Use of ESF Evaluation Findings in Austria Regina Barth (Austrian Federal Ministry for Education, the Arts and Culture) Elfriede Wagner (Institute for Advanced Studies)
Main Results of the Evaluation so far • The quantitative realisation of the OP proceeds well • The ESF significantly contributes to the reduction of discriminations The guiding principles of the LLL Strategy are widely implemented and have proven as successful • The participants’ overall satisfaction is very high
The main principles of the Austrian Lifelong Learning (LLL) Strategy are the following Life-stage orientation Putting learners at the centre Lifelong Guidance Competence orientation Support/Promoting participation in LLL
Basic Education and the Acquisition of Educational Qualifications Results: Unequally distributed supply; overall too little supply Measures: national programme starting 2012 aiming at extending supply step by step Results: Well implemented LLL-principles => higher participant satisfaction, higher success rates & personal outcomes Measures: Call for transfer projects implementing LLL-principles
• Basic education / lower secondary level courses Results: Attendance fees are barriers to access and should be removed Measures: in the national programme attendance is free of charge • Higher secondary level courses Results: LLL-principles less well implemented; disadvantaged target group not reached Measures: courses no longer part of the ESF; specific projects focusing on minority and disadvantaged groups will be started 2012
Impartial Guidance and Counselling Results: Unequal portfolios of methods (e.g. lack of competence assessment procedures) Measures: implementation of these methods from 2012 Results: Disadvantaged target group not satisfactorily reached Measures: pilot projects aiming at new methods of counselling addressing adults in their communities and at establishing networks with institutions targeting disadvantaged groups
Professionalizing Results: Trainers` continuing education could be extended by funding through employers Measures: financial support granted by the Federal Ministry Results: Insufficient data collection (participant monitoring system) Measures: E-Mail by Federal Ministry to urge institutions to provide the relevant data