Der Entwurf eines gemeinsamen Berichts des Europäischen Rats und der Europäischen Kommission setzt neue Prioritäten für die europäische Zusammenarbeit in der allgemeinen und beruflichen Bildung im Rahmen der Strategie für die allgemeine und berufliche Bildung (ET 2020).
European education and training priorities redefined
A draft joint report of the European Council and the Commission sets new
priorities for European cooperation in education and training as part of the
strategy for education and training (ET 2020). The Council is expected to adopt
the report by the end of the year.
Established in 2009, ET 2020
is a forum for the Commission, who coordinates the process, Member States and
education institutions to exchange best practice, information and advice on
policy reforms.
The proposed new priorities are:
- Relevant and high-quality skills and competences, focusing on results, for employability, innovation and active citizenship;
- Inclusive education, equality, non-discrimination and promotion of civic competences;
- Open and innovative education and training, including by fully embracing the digital era;
- Strong support for educators;
- Transparency and recognition of skills and qualifications to facilitate learning and labour mobility;
- Sustainable investment, performance and efficiency of education and training systems.
Developments and challenges
The report identifies various developments and challenges in European
education and training, taking into account differences between Member States.
Among others it states:
Quality and relevance of learning
outcomes is key for skills development. To increase employability, innovation
and active citizenship, basic competences must be supplemented by other key
competences and attitudes, including creativity, entrepreneurship and sense of
initiative, digital skills, foreign languages etc.
While 16 Member States have put in
place comprehensive lifelong learning strategies, all countries should develop
such strategies and ensure permeability between various forms and levels of
learning, and from education and training to work.
Measures
reducing early school leaving have been introduced by all Member States, but do
not always add up to a comprehensive strategy. A successful response requires
long-term commitment and cross-sector cooperation.
Vocational
education and training (VET) graduates show good employment rates in most Member
States. Apprenticeships and dual VET schemes are particularly important as they
ensure relevant skills which make transition to the labour market easier.
Member States have taken many measures to implement the
deliverables defined in the Bruges Communiqué (2010) to improve VET performance,
quality and attractiveness, with an emphasis on work-based learning.
For the next work cycle, promoting such learning should continue, while
reinforcing the European alliance for apprenticeships and strengthening
anticipation of skills needs for the labour market. Medium-term deliverables, as
defined in the Riga conclusions in June, have sharpened the focus and are
limited in number.
Recent trends on low basic skills of adults
and high unemployment rates make it necessary to reinforce the implementation of
the European agenda for adult learning. Priorities should include more effective
governance, significant increases in supply and take-up, a more flexible offer,
broader access, closer monitoring and better quality assurance.
Education and training 2020 governance has improved since the 2012 joint report
and there is a consensus that strong analytical evidence and progress monitoring
are essential for the effectiveness of the ET 2020 framework. This will be done
in cooperation with Eurostat, Eurydice network, Cedefop (European Centre for the
Development of Vocational Training), OECD (Organisation for Economic
Co-operation and Development) and other organisations.
Many
Member States report measures for enhancing teacher training. Educators should
be trained to deal with the growing diversity of learners, prevent early school
leaving and use innovative pedagogies and ICT tools in an optimal manner, while
enjoying induction support early in their careers.
The first
mobility scoreboard (2014) reveals that the environment for learning mobility
varies greatly between Member States. Actions on transparency, quality
assurance, validation and recognition of skills and qualifications have to be
tracked and pursued. Better data are needed for evidence monitoring on
mobility.
Transparency and recognition tools are essential for
mobility, employability and lifelong learning, as well as to ensure the use of
qualifications acquired outside the EU (European Union).
Most
Member States have developed national qualifications frameworks and have
referenced these to the European qualifications framework (EQF). Further work
should promote a shift from transparency to recognition across Europe, by
strengthening the role of the EQF and promoting the validation of non-formal and
informal learning.
Particular attention should be given to simplifying
and rationalising existing EU instruments on skills and qualifications directed
to the wider public to strengthen outreach.
Need for better skills
EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour
Mobility Marianne Thyssen said: 'Youth employment is a top priority for this
Commission. Relevant and high-quality skills are needed more than ever to find a
job today. Better cooperation in education and training will help to raise
skills and competence levels to tackle skills mismatches and thus support young
Europeans to successfully enter the labour market.'
The report
proposes to set the new priorities for five years, replacing current three-year
cycles, to enable a longer-term impact.
Cedefop Director James
Calleja reiterated the agency's commitment to continue supporting the
Commission, Member States and social partners in implementing the strategic
objectives of the joint report.
'It is no coincidence,' he said, 'that
Cedefop is cited so much in the report because our activities are more than ever
before spearheaded by the need to think European, but also to support national
initiatives and address unemployment at its roots: the need for better skills
and more relevant education and training provision. The European education and
training context should be applied as a catalyst for stronger VET for better
lives.'