European Civil Society Platform on Lifelong Learning – EUCIS-LLL

newsletter

/// NEWS FROM THE PLATFORM ///

EUCIS-LLL meets Commissioner for Education Androulla Vassiliou, 18 October
On 18th October 2011 a delegation of EUCIS-LLL Steering Committee members met Mrs Androulla Vassiliou, Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth. They discussed about the need to better connect the national and the European level with more user-friendly programmes but also with a greater involvement of stakeholders in the implementation of the Education and Training work programme. EUCIS-LLL delegates stressed the need for stronger stakeholders’ participation both at the European and national level and made some concrete proposals. EUCIS-LLL very much supports the position of the Commission for an increased investment (EU programmes but also national budgets) in education, training and youth to exit the crisis. They also discussed about the need to put more focus on the social dimension of education and training (press release).
EUCIS-LLL public presentation on the “European Institute on Lifelong Learning”, 9 November
On 9 November 2011, EUCIS-LLL will organise a seminar in Brussels to present its idea of setting up a Lifelong Learning Institute at European level on the basis of the feasibility study it recently published but also of the discussions that took place within its constituency. The aim is to share its views with other stakeholders – public authorities, research institutes, civil society organizations and social partners – on the added value of this Institute at European, national and local level.Registrations are now open.

“Recognition and Validation of learning in Europe: Moving from rhetoric to practice”, 12 December
This Seminar aims at discussing the validation of non-formal and informal learning as well as the recognition of learning taking place abroad in a practical point of view. It will be held in the framework of the upcoming Commission’s Recommendation planned in November. It will include a presentation of the mentioned initiative by the European Commission, a presentation of the European Inventory on validation of non-formal and informal learning and case studies from EUCIS-LLL members, followed by an open discussion with the participants. Registrations are now open.

EUCIS-LLL publication on social inclusion in lifelong learning
To mark the release of its publication on “Social Inclusion in Education and Training”, EUCIS-LLL calls for a stronger political commitment in the fight against poverty and exclusion at EU and national level. The publication contains policy recommendations as well as some very concrete initiatives from different sectors of education and training taking place around Europe that ought to be better known, shared and supported. Check the press release and publication!

Stakeholders’ Forum 2011: on ET2020 general report is out!

The IV Stakeholders’ Forum on EU cooperation in education and training took place on 26-27 September in Brussels. European stakeholders debated the progress made in the implementation of the Education and Training 2020 Strategy (ET 2020) first cycle and made concrete proposals on the new set of priority areas for the second cycle of short-term priorities covering the period 2012-14. Check out the general report of the Forum here and see pictures on our Facebook page.

EUCIS-LLL at the EU Presidency conference on “Innovation for digital inclusion”
Audrey Frith met Neelie Kroes, Commissioner for the Digital Agenda, in Gdansk (Poland) during the Polish EU Presidencyconference on “Innovation for digital inclusion” (5-7 October 2011). During the meeting, Ms Frith highlighted the need to support the cultural shift towards learner-centred systems, where boosting motivation plays a key role to success, and an overarching strategy focused on a bottom-up process. She also advocated for closer links between the ET2020 and the digital agenda. Moreover, Steven Stegers (EUROCLIO) presented the Historiana project in one of the workshops focused on “Digital Literacy for Employability and Entrepreneurship – from CSR to economic imperative”.

Michel Feutrie to MEPs: “In this times of economic crisis, it is a necessity to adopt LLL strategies”
Michel Feutrie, EUCIS-LLL General Secretary, addressed MEPs of the Education and Culture Committee in a public hearingon the state of play of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) on 5 October 2011. His presentation focused on how Universities are implementing Lifelong Learning within the EHEA, analysing its main trends and challenges, and reminding MEPs of the necessity to adopt a LLL perspective that encompasses the lifespan of individuals, even more important in this times of economic constraints. He highlighted the need to refocus the Bologna process on the individuals, both learners and teaching professionals, and the importance of advancing on the recognition and validation of non-formal and informal learning.

EURASHE has become full member of EUCIS-LLL
After a year of fruitful cooperation as a partner, EURASHE has become a EUCIS-LLL full member. EURASHE is the international association of European Higher Education Institutions – Polytechnics, Colleges, University Colleges, etc. – devoted to Professional Higher Education and related research within the Bachelor-Masters structure.

/// NEWS FROM MEMBERS AND PARTNERS ///

EAEA 2011 Annual Conference: New Skills and Jobs – The role for non-formal adult education
On 17-18 November, EAEA will organise its 2011 thematic conference on “New Skills and Jobs and the role of adult education”. Key stakeholders representing employers, trade unions, the European Commission, universities, and social NGOs have been invited and examples of skills development, dealing with aspects such as validation, second chance and workplace learning will be presented. Registrations are now open.

ESNSurvey 2011: Exchange, Employment and Added Value
ESNSurvey 2011 aims to explore the line “The mobile students of today will be the mobile labour market participants of tomorrow” and will also investigate the impact of student mobility on the environment, satisfaction with student organisations and their impact on volunteering. The survey is open until the end of November.

European Language Observatory launched
Poliglotti4.eu is a project promoting multilingualism in Europe – the result of the

deliberations of the EU Civil Society Platform on Multilingualism. This website reports on best practice in language policy and language learning, and provides policymakers, teachers, learners and civil society organisations with a toolkit for benchmarking and enhancing their activities in non-formal and informal education and learning sectors.

/// INSTITUTIONAL NEWS ///

Employability at the heart of new higher education reform strategy
As part of Europe’s 2020 strategy, the European Commission presented on 20 September a reform strategy to boost graduate numbers, improve teaching quality and maximise what higher education can do to help the EU economy emerge stronger from the crisis. The strategy identifies priority areas where EU countries need to do more to achieve shared education objectives and sets out how the European Union can support their modernisation policies.

Future ESF and the role of volunteering in social policy
On 3 October 2011, the Employment and Social Policy Council held a debate on the future shape of the European Social Fund and its role in implementing the EU2020 strategy and adopted conclusions on the role of voluntary work in social policy. Moreover, on 6 October 2011, the European Commission adopted a draft legislative package which will frame the cohesion policy for 2014-2020, including a proposal on the European Social Fund.
EU countries discuss challenges for schools and pupils
EU Education Ministers and high-ranking civil servants in charge of school education met in Gdańsk, Poland, on 10-11 October to discuss EU policies for pre-schools, schools and language learning, in particular ways of improving young people’s basic skills in reading, maths, science and language learning at an early age.

EP and EU Council disagree over 2012 budget for education
The EU Council and European Parliament (EP) are about to clash over the 2012 budget for education. While the EP’s Education and Culture Committee asked for an increase of 45 million euro, the Council is looking to cut 60 million EUR from the EU’s Lifelong Learning (LLP) budget. EUCIS-LLL is calling upon both institutions to maintain the current budget and to increase the long term LLP budget in the Multiannual Financial Framework.

/// RESEARCH AND INNOVATION ///

Flexible learning pathways for a better-educated European workforce
To ensure Europe’s global competitiveness, the EU Member States need to provide their citizens with a wide range of combinable learning options. What are the challenges for policy-makers in charge of developing progression routes in education and training systems? The issues at stake were examined at an international conference in Warsaw coorganised by the Polish Council presidency and the Commission.

Transferability of Skills across Economic Sectors
Economic restructuring requires a flexible workforce with a range of transferable skills. This publication analyses the role of such skills in career pathways and the labour market, and levels of skill transferability across sectors in the current context and during the years leading up to 2020. It also looks at the roles of actors involved in promoting transferability and methods for enhancing job mobility, before making final recommendations.

Report focuses on European attitudes to vocational education and training
A new Eurobarometer report, published on 30 September, assesses attitudes to vocational education and training across Europe, highlighting that VET boosts job prospects but needs

an image makeover with young.

Social partners in vocational education and training
The European Training Foundation (ETF) Yearbook 2011 focuses on the role of the social partners in the fields of vocational education and training, lifelong learning and active labour market policies.

First pan-European study on staff competences in early childhood education and care
new study, produced for the Commission by researchers from the University of Ghent and the University of East London underlines that high quality education and care services for young children depend on the right mix of knowledge, practice and values applied by individual staff but also by institutions and the education system. The authors make recommendations to policy makers and practitioners.

The structure of the European education systems 2011/12
The Eurydice network has published its annual update of the structure of the European Education systems, which gives a clear and concise overview of the national educational structures in Europe from early childhood education and care up to tertiary education.

/// FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES ///

Lifelong Learning Programme – 2012 call for proposals published
The Commission has recently published the general call for proposals for 2012 for participation in the Lifelong Learning Programme. The deadlines for applications are in February/March 2012.

Call for proposals – Youth in Action, support for bodies active at European level in the field of Youth – deadline: 15 November 2011
This call for proposals concerns Action 4.1 of the Youth in Action Programme and its purpose is to provide support for the operating costs of bodies active at European level in the field of youth and pursuing an aim which is of general European interest.

Call for proposals – Jean Monnet Programme, support for European Associations in the field of European Integration and Education and Training – Deadline: 30 November 2011
The purpose of this Call for proposals is to support European Associations in the fields of education and training active in European integration subjects and/or pursuing the objectives of the European Education and Training policy.

Call for tenders – The value of youth work in the EU – Deadline: 1 December 2011
Working with young people – The value of youth work in the EU

/// PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS///

EC launches Consultation on the European Research Area
On 13 September, the European Commission launched a public consultation on the future of the European Research Area (ERA) to gather views and evidence from stakeholders on the “key obstacles which have to be tackled to achieve a well-functioning ERA”.
/// AGENDA ///
October 2011

19-23: MOVE2011 World Congress – Think global, MOVE local, Paris, France
20-21: European Culture Forum 2011, Brussels, Belgium
20-21: International Conference ICT for Language Learning, Florence, Italy
20-23: 20th Annual Volonteurope Conference, “Make a difference by volunteering”

Edinburgh, UK

21 & 28LLP Infodays 2012, Brussels, Belgium

23: EU Polish Presidency conference on modernisation of higher education, Sopot, Poland
26-29: 20TH Annual EfVET Conference “Towards ET2020. Positive action to enhance Vocational Education and Training within a Lifelong Learning Agenda”, Malta
27-29: EDEN Conference “Inclusive Excellence, Innovative Technologies and Transformed Schools as
Autonomous Learning Organisations”, Athens, Greece
27-30: EUROCLIO “History online” seminar, Fehérvárcsurgó, Hungary
27-Nov 2: UNIQUE’s training course “How do I learn best”, Amendolea, Calabria (Italy)

November 2011
3-4: 3rd EYV Thematic conference on “Quality of volunteering”, Athens, Greece

7-8“Volunteering as a means to fight social exclusion in Europe today”, Brussels, Belgium

9: EUCIS-LLL Presentation Seminar of the EILL, European Institute on Lifelong Learning, Brussels, Belgium
9: EESC Public Hearing on Employee volunteering
9-10: Competence Modeling for European HR and Policies: Bridging Business, Education and Training, Brussels, Belgium

10-11: ENIL – European Network for Intergenerational Learning conference on “Intergenerational Learning and Volunteering”, Rome, Italy

10-13: 2nd European Physical Education Association (EUPEA) Symposium, Brussels

13-15ESN – final conference, PRIME (Problems of Recognition in Making Erasmus), Brussels, Belgium
16: EU Polish Presidency conference on “Effective policies for the development of competencies of the Youth in Europe”, Warsaw, Poland

16-17Peer learning Euroapprenticeship network seminar “The role of firms in the mobility of apprentices”, CFWB, Brussels, Belgium

16-18: Bridging the gap between learning pathways – EUCEN 42nd conference, Genoa, Italy
17-18: New skills and jobs: The role of adult education EAEA conference 2011, Brussels
17-19: Closing the empowerment gap through citizenship education: How to address educationally deprived groups, NECEAnnual Conference, Warsaw, Poland
17-19: 6th European Quality Assurance Forum “Quality and Trust: at the heart of what we do”, Antwerp, Belgium

23-25: EAPRIL Conference on “Balancing workplace learning and practitioner research across professional fields”, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
24-25: MEDEA Awards 2011, Brussels, Belgium

28: Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum, Poznan, Poland
30-2: Online Educa – 17th International conference on Technology supported learning & training, Berlin, Germany

December 2011
11-14: Research seminar on “Mobility of young people – Opportunities and obstacles for cross-border volunteering for young people, particularly with fewer opportunities”, Strasbourg, France

12EUCIS-LLL Seminar on Validation, Brussels, Belgium

12-13: Remember for the Future: The Role of Youth and Adult Education in Working with the Past and Reconciliation Processes, Bonn, Germany

14: EUCPN Best Practices Conference on “Sport, Science and Art in Combating Juvenile Crime”, Warsaw, Poland

Contact

EUCIS-LLL Secretariat

25 rue d’Arlon – 1050 Brussels

info@eucis-lll.eu

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EUCIS-LLL receives the financial support of the European Commission.

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