Newsletter 70 – November 2013

“Building together the future of learning”: EUCIS-LLL Manifesto to be discussed in the European Parliament
In view of the 2014 European elections, EUCIS-LLL has endorsed a Manifesto calling MEPs to consider three top priorities and a set of 12 policy recommendations for lifelong learning. The document, entitled “Building together the future of Learning”, will also be discussed by MEPs from various political groups on 3 December in a roundtable (register here) during ourLifelong Learning Week 2013. Find on our webpage more information and toolsto promote and support the document and the setting up of a Lifelong Learning Intergroup in the European Parliament. See also our Manifesto promoted on theOpen Education Europa portal.

European Civic Education and many other events during the Lifelong Learning Week 2013
Should European citizenship education be a priority of the EU with the upcoming European elections? Should we have a common module in schools? Come and join the debate on “Making the case for European Civic Education” organised during our 3rd Lifelong Learning Week in the European Parliament, Brussels, on 4 December 2013. Many events will take place in order to provide ideas on how to modernise education and training systems in Europe. The best pictures of our contest the “Picture the Future of Learning” will also be exhibited in the Parliament and you will be able to see our members and participate in many activities there in the Civil Society Meeting Place. Do not miss this opportunity to celebrate learning with us and register now!

EUCIS-LLL congratulates the European Parliament for the adoption of Erasmus+
On 19 November the European Parliament approved in first reading the Commission’s amended proposal for Erasmus+ (see provisional edition), successor of the Lifelong Learning Programme (see Commission memo). The new programme 2014-2020 should enter into force in 2014 after a final approval of the Council. EUCIS-LLL welcomes the adoption of the report with an overwhelming majority. We also wish to thank the Rapporteur, shadow Rapporteurs, policy advisers and their team for their hard work and commitment (see full press release), as well as for having heard civil society concerns especially on reintroducing a structural support to European civil society organisations. Find all EUCIS-LLL and its Stakeholders’ Coalition key documents on Erasmus+ on our webpage.

/// NEWS FROM MEMBERS AND PARTNERS ///
AEGEE Conference on greater recognition of youth work /// LLL Week
The European Students’ Forum (AEGEE Europe) is organising in the framework of the LLL Week a conference on “Networking among Youth Workers – road to greater Recognition at European level” on 5 December (15:00-19:00). Find more information on the event and register before 29 November.

EURASHE Workshop on Learning Outcomes
EURASHE (the European Association of Institutions in Higher Education) is holding a Community of Practice Workshop on Learning Outcomes within Professional Higher Education Context on 13 December in Prague jointly with the Czech Association of Schools of Professional Higher Education (CASPHE) and the College of Nursing (VŠZ). The event will propose discussions and debates on the following topics: reflection of labour market needs, promotion of graduates’ employability, learning outcomes translation into content, methods of learning and assessment in PHE.

EDEN Annual Conference: e-learning at work and the workplace
ON 10-13 June 2014 EDEN (the European Distance and e-Learning Network) will organise its Annual Conference in Zagreb, Croatia. The theme tackled will be “From Education to Employment and Meaningful Work with ICTs”. Workplace-based training supported by ICT tools will be discussed as one of the solutions to respond to the skills mismatch traditionally evoked in the debate of transitions between education and the labour market. You can already answer EDEN call for contributions until 31 January and registrations will be open in February.

EAEA to hold a workshop at the European Development Days
The European Development Days 2013 will take place on 26-27 November in Brussels. Organised by the European Commission, the event is meant to tackle several challenges in the field of international affairs and development cooperation including education. After the release of the Commission’s Communication on “A decent life for all”, this year’s edition will in particular focus on the follow up of the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goalswhich target year is 2015. EAEA (the European Association for Education of Adults) will organise during the EDDs a workshop on “Lifelong Learning in Development Cooperation – An Unfinished Agenda” discussing how learning positively affects poverty reduction, peace, reconciliation and conflict prevention and building a cohesive approach to address global poverty and sustainable development through adult education. Read EAEA full media release.

/// INSTITUTIONAL NEWS ///

MFF deal seized: EU Budget 2014-2020 and Erasmus+ adopted by European Parliament
MEPs have adopted the Multiannual Financial Framework determining the EU budget for 2014-2020 last week in plenary session (see Commission memo and Parliament infonote). The Committee on Budgets finally gave its green light to table the proposal in Strasbourg after an agreement was found with the Council to remedy the payment shortfalls of the 2013 EU budget, an essential pre-condition to seize the MFF deal for the Parliament. MEPs also considered that enough progress had been made on other key points of negotiations, such as the setting up by Member States of a high-level working group to discuss EU own resources. The MFF determines budget lines for the next generation of all EU funding programmes such as Erasmus+ (topping €14.7bn without international cooperation), the Europe for Citizens programme and the European Social Fund that could also finally be adopted last week (see provisional text for the MFF and Erasmus+, for Europe for Citizens and for theESF).

2014 Annual Growth Survey: new European Semester to modernise education and training
On 13 November the Commission issued its Annual Growth Survey 2014, which usually presents the Commission’s recommendations on economic and budgetary priorities for the next European Semester in line with Europe 2020 objectives (see Commission media release and EUCIS-LLL infonote). In the field of education and training, the AGS recommends protecting longer-term investments in education to further modernise education and training systems including lifelong learning and VET, in order to reach EU2020 headline targets, raise EU citizens’ levels of basic skills and facilitate transitions from education to the labour market (insisting on a swift implementation of Youth Guarantee schemes).

Digital learning discussed at EU Education, Youth, Culture and Sports Council meeting
The EYCS Council gathering Education Ministers today and tomorrow in Brussels will discuss Opening Up Education among other key topics of the EU agenda. Two Council Conclusions are also to be adopted on effective leadership in education and the global dimension of European higher education, two priorities of the Lithuanian presidency (see press release). A conference had already been organised in September in Vilnius on leadership in education (see also the European Policy Network on School leadership partnering ESHA). The Commission had also published a Communication on European Higher Education in the World. Read also Commissioner Vassiliou’s speech.

UNESCO Mobile Learning Week 2014
Participate in the Mobile Learning Week that will be organised by UNESCO in Paris, France from 17 to 21 February 2014. The Week aims to discuss mobile technologies and education with various stakeholders to advance the UN Education for All objectives. This year’s edition will be mainly focused on teachers as they key actors in the shift towards technological learning environments.  Register here.

/// RESEARCH & INNOVATION ///

Innovative Pedagogy 2013: discover new educational practices
The Open University just released a booklet on “Innovative Pedagogy 2013” exploring new forms of teaching, learning and assessment aimed at practitioners and policy-makers. Ten best practices have been compiled by academics, among which one on MOOCs, badging for learning accreditation or crowd learning. Read the full publication.

HEInnovate: entrepreneurship in higher education
The European Commission and the OECD launched a new website for universities to measure their entrepreneurial impact. Entitled “HEInnovate”, the online portal enables higher education institutions to process to introspection and score themselves in seven key fields such as leadership and governance and teaching and learning. Data will remain private and the exercise is meant to remain internal. See EUCIS-LLL position on “Fostering entrepreneurial mindsets” and report of our policy debate on “Entrepreneurship skills: common understanding, common expectations?”.

Stay tuned on adult education latest developments
European InfoNet Adult is a European network of leading representatives for national and international adult education in Europe partnering EAEA. It is aimed to provide a comprehensive database of reports on adult education enabling and supporting intensive exchange of information throughout Europe.Lifelong Learning in Europe (LLinE) is a combination of a scientific journal and a magazine directed at the whole of the adult education field, bridging across the different sectors. Read their latest article on PIAAC.

eLearning papers latest issue
The last eLearning paper “Personal Learning Environments” focuses on new learning contexts and showcases some interesting good practices from the field. Various topics are tackled such as “gamified environments”, or how to introduce game elements in Social Learning Environments. See also APG’s GREAT projectaiming was to transfer innovative methodologies in learning and training, to enable trainers and teachers and training providers representatives to improve their work performance, by enhancing their creativity and innovation through game-based learning. Join also the eLearning Papers LinkedIn group and the ongoing discussion currently taking place on the new Open Education Europa portal.

/// EU FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES ///

Preparatory action “Your first EURES job”
The purpose of ‘Your first EURES job’ is to provide young people with more job and work-based training opportunities and employers with a gateway to find abroad the skills lacking in their respective national labour markets.  This call for proposals is the third launched at EU level in the framework of the preparatory action ‘Your first EURES job’. It is aimed at selecting and financing the provision of services by public, private or third sector employment organisations with a legal profit or non-profit status, as the preparatory action will be implemented by employment services and other organisations providing labour market related services. Interested organisations may submit a proposal exploring job placements or traineeship/apprenticeship placements. Deadline 10 December 2013.

2nd European Social Innovation Competition: The Job Challenge
Do you have an idea to fight high unemployment? Do you think you could improve the working conditions of people stuck in low-paid jobs – whether because of their gender, age, social status or handicap? Do you know how to enhance opportunities for the 27 million Europeans currently out of work? Then the second European Social Innovation Competition is for you! Prizes raised to EUR 30,000 – Apply until 11 December 2013

Europe for Citizens call for proposals released for civil society organisation!
The call for proposals for Structural support for European public policy research organisations (think tanks) and for civil society organisations at European level has been published. Its aim is to select organisations with European outreach which, through their permanent, usual and regular activities, make a tangible contribution to the objectives of the ‘Europe for Citizens’ programme and bring them support through Framework Partnerships for four years (2014-2017). The deadline for submission of applications is 20 December 2013.

Delivering on skills for growth and jobs – PROGRESS
The objective of the Call is to encourage new forms of collaboration through partnerships between public and private actors on the labour market (such as public and private employment services, companies including SME’s, chambers of commerce, training and education providers, social partners, labour market intelligence entities) to address persistent skills shortages and mismatches to help fill the gap between labour supply and demand in the EU. Deadline for submitting applications: 15 January 2014.

2014 European Charlemagne Youth Prize
Are you 16-30 years old and do you run a project with a European dimension? From 25 October projects promoting Europe among young people can start competing for the seventh Charlemagne Youth Prize. Winning projects will not only benefit from recognition and media coverage, but also from prize money to further develop the initiative. The deadline for submissions is 20 January 2014.

/// AGENDA ///

EUCIS-LLL Lifelong Learning week, 2-6 December

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