/// NEWS FROM THE PLATFORM ///
EUCIS-LLL looks forward to welcome you to its Annual Conference in Leuven on May 14th
Registrations are now closed for EUCIS-LLL is organising its Annual Conference on “Social Innovation for Active Inclusion: Lifelong Learning Contribution for a Better Tomorrow” on 14 May 2012 in Leuven, Belgium. The programme of the workshops is available on our website and several excellent projects have been selected, whether on participation, migrant learners, intergenerational learning or youth employment. Those are essential stakes in the framework of the European Year 2012 or the Europe 2020 Strategy and we look forward to lead an in depth reflection on those crucial debates. See you in Leuven!
/// NEWS FROM MEMBERS AND PARTNERS ///
“Together in Lichtenstein”: a successful gathering from all over Europe for EPA
EUCIS-LLL attended the European Parents’ Association (EPA) General Assembly and Annual Conference on April 27th and 28th in Vaduz, Lichtenstein which theme was “Together”. The event successfully brought a hundred EPA delegates and partners around the table to discuss the future of the Association, tackle the challenges of parents’ participation in the education of their children and exchange good practices through numerous workshops in different languages. The participants had also the occasion to meet with the Minister of Education and Prince Alois and Princess Sophie of Lichtenstein.
Join the Move Week with ISCA!
ISCA will launch its Move Week from 1st October to 7th October 2012, the European Week of Sport and Physical Activity. The goal is to promote a wider participation in sport and physical activity across Europe with the contribution of sport organisations and clubs, local authorities and communities and institutions, through community events.
21st EfVET Annual Conference towards ET2020
The European Forum of Technical and Vocational Education and Training is organising in Palma de Mallorca (Spain) its 21st Annual Conference on the following theme “Towards ET2020. Positive action to enhance VET within a Lifelong Learning Agenda” on 24-27 October 2012. Keynote speeches will be addressed for instance on the next funding programme 2014-2020 and different workshops and round tables will be organised. Early bird registrations before July 30th.
New Education Training Manual for trade unionists is out
The manual “Social Europe!? Components for the political education of European trade unionists” available in English, German and French, has been edited by SOLIDAR jointly with the Europäische Akademie der Arbeit (EAdA) and the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) to train trade union officials and workers on topics like politics, economics and society in the European context. The publication is linked to the project Network of European Trade Union Academies – Better Information and Training of Trade Unionists.
Ride for your rights with Campus Europae and ESN!
The “Ride for your rights! It’s time to (ex)change your life” movement is a bicycle tour to support student mobility, organised for the first time last year by the Student Council of Campus Europae in close cooperation with the Erasmus Students’ Network (ESN). In 2011, over a hundred people from 18 different countries biked from Serbia to Russia for less obstacles to student mobility but also to promote active citizenship and European values (see the Manifesto). 2012 is even of greater importance with the celebration of 25 years of Erasmus programmes and the preparation of the upcoming “Erasmus for all” programme. With seven different roads in 2012, this edition promises to be as successful as the first one. You can still sign up for the tours until 11th May on the Ride for your Rights! website.
The Youth Forum’s structured dialogue on the right track
The European steering committee has met on April 17th with the Youth Forum to assess the progress made by the Youth Conference organised by the Danish presidency. The Youth Forum has also developed recommendations to improve the next cycles of dialogue. The Structured Dialogue with young people is an instrument for the European institutions to take into account the young people’s opinion in the decision-making. See the dedicated YFJ website and EUCIS-LLL advocacy for the same kind of structured dialogue in education & training in response to the ET2020 Joint Progress Report.
The Social Platform addressed the European Ministers on youth, education and employment
The Social Platform representatives attended the Informal meeting of Ministers for Employment and Social Affairs in Denmark on April 24th and delivered some key messages about the sustainable inclusion of youth in education, society and employment and the effective implementation of the Youth Guarantee (see also the Parliament’s resolution on that topic). This concretely means an inclusive and quality education and training system and the achievement of the employment target of the EU2020 Strategy (75% of youth employed).
A seminar on prior learning recognition to be held in Finland
The complex issue of recognition of Prior Learning in Higher Education in work-based situations and cooperation on that topic between higher education and companies will be tackled during a seminar organised in Turku, Finland on May 24th and 25th and funded by the European Social Fund. Find more information on the website of the Nordic Network for Adult Learners.
/// INSTITUTIONAL NEWS ///
The Council to discuss “Erasmus for all” next week
The Education, Youth, Culture and Sport formation of the Council of the European Union will gather on May 10th and 11th and specifically focus on education, training and youth on the 11th. The main issue debated will be the next funding programme “Erasmus for all” with the adoption of a partial general approach on the proposal made by the Commission. The formation is also expected to adopt conclusions on the transition from education to work for a future benchmark on the topic, and on young people’s potential.
The EP’s CULT Committee discussed cyber security and recognition of volunteering last week
The European Parliament’s CULT Committee met on April 25th and 26th and considered among other issues draft reports for the protection of children in the digital world and for Education, Training and their role within Europe 2020. April 26th was dedicated to the voting time, notably on the recognition and valorisation of volunteering across the EU.
The EP’s Employment and Social Affairs Committee votes a resolution to tackle youth unemployment
The European Parliament’s Employment and Social Affairs Committee voted on April 24th a resolution drafted by Mrs Pervenche Berès (S&D) on measures to fight youth unemployment. Among them is the “European Youth Guarantee to ensure that young unemployed people are not without jobs for more than four months. This idea had already been proposed in a 2010 resolution to propose solutions to the youth unemployed such as an internship or further training if not a job. This measure is recommended next to a Quality Charter on Traineeships. See the press release on the EP website.
“We mean business”: the Commission highlights the LLP as a solution to youth unemployment
With the “We mean business” campaign launched in April, the Commission aims at raising awareness on the benefits for companies of hosting an intern that is taking part in the Leonardo or Erasmus programme. 130 000 remunerated work placements will be funded through the Lifelong Learning Programme in 2012. Whether you are looking for a trainee or a traineeship, check out the dedicated website for more information.
A Marketplace open for the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing
A platform for cooperation to develop ideas and projects in the framework of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing has been opened for stakeholders who can find partners, existing initiatives, discussions or events. Care organisations, coalitions and representatives of local, regional or national authorities can even apply to become a Reference site if they prove to be willing to implement a substantial number of the EIP’s specific actions.
The cohesion policy seen by the EESC: a civil society angle
The European Economic and Social Committee has held its 480th plenary session on 25-26 April 2012. The topics debated concerned primarily the cohesion policy with five opinions adopted on the Commission’s cohesion policy package; the EESC approves for instance the idea of a thematic concentration (for members, see EUCIS-LLL infonote on the European Social Fund and cohesion funds 2014-2020) and advocates for a greater involvement of social partners in the European Grouping Territorial Cooperation. See all opinions debated on the EESC website.
Mobility and funding for higher education discussed in the last Bologna Process Conference
The Ministers from the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) gathered last week in Bucharest to discuss the future developments of the area based on a joint report supervised by the Bologna follow-up group. The future funding and the quality of higher education were among the crucial stakes debated, as well as strengthened mobility across the area according to the Europe 2020 target (20% of graduates having spent some time abroad). The E4 group (ENQA, ESU, EUA and EURASHE) attended the conference to make the voice of civil society heard. Check out the conference documents and the civil society organisations’ statements of the conference website.
An opinion of energy education adopted at the EESC last week
The European Economic and Social Committee adopted on April 25-26 in plenary session an exploratory opinion on Energy Education. The EESC thinks indeed that this type of education, focused on combating climate change and restoring harmony between man and nature, plays a strategic role in achieving the Europe 2020 target of a 20% reduction in energy consumption by 2020 and the Commission’s 2050 road map towards a low-carbon economy.
Towards a European Code of Conduct on Partnership for a greater involvement of civil society
The European Code of Conduct on Partnership, supposed to establish minimum requirements for national authorities to involve stakeholders in the implementation of the EU Common Strategic Framework funds, is on the right track. The Commission has just presented a staff working document with an outline of the principles that should guide member states willing to make those partners participate in the process, to prepare the ground for further debate on the future Code. Comments are welcome and can be sent at empl-eccp@ec.europa.eu.
/// RESEARCH AND INNOVATION ///
An insight of vocational education and training in Denmark
CEDEFOP just issued a new publication giving an overview of the state of play in the field of vocational education and training in Denmark, as the country is actually president of the Council of the European Union. Read also the latest statistical highlight of CEDEFOP on progress in adult learning, their briefing note on Europe’s skill challenge related to their skills forecast and their report on equity and education and training flowing up the 2010 European Year.
Results of the seminar on EU tools for quality vocational qualifications are out!
A report presenting the results of a seminar organised by the EQAVET Secretariat in Germany on the implementation of EQAVET, EQF and ECVET tools and their influence on the paradigm change towards learning outcomes is now available on the CEDEFOP website. This seminar, aimed at national stakeholders for an in depth reflection on the development of high quality VET qualifications, also highlighted the need for a coordination between those tools.
Read the last eLearning Papers on Cyber Security and Education
The 28th eLearning papers tackle the problem of online education and cyber security and how schools should foster critical digital literacy to enable the children to make a safe Internet use. In this digital era where they can access to online contents with great facility thanks to computers, tablets and mobiles, it is important that they learn how to protect themselves and the information they display on the web.
Submit you project for the MEDEA awards!
The competition is now open for the MEDEA Awards 2012. Those awards encourage innovation and good practice in the use of all kinds of media in education and promote excellence in the production and pedagogical design of media-rich learning resources. The general aim is to create an educational environment that reflects the media-rich world in which learners now live. Projects will be judged according to their pedagogical, aesthetical and technical quality, use of media and usability and can be submitted until September 17th 2012.
/// FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES ///
Involving employees in the life of their workers’ organisations
The call “Information and training measures for workers’ organisations” aims at developing employee involvement in their company’s workers’ organisations activities and to raise awareness on the European policy-making in this field. Social partners can apply here before 7 May 2012.
New horizons for Youth in Action: “Youth in the world” call for proposals
The call “Youth in the world” is aimed at all projects that promote cooperation between the youth sector organisations in Youth in Action Programme Countries and organisations in Partner Countries other than neighbours of the European Union. Deadline is 15 May 2012.
Erasmus for young entrepreneurs: a tool to develop entrepreneurship skills for young people
The call “Erasmus for young entrepreneurs” has been elaborated to send new entrepreneurs abroad to integrate enterprises and learn and network with their experienced peers across the EU and other countries participating in the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme. The deadline is 31 May 2012.
Developing Knowledge Alliances for an Innovation Union
This call for proposals is aimed at developing Knowledge Alliances that are part of the Innovation Union flagship initiative of the Europe 2020 strategy. The Alliances are partnerships between education institutions and business to develop new curricula addressing innovation skills gaps. After the successful pilot project launched in 2011, the Commission decided to reiterate the call for projects that will contribute to the preparations for the implementation of the upcoming Erasmus for all programme.
Edulink II for ACP higher education institutions capacity-building
This call for proposals is aimed at fostering management and academic and regional integration in the field of higher education through institutional networking, in the framework of the ACP-EU cooperation. Find out more on EuropeAid website and answer the call before 30th July 2012.
A European partnership in sports: testing networks and good practices
This call for proposals is launched in the framework of the recently adopted 2012 Annual Work Programme on grants and contracts for the Preparatory Action “European Partnership on Sports” and for the Pilot Project “Knowledge Partnerships”. Transnational projects set up by public bodies and non-profit organisations will be eligible to identify and test suitable networks and good practices in the field of sport. Those projects could among other goals promote physical activity supporting active ageing or find effective ways to promote sport at the municipal level. You can answer the call until July 31st.
/// PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS ///
Public consultation on a Quality Framework for Traineeships: get on board!
DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion of the European Commission launched a public consultation on a Quality Framework for Traineeships to be answered before July 11th. The opinions collected aim at building a framework to ease the transition from education to work. See the reference documents and the online questionnaire of the DG website.
/// AGENDA ///
May 2012
14: EUCIS-LLL Annual conference on “Social Innovation for Active Inclusion”, Leuven, Belgium
15: General Assembly, Leuven, Belgium
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