The future starts here - some strategic questions for National and European Organisations in

1. The future starts here - some strategic questions for National and European Organisations in Adult Education Alan Smith DG Education & Culture Unit A1: Lifelong Learning Policy Development Coordinator, Socrates-Grundtvig EAEA Conference, Larnaca, 15-16 / 11 / 2003

2. Overview • Brief information on some recent developments in Brussels • Key features of the Grundtvig action in 2003 • Major European, national and regional organisations for adult education – potential for partnership with the European Commission • Towards the new programme generation - Strategic questions

3. European Lifelong Learning policy:the general political mandate • Treaty of Amsterdam 1997: Lifelong learning enshrined in the preamble to the Treaty • European summits in Lisbon (2000), Stockholm (2001), Barcelona (2002) : Lifelong learning as a key contributor to European competitiveness and social cohesion

4. Recent European policy initiatives • Common objectives of education systems - Draft Interim Report - Interim reports Working Groups A - H • Lifelong learning policy (Memorandum, Communication) - National reports - Synthesis of these reports • Other recent « EAC » developments - Eurobarometer survey - NGO platform on basic skills and citizenship • Lifelong learning as a dimension of other EU policies - Employment, social policy, information society, research & development, environment, consumer affairs …

5. Grundtvig 2003 / 2004 • 22.5 million Euro • 42 new multiannual Grundtvig 1 projects (around 150 currently in operation) involving around 300 participating organisations (average 8 partners, average grant 99,000 EUR per project per year) • 243 Learning Partnerships (Grundtvig 2) involving around 1168 organisations (average grant 8,000 EUR per organisation per year) (40% increase in demand compared with 2002) • Several hundred mobility grants (Grundtvig 3) • 17 Networks in operation (Grundtvig 4) (average 14 partners, average grant 122,000 EUR per project per year), including 5 new networks in 2003 • Big increase in 2004 budget (+ 28%) • Increase in Grundtvig 1 demand (pre-proposals) • External evaluation launched (Ecotec)

6. Organisations participating in Grundtvig 1 European Cooperation Projects (2000-3)

7. The rôle of major European, nationaland regional organisations 1) Research, analysis and general project involvement • Comparative studies • ‘Action-research’ • Disseminating research results (seminars, publications…) • Database on previous projects and ongoing research • A European network to safeguard the research function of national organisations 2) Further training of adult education staff • Transnational networks to develop and offer training courses (G1) • Opening up national course provision for other Europeans (G3) • Further training for staff members and staff exchanges (G3) • Job shadowing and observation opportunities (sending, receiving) (G3)

8. 3) Information • Information relay across the entire adult learning spectrum (especially important in the non-formal sector + special interest organisations such as trade unions, hospitals, prisons, cultural institutions, etc. where NAs are less ‘at home’) • Grundtvig Promoters 4) Dissemination of good practice (Grundtvig or other) • Seminars etc. to disseminate good practice • Publications, periodicals and multimedia products

9. 5) Project support • Advice at pre-proposal and proposal stage • Project monitoring 6) Quality assurance • European network for quality assuring adult education providers • Helpdesk on quality issues and reviews • Development of quality indicators 7) Expertise for the Commission • Experts for selection rounds (if organisation not involved) • Ad hoc consultancy

10. Adult education in the nextprogramme generation • Types of activity to be supported - Things to be discontinued? - New things to include? - How to involve key national and regional adult education organisations • Overall programme structure • Title and visibility

11. New programme:Types of activity to be supported • Activities currently supported by Grundtvig • Should any current types of Grundtvig activity (projects, networks, partnerships, mobility) be discontinued? • Grundtvig 1 / Grundtvig 2 • Should we continue the current distinction ? • Should we split Grundtvig 1 into two ? • Larger, needs analysis-based innovation projects (centralised) • Smaller projects for creation / adaptation / dissemination of innovative practice (decentralised?)

12. Types of activity to be supported • New activities to be included • What types of activity not currently supported by Grundtvig should be included in future? • Would support for mobility of adult learners be feasible? If so, what kind of mobility for what categories of adult learners? • How can the national / regional organisations for adult education be drawn more actively into the programme?

13. Overall programme structure:some options • Status Quo: One Programme for Education, one for Vocational Training • Complete Integration: Programme for Education + Training, structured by type of activity • Life Stages: [Framework programme for education and training + ] Specific programmes spanning both education and training at each of three stages of a person’s life • Three sectors : [Framework programme for education and training + ] Specific programmes for School education, Higher Education, Vocational training (initial and continuing) plus Adult education • Four sectors : [Framework programme for education and training + ] Specific programmes for School education, Higher Education, Vocational training (initial and continuing), Adult education

14. Programme structure options • Status Quo : Separation into two programmes • General education (Socrates) • Vocational training (Leonardo) • Complete Integration: Programme for Education + Training, structured by type of activity • Mobility • Cooperation: Projects, Networks, Learning Partnerships • Studies and other Policy-oriented activities, Accompanying Measures • Life Stages: [Framework programme for education and training + ] Specific programmes : • School + Initial Vocational Training (Comenius?) • Higher Education (including advanced level placements) (Erasmus?) • Continuing Vocational Training and General Adult Education (Leonardo?) • Three sectors : [Framework programme for education and training + ] Specific programmes : • General School Education (Comenius?) • Higher Education (Erasmus?) • Initial and ContinuingVocational Training + General Adult Education (Leonardo?) • Four sectors (« German model »): [Framework programme for education and training + ] • General School Education (Comenius?) • Higher education (Erasmus?) • Initial and Continuing Vocational Training (Leonardo?) • General Adult Education (Grundtvig?)

15. Visibility and title • What’s in a name? • How important is it for the adult education element in the next programme generation to continue to have a « name »? • If it is important, should that name be « Grundtvig », or should some other name be chosen? If so, which?

16. Comments?

17. Further ideas and comments • alan.smith@cec.eu.int • http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/education_culture/index_en.htm