1. It is never too late to learn Communication on Adult Learning Martina Ní Cheallaigh, DG EAC It is never too late to learn Communication on Adult Learning Martina Ní Cheallaigh, DG EAC ‘Addressing the learning challenge of an ageing European workforce’

2. Context  Ageing European population means that workers will have to remain in the workforce longer  Participation in LLL objective of 12.5% will not be reached by 2010  Most education and training systems are still largely focused on young people and limited progress has been made in changing systems to mirror the need for learning throughout the lifespan.  Ageing European population means that workers will have to remain in the workforce longer  Participation in LLL objective of 12.5% will not be reached by 2010  Most education and training systems are still largely focused on young people and limited progress has been made in changing systems to mirror the need for learning throughout the lifespan.

3. What is ‘adult learning’? =all forms of learning undertaken by adults after having left initial education and training

4. Why is the Communication on adult learning important?  Competitiveness - one third of the labour force (72 million) low-skilled workers in Europe  Demographic change  Social inclusion  Raising the overall level of skills of the adult population by offering more and better learning opportunities throughout adult life is important for both efficiency and equity reasons  Competitiveness - one third of the labour force (72 million) low-skilled workers in Europe  Demographic change  Social inclusion  Raising the overall level of skills of the adult population by offering more and better learning opportunities throughout adult life is important for both efficiency and equity reasons

5. Benefits of Adult Learning Public and private benefits include:  Greater employability, increased productivity and better-quality employment, reduced expenditure in areas such us unemployment benefits, welfare payments and early-retirement pensions,  Increased social returns in terms of improved civic participation, better health, lower incidence of criminality, and greater individual well-being and fulfilment. Public and private benefits include:  Greater employability, increased productivity and better-quality employment, reduced expenditure in areas such us unemployment benefits, welfare payments and early-retirement pensions,  Increased social returns in terms of improved civic participation, better health, lower incidence of criminality, and greater individual well-being and fulfilment.

6. The challenge is great… 12.5% of adults in LLL by 2010 = an additional 4 million participants

7. …but Member States differ widely Participation in LLL varies from 1.1 % to 34.7 % Participation in LLL varies from 1.1 % to 34.7 %

9. What are the barriers to participation?  Lack of good and timely information  Costs  Lack of Time  Entry requirements  Lack of supportive environment  Lack of awareness and motivation  Lack of incentives  Lack of good and timely information  Costs  Lack of Time  Entry requirements  Lack of supportive environment  Lack of awareness and motivation  Lack of incentives

10. What can we do to increase equitable participation?  All stakeholders have to play a role and work together  Public authorities must take the lead in removing barriers  Focus on the low skilled  Develop high quality guidance and information system  Target financial incentives to individuals  Establish local partnerships  All stakeholders have to play a role and work together  Public authorities must take the lead in removing barriers  Focus on the low skilled  Develop high quality guidance and information system  Target financial incentives to individuals  Establish local partnerships

11. How can we improving the quality of adult learning  Quality is multifaceted:  Information and guidance  Relevant learning content  Delivery  Learning support  Assessment  Validation and recognition   Quality is multifaceted:  Information and guidance  Relevant learning content  Delivery  Learning support  Assessment  Validation and recognition 

12. We need to foster a ‘culture of quality’  Invest in teaching methods and materials adapted to the needs of the learner  Take measures to qualify and up-skill staff in adult learning  Improve initial and continuing training  Introduce quality assurance mechanisms  Improve delivery  Invest in teaching methods and materials adapted to the needs of the learner  Take measures to qualify and up-skill staff in adult learning  Improve initial and continuing training  Introduce quality assurance mechanisms  Improve delivery

13. What do we need for a system of validation and recognition?  Participation and contribution of all relevant stakeholders  Better assessment methods  Reformulation of objectives of learning in terms of learning outcomes  Participation and contribution of all relevant stakeholders  Better assessment methods  Reformulation of objectives of learning in terms of learning outcomes

14. Recognition and validation of learning outcomes  Link to National Qualification Frameworks and the European Qualification Framework  Link to development of European Credit point system for Vocational Education and Training  Link to National Qualification Frameworks and the European Qualification Framework  Link to development of European Credit point system for Vocational Education and Training

15. We must invest in our ageing population  Throughout lifecycle, but middle age is crucial  By government, professional bodies, sectors and individuals  Expand learning provision  Throughout lifecycle, but middle age is crucial  By government, professional bodies, sectors and individuals  Expand learning provision

16. We must also invest in migrants  Improve the quality of education and training in migrants’ home countries  Mechanisms for assessing their competences  Expand their learning opportunities to linguistic, social and cultural integration  Inter-cultural  Improve the quality of education and training in migrants’ home countries  Mechanisms for assessing their competences  Expand their learning opportunities to linguistic, social and cultural integration  Inter-cultural

17. How do we measure progress?  Improve the quality and comparability of data:  benefits of adult learning  barriers to be removed  providers, trainers and delivery  Improve coverage, frequency and timeliness of data  Reliable gender-disaggregated data is required  Improve the quality and comparability of data:  benefits of adult learning  barriers to be removed  providers, trainers and delivery  Improve coverage, frequency and timeliness of data  Reliable gender-disaggregated data is required

18. Overall message  Member States can no longer afford to be without an efficient adult learning system as part of their LLL strategies, if they are to  Increase labour market access for all  Improve social integration  Be well prepared for active ageing  Member States can no longer afford to be without an efficient adult learning system as part of their LLL strategies, if they are to  Increase labour market access for all  Improve social integration  Be well prepared for active ageing

19. What are the next steps?  Adult learning on the political agenda  Action plan on Adult learning  Adult learning on the political agenda  Action plan on Adult learning