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In 2001, the OECD launched a review of policies to improve labour market prospects for older workers. The aim of this review is to examine both supply-side and demand-side aspects of this topic. Older workers have been defined as those aged 50 years and over. The review argues that many policy measures and workplace practices create significant barriers to older workers continuing to work and that current reforms will not be sufficient to encourage later retirement and to lessen the risk of future labour shortages. This report on the Czech Republic is part of a series of OECD country reports that investigates what countries are doing or should be doing to promote better employment opportunities for older people. It contains a survey of the main barriers to employment for older workers, an assessment of the adequacy and effectiveness of existing measures to overcome these barriers and a set of policy recommendations for further action by the government, employers, trade unions and older workers themselves. The report concludes that the Czech government has implemented important measures to improve the employment prospects of older workers in recent years. A comprehensive strategy is recommended that will encompass enhancements to both supply and demand sides. A French translation of the executive summary and recommendations has been included in this volume. Show less

The OECD Secretariat, at the invitation of the [Assessment of Higher Education Learning Outcomes] AHELO Group of National Experts, contracted the Tuning Association to undertake initial development work on learning outcomes to be used for valid and reliable assessments of students from diverse institutions and countries. The two disciplines selected for the AEHLO Feasibility Study are engineering and economics. Following the Tuning approach, academics from various regions and countries in the world reached consensus on definitions of expected learning outcomes for bachelor's-type programmes in both disciplines. This working paper presents the outcomes of their work for the economics discipline. It intends to identify a set of learning outcomes and spur on a collective reflection on learning outcomes for economics at the transnational level. In addition to the agreed upon learning outcomes, the paper presents an overview of the field of economics, the typical degrees and occupations in economics associated to the first and second cycle degrees. The paper also discusses the role of learning outcomes and presents the approach used to defining them. A summary of some of the prior work on the learning outcomes approaches in the economics field is also provided.

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This edition of ‘Labour force statistics’ is presented in French and in English and provides detailed statistics on key elements of the labour force for 30 member countries of the OECD, including population, labour force, employment and unemployment, unemployment duration, employment status, employment by sector of activity, and part-time employment. It also contains participation and unemployment rates by sex and detailed age groups as well as comparative tables for the main components of the labour force. The time series cover 20 years for most countries, allowing the identification of structural changes occurring in the labour force of these countries with respect to gender, age, activities, etc. for the major elements of the labour force. Information is also provided on the sources and definitions used by member countries in the compilation of the statistics. The publication is divided into two parts: the first contains the summary tables showing the same aggregates for all OECD member countries as well as for some OECD country groupings for the years 1982-2005; the second part contains tables by country for the years 1985 to 2005 - each country has four or five basic tables as well as summary methodological information. The tables are: Population data and its component change; Main labour force components, part-time employment and unemployment duration series; Time series for participation rates and unemployment rates by age and sex; Civilian employment broken down by professional status and activity according to ISIC [International Standard Industrial Classification] Revision 2; Civilian employment and employees data broken down by activity according to ISIC Revision 3. Show less

Skills are the key to shaping a better future and central to the capacity of countries and people to thrive in an increasingly interconnected and rapidly changing world. Megatrends such as globalisation, technological advances and demographic change are reshaping work and society, generating a growing demand for higher levels and new sets of skills. OECD Skills Strategy projects provide a strategic and comprehensive approach to assess countries' skills challenges and opportunities and help them build more effective skills systems. The OECD works collaboratively with countries to develop policy responses that are tailored to each country's specific skills needs. The foundation of this approach is the OECD Skills Strategy Framework, which allows for an exploration of what countries can do better to (1) develop relevant skills over the life course; (2) use skills effectively in work and in society; and (3) strengthen the governance of the skills system. This report identifies opportunities and makes recommendations to strengthen the skills of youth, reduce skills imbalances, foster greater participation in adult learning and strengthen the use of skills in the workplace.

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This report presents the results of the first round of the Survey of Adult Skills, a product of the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), which evaluates the skills of adults in 24 countries. It provides insights into the availability of some of the key skills and how they are used at work and at home. A major component is the direct assessment of key information-processing skills: literacy, numeracy and problem solving in the context of technology-rich environments.

Abstract from publisher’s website.

The chapters are as follows: Overview; The skills needed for the 21st century; Proficiency in key information-processing skills among working-age adults; The socio-demographic distribution of key information-processing skills; How skills are used in the workplace; Developing and maintaining key information-processing skills; Key skills and economic and social well-being. Show less

Parents' level of education still greatly influences that of their children: individuals are 4.5 times more likely to attend higher education if one of their parents has a higher education degree than if both their parents have below upper secondary education. Inequalities in higher education reflect to a great extent what happened earlier in an educational career. Upper secondary students from disadvantaged backgrounds are less likely to perform well in [Programme for International Student Assessment] PISA assessments, less likely to complete upper secondary education and less likely even to aspire to attend higher education. Nevertheless, higher education institutions still have an important role to play in reducing inequalities. Policies must aim to make higher education more accessible for students from disadvantaged backgrounds as well as to support these students and improve their success at this level.

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This report provides the main findings and recommendations of a case study review of entrepreneurship education and business start-up support in Tunisian universities and universities of applied sciences as part of a series of reviews on ‘Skills and competences for entrepreneurship’ carried out by the Local Economic and Employment Development (OECD) Programme of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The review examines current strategies, structures and practices for entrepreneurship promotion in Tunisian universities highlighting activities to instil entrepreneurial intentions and to favour business creation among graduates. One of the core strengths of the Tunisian system is that it reaches a large proportion of students with basic entrepreneurship teaching. The report sets out the opportunities to improve this teaching using international best practice models and to complement it with more intense start-up support for those students ready to go further. To this end, the report recommends the creation of a national graduate entrepreneurship strategy with clear objectives, indicators and incentives, methods for benchmarked learning and a resource bank of teaching materials together with an exchange platform for universities on entrepreneurship support practices, with an interface through university enterprise champions, an academic association, and improved training of trainers. The existing basic teaching in entrepreneurship should be improved with new activities and approaches and a new level of deeper business creation and growth support introduced including incubation, coaching and referral and post start-up support.

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The main purpose of the OECD's 'Thematic review of tertiary education' is to provide policy makers with information and analysis to assist them in formulating and implementing policies to achieve national social and economic objectives through tertiary education. Its key objectives are to: synthesise research-based evidence on the impact of tertiary education policies and disseminate this knowledge among participating countries; identify innovative and successful policy initiatives and practices; facilitate exchanges of lessons and experiences among countries; and identify future policy options. The review, which involved 24 countries (Australia, Belgium - Flemish Community, Chile, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Japan, Mexico, Korea, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russian Federation, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom), 'examines how the organisation, management and delivery of tertiary education can help countries achieve their economic and social objectives'. As part of the review, each of the participating countries was asked to prepare a country background report. This document is the country background report for the UK. Its contents are: The national context of tertiary education in the UK; Overall description of the tertiary education system; The tertiary education system and the labour market; The regional role of tertiary education; The role of tertiary education in research and innovation; Achieving equity in and through tertiary education; Resourcing the tertiary education system; Planning, governing and regulating the system; Assuring and improving the quality of tertiary education; Internationalisation and globalisation of tertiary education; Conclusion.

Documents from this thematic review are indexed from TD/TNC 89.551 to TD/TNC 89.585. Show less

In the three decades to the recent economic downturn, wage gaps widened and household income inequality increased in a large majority of OECD countries. This occurred even when countries were going through a period of sustained economic and employment growth. This report analyses the major underlying forces behind these developments. It examines to which extent economic globalisation, technological changes and institutional and regulatory reforms have had an impact on the distribution of earnings. The report further provides evidence of how changes in family formation and household structures have altered household earnings and income inequality, and it documents how tax and benefit systems have changed in the ways they redistribute household incomes. The report discusses which policies are most promising to counter increases in inequalities and how the policy mix can be adjusted when public budgets are under strain.

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