Education and Training 2020 Strategic Framework (ET2020): stocktaking and mid-term review
2014 is a turning point for European cooperation in Education and Training: mid-term review of the Europe 2020 strategy, of the Education and Training 2020 Strategic Framework (ET2020), elections of a new Commissioner and Members of Parliament, launch of the EU funded programme Erasmus+ 2014-2020… It is important that decision-makers, in partnership with civil society, take stock of what has been achieved in the last fifteen years and adopt a fresh look on upcoming education challenges, half way to 2020. The mid-term review of ET2020 is of particular importance, as EU institutions will set new political priorities. EUCIS-LLL believes that lifelong learning strategies should not only be looked through the prism of growth and jobs. Only comprehensive strategies can bring results in terms of employment, social inclusion and civic participation including important dimensions such as tolerance and intercultural dialogue. We ring the alarm bell in this position paper to build a more social and cohesive Europe and to reflect this in the revision of ET2020 and more broadly of the Europe 2020 strategy. This position reflects the discussions that took place within our organisations and results from an internal consultation and from the messages that emerged during our Annual Conference 2014 on the ET2020 review.
Erasmus+ programme assessment: ownership and first round of applications
Based on the consultation led from 28 May to 25 June 2014 and on a meeting between EUCIS-LLL members, the Commission and the Executive Agency representatives on 30 June, EUCIS-LLL makes below key recommendations to improve the new Erasmus+ funding programme 2014-2020. Despite overall good levels of satisfaction from applicants, the new programme could be better communicated and more transparent, with harmonised implementation across National Agencies, easier application procedures, more efficient dissemination and exploitation and budgets more adapted to beneficiaries’ ambitions. EUCIS-LLL recommendations
- EUCIS-LLL assessment of Erasmus+ and summary
- EUCIS-LLL stakeholders’ coalition on Erasmus+
10 key principles for validation of non-formal and informal learning
EUCIS-LLL has issued its latest policy paper on validation of non-formal and informal learning. EUCIS-LLL welcomed the 2012 Council Recommendation on VNFIL’s political impulse and encourages Member States to speed up the building of well-functioning validation systems in partnership with stakeholders so that their commitment for 2018 is respected. EUCIS-LLL has also set up a task force to follow up on the Recommendation’s implementation. In its updated policy paper, EUCIS-LLL recalls the importance of validation to improve access to education and training and invites national authorities to consider 10 key principles when defining or revising their systems.
European Area of Skills and Qualifications
Following the public consultation issued by the European Commission on a European Area of Skills and Qualifications, EUCIS-LLL has produced an input after having led a broad internal consultation within its membership. EUCIS-LLL highlighted all along its contribution that the essential priority to concretise a European Area of Skills and Qualifications is to achieve coherence in the terminology used to reach a true learning outcomes approach. For instance why do we speak of a “European Area of Skills and Qualifications” instead of a “European area of lifelong learning” as most of the initiatives under scrutiny have been developed under this overarching goal. EUCIS-LLL stressed the need for a more coherent political approach translated at implementation level by the creation of more bridges and complementarities between the various recognition and transparency tools. EUCIS-LLL wishes to underline that no coherence and comprehensiveness in policy-making or implementing measures can be achieved without a broad support of the education community as a whole.
- EUCIS-LLL position paper on the European Area of Skills and Qualifications
- EUCIS-LLL full consultation to the online consultation
Who are we?
The European Civil Society Platform on Lifelong Learning (EUCIS-LLL) is anumbrella organisation that gathers 36 European networks active in the field of education and training, coming from all EU Member States and beyond. Currently these organisations represent more than 45 000 educational institutions (schools, universities, adult education and youth centres, etc.) or associations (involving students, teachers and trainers, parents, HRD professionals, etc.) covering all sectors of formal, non-formal and informal learning. Their members reach out to several millions of beneficiaries.
Established in 2005, EUCIS-LLL promotes a vision of lifelong learning based on equity, social cohesion, active citizenship and personal development. The platform works as a space for knowledge exchange between its member networks and uses their expertise to discuss and feed in EU policy-making, making sure that European citizens have their voice heard. In that sense EUCIS-LLL contributes to a better understanding and dialogue between the grassroots level and European institutions.
