - enables everyone to use their learning time to best advantage, wherever they may
physically be at a given moment.
Densely populated urban areas, for their part, can weld multiple partnerships from a hub of
diversity, using lifelong learning as the driver for local and regional regeneration. The
city, meeting-point of constantly changing groups and ideas, has always been a magnet for
innovation and debate. Urban environments brim over with learning opportunities of all kinds,
from everyday street life to fast-paced enterprises and for young and old alike. Villages,
towns and cities have also already built up a range of contacts with partner communities
across Europe through town-twinning programmes and activities, many of which are
supported with Community funding. These activities provide a basis for transnational co-
operation and exchange between communities and localities that have a range of similar
characteristics and problems to resolve, and which therefore offer a natural platform of
interest for non-formal learning initiatives. ICT expands these opportunities by creating the
possibility for virtual communication between local communities physically far apart.
Inclusive partnerships and integrated approaches are better able to reach (potential) learners
and respond coherently to their learning needs and demands. Incentive schemes and other
support measures can encourage and support a proactive approach to lifelong learning both by
individuals themselves and by cities and regions as co-ordinating contexts. Bringing learning
closer to home will also require reorganisation and redeployment of resources to create
appropriate kinds of learning centres in everyday locations where people gather – not only
in schools themselves, but also, for example, in village halls and shopping malls, libraries and
museums, places of worship, parks and public squares, train and bus stations, health centres
and leisure complexes, and workplace canteens.

Questions for debate

• The Lisbon European Council conclusions (paragraph 26) propose turning schools and
training centres into multi-purpose local learning centres, all linked to the Internet and
accessible to people of all ages. This is a major challenge for all Member States. What
kinds of projects and provision already exist that could offer promising ways forward and
examples of good practice? What kinds of pilot projects should the Community education,
training and youth programmes support to this end?

19
• How can mutually beneficial learning partnerships between education and training
providers, youth clubs and associations, enterprises and R&D centres be profitably
developed at local and regional levels? Have locally-organised audits of citizens’ learning
needs and employers’ skills needs proved a positive tool for re-designing lifelong learning
opportunities in particular communities and regions?

• The Lisbon European Council conclusions (paragraph 38) strongly favour decentralised
and partnership-based implementation strategies. What kinds of incentives will encourage
local and regional initiatives – such as learning cities and regions – to co-operate and
exchange good practice at multiple levels, including the transnational level? Could local
and regional authorities pledge a fixed percentage of their income to lifelong learning?

• What scope is there for promoting decentralised lifelong learning partnerships through
developing closer links between European-level institutions (European Parliament,
Committee of the Regions, Economic and Social Committee, Council of Europe) that have
well-established local and regional links?

5. MOBILISING RESOURCES FOR LIFELONG LEARNING

The debate to be launched through this Memorandum will take place at a crucial point in time
for implementing the Lisbon European Council conclusions. The outcomes of the debate will
help to define priorities and directions under the relevant Community instruments and
programmes. The new open method of co-ordination will enable a coherent policy
development and mobilisation of resources at European and Member State levels in
favour of lifelong learning. At Community level, indicators and policy initiatives are being
developed andresources will be mobilised.

Developing indicators and benchmarks

The question of setting appropriate targets and meaningful benchmarks in relation to lifelong
learning will be an important aspect of the coming debate, in conformity with the open co-
ordination method introduced in the Lisbon conclusions (paragraph 37) and with the methods
already used within the Employment Strategy. Indicators that reflect the full meaning of
lifelong learning as defined in this Memorandum are not presently available. Work has
already begun at European level to consider how this can be improved24 and the Education
Council has begun to consider how the idea of benchmarking can be applied to the education
field whilst preserving the autonomy of the Member States in this policy domain.25 Moreover,
a number of indicators on lifelong learning have been specified and used in assessing progress
in the implementation of the Employment Guidelines, some of which were considered for
inclusion in the list of structural indicators proposed by the Commission for the Annual
Synthesis Report.26 A joint effort between Community and Member States is needed, both to
develop data relating to the six key messages and to define appropriate quantitative and

24
Indicators concerning teaching and learning in the Information Society are proposed in the Educational
Multimedia Report, January 2000 (accessible via: http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/com/pdf/2000/com
2000_0023en0.pdf); 16 quality indicators are proposed in the European Report on the Quality of School
Education, May 2000; the Eurostat Task Force on Measuring Lifelong Learning delivers its first report
in December 2000; the eLearning initiative plans to develop specific indicators in relation to the Lisbon
targets on digital infrastructure and literacy. Annex 2 of this Memorandum considers the current scope
for developing and improving European comparative statistics and indicators on lifelong learning.
25
Leiden Seminar on Benchmarking and Open Co-ordination, 27-28 September 2000.
26
Structural Indicators, Communication from the Commission, COM(2000)594, 27 September 2000.

20
qualitative indicators on lifelong learning, some of which are likely to be new and may well
require a new evidential base. (This issue is further dealt with in Annex II – The scope for
developing indicators and benchmarks on lifelong learning.)

Current targeted initiatives at European level

At Community level, action is already underway to implement the Lisbon European Council’s
conclusions (paragraphs 11, 25, 26, 29, 37, 38 and 41).

• The Education Council is currently preparing, in co-operation with the Commission, a first
report on the common concerns and priorities of Europe’s education systems in the
future, including lifelong learning. This report will be presented to the European Council in
Spring 2001 under the Swedish Presidency.

• The new eLearning initiative, which is part of the broader eEurope initiative,27 aims to
raise levels of digital literacy and equip schools, teachers and pupils with the necessary
material, professional skills and technical support to do so. The effective use of ICT will
make a significant contribution to implementing lifelong learning by widening access and
introducing more varied ways to learn, including through ICT-networked local learning
centres open to a wide range of people of all ages.

• A Gateway to the European Learning Area is being developed which, together with the
EURES database, is intended to provide easy access for citizens to information about jobs
and learning opportunities throughout Europe.

• To facilitate mobility and increase the visibility of learning and work experiences, the
Commission will make a proposal for developing a common European curriculum vitae
(CV) format.28

• The Commission has presented a proposal for a Recommendation to promote mobility.

As an operational complement to this Recommendation, an Action Plan for Mobility is
being developed on the initiative of the French Presidency.

• The Commission will also continue to work together with established networks and
decentralised agencies and within existing mechanisms to develop lifelong learning, such
as the European Forum on the Transparency of Qualifications.

• The continued implementation of the Action Plan to promote Entrepreneurship and

Competitiveness (BEST), which includes actions on education and training for
entrepreneurship.

The action programmes SOCRATES II, LEONARDO DA VINCI II and YOUTH

Lifelong learning is the guiding principle for the new Community education, training and
youth action programmes, which came into effect in January 2000. The activities they will be
funding – networks and partnerships, pilot projects and action research, exchange and
mobility activities, Community sources of reference – are therefore prime tools for

27
eLearning – Designing tomorrow’s education, Communication from the Commission of the European
Communities, COM(2000)318 final, 24 May 2000. For key documentation concerning eEurope see
http://europa.eu.int/comm/information_society/eeurope/documentation/index_en.htm
28
Lisbon European Council conclusions, paragraph 26

21
developing the European dimension of lifelong learning. The Memorandum’s key messages
provide the basis for determining priorities in the regular calls for project proposals. The new
programmes also provide for joint actions – that is, funded activities of interests and concern
to a number of Community action domains. This is of particular interest for lifelong learning,
given its cross-sectoral and integrative nature. For example, joint actions could be envisaged
for promoting:co-operation between practitioners working in different education and training
sectors or in formal and non-formal learning settings, in order to develop innovative teaching
and learning methods; co-operation between different kinds of guidance and counselling
provision, in order to bridge the gaps between services and encourage multi-specialist
networks.

Employment guidelines and recommendations

The Employment Guidelines are proving an effective framework for promoting structural
reforms, setting targets and monitoring progress in implementing policy initiatives,
including in the field of lifelong learning. In the Commission’s Proposal for Employment
Guidelines 2001, the lifelong learning element has been considerably strengthened. Lifelong
learning is now seen as a horizontal aspect of the Employment Strategy, as well as being
addressed under several guidelines. All Member States will have to develop policies to
implement the new Employment Guidelines for 2001. Most Member States will need to
respond to specific policy recommendations in implementing the guidelines on lifelong
learning.

Member States have still to develop comprehensive strategies for lifelong learning, which
would enable coherent design and implementation of a co-ordinated range of policy measures
capable of making lifelong learning a reality for all citizens. The draft European Employment
Guidelines 2001 call on Member States to develop comprehensive and coherent strategies for
lifelong learning across the full range of their education and training systems. They are also
asked to set national targets for increasing investment in human resources and for
participation in further education and training, and to monitor progress in achieving these
targets.

As these strategies are being developed, partnership-based and decentralised approaches

which bring learning ‘closer to home’ will take on an important role, as the Lisbon Summit
conclusions have underlined. The challenge will be to create and maintain coherence
within diversity at all levels of community life in Europe.

Using the European Structural Funds

The Lisbon European Council conclusions (paragraph 41) underline the need to mobilise the
necessary resources, with the European Union acting as a catalyst and adding its own
contribution under existing Community policies.

The European Social Fund now has a specific mission to contribute to the actions taken in
pursuance of the European Employment Strategy and the Guidelines on Employment.
Member States should be vigorously pursuing the development of lifelong learning policies
and infrastructure at national, regional and local levels. The new Community initiative
EQUAL will address the relevant themes for action in the context of the Employment
Strategy, including lifelong learning. There also seems to be considerable scope for
strengthening the links between Youth, Socrates, Leonardo da Vinci and EQUAL, on
the one hand, and the Structural Funds, on the other – in particular in terms of utilising

22
successful approaches and project results developed under these programmes on a broader
basis.

Using the Research Framework Programme

Research relevant to the key messages should be prioritised within the current 5th Framework
Programme and taken into account when planning the priorities of the 6th Framework
Programme; national research programmes should equally consider prioritising research
relevant to implementing lifelong learning. Topics could include, for example, the social and
economic benefits of investing in lifelong learning and applied educational research to
develop innovative methods of teaching and learning. Under the 5th Framework Programme,
one of the key actions under the theme of the user-friendly Information Society already aims
to facilitate lifelong learning through the development of multimedia tools and contents.

Follow-up to the Memorandum

The Commission invites the Member States, between now and mid-2001, to launch a
consultation process on this Memorandum, close to the citizens and involving the key actors
responsible for lifelong learning at all levels. The Commission will collect and analyse the
outcomes of these discussions and will also consult the European Parliament, the Economic
and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions, the Social Partners and other key
partners to get feedback on this Memorandum. In addition, the Commission will continue its
work on developing indicators and benchmarks and identifying examples of good practice. It
will also mobilise Community resources for lifelong learning, as discussed above. Finally, the
Commission will prepare a report on the outcome of this consultation process by the Autumn
of 2001 with a view to proposing specific objectives, concrete points for action and
benchmarks for implementing a lifelong learning strategy.

23
 ANNEX I

Examples of lifelong learning good practice

This annex presents a small number of examples of “good practice”, i.e., projects or initiatives
that have shown a feasible approach towards putting lifelong learning into practice. Projects
have been selected from within the European Union – most of which have received
Community funding. There are also examples from countries outside Europe which may, in
many cases, face similar challenges when it comes to implementing lifelong learning. The
selection has been made based on proposals received from CEDEFOP, EURYDICE, the
European Training Foundation (ETF) and a study commissioned by the European
Commission on the contribution of Community funding to lifelong learning. Most of the
examples from within Europe have a clear European dimension, and all of the examples
illustrate innovative and flexible approaches for the citizens and other partners to putting
lifelong learning into practice. Several initiatives have already been in place for a number of
years and there is evidence that they are effective. In other cases, there is not yet firm
evidence of the success of the projects, but the example has nevertheless been included since
it points to an innovative or interesting approach. The list is far from exhaustive. The
objective is primarily to illustrate, in fairly concrete terms, what lifelong learning can mean
and to stimulate the debate and search for new ideas and methods – inside and outside
Europe. Identifying good examples and proposing ideas for disseminating good practice will,
it is hoped, be an important aspect of the debate launched by this Memorandum.

24
Objective 1:
Guarantee universal and continuing access to learning for gaining and renewing the
skills needed for sustained participation in the knowledge society
Sweden
The Adult Education Initiative (AEI)
Implementation: July 1997- July 2002
Target group: adults

The AEI is primarily aimed at adults who are unemployed or who lack full three-year upper
secondary qualifications. The idea is that those adults most in need of education should be
given a chance to catch up and add to their knowledge. Improved levels of skill and increased
self- confidence will help them to strengthen their position in the labour market. The
overriding aims of the AEI are to:
– reduce unemployment
– develop adult education
– reduce educational divisions
– promote growth

The intention is for all education that takes place under the initiative to be governed in form
and content by the needs, wishes and capacity of the individual. Every individual should have
ample scope for personal choice in terms of the type of study they require and the timing and
location of that study. Validation of competence may allow students to shorten the time they
spend in study
Transnational
YOUTHSTART project – Gemeente Groningen
Implementation: started in November 1995, still running
Target group: young people
Sources of co- funding: YOUTHSTART, Central Government, Private companies in
Groningen The Netherlands
Main promoter: The Stin Postbus and partners in Ireland and Austria

The ability to use information technologies and the enhancement of personal skills are
thought to be key factors in finding a job in the Netherlands.

This project is closely related to the national objectives of LLL in the Netherlands, which
place a high priority on the development of ICT skills and the use of innovative pedagogies. It
is also coherent with the European Commission definition of LLL

The project has been replicated in other northern provinces of the Netherlands. The
participation of SMEs has been a key factor for the sustainability of the project

The courses included a combination of training in core skills and in personal skills. The latter
included topics such as self-esteem, how to behave in an interview, how to answer a phone,
how to work in groups, etc. This combination seems appropriate for the target group of
beneficiaries (young people in unemployment), as they tend to be inexperienced in those
matters

25
Objective 2:
Visibly raise levels of investment in human resources in order to place priority on
Europe’s most important asset – its people
European
ADAPT project EU Jobrotation

Target group: Individual employees, groups of employees, a department of a company or

branch of industry and unemployed

Implementation: Started in Denmark in the 90’s and is still running, piloted in ten other
Member States through ADAPT

The starting point for JobRotation lies within businesses and their training needs resulting
from the introduction of new technology, organisational changes or internationalisation
processes. The principle of a JobRotation scheme is simple: the employed participate in
supplementary training, while an unemployed person trained for the temporary job takes over
as a substitute. In 1999 an estimated 5311 people and 622 companies will be participating in
JobRotation projects all over Europe. The flexibility of the JobRotation tool has made it
possible to tailor it to the national and/or regional framework and to the unique local situation.
When the employment effect for substitutes is considered, the results from all European
regions indicate that approximately 75% of substitutes obtain employment after completing
the period of replacement, either in the JobRotation enterprise or in another company
United Kingdom
Investors in people
Implemented in 1991, still running ors in People
Investors in People was introduced in the UK in 1991 and has since proved an important
initiative in recognising those enterprises which invest in training for their employees. The
programme provides employers with a national standard of training needs analysis and those
companies wishing to be recognised as an Investor in People must conform to this standard. It
helps to maximise business performance by linking the training and development of
employees to an organisation’s business objectives. The standard is based on four main
principles:
– Senior management makes a commitment to develop all employees to achieve
business objectives;
– The employer regularly reviews its business objectives and plans how to achieve
them by developing the skills of the individual employees and the teams;
– The employer trains and develops individuals from the time when they are recruited
and throughout their employment
– The employer evaluates the investment in training and development and assesses the
impact of the training on improved effectiveness

Investors in People is also being launched in the Netherlands, promoted by the Dutch
initiative on lifelong learning and the National Action Plan for employment
Objective 3 :
Develop effective teaching and learning methods and contexts for the continuum of
lifelong learning
Transnational
Socrates project: MIWEUL- Making it work: European Universities and LLL
Implementation: 1997- 1999
This transnational project was funded under the Adult Education action of the Socrates
programme and involved collaboration and comparative research between researchers from 4

26
EU Member States. The project aimed at developing a network of research centres in order to
identify what is needed to enhance the contribution of education and training policies and
practices to LLL.
Therefore, the project has focused on the following aspects:
– Analysis of the development of higher education institutions as centres for lifelong
learning in four European countries
– Focus on policy formulation, orientation of LLL (especially access to education and
needs of adult learners) and barriers to future development
– Identification of commonalities and differences between European countries
regarding LLL
– Promotion of policy change at regional, national and European levels by contributing
to the understanding of what is happening at national and institutional levels
– Promotion of the European dimension and mutual understanding around LLL.

As part of this research project, a comprehensive view has been adopted covering the context
of the lifelong dimension of higher education (HE), the types of policies implemented at
national level. A significant contribution to the development of LLL in higher education
relates to pointing out the extent to which higher education institutions, in partnership with
business, regional and local authority groups and groups in the community, can widen
participation and access to education and training to non traditional learners, including
through the use of ICT
European
European Network of Innovative Schools (ENIS)
Target group: learning institutions
As a component of the EUN (Schoolnet) structure the overall goal of ENIS is to create a
network of innovative schools which can be utilised for full demonstration of pilot projects in
EUN and beyond. The complete network consists of approx. 500 schools with broad
European representation, and will constitute a common integrated framework in terms of:
Connectivity and technical infrastructure, pedagogical and organisational tools, pedagogical
and organisational methodology and skills and knowledge

The network comprises schools with proper ICT-equipment and experience of using it. A
process is underway in each of the EUN member countries to appoint the most innovative
schools. Each ENIS school will complete and submit a form, which will be evaluated by the
national authorities. Key benefits and expectations for Innovative schools:
Access to the full EUN-WEB site at the Internet. Including access to use:
– Collaborative applications
– Communication platform
– Educational material and tools developed by EUN work programmes.

27
Objective 4:
Significantly improve the ways in which learning participation and outcomes are
understood and appreciated, particularly non-formal and informal learning
USA
Prior Learning Assessment
Implemented: 1994, still running

PONSI – Project on Noncollegiate Sponsored Instruction and Credit – was the first scheme
introduced by the New York State University’s Board of Regents, following a pilot study
carried out in 1974. Since 1994, it works in cooperation with California State University and
recognises courses from all over the country. In 1999, 1400 universities and academies
accepted PONSI recognised certificates. College Credit Recommendation System (Credit)
was introduced at the same time by the American Council for Education, Washington DC,
which is an umbrella organisation representing all accredited universities and academies in
the US.

Three types of approach to PLA are prevalent: tests, evaluation of non-college-sponsored

training, and comprehensive assessment of life and work experiences by portfolio assessment.

Portfolio assessment is considered to be the only method which helps adult learners evaluate
their own prior learning and build on it to develop plans for their future learning and
development. It is a more holistic approach in that it focuses on the identification and
articulation of learning as well as its measurement and evaluation.
The portfolio is a formal document outlining non-college learning experiences and is used to
request college recognition of experiential learning.

All of these measures point towards the acceptance and implementation of lifelong learning as
part of modern life. They lead towards a mainstreaming of post-school learning. However, it
is difficult to find evidence of how PLA affects progression and development at work,
independent of academic advancement (Mann, 1997). This is therefore an interesting area in
need of more research and examination, given that many other countries look to the US as a
leader in this field
France
Bilan des compétences
Implemented: 1985, still running
Target groups: individuals and enterprises

The initiative may come from the enterprise or from the worker him/herself. The aim is to
permit the employee to understand his or her professional and personal competences as well
as their motivation and aptitudes in order to facilitate their professional as well as their
educational plans and careers. The bilan des compétences is a national system defined and
administered according to national law. It is focused on the labour market and on enterprises.
The idea is to give feedback to the employer or employee on questions of competence to
support further learning or career development. The bilan des compétences does not aim at
formal recognition of competences according to a qualification standard. The main reference
points are individuals and enterprises.

28
Objective 5:
Ensure that everyone can easily access good quality information and advice about
learning opportunities throughout Europe and throughout their lives
Transnational
Leonardo da Vinci project: EURO PRO-FILES (Development of a multimedia
software program for guidance)
Target group: young people

The project is financed by Leonardo da Vinci and the aim is to design and produce a
multimedia software program, which develops vocational guidance systems for young people.
The multimedia nature of the tool allows a comparison of occupational profiles and promotes
the vocational training of young people and the development of guidance systems.

The project facilitates exchanges in the field of vocational training at European level, since
the CD-ROM provides a database on the skill profiles to be acquired for the chosen
occupations and the corresponding training. This tool ultimately fosters youth mobility and
blurs cultural, vocational and training divides.

The impact on national guidance systems has been very positive. The project allows a careers
advisory service provider to respond to requests for information from young people about
occupational profiles on a truly transnational basis. The advice can be tailored exactly to the
requirements of the trainee and will aid them in making an informed decision about
transnational mobility
Canada
SkillNet.ca
Implemented: 1993

SkillsNet.ca is Canada's fastest growing network of job and career information Web sites. A
one-stop shopping site for jobs and career-related information, SkillNet.ca is a partnership of
integrated recruitment services, developed by Industry Canada, with assistance from Human
Resources Development Canada and Xwave Solutions. These include colleges and
universities, health, arts & culture, education, aviation maintenance and the voluntary sector.
Many more partner sites are under development. CANARIE Inc. is Canada's advanced
Internet development organisation. It was established in 1993 and has been working with
government, industry, and the research and educational communities to enhance Canada's
advanced Internet infrastructure, applications development and use.

29
Objective 6:
Provide lifelong learning opportunities as close to learners as possible, in their own
communities and supported through ICT-based facilities wherever appropriate
Transnational
ADAPT project: SES-NET (South East Scotland Network for Education and
training)
Implemented: September 1998- June 2001, ADAPT programme

Target groups: The target group for project activity are SMEs in a range of sectors including
distribution and retail, multi-media, tourism and automotive

University for Industry was created in order to turn the UK Government’s vision of a
‘learning society’ into a reality. The main objectives of Ufi (now branded learndirect) are to
stimulate demand for lifelong learning amongst businesses and individuals; and to promote
the availability of, and access to, relevant high quality, innovative learning opportunities, in
particular through the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT).

The project brings together a wide public-private partnership of suppliers of education and
training to create a network of tutor-supported learning centres. The setting up of learning
centres is key to the project and many of the centres are situated in non-traditional locations,
including companies. It is making lifelong learning available through local learning centres
that provide learning opportunities tailored to the specific needs of individuals. Access to
information, guidance and advice on learning opportunities and providers has been improved
by the setting up of a call centre for one stop shop advice, signposting, guidance and
registration for courses.

Offering flexible modes of delivery using ICTs and ‘bite-sized chunks’ of learning or discrete
modules has meant that individuals that require learning for a specific purpose rather than a
full qualification or employed learners who need to fit learning around their existing family
and work commitments have access to learning
Australia
Learning centres
Implemented: 1989, still running
Objective: Encourage local involvement and build local support

The Centre for Research and Learning in Regional Australia (CRLRA) at the University of
Tasmania has explored the relationship between the quality of learning in community, social
capital in that community, and sustainable economic outcomes, in regional areas of Australia.
Australia also has experience of linking communities of practice (groups linked for a common
purpose which involves on-going learning and interchange of ideas and experience), for
example farm owners or managers. Useful good practice principles for building learning
communities can be derived from the Western Australia Universities or the Queensland Open
Learning Network (QOLN).
QOLN was established in 1989, as an initiative of the Queensland Government to improve
access to learning opportunities for communities where access was restricted through
isolation and other factors. QOLN has developed a network of over 40 Open learning Centres
which perform a range of roles and functions in their communities.
The centres aim to be a community focal point for learning. Co-ordinators are employed from
the local community and are required to encourage local involvement and build local support,
so as to broaden the impact of the centre in the community

30
 ANNEX II

The scope for developing indicators and benchmarks on lifelong learning

1. BACKGROUND

Lifelong learning has been an issue in the policy discussion for quite some years now.
However it has increasingly become a priority area in policy making in the late 90s when it’s
importance for social and economic development as well as for social cohesion and active
citizenship in the knowledge economy has been widely acknowledged. This recent focus
combined with the inclusion of education and training among the Community competencies
for the first time in the Maastricht and then the Amsterdam Treatyi, has created increasing
demand for statistics in the area of lifelong learning.

The process towards European indicators in education and training was begun decades ago
and has gained momentum in the 1990’s. In February 2000 the European Commission created
a Task Force on measuring lifelong learning. The Task Force aims to make recommendations
on approaches to be adopted within the European Statistical System (ESSii) taking on board
the statistical implications of this Memorandum. Explicit needs for indicators expressed in
other official policy documents such as the Lisbon Conclusionsiii, the Joint Employment
Reportiv, the e-Learning initiativev and the report on the quality of school educationvi will also
be taken into account in the further development of indicators in the area of LLL.

The task force includes representatives of UNESCO and OECD, to ensure the greatest
possible involvement of the international organisations active in the area of education
statistics.

The following paragraphs try to provide a short overview of existing statistical information
and tools relevant to lifelong learning as it is delimited in the context of the present
memorandum as well as some indication for the way forward.

2. CURRENT SITUATION

Existing statistics on education and learning are based on a system approach, since this has
dominated policy perspectives to date and, to a lesser extent, on individuals and companies.
The focus is on the formal education and training systems (UOEvii and VETviii data
collections), on educational attainment within these systems and on the labour market
outcomes of education (LFSix, ECHPx etc). Data on participation of adults in education and
learning (LFS) are also collected though there is a clear focus on formal education and job-
related training. Information is also available on work related training offered by enterprises
(CVTSxi) as well as on the household expenditure on education (HBSxii), but the typologies
used for educational services or products do not allow the useful exploitation of this
information. Efforts have also been made for the direct assessment of skills through different
international surveys like IALSxiii on the literacy and numeracy of adult education, TIMSSxiv
which is curriculum and school based and, recently, PISAxv which is school based but not
curriculum based.

The present change of perspective, where lifelong learning is given more weight not only in
the area of education but also in the areas of employment, economic growth, social exclusion
etc is expected to change the perspective of analysis of most of the above mentioned sources
unveiling hidden information that has not been exploited until now since there was no policy

31
need clearly expressed. Additionally these sources may be modified in this new perspective to
provide improved coverage of different aspect of LLL.

3. EMERGING NEEDS

Today more information is needed on the way individual citizens learn in formal and non-
formal settings but also through informal activities like self-learning. Skills can be acquired in
several ways and it is essential to monitor skill acquisition – as well as erosion. We need to be
able to assess the societal outcomes of learning (eg citizenship related outcomes,
environment, consumer protection) as well as the employment-related and personal outcomes
in a wider sense (e.g. basic skills, economic well-being, physical and mental health and well-
being, satisfaction).

Notions like motivation, expectations and satisfaction are essential for lifelong learning, while
personal investment in time and money is a major issue in the debate. The role and
involvement of the different actors of the learning market (commercial enterprises, NGOs,
professional bodies, local authorities, state and of course individuals) also needs to be
clarified.

Finally, as a market for education and training is taking shape, there is a need to collect
information on the providers and the economics of providing teaching/training, the cost and
availability of supply. Learning systems have remained substantially stable for several
decades and are recently undergoing radical changes. Effective policy-making requires
monitoring and even anticipating these changes.

The area of education and learning statistics seems to be overlapping in its non-formal and
informal areas with time use statistics, cultural statistics (where DG EAC and Eurostat in
cooperation with UNESCO have progressed recently), tourism statistics and statistics on
audiovisuals, Information Society and intangible investment in structural business statistics.
These represent opportunities to supplement the direct sources in LLL and call for
harmonised and ad-hoc approaches to make best use of them.

Concretely on the main themes of the Memorandum on lifelong learning the following
comments may be made:

3.1. New skills for all

Education and training systems are to provide people with the basic skills which are necessary
for the knowledge economy. The skills must be continuously updated and many people will
need to access them outside the education system. Then every effort should be made to assess
them in an acceptable and comparable way, building on the experience of existing direct
assessment methods. Information on basic skill levels (e.g. foreign languages and ICT) could
be collected through household surveys, where appropriate.

The effectiveness of the formal education system at providing universal access for the
acquisition of the basic skills threshold and the development of a learning culture should be
further explored in relation to LLL. The assumption that the regular (traditional) system
context, which is teachers working for instructional institutions teaching students enrolled on
specific programmes, leading to qualifications/diplomas, which they complete within a given
time period should be adapted to accommodate modular programmes, non-sequential study
and qualification trajectories, open and distance education and self-directed learning
programmes. Early childhood education should be distinguished from childcare and its extent

32
and contents should be specifically examined. Contextual information on structures and
organisational and curricular arrangements is paramount for putting in context any statistical
information on the formal system, thus making it policy relevant.

Information on non-formal education is already collected by existing sources, from

individuals and companies organising training for their employees. Nevertheless specific
classifications of non-formal and informal learning activities should be developed or
improved, where they exist, for use in household sample surveys, time use surveys etc.

Information on individual motivation and attitudes may also be collected through household
surveys while the involvement and attitudes of other actors like enterprises, NGOs etc should
be assessed in specific surveys.

3.2. More investment in human resources

To obtain more information on the investment, in terms of time and money, in lifelong
learning the following should also be done:

– harmonised information on time investment by individuals (for example through

Time Use Survey); this information needs to be combined with contextual
information on working arrangements, childcare facilities etc. with a view to
assessing the obstacles to learning in terms of time availability

– harmonised information on household consumption/cost of educational services and

products through Household Budget Surveys

– change the treatment of public spending on education in public sector accounts (it
should be treated as capital, not current expenditure); development of satellite
accounts on education covering more than spending in formal education; inclusion in
the analysis of expenditure on "LLL infrastructure" (eg communication networks and
learning centres).

– investment by enterprises in training (Structural Business Survey, Labour Cost

Survey); investment in human resource development should be considered as
intangible investment and be given equal treatment, also in statistics, as capital
investment;

– improve the coverage of education as an economic activity in Business and

Information Society statistics so as to evaluate the offer of educational services and
products and their market value (content development, guidance services,
educational material production etc).

3.3. Innovation in teaching and learning

After the appropriate definitions have been agreed, information on the number of people
working voluntarily and employed in education and learning (formal, non-formal, informal)
may be collected. Contextual information on the required level of qualifications and skills
required for educators may be used for analysis targeting always the longer term objective of
measuring the level of the necessary skills, once they have been defined.

33
3.4. Visibility and recognition for learning

The outcomes of European Union initiatives such as the ECTS, the CEDEFOP Forum for the
transparency of qualifications or the automated assessment test may contribute in the longer
term to the development of a typology of qualifications (formal and non-formal) that may be
used to assess the totality of validated knowledge available in the society. More opportunities
for data collection may come from initiatives such as Europass, aiming to ensure recognition
of training across Member States. Other initiatives, for instance the European Computer
Driver’s Licence (ECDL), could also be a source of essential information.

3.5. Rethinking guidance and counselling

Contextual information on the arrangements for guidance and counselling at different

geographical levels may be complemented with information on whether people know about
the possibilities offered and whether they are satisfied with their service. A typology of
services of educational guidance and counselling could be developed in the context of the
development of a classification of educational and learning services and activities. To be
effective, data collections in this area should address individuals as well as guidance centres

3.6. Bringing learning closer to home

Information on education and learning needs to be at a geographical level, as close as possible

to the level of intervention which is usually the local level. At present, certain data sources,
e.g. LFS and CVTS, yield some data at regional level. The main limitation is the cost of
extending samples to ensure representativity. In countries where the regional component is
very strong, e.g. Italy, additional statistical efforts are made to meet this kind of demand.
Within the foreseeable future, education statistics at regional level will be collected on an ad-
hoc basis.

4. THE WAY FORWARD

Systems-based data should be complemented/enriched by learner-centred data that takes

formal, non-formal and (intentional) informal learning needs further into account. To cover
most of the issues raised in the previous paragraphs for which gaps exist, with the exception
of early childhood education and some aspects of investment in education by all actors, the
best solution seems to be a dedicated adult learning survey. Such a survey would include
information on :

participation (incidence), time spent in education and training (volume), nature of education
and training (by purpose/aim), the source of financial support (public, employer, self) ,
perceived benefits (job-related, societal, personal), perceived demand (needs and interests),
perceived motives (job-related, societal, personal), perceived obstacles to participation,
transparency of learning offer (information and advice), self reported digital literacy, self-
reported foreign language skills

Background variables would include: Individuals: age, sex, educational attainment, field of
education and training, labour market/employment status, current/last job,
nationality/citizenship/main residence, income as well as NACE sector, size for those who are
employed.

In order to implement this approach some methodological tools need to be developed: a

specific classification of learning activities (which should take into account inter alia the

34
existing classifications of fields of education and trainingxvi, the classifications of economic
activities revised to cover educational goods and servicesxvii the education classifications for
use in Time Use Surveys as well as the Classification of training provision developed under a
Leonardo I projectxviii); a typology of obstacles to learning and a typology of expected
outcomes (job-related, societal and personal)

An ideal design of such a survey, though very complex in its implementation, would be to
conceive it as a chain of interrelated modules which can be developed gradually as ad hoc or
standard modules locked into suitable existing surveys. The LFS 2003 ad-hoc module on
LLL, which will be the first link in the chain, will provide the opportunity to develop the
necessary methods and nomenclatures and test some of the notions. The inclusion of cultural
statistics modules should also be considered (currently under development by Eurostat with
DG EAC, UNESCO and MSs) – educational audiovisuals, leisure/tourism, etc. The
Eurobarometer could also be a useful and appropriate source, in particular on perceived
effectiveness of education and training.

This approach should allow for the study of different population groups (educationally and
socially disadvantaged persons, young people etc) but in case more information is needed on
specific categories or cases, the methodology developed in the general context of LLL could
possibly be used as a basis for broader comparisons.

Additionally, the administrative structures that are to be put in place for implementing the
European Union strategy on lifelong learning should already have an in-built statistical
structure in their conception, that would make possible the collection of information at source.

5. CONCLUSIONS

Although some statistical information exists already on LLL, there are still important gaps
which are highlighted by every step made towards the development of a concrete policy. The
notion of lifelong learning is vast and to study it requires a clear identification of the themes
that need to be explored as a priority. We should also recognise that certain of its aspects are
not measurable. Statistical information must be complemented by contextual information so
as to give depth to our understanding and relating information on the process of learning and
its outcomes to the best policies . It is important to reach agreement on the priorities for
lifelong learning and discuss their operationalisation in terms of statistical needs. The Task
Force on measuring lifelong learning plays an important role in this exercise. Once this
process is under way, benchmarks can be set to evaluate progress towards clearly set targets.

The aim should be to combine the interests and needs of the different stakeholders involved in
implementing LLL in a way that would allow an appropriate portrayal and monitoring of what
is undeniably a complex reality.

i
ref. to article
ii
The ESS is a network made up of all the government bodies which, at the various levels - regional, national and
Community - are responsible for drawing up, processing and disseminating the statistical information needed for
the economic and social life of the Community. The education section of the ESS includes not only the fifteen
Member States of the EU but also the remaining EFTA countries, the pre-accession countries of Central and
Eastern Europe as well as South-East European countries. The Community focal point for the European
Statistical System is Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities.

35
iii
The Conclusions of the special European Council meeting on 23-24 March 2000 in Lisbon call (para 36) for
structural indicators to be provided in annual Synthesis Reports.
iv
Every year the Commission drafts a report on the progress on employment guidelines on the basis of national
reports. The JER 2000 and Guidelines for 2001 make explicit reference to the need to develop indicators, in
particular in lifelong learning.
v
COM (2000) 318 final « eLearning : Designing tomorrow’s education »
vi
The new 'European Report on Quality Indicators in Education', requested by Ministers of 26 European
countries in Prague in 1998, presents sixteen indicators relating to the quality of educational systems from 26
European countries. The report is intended to act as a starting point for discussions for assisting national
evaluation of school standards across Europe. It can be found at:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/indic/rapinen.pdf
vii
Annual joint UNESCO-OECD-Eurostat data collection of statistics on students, teachers, graduates,
expenditure; main focus is the regular education system
viii
Annual Eurostat data collection of statistical and contextual information on initial vocational edcucation and
training; includes information on apprenticeship training, financial arrangements and work-based programmes
ix
The Community Labour Force Survey is a quarterly harmonised sample survey on the situation of the labour
force in Europe; it is one of the main instruments for measuring participation in education and training and
educational attainment of the adult population (15-year-olds and above). The questions on participation in
education have recently been updated.
x
The European Community Household Panel is an annual survey that collects data from the same group of
people (that is the panel) allowing for a longitudinal analysis of their characteristrics; the main problem is that
the sample is very small so a lot of the information on education, attitudes and social situation cannot be
combined to a great level of detail.
xi
Continuing Vocational Training Survey is an ad-hoc Eurostat Survey held twice (in 1994 and 2000); it collects
information from enterprises on the training they provide to their employees
xii
Household Budget Survey is an annual Eurostat survey; the level of detail of educational expenditure does not
permit detailed analysis of results
xiii
The International Adult Literacy Survey has been held between 1994 and 1998 at least once in a number of
countries. Data have been published by Statistics Canada and OECD.
xiv
The Third International Mathematics and Science Survey was a school based survey of the International
Association for Educational Assessment (IEA- to check) in (to be completed). A TIMSS repeat is under
preparation.
xv
The Programme for International Student Assessment is held for the first time in 2000; it is an OECD-led
school based survey that will be repeated in 2003 and 2006; all EU Member States participate in PISA in 2000..
xvi
Classification based on ISCED97 and developed jointly by Eurostat, OECD and UNESCO.
xvii
NACE/CPA
xviii
Classification of Training Provisions was completed in 1999 under the Leonardo da Vinci programme. It can
be found at http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/leonardo/leonardoold/stat/trainingstatis/areas/area6.html.

36