European space for education : Lisbon goals, education and training

1. European space for education: Lisbon goals, education and training TomLeney International Unit QCA London LeneyTO@qca.org.uk Barcelona February 2008

2. DISCUSSION IN THREE PARTS • Importance of vocational education and training (VET) in European systems • What is, and what is not being achieved? • Some questions for the future Barcelona February 2008

3. Theme 1 VET and lifelong learning Barcelona February 2008

4. GLOBAL DRIVERS – 8 DIMENSIONS • The unpredictable global economy • Global/local factors in anticipating skill needs • IT: Technological and communication change • The (international) organisation of work • Demographic factors: an ageing population • Migration • The policy dimension: Economic &Social factors – strong social model, or ‘catch as catch can’? • Environmental change Barcelona February 2008

5. THE KEY ARGUMENT • In a situation where globalisation creates uncertainty • High quality VET is a robust strategy as a country, region or sector moves towards a knowledge economy • The argument is for innovative VET Barcelona February 2008

6. WHY RAISE EDUCATION AND SKILLS LEVELS? • Effective modern economies will produce the most information/knowledge, with jobs increasingly skill/knowledge intensive • In the global economy, those who invest heavily in education and skills benefit most in economic and social terms • This is a tough challenge for education and training governance/ suppliers: Some succeed • Andreas Schleicher, OECD, briefing for the EU, 2005 Barcelona February 2008

7. QUALITY initial VET: a robust strategy • Most European countries with a high proportion of young people in initial VET have high upper secondary completion rates and low dropout rates • The challenge is quality • Programmes attractive to learners and enterprises • Flexibility, focus on the learner • Links to general education • Valuing/recognising formal, informal and non-formal learning • Pathways to higher education (No dead ends!) Barcelona February 2008

8. CONTINUING TRAINING – a big challenge Raising levels of continuing training to update skills and knowledge Most EU countries: low participation. • High status jobs/low status jobs • High education level / low level of education • Younger workers /older workers. • Men / women. • Migrants marginalised. • Sectors: communications / textiles; expansion / decline Barcelona February 2008

9. Theme 2 EU priorities for education and training (social and economic) Barcelona February 2008

10. And SOCIAL COHESION? • Social justice – reduction of inequalities and equalising of life chances Giddens, A. 2007 • Social capital/ reciprocity – ‘accumulation of reciprocal obligations Portes, A. 1998 • Sticking together Europa website. 2007 • ‘…Relatively harmonious society… …low rates of crime and high levels of civic cooperation and trust’ Green, A. et al. 2006 Barcelona February 2008

11. PRIORITY INDICATORS (E+T 2010) FOR EUROPE What are the agreed priority indicators for lifelong learning? • Reduce numbers of 15 yr olds with low basic skill levels • Reduce the numbers of early school leavers • Raise the percentage of young people with at least upper secondary education • Increase university graduate numbers in maths, science, technology; address gender imbalances • Increase adult participation in E&T • Raise levels of investment in human resources Barcelona February 2008

12. LIFELONG LEARNING AND SOCIAL COHESION ‘…what matters most …., and what best explains the variations between countries in how education impacts on society, is how education and skills are distributed and the values that children and adults learn in education’Green, A. et al. 2006 Barcelona February 2008

13. Graphic: SOCIAL COHESION & EDUCATION QCA Feb 2008

14. The Nordic countries • A small skills gap: those who consider they don’t have the skills for working life • A small credentials gap: they have the credentials to back the claim • A high proportion of people recently took part in education or training • A high proportion affirm there are few barriers to participating in learning • A small proportion say there is nothing to motivate them for further involvement in education and training • Few young people lack basic skills • Institute for Future Studies in Sweden, from Euro barometer data (see A Giddens 2006) Barcelona February 2008

15. The Mediterranean states • Es, Pt, El, It • High income inequality • Risk of poverty •  Relatively low number of jobless households •  High number of early school leavers •  Relatively low youth attainment level •  Low lifelong learning rate • Low real GDP growth rate Source: Tom May 2007 from Eurostat data Barcelona February 2008

16. Theme 3 Some pointers for the future Barcelona February 2008

17. EU LISBON AGENDA – Priorities 2010 -20? 2000 launch: big ambitions 2003 economy / unemployment. Data 2004 Kok report: relaunch - growth + jobs • Competitiveness; ESM. Environment? 2010 and beyond? Barcelona February 2008

18. LIFELONG LEARNING: IDENTIFYING PROGRESS • Policy - Implementation • European Commission criteria • Overarching concept: all contexts and levels • Coherent policies for implementation • Flexible pathways and transitions • Built on stakeholder partnerships • How would you describe a lifelong learning policy, for example for Catalonia? Appropriate or not? Barcelona February 2008

19. INNOVATIVE TEACHING & LEARNING? • The traditional 19th century paradigm was developed to respond to the needs of industrial society. It is repeatedly called into question • Learning in one place, for given periods of time, the teacher in front of the class, some learnt while others did not • The active learning paradigm stresses the need for new criteria for – and new kinds of – learning outcomes Barcelona February 2008

20. USEFUL SOURCES EC DG Employment - http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/employment_social/index_en.htm EC DGEAC – http://ec.europa.eu/education/index_en.html OECD - http://www.oecd.org ETF – http://etf.europa.eu CEDEFOP – http://cedefop.europa.eu REFERNET UK – http://www.refernet.org.uk QCA – http://www.qca.org.uk Barcelona February 2008

21. EU POLICY: EUROPEAN SOC MODELS QCA Feb 2008