1. 15 May 2009 WG Core variables in social surveys 1 Point 2.3 - Educational attainment

2. 15 May 2009 WG Core variables in social surveys 2 Harmonisation of the variable « Educational attainment » - work already started:  TF EVHoS (Educational variables in households surveys): Focus: participation in education (lifelong learning approach) and educational attainment 10 countries participating (BE, DE, ES, IT, FIN, HU, NL, PT, RO, UK) + DG EAC, DG EMPL and Cedefop 2 meetings already: December 08 and March 09; next: October 09 In parallel:  ISCED review (UNESCO) - Eurostat designed as a leader for the topic on educational attainment - draft document on guidelines expected for May/June 2009 (before the next TAP meeting in July) Close collaboration with the OECD (INES Network on Outcomes of Learning)

3. 15 May 2009 WG Core variables in social surveys 3 Educational attainment - quality and comparability 1.Definition: what is it Educational attainment ? Highest educational level successfully completed (as defined in the EU-LFS) Borderlines cases: oalso some non-formal education covered? osuccess = certificate? (not always) ↓ proposal: credentials recognised by educational authorities

4. 15 May 2009 WG Core variables in social surveys 4 Implementation of the definition in different surveys - ?? Quality and comparability of data - need for metadata on: –questions used in the surveys to capture the highest educational attainment level (e.g. wording, sequence of questions); –level of details available from the data collection (coding); –the mapping used for the coding of the national codes into ISCED –information having impact on quality and comparability of data on educational attainment (e.g. breaks in series, time lags in registers, magnitude of proxy response,... ) → firstly for the most important data source (survey) - LFS

5. 15 May 2009 WG Core variables in social surveys 5 1.1st overview of different surveys in a country: –Discrepancies of data on educational attainment coming from different surveys → searching reasons –Belgian « model » questionnaire will be discussed in the next TF EVHoS meeting (October 09) → consultation with all countries will be launched beginning November Proposed approach

6. 15 May 2009 WG Core variables in social surveys 6

7. 15 May 2009 WG Core variables in social surveys 7 Example of Belgium

8. 15 May 2009 WG Core variables in social surveys 8

9. 15 May 2009 WG Core variables in social surveys 9

10. 15 May 2009 WG Core variables in social surveys 10

11. 15 May 2009 WG Core variables in social surveys 11 Possible corrections: -wording of the question about educational attainment; -concepts, definitions…; -number of answer categories + conversion tables; -the addition of the answer category ‘other, please describe: …’. Feasible corrections ?? -data collection mode; -sample size; -response rate. Necessary corrections ?? (somehow ‘artificial’) -Extrapolation/calibration method; -Do not forget the main purpose of the survey. Other measures: -Training/sensibilisation of interviewers Input harmonisation more technical issues

12. 15 May 2009 WG Core variables in social surveys 12 2. More detailed analysis in the main survey (LFS) –questions asked: wording (educational level, diploma, qualification…; understanding of “successfully completed”), sequence of questions, additional questions.. –level of details available from the data collection (coding, use of the NEAC?) –conversion tables used for re-coding of national codes into ISCED  to be done, preferably, by aggregated ISCED levels: low, medium, high

13. 15 May 2009 WG Core variables in social surveys 13 Calendar - recapitulative  For national coordinator on core variables: –1st “general” questionnaire on CV (July 09) –after next TF EVHoS meeting (October 09) → questionnaire « Educational attainment across surveys » will be launched (November 09) but also : –survey on educational attainment variable in the LFS (questions, coding, etc.) to be conducted after the TF EVHoS meeting → November 09 –some urgency: for analysis of economic outcomes of education using data from the SILC: some SILC national delegates can be contacted by Eurostat in the case of the large discrepancies of data on educational attainment between SILC and LFS

14. 15 May 2009 WG Core variables in social surveys 14 Thank you in advance for your future collaboration ! Marta.Beck-Domzalska@ec.europa.eu Sylvain.Jouhette@ec.europa.eu