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The 'Rethinking education' communication aims to help Member States by setting out a range of fields in which the efficiency of education and training systems can be improved. This document highlights the evidence base for the policy proposals outlined in the 'Rethinking education' communication on key competences. Its findings are based on analyses, coordinated by the Commission in cooperation with Member States, of best policy practice across the [European Union] EU and beyond, and on comparative data and current research. The focus of this document is on assessment of individual learners rather than evaluation of programs, institutions or systems. Section one, 'The key competences for European citizens in the knowledge society', provides a summary of what key competences are and which competences are currently being assessed. Section two, 'Strengthening assessment of all key competences: lessons from members states', illustrates how Member States have specified key competences in learning outcomes and how they have developed assessment for summative and formative purposes. It continues with implementation of assessment reforms and presents the other policy areas that need to be addressed to make reforms successful. Appendix one describes the key competences set out in the Recommendation of the European Parliament and the Council of 18 December 2006 on key competences for lifelong learning (the 'Key competences for lifelong learning - the European framework').

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The present survey analysis summarises the findings of 93 interviews conducted among large European enterprises (81) and a number of labour- and business associations (12) on challenges and practices related to competence development. The survey is a key part of the preparations for the first upcoming European Business Forum on Vocational Training and services the following purposes: a knowledge base for drawing up the agenda and identifying suitable speakers; a basis for identifying workshop topics; input for the background notes that will help steer the debate on the most important issues related to competence development in workshops; and together with the Forum conclusions, it will provide input for a final assessment of challenges, trends, solutions and best practices in the area of competence development in large European enterprises.

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This communication from the European Commission proposes actions at national level and concrete initiatives at [European Union] EU level to support the modernisation of education and training systems for growth and jobs. These include delivering the right skills for employment and business creation, increasing the efficiency and inclusion of education and training institutions, and working collaboratively with stakeholders. The communication is accompanied by the first edition of the 'Education and training monitor' to provide a picture of current skills supply and progress towards the Europe 2020 headline targets, and six other staff working documents showcasing policy evidence and good practice.

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Strengthening partnership and flexibility is important for modernising education in Europe. The present Staff working document is part of a larger policy initiative: it accompanies and offers analytical support to the Commission’s Communication on ‘Rethinking education: investing in skills for better socio-economic outcomes’. It is part of the European efforts to make lifelong learning a reality, and contributes to the objectives of Europe 2020. The findings presented build on analytical work carried out in cooperation with Member States and academic experts: (1) Cooperation and partnership increase flexibility and relevance of learning and improve efficient use of resources; (2) Effective partnerships and cooperation require strong and sustainable coordination structures and a shared vision among stakeholders; (3) Cooperation with social partners seems to work best where it is based on standing consultation mechanisms and sharing of responsibility between public and private actors; (4) Creating partnerships for funding can be effective, such as sectoral training funds based on social partner agreements; (5) Flexible pathways have an important potential for encouraging participation in lifelong learning as they allow individuals to build upon prior learning, and link competences and qualifications gained across different phases and contexts of life - leisure and working life, inside and outside formal education and training; (6) Such flexibility requires the removal of system-level barriers between different subsectors (e.g. restricted progression from VET to higher education); (7) This needs to be supported by the creation of structures that give easy access to integrated learning services; (8) Implementing strategies for groups of current non-learners require learner centred programmes and effective outreach strategies (notably approaching disadvantaged groups in their social environment) aimed at raising their awareness of the available offer and its benefits, and motivating them; (9) Close cooperation with the voluntary and community sector can be particularly crucial when it comes to attracting vulnerable and disadvantaged groups into learning and offering low-threshold and targeted support.

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One in five young people in Europe cannot find a job. The lack of quality employment opportunities threatens an increasing number of young people with a sense of exclusion. The transition from education to independence and a place in the world of work is becoming longer and more precarious. And those with the fewest skills or the fewest opportunities are most at risk. This brochure gives some examples of how non-formal learning and the Youth in Action programme contribute to building up young people's knowledge and skills, and give them a glimpse of what it requires to seek and hold down a job or to become an entrepreneur. It makes them more employable. It also shows how this sector is countering youth unemployment and helping young people get back on track - particularly those who for one reason or another are marginalised or discriminated against, who lack confidence in themselves, or who have little sense of engagement in society.

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The 'European vacancy and recruitment report' is the first of a set of biennial reports to be launched by the European Commission as part of the [European Union] EU Skills Panorama. The report focuses on changes in the demand for labour, including analyses of contractual arrangements, sector demand, occupation demand, growing occupations, difficult to fill vacancies (bottleneck occupations), skills requirements and the market shares of public employment services and temporary work agencies. The report shows that top bottleneck occupations all over Europe are in health, [information and communications technology] ICT, engineering, sales and finance.

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In 2009, the Council endorsed a renewed framework for European cooperation in the youth field (2010-2018), based on the Communication 'EU Youth Strategy: Investing and Empowering'. By reinforcing cooperation and sharing good practices, the renewed framework's two overall objectives are to: (1) create more and equal opportunities for all young people in education and in the labour market, and (2) promote the active citizenship, social inclusion and solidarity of all young people. This 2012 [European Union] EU youth report summarises the results of the first work cycle of the EU Youth Strategy (2010-2012) and establishes employment, social inclusion and health and well-being as new priorities in the youth field for the next three years. The report presents a comprehensive statistical analysis on the situation of young people in the EU under the eight fields of action of the EU Youth Strategy: education and training; employment entrepreneurship; social inclusion; health and wellbeing; participation; culture and creativity; voluntary activities; and youth and the world. It also summarises the implementation of the EU Youth Strategy at national and EU level 2010-2012 and presents comparative assessments and good practice examples from national reports submitted by all 27 EU Member States plus Croatia, Montenegro, Norway and Switzerland. In addition, it summarises action taken by young people themselves. The report also includes an assessment of the first cycles of the structured dialogue with young people.

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The 'Rethinking education' communication supports the Member States by identifying a range of issues relevant for improving the efficiency of education and training systems. This document highlights the evidence base for the policy proposals outlined in the 'Rethinking education' communication on vocational education and training (VET) and vocational skills. The Bruges Communique of December 2010, which defines the European VET strategy up to 2020, calls for an active policy to enhance the potential of VET to support smart and sustainable growth, and to turn VET across the [European Union] EU into a highly attractive learning choice. This document responds to this demand, helping Member States and other stakeholders put into practice the reforms needed to exploit the potential of VET for growth. Its findings are based on analyses, coordinated by the European Commission in cooperation with Member States, of best policy practice across the EU and beyond, and on comparative data and current research. It summarises key results of exploratory work by the Commission involving experts representing key VET stakeholders. It highlights the unexploited potential of VET to support economic development, notably by better integrating VET in economic growth strategies at local, regional and national levels. Furthermore, it identifies for policy makers concrete steps which can facilitate this kind of development. It also attributes specific attention to issues of sustainable development, which will be one of the key drivers of change to be reflected in VET policies and practices.

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In 2009, the Council endorsed the renewed framework for European cooperation in the youth field (2010-2018), known in short as the [European Union] EU Youth Strategy. Its objectives are to: (1) create more and equal opportunities for all young people in education and in the labour market, and (2) promote the active citizenship, social inclusion and solidarity of all young people. The period covered by the EU Youth Strategy is divided into three-year cycles, with the requirement to produce an EU youth report at the end of each cycle, the first of which will be drawn up in 2012. This Staff working document supports the Commission Communication which presents the draft EU youth report to the Council. It provides a comprehensive picture of the situation of young people in Europe based on the latest available data, statistics and research. It portrays trends and developments in young people's conditions in different areas, corresponding to the 'fields of action'. It builds on the dashboard of EU youth indicators, which is an overview of 41 indicators that measure the most crucial aspects of the lives of young people in Europe.

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In 2009, the Council endorsed the renewed framework for European cooperation in the youth field (2010-2018), known in short as the [European Union] EU Youth Strategy. Its objectives are to: (1) create more and equal opportunities for all young people in education and in the labour market; and (2) promote the active citizenship, social inclusion and solidarity of all young people. This Staff working document supports the Commission Communication which presents the draft joint report on the EU Youth Report to the Council. Summarising the results of the first cycle (2010-2012), it presents the actions taken at EU-level and in Member States, as well as initiatives taken by young people themselves. Separate chapters report on achievements in all eight 'fields of action' of the strategy, the general organisation and approach to youth policy, and the structured dialogue between young people and policy-makers. The references made to Member States' activities are based on national youth reports submitted by them. Young people are represented in the report by the European Youth Forum, which is an umbrella organisation of approximately 40 National Youth Councils and more than 60 international non-governmental youth organisations in Europe.

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