Yesterday EfVET participated in the 2025 eucen policy talks titled “Towards the 2030 Headline Targets for the European Pillar of Social Rights: The Role of University Lifelong Learning”. The closed-door meeting featured the participation of civil society and EU policymakers to discuss the role of University Lifelong Learning (ULLL) in achieving the European Union’s ambitious 2030 targets for employment, training, and social inclusion:
- 78% employment – at least 78% of people aged 20 to 64 should be in employment.
- 60% training participation – at least 60% of all adults should engage in training every year.
- Reducing poverty by 15 million – lifting at least 15 million people out of poverty or social exclusion.
In his opening remarks, eucen president Pascal Paschoud highlighted the crucial role of ULLL in bridging the gap between education and industries, providing learners with the skills needed for the digital and green transition, in an inclusive way, notwithstanding the challenges that characterise the sector, such as financial constraints, human resources and bureaucratisation.
At the start of the event, eucen Executive director Carme Royo and Coordinator for continuous education at University of Lille Sandrine Bonnet presented the results of the SAMUELE project, i.e. Self-Assessment Model for Universities Embracing LLL in Europe. Through surveys carried out with employees and employers, presenters found out that personal development and willingness to learn a new skill are priority for choosing lifelong learning at university, even before looking for an increase in earning potential. Respondents see universities as entities with a consolidated reputation, with high-quality teaching and a broad range of topics, yet they are still perceived as too expensive and with time-consuming courses. In addition, surveyed employers point to the lack of specific expertise from universities on the skills they need for their enterprises. Recommendations underline the need for flexible pathways, more coordinated national strategies, sustainable funding, and stronger partnerships among ULLL providers and interested stakeholders. Presenters also focused on the challenges and opportunities faced by decentralized and centralized models of ULLL, addressing the lack of staff engagement, issues with blended learning and lack of clear responsibilities.
The panel discussion, with the presence of key stakeholders from civil society and EU institutions, dived into the perspectives of lifelong learning actors.
EU officials stressed the much-needed focus on preparedness and skills acquisition, underlining however the falling trend of basic skills and its impact on labour market and competitiveness. They pointed to the presence of upskilling and reskilling in the newly proposed 2028-2034 MFF, particularly in the European Competitiveness Fund. Guests also underlined the importance of skills validations and microcredentials, as well as the crucial role of companies and the private sector in the EU Pact for Skills.
Panellists stressed the importance of collecting data and working towards shared definitions of lifelong learning, avoiding fragmentation of initiatives and reinforcing cooperation in financing models.
Civil society representatives called on universities to see lifelong learning as part of their mission, redefining some dimensions of education, especially related to wellbeing, flexible learning pathways, learner-centred approaches and systemic cooperation among all stakeholders in the learning community.
The discussion aimed to foster dialogue on the current needs of ULLL, among others:
- More comprehensive data analysis and accountability
- Involving communities and networks to enhance trust towards universities as qualification providers
- Involvement of all actors, shaping valuable partners between education providers and businesses, with stronger engagement by ministries
- Rediscovering the social mission of universities in an ageing continent
- Allocating more budget at the Member State level to provide for lifelong learning schemes, especially in a context of national cuts to financial allocations to education
EfVET firmly believes in the partnership with eucen within the VET4EU2 umbrella initiative, working on the approach to VET in the context of lifelong learning. To address today’s challenges in education, training and skills, it becomes crucial to strengthen the collaboration between VET, HVET and general education providers from EQF2 to EQF8.
