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Validation of non-formal and informal learning is defined as 'a process of confirmation by an authorised body that an individual has acquired learning outcomes measured against a relevant standard'. It aims to make non-formal and informal learning visible socially, in the labour market and in the education and training system, based on the identification, documentation, assessment and certification of such learning. Validation has the potential to contribute to achieving the goals set by the Europe 2020 strategy, as it can contribute to matching skills supply and demand, supporting mobility across sectors and countries and fighting social exclusion. The European inventory on validation of non-formal and informal learning is a regularly updated overview of validation practices and arrangements across Europe. It is compiled in cooperation with the European Commission and ETF. The inventory was endorsed by the Council recommendation of 2012 on validation and works together with the European guidelines as a tool to support countries in developing and implementing validation arrangements.

The inventory informs dialogue and learning between countries and stakeholders developing and implementing validation in Europe. Our key objective is to support Member States so that more learners and workers can acquire and make visible new skills, which will support their career and further learning and improve their quality of life. The 2018 update of the inventory is a unique record of how validation is being used nationally, regionally and locally across Europe. It contains the state of play and an overview of developments for 39 countries, illustrated by good practice examples. You will also find thematic reports on key issues in designing and implementing validation initiatives, plus three international case studies. The inventory is the result of a three-year process based on the work of a large network of national experts, extensive review of documents, and interviews with key stakeholders.

Edited excerpt from publisher's website.

The 39 country reports are: Austria / Karin Luomi-Messerer; Belgium-Flanders / Katleen De Rick; Belgium-French / Milica Popovic; Bulgaria / Mariya Dzhengozova; Croatia / Marija Pavkov; Cyprus / Anna Manoudi; Czech Republic / Milada Stalker; Denmark / Bokil Husted; Estonia / Marin Johnson; Finland / Anni Karttunen; France / Cecile Mathou; Germany / Claudia Ball; Greece / Anna Manoudi; Hungary / Eva Tot; Iceland / Fjola Maria Larusdottir; Ireland / Ilona Murphy; Italy / Elisabetta Perulli; Kosovo / Teuta Danuza; Latvia / Diana Ieleja; Liechtenstein /Jaana Puukka; Lithuania / Giedre Beleckiene; Luxembourg / Claire Duchemin; Malta / Suzanne Gatt; Montenegro / Slavica Dimovska; Netherlands / Ruud Duvekot; North Macedonia / Ognen Spasovski; Norway / Odd Bjorn Ure; Poland / Aleksandra Duda; Portugal / Paula Guimaraes; Romania / Magdalena Balica; Slovakia / Juraj Vantuch; Slovenia / Marija Pavkov; Spain / Patricia Vale; Sweden / Soren Kristensen; Switzerland / Deli Salini, Saskia Weber Guisan and Evelyn Tsandev; Turkey / Fusun Akkok; UK - England and Northern Ireland / Michael Richardson; UK - Scotland / David Scott; UK - Wales / David Scott.

The five thematic reports are: Bridging the gap: validation creation routes and links between sectors / Jo Hawley-Woodall; How digital forms of assessment and self-assessment might place a new challenge and opportunity for assessment methodologies / Karin Luomi-Messerer; How social partners and other labour marketrelated stakeholders are involved in validation arrangements / Mariya Dzhengova; Validation of non-formal and informal learning for migrants and refugees / Ilona Murphy; The role of validation in an upskilling pathway for young people not in education and training (NEETS), adults with low skills and long-term unemployed people / Gabor Endrodi.

The three case studies are: Canada-Nova Scotia / Cecile Mathou; Chile-Chilevalora / Gabor Endrodi; Hong Kong / Ruud Devekot. Show less

Following the publication of ‘A memorandum of lifelong learning’ (indexed at TD/IRD 88.400) in October 2000, the European Commission invited Member States to launch a consultation process to collect together all views on how best to make progress in implementing lifelong learning. Feedback from the Europe-wide consultation was then used to develop the analysis and proposals in the Communication on ‘Making a European area of lifelong learning a reality’ (indexed at TD/IRD 88.264). National reports were submitted by each Member State as well as by candidate countries and Iceland and Norway. This document is the national report from Portugal. The contents are: Description of the national consultation process; Portuguese contribution on each of the six key messages of the Memorandum; Aspects not covered by the six key messages; Development of a global coherent lifelong learning strategy.

Documents from ‘Making a European area of lifelong learning a reality’ are indexed from TD/TNC 77.521 to TD/TNC 77.539. Show less

Following the publication of ‘A memorandum of lifelong learning’ (indexed at TD/IRD 88.400) in October 2000, the European Commission invited Member States to launch a consultation process to collect together all views on how best to make progress in implementing lifelong learning. Feedback from the Europe-wide consultation was then used to develop the analysis and proposals in the Communication on ‘Making a European area of lifelong learning a reality’ (indexed at TD/IRD 88.264). National reports were submitted by each Member State as well as by candidate countries and Iceland and Norway. This document is the national report from Denmark. It contains general comments and suggestions regarding themes, comments on the six key messages, and contributions on Danish experience concerning lifelong learning within the themes given.

Documents from ‘Making a European area of lifelong learning a reality’ are indexed from TD/TNC 77.521 to TD/TNC 77.539. Show less

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.

Published summary. Show less

The aim of vocational education in the 21st century will be to raise the level of professional expertise of all workers, to provide a basis for lifelong learning, and to meet the needs of the workplace. Reaching this goal requires cooperation between educational institutions and industry as well as between the countries of Europe. This report is based on the 'New challenges in the cooperation between education and training and working life' conference held in Tampere, Finland on 18-19 November, 1999. The conference sought to promote cooperation between education and working life and to improve the quality of vocational education. The conference consisted of plenary presentations and four forums. The plenary presentations provided a basis for the discussion of the challenges of cooperation between education and working life. Each forum discussed a sub-theme: new forms of cooperation; mobility and the EUROPASS Training in vocational education; the impact of results from the Leonardo da Vinci program; and the quality of on-the-job learning. The report mirrors the conference structure. It contains the plenary presentations, the speeches within each forum, and a conclusion in which the primary themes of European discussion about on-the-job learning are outlined along with new ideas arising during the conference. The report begins with an introduction by Kari Nyyssola and the opening of the conference by Maija Rask and Otto Dibelius. The plenary presentations are: Work, technology and competence - aspects of history and future of work / Ilkka Tuomi; Models and practices of work-linked training in the EU Member States / Johan van Rens; Cooperation between vocational education and training and working life in Finland - emphasising the standpoint of on-the-job learning / Timo Lankinen. The four forums are: European priorities and perspectives in cooperation between vocational education and training and working life; Improving the impact of EU training programmes at the national and European levels - case Leonardo da Vinci programme; The on-the-job learning, promotion of mobility and implementation of the EUROPASS system; The impact and quality of on-the-job learning. The report then presents the results of the forums and panel discussion, the views of Finnish business life on the cooperation between education and working life, and Kari Nyyssola concludes with a synthesis of the primary themes in the European on-the-job learning discussion.

Selected papers are indexed from TD/TNC 62.901 to TD/TNC 62.910. Show less

In this paper, the author argues that the obsolescence of human capital, or the deterioration of the skills workers have acquired in the past, is central to the key challenge for western economies to achieve a knowledge-based society through lifelong learning. The first section outlines a typology of the various possible causes of human capital obsolescence, in which five different kinds of human capital obsolescence are identified: the wear of skills due to ageing, or illness that may be related to working conditions; the atrophy of skills due to insufficient use; job-specific obsolescence due to technological and organisational change; sector-specific obsolescence due to shifts in employment; and firm-specific skills obsolescence due to displacement. This is followed by a discussion of the different ways in which the obsolescence of human capital can be measured: (1) objective method: testing; (2) subjective method: asking workers or their employers; (3) workers' wages; and (4) the probability of losing their jobs. The next section reviews the evidence on skills obsolescence that exists in the literature. An example of some empirical indicators of the potential risks of human capital obsolescence for workers in the various sectors of industry in the Netherlands is presented. The discussion then moves to what kinds of learning or training activities could be remedies for the different kinds of human capital obsolescence and some empirical evidence on training participation in the various sectors of industry in the Netherlands is presented. Training participation in the various sectors of industry in relation to the specific potential risks of human capital obsolescence in each sector is discussed, with particular reference to older workers. The author concludes with some policy issues.

Selected papers from the conference are indexed from TD/TNC 87.81 to TD/TNC 87.84. Show less

‘Education and Training 2010’ is a long-term project governed by the European Commission which aims to contribute to the Lisbon Strategy in the area of education and training. The goal of the project is to see Europe recognised by 2010 as the world leader in terms of the quality of its education and training systems. This document is a follow-up to a previous report published by the European Commission (indexed at TD/TNC 80.530) which outlined future objectives of education and training systems in Europe. This report was created in response to a suggestion that one year later a follow-up document be presented, which would include a detailed work program for the future, and an overview of initial achievements. The detailed work program, which forms the bulk of this report, sets out key issues which need to be addressed in order to achieve the 13 proposed objectives, which are divided into three broad categories: (1) Increasing the quality and effectiveness of education and training systems in the European Union; (2) Facilitating the access of all to education and training systems; (3) Opening up education and training systems to the wider world. These objectives are concerned with a wide variety of education and training initiatives, from basic skills to vocational education and training, with a particular focus on lifelong learning.

Selected documents relating to ‘Education and Training 2010’ are indexed from TD/TNC 80.530 to TD/TNC 80.541. Show less

The [Erasmus Mundus] EM II (2009-2013) programme aims to enhance the quality of European higher education, to help improve the career prospects of students and to promote dialogue and understanding between peoples and cultures through international cooperation and to contribute to the sustainable development of third countries in the field of higher education, in accordance with [European Union] EU external policy objectives. [This report] draws on the findings of the interim evaluation of EM II regarding the results achieved and on the qualitative aspects of the implementation of the programme. It puts forward the European Commission's position on the main conclusions and recommendations of the interim evaluation. These conclusions and recommendations are based on extensive surveys and interviews of EM participants and key stakeholders.

Excerpts from publication. Show less

The 'Rethinking education' communication aims to help Member States by setting out a range of fields in which the efficiency and effectiveness of education and training systems can be improved. In this context, given the importance of the teaching professions for learning outcomes, and the large proportion of national education budgets that is spent on them, it is essential to identify policies that reinforce the recruitment, initial education, induction and continuing professional development of teachers and trainers; the practice of school leadership; and the profession of teacher educators. The teaching professions include all those who teach, educate, manage learning, or educate educators in the following education fields: early childhood education and care; compulsory education; vocational education and training; and adult education. This document applies to all these professionals (except where otherwise stated) and highlights the evidence base for the corresponding policy proposals outlined in the communication 'Rethinking education'. The findings aim to support and encourage Member States to consider a number of priority areas for action and investment in teaching professions to achieve necessary reforms, taking into account the current socioeconomic crisis.

Excerpt from publication. Show less

In December 2004, the Education Ministers of 32 European countries and representatives from the European Commission (EC) and the European Training Foundation (ETF) met in Maastricht to take stock of European cooperation in the field of vocational education and training (VET) following the Copenhagen declaration (indexed at TD/IRD 88.258). The intention of the Copenhagen declaration was to: improve the image and attractiveness of VET and learning; achieve high levels of quality and innovation in VET systems; link VET with new labour market requirements resulting from the knowledge society and demographic change; and improve social cohesion and labour market participation. This document sets out the progress made since, and describes the new strategies and priorities of the European countries on education and training for the next two years. Among the priorities are: continuing to set up common reference instruments to accentuate transparency (of the Europass variety); facilitating private and public investment; breathing new life into the role of teachers and trainers; and putting together reliable and relevant statistics. Show less