EUROPEAN COMMISSION Brussels, 17.1.2018 SWD(2018) 14 final COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Accompanying the document Proposal for a COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION on Key Competences for LifeLong Learning {COM(2018) 24 final}



Contents 1. Introduction 2. The objectives and the impact of the 2006 Recommendation on Key Competences 2.1 The objectives of the 2006 Recommendation on Key Competences 2.2 Impact of the Recommendation on Key Competences 2.3 Key competences in national competence frameworks 2.4 National strategies or reforms in education influenced by the European Framework of Key Competences for Lifelong Learning 2.5 Comparison of other international frameworks 3. Results from the stakeholder consultation 3.1 Public on-line consultation Previous experiences with the European Reference Framework Position Papers 3.2. Main findings during the consultation process What are the main strengths of the current Framework as a whole? What are the main weaknesses of the current Framework as a whole? Need for change Making the Key Competences approach more operational 3.3 Findings per key competence

Communication competences Mathematical competence and basic competences in science and technology Digital competence Learning to learn Social and civic competence Sense of initiative & entrepreneurship Cultural awareness and expression Transversal elements 4. The proposal for a Recommendation on Key Competences for Lifelong learning 4.1 Recommendations to Member States and Commission 4.2 Changes to the European Reference Framework of Key Competences Underlying concepts Literacy Languages competence Science, technological, engineering and mathematical competence Digital competence Personal, Social and Learning Competence Civic competence Entrepreneurship competence Cultural awareness and expression

5. Good practices to support Key Competences Development 5.1 Challenges for implementation 5.2 Competence Frameworks 5.3 Supporting educational staff 5.4 Assessment of learners Different approaches to and purposes of assessment International assessment, evaluation and comparison European Frameworks to support assessment National testing 5.5 Learning environments and learning approaches 5.6 Monitoring and evaluation of the use of the Recommendation for Key Competences for Lifelong Learning 6. Policies and projects supporting competence development in lifelong learning perspective 6.1 Foundations for lifelong learning: The significance of early childhood for competence development Literacy Languages Mathematics, science and technology Digital Personal, Social and Learning Civic competence Entrepreneurship

Cultural awareness and expression



1. Introduction In 2006, the European Parliament and the Council adopted a Recommendation on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning . In its annex, the European Reference Framework of Key Competences for Lifelong Learning, it defined the competences each European citizen needs for personal fulfilment and development, employment, social inclusion and active citizenship. It invited Member States to ensure that their education and training systems are able to equip people with these competences. Since 2006, European societies and economies have experienced significant changes, digital and technological innovations as well as labour market and demographic changes. Many of today's jobs did not exist a decade ago and many new kinds of jobs will be created in the future. Manual operations are vulnerable to automation and changes in work patterns are on the rise. Increased mobility and cultural mixity, new forms of communication and relationships alter the ways societies are organized. Climate change and the limits of ecological resources, together with economic and social inequalities, mean that sustainable development is a necessary concern for all human activity. These developments change daily life, both at work and leisure. Society and economy rely heavily on highly competent people while competence requirements are changing; in addition to good basic skills (literacy, numeracy and basic digital skills) and civic competences; skills such as creativity, critical thinking, initiative taking and problem solving play an increasing role in coping with complexity and change in today's society. The 'Reflection paper on the Social Dimension of Europe' emphasises the importance of the right set of skills and competences to sustain living standards in Europe. Skills such as creativity, critical thinking, initiative taking and problem solving play an important role in coping with complexity and change in today's society. Likewise, the Commission Communication on "Strenthening European Identity through Education and Culture" calls for investing in people and their education and to make sure that education and training systems help all learners the knowledge, skills and competences that are deemed essential in today's world. It also makes a strong link between the a common understanding of the competences all people in Euroope needs and the establishment of a European Education Area. The 'Reflection Paper on Harnessing Globalisation' recognises that "the key to empowerment is lifelong learning. Equal access to high-quality education and training is a powerful way of redistributing wealth in a society. This should start with a high standard of basic education and access at all ages to training and skills development. We also need to find new ways of learning for a society that is becoming increasingly mobile and digital as well as of providing the right blend of ‘soft’ skills, notably entrepreneurship as well as robust digital skills. Already 90 % of all jobs require at least some level of digital skills." Despite these findings, latest OECD PISA data show that one in five pupils in the European Union (EU) has insufficient proficiency in reading, mathematics and science. Many young people lack appropriate digital competences. Worryingly, between 2012 and 2015, the trend in underachievement for the EU as a whole has worsened. In the countries involved in the OECD Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) 2012, between 4.9% and 27.7% of adults are proficient at only the lowest levels in literacy and 8.1% to 31.7% are proficient at only the lowest levels in numeracy. 44% of the EU population have low or no (19%) digital competences. Competence needs are not static; they change throughout life and across generations. It is therefore important to make sure that all young people and adults have the opportunity to aquire the required competences in initial education and training, higher education, continious professional training, adult education or different forms of non-formal and informal learning. In response to the current competence gaps in society, the 'Pillar of Social Rights' underlines as its first principle that "(e)veryone has the right to quality and inclusive education, training and life-long learning in order to maintain and acquire skills that enable them to participate fully in society and manage successfully transitions in the labour market." The Pillar of Social Rights emphasises the "relevance of education and skills for successful participation in the labour market and for social cohesion. It emphasises opportunities to maintain and acquire skills. This entails flexible opportunities for learning and re-training which should be available at all times throughout a person's life and working career, including early childhood, initial, further, higher and adult education and training systems." In the Rome Declaration of 25 March 2017, 27 Member States pledged to work towards a Union "where young people receive the best education and training and can study and find jobs across the continent." Building on the May 2017 Education package and contributing to the 'New Skills Agenda for Europe', the Review of the 2006 Recommendation on Key competences for Lifelong Learning addresses the opportunities and challenges of the future of learning in the context of competence development in lifelong learning perspective. The 2006 Recommendation of Key Competences for Lifelong Learning supported the development of competence-oriented teaching and learning and related curricula reforms. Competence-oriented educational concepts and curricula focus on the outcomes of a learning process but also on the application of that learning in new or different contexts. Competences include more than knowledge and understanding and take into account the ability to apply that when performing a task (skill) as well as how – with what mind-set – the learner approaches that task (attitude). Competence-oriented education is regarded as advantageous in a time when the knowledge base of our societies is developing at an immense speed and when the skills required need to be transferred to and developed in many different societal contexts, including those unforeseen in the future. Moving to a competence-oriented approach in education, training and learning represents a paradigm shift. It impacts not only on the structure of curricula, but also changes the organisation of learning. Implementing competence-oriented education, training and learning requires often cross-curricular approaches, a greater emphasis on interactive learning and teaching styles, combining formal with non-formal and informal learning, more collaboration with non-education stakeholders and local community, a new role of the teacher, trainer and educator in guiding learning processes as well as new approaches to assessment. Eleven years after its adoption, the review of the Recommendation on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning aimed to: a) evaluate the impact of the Recommendation; b) look at the appropriateness of the European Reference Framework with its competence descriptions in relation to changing economic and social contexts; and, c) analyse the experiences made in implementing competence-oriented education, training and learning. It also asked what support the EU in particular can provide to enhance competence development of European people. The proposed Council Recommendation on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning repeals and replaces the 2006 Recommendation. This Staff Working Document provides evidence and additional background information to the Proposal for a Council Recommendation on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning. ·Chapter 2 summarises the objectives of the 2006 Council Recommendation on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning in its timely context. It also looks at the ways Member States have implemented the Recommendation during the last decade. It analyses seven national competence frameworks used in Member States to define learning outcomes, indicating the ways competences are defined in curricula development. It also provides a comparison with other international competence frameworks. ·Chapter 3 summarises the main findings of the consultation process, in general and with regard to the individual competences as defined in the European Reference Framework of Key Competences for Lifelong Learning. ·Chapter 4 presents the proposed changes to the Recommendation providing evidence to support both the recommendations to Member States and Commission, the changes proposed for the Reference Framework on Key Competences and the good practices to support the development of key competences for lifelong learning.

·Chapter 5 looks at ways to better support the use of the European Framework of Key Competences for Lifelong Learning, looking at the challenges and barriers experienced in the implementation of the 2006 Recommendation. Key elements are the creation of a variety of learning approaches, environments and contexts that foster competence development, the support to the educational staff, and the development of assessment methods and strategies that help better assessing and validating key competences. In this way, Chapter 5 provides more insight and background information on the good practices set out in the annex to the Recommendation.. ·Chapter 6 presents a range of concrete practice examples which might inspire initiatives to foster key competence development in different areas of education and training.



2. The objectives and the impact of the 2006 Recommendation on Key Competences Adapting education and training systems better to the future competence needs is a recurring challenge. Already the Lisbon Council in 2000 requested to define the ‘new basic skills’ and the Education and Training 2010 work programme, adopted in 2002, included an objective on “developing skills for a knowledge society”. This chapter presents the objectives of the Recommendation on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning in its political and timely context. It analyses its impact at national levels, but also looks at national and international competence framework to demonstrate the variety of competence definitions and to assess the relevance of competence definitions for future education, training and learning. It confirms that there is a need to up-date competence frameworks regularly to better adapt them to societal needs and to better structure education and training curricula. The European Reference Framework is here no exception. A key finding is also that while competence frameworks address a comparable set of competences, the terminology and definitions chosen show a great variety. This variety depends on the projected use, but also on the target group and on the geographical region. A European Reference Framework needs to be sufficiently broad to cover all education, training and learning sectors, including non-formal learning, and to respond to the variety of education and training systems in Europe. It also needs to be sufficiently specific to be of added value. As a reference tool for Member States, for education providers, for stakeholders and for learners, it needs adaptation to the concrete circumstances in which it is used. 2.1 The objectives of the 2006 Recommendation on Key Competences In the early 2000s, more and more European countries made efforts to shift from knowledge solely to a broader competence approach in national curricula. The adoption of the 2006 Recommendation on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning and its annexed European Reference Framework of Key Competences for Lifelong Learning was therefore very timely to support this process and provide a common reference document. The Recommendation invited Member States to ensure that initial education and training offers all young people the means to develop the key competences to a level that equips them for adult life. Adults should be able to develop and update their key competences throughout their lives. In addition, the Recommendation underlined the need to provide extra support to people with educational disadvantages caused by personal, social, cultural or economic circumstances. The Reference Framework formed a key element of the Council Recommendation as it was conceptualised as a reference tool for Member States in defining national education, training and learning policies. In line with the ambition to better cater for future competence needs and in order to respond to the challenges defined by the Lisbon Council, the Reference Framework included not only traditional subject areas, but in addition defined also those competences that enable people to pursue learning throughout lives, contribute to democratic societies and to succeed in today's and tomorrow's world. The European Reference Framework of Key Competences for Lifelong Learning defined eight key competences: ·Communication in the mother tongue; ·Communication in foreign languages; ·Mathematical competence and basic competences in science and technology; ·Digital competence; ·Learning to learn;

·Social and civic competences; ·Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship; and ·Cultural awareness and expression. These key competences are all considered equally important. They are conceptualised as a combination of knowledge, skills and attitudes and the definition of each key competence states the knowledge, skills and attitudes relevant for it. This approach supported the definition of learning outcomes and its translation into curricula or learning programmes. ·Knowledge – facts and figures, concepts, ideas and theories which are already established und support the understanding of a certain area or subject; ·Skills – ability and capacity to carry out processes and use the existing knowledge to achieve results; ·Attitudes - disposition and mind-sets to act/ react to ideas, persons or situations; in the European Framework of Key Competences also including values, thoughts and beliefs; The definition of the individual competences and their related knowledge, skills and attitudes overlap and interlock; they reinforce each other. The original formulation also listed a number of 'transversal themes' applied throughout the Reference Framework such as critical thinking, creativity, initiative, problem solving, risk assessment, decision taking, and constructive management. These 'transversal themes' are regarded as relevant to all key competences. With this approach, the Recommendation aimed to support the move from a rather static conception of curricular content (defining what a learner needs to learn) to a more dynamic definition of the knowledge, skills and attitudes a learner needs to gain. Agreeing on a European Reference Framework was a key step; the reference tool constituted a common understanding among Member States. The recommendations to Member States and to the Commission remained rather general, inviting Member States to make sure that especially young people have the chance to develop these competences. The Recommendation played also an important role in defining the objectives of the Lifelong Learning Programme (2007-2013), the predecessor programme of Erasmus+. Especially in the area of school education, contributing to the acquisition of key competences was an important priority for the programme. The European Commission continued the work on the Reference Framework by setting up an ET2010 Working Group on the Assessment of Key Competences; the results of this work were published in 2012 in a SWD on the 'Assessment of Key Competences in initial education and training: Policy Guidance'. 2.2 Impact of the Recommendation on Key Competences Since its adoption, the European Framework of Key Competences has been accepted and used by many Member States and stakeholders. It has influenced reforms and strategic developments in formal education and training, as well as non-formal learning, across European Union and even beyond Europe. The Joint Progress Report of the Council and the European Commission in 2010 recognised the Framework as a contributory factor in the increasing shift towards competence orientation of European teaching and training systems. The Reference Framework acted as a reference point, but also helped to develop a common understanding, at a European level, of the benefits of a competence-oriented approach to education. Its role in Member States’ implementation of educational reforms is documented in a range of studies and reports. This includes the findings of KeyCoNet, a European policy network, which aims to support the use of the Reference Framework in school education. Its publication 'Key Competence Development in Europe - Catalogue of Initiatives' presents 50 initiatives in European countries in the last years that are closely linked to the European Framework of Key Competences in Europe. A Eurydice Report from 2012 also looked especially at the use of the Reference Framework in school education, concluding that Member States adopted different approaches to guide and support competence oriented education in schools with a number of countries having developed national strategies to support competence development at least in some of the key competences identified by the European Framework. In vocational education and training, key competences have received increased attention in curricula and standards. While evidence for this is not as strong as in the school education sector, it can be stated that increasingly, countries include basic skills and key competences in their VET offers. According to CEDEFOP, more than 50% of countries have included in 2014 key competences in the level descriptors of their National Qualification Frameworks (NQF), which signal that they can be developed in the VET programmes. Including key competences in NQF level descriptors also means embedding, and, eventually, assessing them. The Reference Framework has also been used in adult education reforms across Member States. Some examples of adult education guidelines based on the eight competences include the common set of professional knowledge and competences (“socle de connaissances et compétences professionnelles”) developed in France since 2014; "White Paper on Programme Planning" used by all Volkshochschulen in Vienna, Austria; rural adult literacy programmes in Slovenia; recent reforms in Portugal and Norway. With its initial focus on upper secondary level education, the References Framework was less influential in the area of higher education. In non-formal learning the Youthpass, based on the Reference Framework, is the European tool to improve the recognition of the learning outcomes of young people and youth workers/leaders from their participation in projects supported by the EU Erasmus+/Youth in Action Programme. The Youthpass is also part of a broader European Commission strategy which aims to enhance the recognition of non-formal and informal learning and of youth work in Europe and beyond to facilitate a better match between skills and labour demand, promote the transferability of skills between companies and sectors and help people move around the EU to study and work. Furthermore, the importance of the key competences in regard to youth work were strengthened in the Council Conclusions on the role of youth work in supporting young people's development of essential life skills that facilitate their successful transition to adulthood, active citizenship and working life of May 2017. The Council Conclusions underline the importance to promote and support a cross-sectoral approach in helping young people acquire and develop the necessary competences to facilitate their successful transition to adulthood, active citizenship and working life and to ask to ensure that these Council Conclusions contribute to the review of the Recommendation of Key Competences for Lifelong Learning with a view to strengthening and being consistent with the life skills dimension in the European Framework of Key Competences.

The EU Youth Conference in 2016 concluded in joint recommendations of the Structured Dialogue on Youth and asked EU Institutions and the Member States to develop or further implement evidence based policy and practice that aim to continually improve the skills of young people to critically evaluate and process information through both formal and non-formal education. However, it is difficult to isolate the role of the Framework from that of many other influential factors, including other international competence frameworks. Most commonly, evidence indicates that the Reference Framework indirectly influenced on the overarching aims, educational policies, and programmes rather than on the detailed content of legislative and associated curricular changes. 2.3 Key competences in national competence frameworks National competence frameworks exist in several Member States, mainly addressing competence development up to secondary education level. They are covering a broad set of key competences relevant to education and training. In the context of the review, a study focused on the following competence frameworks : ·Estonia – National Curriculum for basic skills, amended in 2014 ·Finland – National Core Curriculum for Basic Education 2014 ·Belgium (Flanders) – Cross-curricular final objectives in mainstream secondary education ·France – Décret no. 2015-372 du 31 mars 2015 relatif au socle commun de connaissance, de compétence et de culture ·Ireland – Key Skills of Junior Cycle and Senior Cycle Key Skills Framework ·Italy – National Operational Programme 2014-2020 'For the school', competences for learning ·Netherlands – Ons Onderwijs 2032 (January 2016) ·Portugal - Perfil dos alunos à saída da escolaridade obrigatória A comparative analysis of these national competence frameworks confirms that the European Framework of Key Competences has been used as an inspiration, but that the variety of definitions reflects also the need to adapt competence definitions to national circumstances and the way competence frameworks are supposed to be used. ·The frameworks tend not to distinguish between communication in the mother tongue and in foreign languages, but focus on “communication” in general. Only the Italian framework makes an explicit distinction between the mother tongue and foreign languages. The Dutch framework specifies that the languages which the students should master are Dutch and English. ·The approach to mathematical competence and basic competences in science and technology is surprisingly varied. Whereas some frameworks tend to take a similar approach than the Reference Framework and define a competence in the area of mathematics and science, other look at the languages of mathematics and science. ·With respect to digital competence, several frameworks define a specific 'digital competence' with some variation in the terminology used (digital competence, ICT competence, digital literacy, citizenship and digital creativity). But digital competence is in others also treated as part of the language/communication area. For instance, France includes digital tools under 'Methods and tools for learning', and also takes a language approach, including informatics language under 'Languages for thinking and communicating'. ·Learning to learn, or methods and tools for learning, is explicitly included in about half the frameworks. In Finland, learning skills are combined with critical thinking into multiliteracy, “the competence to interpret, produce and make a value judgement across a variety of different texts which will help the pupils to understand diverse modes of cultural communication and to build their personal identity”. ·Social and civic competences are largely included in all frameworks, but the terminology used varies a lot. Some countries take a straight-forward approach similar to the EU framework: social and citizen competence (Estonia), personal and citizen development (France), whereas this area in most of the other frameworks is spread over several competences/skills. Generally, the competence covers three main aspects:

o“civic” in the sense of “citizenship”, with concepts such as “participation, involvement and building a sustainable future” (Finland), political-legal society/socio-economic society/socio-cultural society (Flanders), active citizenship (Italy) osocial relationships, including respect for diversity (Italy); empathy, respect, working together, responsibility, considerateness (Flanders), working with others (Ireland), interpersonal relationships (Portugal) ophysical and mental well-being, including “taking care of oneself” (Finland), “managing myself” and “staying well” (Ireland) ·Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship as a separate competence is only present in a few of the frameworks – Estonia, Italy, Finland (in the latter combined with “working life competence”). Initiative is a personal skill covered by the “common trunk” in Flanders, whereas the Irish framework refers to “being personally effective”. ·Cultural awareness and expression is comprehensively covered in all frameworks, except the Irish framework. Again, the terminology and the degree to which this is considered as one competence or several, varies. The Estonian and Finnish frameworks refer to it as “cultural and value competence” and “cultural competence, interaction and self-expression”, respectively. In several frameworks, this is linked to language in the broader sense (languages of the arts, language and culture), and also to representations of the world and human activity (France), and aesthetic and artistic sensibility (Portugal). ·Finally, a specific competence which should be mentioned is financial literacy, which is not part of the Reference Framework. This is covered under the Finnish framework as consumer skills and personal finance skills, while the Italian framework specifically mentions financial literacy. Transversal elements (such as those described in the original Recommendation) are also present in Member States frameworks. "Critical and creative thinking" is the most pervasive of these. It is explicitly mentioned as a skill or competence in the frameworks of Ireland, Netherlands and Portugal, but is generally covered in most of the frameworks (for instance in relation to learning to learn). "Reasoning" and "problem solving" are similarly quite widely included. "Self-management" in various forms is also included in several frameworks, either as a separate skill or as part of social and civic competences. The Dutch framework includes "cooperation" as an interdisciplinary skill, but this aspect is also covered under social and civic competences in several frameworks. "Initiative" may also be seen as a transversal element which may or may not be linked directly to entrepreneurship. The following table provides an overview of the different definitions of key competences in national frameworks; the analysis of the variety of definitions at national level also impacted on the results of the review of key competences. Comparison of Member States frameworks with the Key Competences Framework Key Competences Framework Estonia Finland Flanders France Ireland Italy Netherlands Portugal Communication in the mother tongue Communication competence Not explicitly covered Common trunk (communicative ability), but otherwise not explicitly covered Languages for thinking and communicating Communicating (junior and senior cycle) Information processing (senior cycle) Basic competences – communication in the mother tongue Language skills (Dutch) Languages and texts Information and communication Communication in foreign languages Communication competence Not explicitly covered Common trunk (communicative ability), but otherwise not explicitly covered Languages for thinking and communicating Not explicitly covered (possibly integrated in the same categories as comm. in mother tongue) Basic competences – communication in foreign languages Language skills (English) Languages and texts Mathematical competence and basic competences in science and technology Mathematics, natural sciences and technology competence Not explicitly covered Not explicitly covered Natural and technical systems Languages for thinking and communicating (mathematical, scientific and informatics languages) Communicating (junior cycle – using numbers and data), but otherwise not explicitly covered Basic competences – mathematics Basic competences – scientific field Numeracy Science Languages and texts Technical knowledge and technology Digital competence Digital competence ICT competence Not explicitly covered Methods and tools for learning (digital tools) Communicating (junior cycle – using digital techn. to communicate) Managing information (junior cycle) Information processing (senior cycle) Citizenship and digital creativity Digital literacy Information and communication Learning to learn Learning to learn competence Thinking and learning to learn Multiliteracy (critical thinking and learning skills) Common trunk (incl. perseverance, explore, open and constructive attitude) Learning to learn Methods and tools for learning Being creative (junior cycle) Managing information and thinking (junior cycle) Being personally effective (senior cycle) Not explicitly covered Not explicitly covered Autonomy and personal development Social and civic competences Social and citizen competence Participation, involvement and building a sustainable future Taking care of oneself and managing daily life (incl. well-being, health and safety) Common trunk (incl. empathy, respect, working together, responsibility, considerateness) Physical health and safety Mental health Socio-relational development Political-legal society Socio-economic society Socio-cultural society Personal and citizen development Managing myself (junior cycle) Staying well (junior cycle) Working with others (junior and senior cycle) Global citizenship – Wellbeing, correct lifestyle and sport Global citizenship – civics, respect for diversity and active citizenship Social studies Citizenship Interpersonal relationships Well-being and health Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship competence Working life competence and entrepreneurship Common trunk (initiative) Not explicitly covered Being personally effective (senior cycle – initiative) Entrepreneurship education Cultural awareness and expression Cultural and value competence Cultural competence, interaction and self-expression Socio-relational development (cultural and artistic manifestations) Languages for thinking and communicating (languages of the arts) Representations of the world and human activity Not explicitly covered European citizenship Cultural, artistic and landscape heritage Integration and hospitality Language and culture Languages and texts Aesthetic and artistic sensibility Other competences/ skills Self-management competence Taking care of oneself and managing daily life (incl. using technology responsibly; consumer and personal finance skills) Working life competence Common trunk Political-legal society Socio-economic society Socio-cultural society Critical and creative thinking (senior cycle) Global citizenship: Food education and territory Environmental education Economic citizenship (economic, consumer, financial literacy) Interdisciplinary skills: Creativity Critical thinking Problem solving Cooperation Reasoning and problem solving Critical thinking and creative thinking Awareness and control of the body 2.4 National strategies or reforms in education influenced by the European Framework of Key Competences for Lifelong Learning While not all Member States developed national competence frameworks, most Member States have national strategies or large-scale initiatives to especially promote some the key competences. In 2011/2012 nearly all Member States had a strategy to promote digital competence, but also literacy, science and entrepreneurship competences were strongly supported by targeted initiatives or strategies in Member States. Examples for national reforms inspired by the Recommendation on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning are almost solely found within the school and VET sectors. Comparable reforms in adult education and in higher education are largely missing. The European Reference Framework contributed to the development of a 'quality threshold'. The following examples illustrate this; Member States used the European Reference Framework explicitly as a resource and reference for initiatives or reforms: ·The state educational programmes in Slovakia refer to the European Framework and the framework also directly influenced two key polices in Slovakia: Curricular reform in regional schooling introduced by the Education Act (245/2008); and Lifelong learning strategies adopted by the government between 2007 and 2011. ·Spain’s Organic Act on Education 2/2006 (LOE) was also influenced by the Framework. The term ‘basic competence’ was first introduced in the Act, and was defined in line with the text used in the Council’s Recommendation on Key Competences. ·In Poland, the Strategy for the Development of Education in the years 2007 – 2013 envisaged curriculum changes with more emphasis on the development of key competences, implemented in 2009. ·Belgium (Flanders)’s cross-curricular final objectives for mainstream secondary education which was implemented in 2010 was also inspired by the EU Key Competences Framework. With regard to VET there are references to key competences in a range of recent reforms in Member States. Overall, there seems to be increasing attention to career management skills in VET to empower young people to make informed decisions and ease transition to the labour market; more than 20 countries reported adjustments or new initiatives to introduce career management skills in curricula, standards and qualifications. Also, entrepreneurship competence seems to be at the core of key competence development in VET. The following table provides an overview covering a selected number of countries.

Key competences in vocational education and training Member State Highlights of Key Competences in VET Estonia Key competences are defined as general education studies within VET. The key competences that are essential to each programme (speciality) in VET are described in national VET curricula as modules. For example, language and literature, mathematics, foreign language, natural science subjects, social subjects, and entrepreneurship are all separate modules within the VET curricula. The key competences that are integrated in all vocational specialties are: learning to learn, digital competence, civic competence, sense of initiative and entrepreneurship and cultural awareness. The volume of key competences varies by VET programme. Finland Key competences for lifelong learning have been fully taken into consideration in upper secondary VET provision. Upper-secondary VET is made of three components: vocational units, common units and free-choice units. Key competences have been nationally adapted and included in the common units which can be divided into four categories that are compulsory for all VET programmes. The common units are: communication and interaction competence, mathematical and natural science competence, social and labour market competence, and social and cultural competence. The competences are included in the objectives of core subjects and the requirements of vocational qualification modules and their assessment criteria. Belgium In Belgium, key competences are central to compulsory education from age 6 to 18, including initial VET. Most of the key competences have been taken into consideration in upper secondary VET provision with the exception of learning to learn, and cultural awareness and expression. In general, learning to learn is seldom taken into account in education policies in Belgium. Cultural awareness and expression competences are not promoted in upper secondary VET in Belgium. France VET programmes consist of vocational and general (e.g. French, history, geography and civic education, mathematics, a modern foreign language, etc.) courses. The key competences are included in the general courses that are defined (syllabi) and examined nationally. All of the eight key competences have been taken into consideration in upper secondary VET provision. Ireland The role of key competences in education and training in Ireland is not confined to the VET sector alone. All legislation and policy documents deal with key competences across a range of levels and programme types (e.g. NFQ levels and VET, general or mixed programmes). As a result, the role of key competences in VET programmes is implicit rather than explicit: because many of the qualifications awarded to those completing further education and training programmes call for minimum achievement in most of the eight key competences, the courses will inevitably include at least some of the key competences. The Netherlands All eight key competences can be found in the initial VET curricula, albeit not under a separate heading or in a standardised form. Since 2012, English and math have been compulsory subjects in VET at level 4 [the highest of the four qualification levels], even if they are not a part of occupational profile. Competences in science and technology are included only if mastering of these subjects is required by the occupational standards (national qualifications framework). The same is true for digital competence. VET law states that vocational training has to support occupational career, citizenship and further learning, hence, learning-to-learn and interpersonal, intercultural and social competences as well as civic competence are compulsory elements of all VET curricula since the 1996 VET law. Entrepreneurship is also promoted in VET but it is compulsory only for some VET programmes, for example in retail. Cultural expression is not a compulsory subject in VET, except for programmes preparing for occupations in the cultural sector (for example, design, artist, audio-visual productions). Portugal Most key competences, as defined in the 2006 EU framework, are implicitly present in VET curricula. Mother tongue, foreign languages, maths, science, technology, digital competences are called differently. Other competences such as learning to learn, social and civic competences, entrepreneurship, and cultural awareness and expression may be considered as partially included in curricula of some VET programmes, especially those for young people. Upper secondary VET for young people lack national regulations with clear rules for implementation of the eight key competences. Nevertheless, most of them are developed through the subjects. Key competences for adults in upper secondary VET are also part of the curricula. However, they do not include all eight key competences.



2.5 Comparison of other international frameworks There is a range of international competence frameworks which provide additional insight in the concepts of competences and ways to define them. A comparison of these competence frameworks demonstrates some common features: All competence frameworks refer to the need to adapt to change, to deal with complexity and to respond to fast changing digital and technological environments. They highlight changing competences needs in future and supporting the development of these competences is the main starting point and justification for the frameworks. All frameworks combine a set of different competences, partly within a limited thematic focus or for a specific target group. They all go beyond cognitive skills and emphasise non-cognitive skills, attitudes or values. The latter are regarded as having a positive effect on e.g. employment outcomes and, at the same time, can be formed by education, training and learning . Using different terminology, they all define knowledge, skills and attitudes as key elements of a competence. Also, the so-called transversal skills, such as critical thinking, creativity and problem solving, feature prominently in all competence frameworks. The main difference between the cited frameworks can be seen in the fact that some of them address a limited range of competences and do not aim to form a comprehensive basis for curriculum development in education and training. This leads to different approaches in structuring the competence frameworks and with emphasising certain skills or attitudes. Among the most known international competence frameworks are: ·The OECD Key Competencies (DeSeCo) framework which focuses on three very broad categories of competences: using tools interactively, interacting in heterogeneous groups and acting autonomously. While not defining cognitive skills or knowledge, it highlights reflective thoughts and actions. ·The OECD Global Competency framework from 2016 which goes beyond the DeSeCo approach by looking at knowledge and understanding of global and intercultural issues, skills (analytical and critical thinking, ability to interact respectfully, empathy and flexibility) and attitudes (openness, respect for cultural otherness, global mindedness and responsibility). It aims to provide a starting point for the PISA 2018 assessment which aims to add 'global competence' to literacy, mathematical and science competences. ·The P21 framework (Partnership for 21st century learning), is a US framework which aims to describe in a comprehensive manner the skills, knowledge and expertise students must master in work and life. It divides competences in 'key subjects and 21st century themes', 'learning and innovation skills', 'information, media and technology skills', and 'life and career skills'. Its ambition might be closest to the European Framework of Key Competences for Lifelong Learning, trying to define a basis for curriculum development especially in school education. The presentation of the P21 Framework is also combined with the presentation of a wide range of tools and guidebooks to help its use by policy makers, teachers and parents. ·The World Economic Forum framework which is clearly targeted at the skills needed in a future labour market – “the 21st century marketplace”. It looks at 'foundational literacies' such as literacy, numeracy, and ICT, at competencies such as critical thinking and creativity, and at 'character qualities' such as curiosity and initiative. ·The Council of Europe Competences for Democratic Culture which focuses on competences needed to participate effectively in a culture of democracy, and to live peacefully together with others in culturally diverse democratic societies. It describes values, attitudes, skills and knowledge and critical understanding, covering a wide range of intercultural, civic, social and transversal competences. ·The UNESCO Intercultural Competences Framework which assesses the competences needed to live in a globalised world. Intercultural competences are communicative competences (language, dialogue, non-verbal behaviour) and cultural competences (identity, values, attitudes and beliefs). The framework underlines that none of the competences can stand alone, but must be considered in relation to one another. ·The UNESCO Global Framework of Learning Domains which was developed 2012/2013 by an international working group aiming to define the competences all children and young people need. In its design it covers early childhood education, primary and post-primary education; more specialised competences in secondary education are excluded. Being strongly linked to the Sustainable Development Goals, the framework tries to form the basis for developing 'learning indicators for global tracking’. They are supposed to measure fundamental learning opportunities applicable to all countries worldwide. Equity in access to learning and assessment of learning outcomes play a key role in this context. Currently, the OECD is implementing a project on Future of Education and Skills Education 2030 which focuses on developing a new international Conceptual Learning Framework on key competences, building on the DeSeCo framework. This new Framework shall define knowledge, skills, attitudes and values for the three transformative competences (Creating new value; Taking responsibility; Coping with tensions and dilemmas) which OECD regards as essential in 2030. It will focus on secondary school education only. Going beyond the concept of 'competence frameworks', UNESCO published in 2014 'Guiding Principles for Learning in the Twenty-first Century'. These guiding principles address a range of competences and attitudes which are partly also tackled throughout the competence frameworks mentioned above: academic honesty, information literacy, critical thinking, creativity, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) learning, concepts-focused learning, health and mindfulness, service learning, learning support, assessment. Focus of the guiding principles is not so much on the definition of the competence, but rather on the approach to help children and young people to acquire these competences. They can support the definition of learning outcomes. The following table provides an overview of competence definitions in the mentioned international competence frameworks.

Comparison of international frameworks with the Key Competences Framework Key Competences Framework OECD Key Competencies OECD Global Competency Council of Europe Competences for Democratic Culture WEF 21st Century Skills P21 Partnership for 21st century learning UNESCO Intercultural Competences. Conceptual and Operational Framework. UNESCO Global Framework of Learning Domains Communication in the mother tongue Ability to use language, symbols and texts interactively Ability to interact respectfully, appropriately and effectively Linguistic, communicative and plurilingual skills Knowledge and critical understanding of language and communication Literacy Communication Key subjects: English, world languages, arts, mathematics, economics, science, geography, history, government and civics. Communication and collaboration Communicative competence Language Literacy and languages Communication in foreign languages Ability to use language, symbols and texts interactively Ability to interact respectfully, appropriately and effectively Linguistic, communicative and plurilingual skills Knowledge and critical understanding of language and communication Literacy Communication English, world languages, arts, mathematics, economics, science, geography, government and civics. Communication and collaboration Communicative competence Language Literacy and languages Mathematical competence and basic competences in science and technology Ability to use technology interactively - - Numeracy Scientific literacy English, world languages, arts, mathematics, economics, science, geography, history, government and civics. - Numeracy and mathematics Science and technology Digital competence Ability to use technology interactively - - ICT Literacy Information literacy, Media Literacy, ICT Literacy - - Learning to learn Ability to use knowledge and information interactively Analytical and critical thinking Autonomous learning skills Analytical and critical thinking skills Critical thinking/problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving - Learning approaches and cognition Social and civic competences Ability to relate well to others The ability to co-operate and work in teams The ability to manage and resolve conflicts The ability to defend and assert rights, interests, limits and needs Knowledge and understanding of global issues Ability to interact respectfully, appropriately and effectively Global-mindedness Co-operation skills Conflict-resolution skills Valuing democracy, justice, fairness, equality and the rule of law Civic-mindedness Knowledge and critical understanding of the world Cultural and civic literacy Social and cultural awareness Collaboration Key subjects: English, world languages, arts, mathematics, economics, science, geography, history, government and civics. Global awareness Civic Literacy Communication and collaboration Social and cross-cultural skills Dialogue Social and emotional Physical well being Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship Ability to form and conduct life plans and personal projects - Self-efficacy Creativity Leadership Financial, Economic, Business and Entrepreneurial Literacy Creativity and innovation Initiative and self-direction Leadership and responsibility Creativity - Cultural awareness and expression - Intercultural knowledge and understanding Openness towards people from other cultures Respect for cultural otherness Valuing cultural diversity Openness to cultural otherness and to other beliefs, world views and practices Knowledge and critical understanding of the world Curiosity Social and cultural awareness Social and cross-cultural skills Intercultural citizenship Intercultural competences Intercultural dialogue Intercultural literacy Cultural shifting: The cognitive and behavioural capacity of an interculturally competent person to shift or switch language, behaviour or gestures. Culture and the arts Other competences/ skills The ability to act within the big picture Empathy Flexibility Responsibility Flexibility and adaptability Empathy Responsibility Respect Skills of listening and observing Valuing human dignity and human rights Tolerance of ambiguity Knowledge and critical understanding of the self Financial literacy Persistence/grit Adaptability Financial, Economic, Business and Entrepreneurial Literacy Health Literacy Environmental Literacy Flexibility and adaptability Productivity and accountability Leadership and responsibility Values, beliefs and attitudes. Reflexivity: Ability to step outside one’s own experiences to reflect consciously upon then, considering what is happening, what it means, and how to respond. Liquidity: a state of near constant change, with consequences for the ability of individuals to cope with change. 3. Results from the stakeholder consultation In 2016, the Commission initiated a broad consultation process on the review of the Recommendation on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning. Starting with the Education, Training and Youth Forum in October 2016, a series of dedicated consultation meetings and expert seminars have been held. The review was broadly discussed with Member States representatives in the ET 2020 High Level Group meeting, the meetings of Director Generals for school education, vocational education and training, and higher education as well as the Advisory Committee for Vocational Education and Training, the Cultural Affairs Committee and the Youthpass advisory group meeting. The consultation process was concluded with a conference on the Key Competences Review which took place in Brussels on 14 June 2017. Main findings of this process were that there is both a need for supporting the use of the European Reference Framework for Key Competences and to update parts of it in order to make sure that it remains a relevant policy tool. Another important conclusion was to strengthen its relevance also for vocational education and training, higher education, adult learning and non-formal learning in a lifelong learning perspective. This chapter summarises the key findings of the consultation process. A complete report on the consultation process can be found on the consultation website. 3.1 Public on-line consultation An online public consultation was open from 22 February till 19 May 2017 resulting in almost 500 responses and 69 position papers. Contributions to the public consultation show a good coverage of education ministries and a broad range of non-governmental stakeholders. Out of the 489 respondents, 69% answered the questionnaire in their personal capacity, while 31% answered on behalf of an organisation. Data on the background and main area of activity indicate the high level of expertise in the field with most respondents working in the area of education, training and learning. 87% of respondents stated that their main area of activity was education and training, including non-formal learning and informal learning. Only 5% indicated that their main area was employment, while 8% answered “other”. 44% of the respondents work in education and training institutions, while 24% work for a public authority or government and 11% in NGOs. All geographical levels were represented in the survey – from local to European. The biggest group were those at the national level (45%). Previous experiences with the European Reference Framework Almost 90% of respondents knew about the Reference Framework before the survey, and most (85%) knew it as an EU level instrument. A little more than half of the respondents (52%) had come into contact with the Reference Framework at work, 22% during education or training, and 7% in the context of youth work. Two-thirds (67%) had used the framework in their daily work life, and out of these 59% felt it added value to their work or life. However, 36% did not respond to this question. Just over a quarter (26%) of the respondents indicated that it had been “a useful guidance tool”, 15% felt it had supported curriculum development, and 11% indicated that it had supported teaching. Position Papers The on-line consultation also allowed for the submission of position papers. 19 position papers were submitted by public authorities including 5 national ministries for education and 6 governmental agencies in the areas of education, training, guidance and qualifications. Other position papers were submitted by civil society organisations, education and training institutions, professional organisation or individuals.

3.2. Main findings during the consultation process There was general agreement among participants in the consultation process that the European Key Competences Framework has been a useful guidance tool in education, training and youth work, with most take up in the school sector, where it supported and inspired curriculum developments and reforms. The results from the on-line consultation also showed some shortcomings with less than 20% of the respondents answering that the Reference Framework was easy to use in their context. What are the main strengths of the current Framework as a whole? What are the main weaknesses of the current Framework as a whole? Need for change Two thirds of the participants in the on-line consultation indicated that the European Reference Framework needed only minor changes, and these were mainly in relation to either addition of competences currently missing in the Framework or changes to definitions of individual competences, rather than changes to the structure of the Framework. Many contributors stressed the importance of having a reference framework for all education and training sectors – including non-formal and informal learning – and the need to focus on the life-long learning perspective. They also underlined the need to put more emphasis on transversal skills throughout the Reference Framework. Furthermore, contributors pointed to a need for more alignment and synergies with other international frameworks, particularly the competence frameworks of the OECD and the Council of Europe, as well as the UNESCO global citizenship education and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Making the Key Competences approach more operational For supporting the future use of the Reference Framework, contributors highlighted the following themes: ·Developing detailed reference frameworks – namely for competences that needed more explanation, such as personal and social, civic, and cultural awareness and expression; ·Developing guidelines to support competence based teaching and learning in educational practice. This in particular refers to support for teachers in delivering competence based teaching and ways of organizing learning; ·Assessment – developing practices to assess key competences that may not necessarily correspond to established individual subjects such as those currently covered by the PISA measurements; and ·Mutual learning and collaboration between policy makers and practitioners on the use of the key competence approaches in education, training and learning.

3.3 Findings per key competence Most participants in the online consultation found that the competence definitions are still relevant and adequate. Analysing the position papers as well as the findings during the consultation meetings alters this first impression of an overall agreement. Here participants outlined more precisely the points that require change or adaption to new terminology. Communication competences The communication competences cover two of the current framework’s competences: communication in the mother tongue and communication in foreign languages. In the on-line consultation, a high proportion of survey respondents agreed with the current definitions of the competences (80% for mother tongue, 72% for foreign languages). However, an issue that came up frequently during the consultation process was whether the distinction between the two competences should be re-considered. Input papers and statements during consultation events pointed especially to the ambiguity of the concepts of "mother tongue" and "foreign language" in view of increased mobility, migration, and bi- or multilingualism in families across Europe. Participants also stressed that multilingualism and cultural diversity were important issues that should be considered in the new reference framework. In addition, stronger focus should be put on literacy and on language development overall. This may include taking a broader perspective of what, nowadays, constitutes competence in languages, considering specialised or academic language or developments in digital communication. Mathematical competence and basic competences in science and technology With respect to mathematical competence, 66% of the survey respondents agreed that the current definition was adequate. 64% agreed also with the current definition of the science and technology competences. Input papers and other consultation events pointed especially to the need to stress sustainability issues, and to strengthen the environmental sustainability and sustainable development dimension across competences (science and technology, civic, social and personal development, entrepreneurship). Several position papers also called for more prominence to STEM-related competences in general. Digital competence The respondents in the public consultation felt the definition of digital competence and its related knowledge, skills and attitudes was in need of an update. Only 61% felt that the current definition was adequate. More than two-thirds thought that the definition should be aligned with the European Digital Competence Framework (DigComp). Input papers and other consultation events also stressed the need for alignment with DigComp, and to emphasise digital media literacy and critical thinking. Learning to learn Learning to learn is seen as a competence in its own right but many participants also focused on learning to learn as a transversal element that is linked to all the other competences. Two thirds of the survey respondents agreed that the current definition of learning to learn was adequate. Input papers and other consultation events point especially to personal development, critical thinking, interpersonal skills, career management skills and 'learning to learn' for lifelong learning as important issues to be taken on board. Social and civic competence Social and civic competences are grouped together as one competence in the current framework; many stakeholders felt that this competence area was quite broad. In the survey, more than two thirds of respondents agreed that the current definition of social competence and of civic competence were both adequate. However, only 40% agreed that European values were adequately presented in the definition. Many stakeholders pointed out during the consultation process that the global and intercultural dimension should be strengthened in the new reference framework. The civic competence received a lot of attention with a high number of input papers, and there is clearly a need for this competence to gain more prominence in the new framework. Input papers and other consultation events referred to the Paris Declaration and the Council of Europe and UNESCO Frameworks as sources of inspiration. There were also comments about the need to strengthen critical thinking, active democratic participation and sustainable development. Sense of initiative & entrepreneurship Along with digital competence, the entrepreneurship competence had the lowest proportion of survey respondents that agreed that the current definition was adequate (62%), and a small majority agreed that the definition should be aligned with the European Entrepreneurship Competence Framework, EntreComp. Input papers stressed the need for aligning the new framework with EntreComp, as well as the importance of innovation, creativity, risk-taking, teamwork, and of using the term entrepreneurship in its broader sense, i.e. not just focusing on commercial entrepreneurship.

Cultural awareness and expression As for most of the other competences, two thirds of the survey respondents agreed that the current definition was adequate, but only 55% agreed that the definition adequately reflected the development of different cultural ideas, values and forms and the diverse range of media. Input papers and other consultation events pointed to the outcomes of the Working group on cultural awareness and expression (2014-2015) and the Council Conclusions on a Work Plan for Culture (2015-2018), as well as the need to include modern (including digital) forms of cultural expression, inter-cultural awareness, and the global perspective. Transversal elements All of the consultation activities generally pointed to the need to strengthen transversal elements. In the survey, 72% agreed that skills such as critical thinking, decision-making and problem solving should be more prominent in the new framework. In fact, throughout the various consultation activities, critical thinking was strongly emphasised as perhaps the most important skill that should be prominent across the new framework. Sustainability was a theme raised by many stakeholders as an aspect that is currently missing; they felt it could be included as an element in several of the existing competences, or even as new competence area. Other separate elements that came up multiple times included career management, financial literacy, and physical literacy.



4. The proposal for a Recommendation on Key Competences for Lifelong learning According to the main findings of the consultation process, future work on the concept of Key Competences for Lifelong Learning needs to focus on the following elements: ·Supporting learners of all ages and in all education and training sectors, including non-formal and informal learning, better in developing key competences for lifelong learning; ·Up-dating the Reference Framework to current and future needs to make sure that people can develop the competences they need; ·Outlining measures to promote competence-oriented education, training and learning in lifelong learning perspective, namely by creation of suitable learning environments, support for teachers and other educational staff, and assessment and validation of competence development. During the review it was also highlighted that the scope of the Recommendation needs to span clearly from early childhood education and care to adult education, reflecting the need to support competence development in a lifelong learning perspective. This chapter summarises the key elements of the proposal for a Council Recommendation on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning. 4.1 Recommendations to Member States and Commission The recommendations to Member States and Commission focus on initiatives and actions needed to strengthen competence-oriented education, training and learning and to support learners in their competence development throughout their lives. They are based on the results of the public consultation and recent studies and literature reviews. They are written with a clear understanding of the variety of situations in Member States and in different education, training and learning settings. While some Member States work since years with own national competence frameworks, others are currently developing or up-dating such frameworks. Overall, Member States are asked to support the right to quality and inclusive education, training and lifelong learning and to reinforce opportunities for the development of key competences and basic skills for all. Challenges exist especially with regard to the lifelong learning perspective and the support of disadvantaged learners. Development of key competences needs to start at early age and to continue throughout life. Measures to improve competence development need to reach all learners, independently from their background and individual capacities. The Recommendation maintains the concept of a broad set of key competences needed for personal fulfilment, employability and social inclusion. It also refers explicitely to the need to increase the level of achievement of basic skills (literacy, numeracy and basic digital skills) both as a basis for further learning and to reinforce competence development in other areas. Research shows that increasing basic skills and increasing competence levels overall are mutually reinforcing processes; moreover, countries which have competence oriented education, training and learning in place perform better in basic skills. It furthermore recommends that Member States pay special attention to fostering the acquisition of competences in sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM); to increasing the level of digital competence; to fostering development of entrepreneurship competence especially among young people, including by promoting opportunities for entrepreneurial experiences; and to increasing the level of languages competences and support learners to learn different languages. Member States are in addition recommended to to mainstream the ambitions of the UN Sustainable Development Goals into education, training and learning and to report on experiences and progress in promoting key competences in all education and training sectors, including non-formal learning. In addition to an up-dated description of the eight key competences, the annex also sets out good practice examples including the promotion of a variety of learning approaches and contexts; strengthen support to educational staff; support the development of assessment and validation of key competences; reinforce collaboration between education, training and learning settings at all levels; and reinforce tools, resources and guidance in education, training, employment and other learning settings to support people in managing their lifelong learning pathway. To illustrate a variety of learning approaches and contexts the annex provides examples of innovative learning methodologies, such as inquiry based, experimental learning and cross-discipline learning. In addition, it stresses the added-value of cross-sectoral cooperation and partnerships between education and training institutions and external actors such as business, arts, sport and youth community, higher education or research institutes. Most Member States face challenges in implementing competence oriented education, training and learning, e.g. translating competence based curricula into teaching practice. To make this happen, educational staff i.e. teachers, trainers, teacher educators, leaders of education and training institutes, employees in charge of training colleagues, researchers and university lecturers, youth workers and adult educators play a decisive role. Educational staff therefore needs adequate support that can be provided for example in their initial education and continuing professional development, peer exchange or via guidance tools and materials created to enhance competence oriented education, training and learning. Member States are recommended to invest in this as a crucial step to improve competence development.

Also assessment has a powerful impact on what is taught and learned and which competences are developed. Recommendations to Members States in relation to assesment ask for developing assesment strategies and improving the validation of learning outcomes acquired through non-formal learning. Member States have the sole competence for the content and structure of their education and training systems. Commission initiatives can therefore only complement and support the activities of Member States. To provide targeted and useful support to Member States, the Commission intends to work in close cooperation with Member States and embed this work in the Strategic Framework for Cooperation in Education and Training. The Commission proposes to work in close cooperation with Member States on targeted reference material, guidelines and tools to support competence development. This can include also the development of competence frameworks for specific competences, support tools for teachers, trainers and educators as well as guiding material on supportive learning approaches and contexts. Important work needs to be done to further develop further approaches to the assessment of key competences following up on previous work on the assessment of key competences in the context of ET2020 . The Commission also proposes to support initiatives to develop and promote education for sustainable development with regards to the UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 on inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all . The Commission intends to strengthen the monitoring of the development of key competences based both on existing surveys on competence development (e.g. PISA, PIAAC, TIMSS, PIRLS as well as data collection in language learning, digital competence, civic competence) and structural indicators providing information on the measures implemented to support competence development. It will consider the possibility to develop a scoreboard on the provision of competence-oriented education, training and learning and on competence development in the Union; it will be developed in line with next cycle of the strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training. 4.2 Changes to the European Reference Framework of Key Competences This chapter presents the changes to the Reference Framework. They reflect the findings of the public consultation as well as conclusions drawn from the comparison of national and international frameworks. As in 2006, key competences are defined as a combination of knowledge, skills and attitudes. The proposal for a revised European Reference Framework of Key Competences for Lifelong Learning lists now the following key competences: ·Literacy competence; ·Languages competence; ·Science, technological, engineering and mathematical competence; ·Digital competence; ·Personal, social and learning competence; ·Civic competence; ·Entrepreneurship competence; and ·Cultural awareness and expression competence. Changes to individual competences concern the following points:

·A good level of literacy is the basis for the development of key competences. However, underperformance in literacy is still a widespread phenomenon in all age groups in Europe. Literacy can be developed in the mother tongue, in the language of schooling and/or the official language of a country or a region. The 'communication in the mother tongue' competence is changed into 'Literacy' competence to further highlight the importance of literacy in at least one language and to address literacy demands in the context of today's globalized society with its migration and mobility trends. ·Learning languages and being able to communicate in more than one language remains one of the key competences for lifelong learning. The focus of the 'Languages competence' is on improving the development of linguistic competences and stressing the importance of learning languages as a tool for communication within multilingual societies and work environments. ·While the description of the necessary key competences in mathematics, science and technology reflects well today's requirements, more needs to be done to support their acquisition and to motivate especially young people to enter careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The description stresses the nature of science as a process and a way of thinking, underlining the plea that everyone needs an understanding of scientific thinking to cope with the wealth of information, data and interpretations offered. The title of the 'Mathematical competence and basic competences in science and technology' has been aligned with the more prominently used terminology of 'Science, technological, engineering and mathematical competences (STEM)'. ·To respond to the fast changing digital and technological environments, the definition of digital competence is updated and aligned with the Digital Competence Framework developed by JRC. In addition, emerging issues, such as robotics and artificial intelligence are included. Media literacy and critical thinking, especially in relation to the usage of social media, are strengthened. ·Personal and interpersonal skills, sometimes referred to as 'life skills', socio-emotional, 'soft skills', or 'transversal skills', have become more important in today's society. They can respond to the growing needs of individuals to deal with uncertainty and change, remain resilient, develop personally and build successful interpersonal relations. Personal, social and learning competence encompasses elements of the previous 'learning to learn' and 'social competence'. The skills such as critical thinking, teamwork, intercultural skills and problem solving are further strengthened in the Framework overall. ·The civic competence is given more prominence and further highlights the role of citizenship, democratic values and human rights in today's increasingly connected global societies. Understanding of the need to support sustainable societies, economies and ecosystems, as well as practice sustainable lifestyles is a key element of this competence. It is important to empower individuals to act as responsible, active citizens able to contribute to peaceful, tolerant, inclusive and secure societies. In this context, media literacy and intercultural skills are further strengthened. ·The up-dated definition of entrepreneurship competence is aligned with the JRC Entrepreneurship Competence Framework. In addition, creativity and the ability to plan and manage processes are highlighted as essential dimensions of an entrepreneurial mind-set. ·Cultural awareness and expression competence is revised to take into account a wider range of contemporary forms of cultural expression and also to more clearly describe how this competence is a crucial element in understanding, developing and expressing ideas and one’s place or role in society – in other words, a fundamental part of being able to view and shape the world with a sense of identity that is constructed in relation to others. Positive and open-minded attitudes towards other cultures and cultural differences are highlighted.



Underlying concepts The descriptions of these key competences follow concepts such as sustainability, European common values, including gender equality and equal opportunities, openness to cultural diversity, creativity and innovation, and media literacy. The paragraphs below clarify the understanding used here. ·Sustainability Following the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005 – 2014) and in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals , the knowledge, skills and attitudes "needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development" are further stressed throughout the reference framework. The knowledge needed to understand the requirements of sustainable development can be mainly covered by competences in science, civic competences and entrepreneurship, whereas relevant skills form part of all competences. They include interdisciplinary and intercultural understanding; participatory and collaborative skills; the ability to reflect on one's own position and take different perspectives; effective communication; critical reflection; initiative-taking and problem-solving; taking responsibility; empathy, compassion and solidarity. A related description of attitudes can also be found across the whole Reference Framework, notably within science and technologies, civic competence, and entrepreneurship. ·European common values, including gender equality and equal opportunities As expressed in the article 2 of the Treaty on European Union , European common values are respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities, pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, justice, solidarity and equality between women and men. These values are further strengthened by the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union . In the field of education, the Paris Declaration on Promoting citizenship and the common values of freedom, tolerance and non-discrimination calls for promotion of inclusion and fundamental values in education, training and learning through continued cooperation at EU-level. The Strategic engagement for gender equality 2016-2019 , preceded by the Commission Strategy for equality between women and men 2010-2015, sets the framework for the Commission's future work towards improving gender equality. Recent Council Conclusions on Inclusion in Diversity to achieve a High Quality Education For All promote equal opportunities for all learners throughout education, training and learning. References to common European values appear in civic competences, but also cultural awareness and expression.

·Openness to cultural diversity The Paris Declaration on Promoting citizenship and the common values of freedom, tolerance and non-discrimination through education and the ET 2020 Joint Report of November 2015 have underscored the need to deepen the role of education to ensure that learners acquire solid social, civic and intercultural competences. Openness to cultural diversity and intercultural understanding includes an understanding of one's own cultural identity within local and national contexts, where the languages, traditions and social relations may be the same, similar or different to one's own heritage and experiences. This understanding of one's own cultural identity is also situated within a world of cultural diversity, whether or not those cultures are directly interacted with. The Reference Framework uses the phrases 'intercultural' and 'cultural understanding' to refer to the knowledge, skills and attitudes an individual has that influences their respect for and engagement with the cultures of others, including their value systems. The Council of Europe White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue (2008) states that it is an open and respectful exchange of views between individuals and groups belonging to different cultures that leads to a deeper understanding of the other’s global perception. 'Intercultural' is also used with the understanding that cultural heritage is rarely isolated from other cultures and that, over time, languages, traditions and cultural products have influenced each other's development. Understanding the cultural diversity of European societies and how national cultural identity contributes to the European identity is part of this. References to intercultural understanding and cultural diversity appear in the competences of: languages; personal, social and learning; civic; and cultural awareness and expression. ·Creativity and innovation It is important to equip current and future generations – regardless of social and cultural background – with the characteristics of successful innovators – including curiosity (or inquisitiveness), use of imagination, critical thinking, problem-solving, and perseverance (resilience or persistence) which includes positive risk-taking. These characteristics are associated with 'creativity', which is a process typically of imagining possibilities, creating something new, and reflecting upon and modifying what is being created. In a broader sense it is a way of interpreting and acting upon the world. 'Innovation' means to create something new within a particular context or strive towards a goal in a new way. The process of innovation will involve reflecting upon the impact that the new artefact or approach has had in that context. The Reference Framework uses the phrase 'creativity and innovation' to describe where specific knowledge, skills and attitudes may contribute to the development of new ideas, approaches or things. The Framework definitions also refer to specific skills – such as critical thinking - and attitudes – such as curiosity - that comprise creativity. Supporting the early and lifelong development of a range of competences that contribute to an innovative capacity can expect to have wider benefits to society beyond innovation, equipping the next generation with a fundamental basis for employability, personal fulfilment and development, social inclusion, and active citizenship. Education research has found that in learning experiences that embrace creativity, there is evidence of accepted failure, reworking, perseverance, ambiguity and imagination. This challenges the myth that creativity is undisciplined but rather demonstrates that in order to better fulfil their potential to turn ideas into action, people need to operate within a culture of disciplined resilience and engagement with possibilities. 'Creativity and innovation' appear in the competences of: literacy; mathematical, science and technology; digital; entrepreneurship; and cultural awareness and expression. ·Media literacy With growing access to different news media and with the opening up of communication channels for sources of different facts and opinions, it has become vital to strengthen the capacity of people – particularly children and young people - to think critically and exercise judgement so that, especially in the context of the internet and social media, they are able to grasp realities, to distinguish fact from opinion, to recognise propaganda and to resist all forms of indoctrination and hate speech. Media literacy does not only relate to the exchange of news and current affairs and evaluating the quality (accuracy, relevance, currency, reliability, and completeness) of information, distinguishing facts from opinion, and being aware of timing (new/news/obsolete). It also requires a broader understanding of underlining ideologies and values, and of how social, economic, political, professional, and technological forces can shape media content - both what is produced and how it reaches us. Media production – the creating of written, drawn, audio- or video-recorded and other content – provides a way for individuals to document and share knowledge and their perspective of the world. It is also a way for them to shape the ideas and opinions of others and thereby have potential to change the world around them. It is important that this is done in an ethical and responsible manner and with respect for the intellectual property of others. The knowledge, skills and attitudes relating to media literacy appear in the competences of: literacy; languages; digital; personal, social, and learning; civic; and cultural awareness and expression.

Literacy A good level of literacy is the basis for the development of key competences. It represents the basis for any further learning, it is the greatest predictor of school achievement and a prerequisite for cognitive progress across the curriculum. In the 2006 Reference Framework, literacy is addressed under the 'Communication in the mother tongue' competence. Nevertheless, the title 'Communication in the mother tongue' created an ambiguous situation in which 'mother tongue' is regarded as being identical with the language of schooling, not taking into account the fact that for many children in Europe language of schooling and mother tongue might not be the same. A footnote to the 2006 'Communication in the mother tongue' addressed this issue by stating: “It is important to recognise that many Europeans live in bilingual or multilingual families and communities, and that the official language of the country in which they live may not be their mother tongue.” It continued stating that "(m)easures to address such cases, and apply the definition accordingly, are a matter for individual Member States in accordance with their specific needs and circumstances." Defining literacy as a key competence has to take note of the fact that literacy can be developed in the mother tongue, in the language of schooling and/or the official language in a country or region and that these languages can be different. The key element here is that a good level of literacy needs to be ensured in at least one of these languages to allow for further competences development. Underperformance in literacy is still a widespread phenomenon in all age groups in Europe. When it comes to progress towards the Education and Training 2020 benchmark for basic skills, the EU as a whole is lagging behind. According to latest PISA data, 17.8% of five 15-year-olds lack basic literacy skills. This proportion has remained more or less stable since 2009, and even slightly dropped in 2015 as compared to 2012 (from 19.7% in 2012). In 2015, there were 64 million people, more than a quarter of the Union population aged 25-64, who had left initial education and training with at most a lower secondary education qualification. While there are no means to measure the basic skill levels of those people, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Survey of Adult Skills (‘PIAAC’), which tested levels of literacy, numeracy and problem-solving in technology-rich environments, indicates that similar proportions of adults aged 16 to 65 performed at the lowest level of proficiency in 20 Member States. This limits opportunities for employment and civic participation, and increases risks of social exclusion. By defining literacy as a key competence, the Reference Framework emphasises the importance of literacy achievement for all. Council conclusions in 2010 on increasing the level of basic skills (literacy, numeracy and basic digital skills) called on both the Commission and Member States to take concerted action in order to improve reading literacy . In its follow-up, a High Level Group of Experts on Literacy was established in 2011 by the Commission, bringing together European academics and policy-makers to map Europe's literacy landscape, identifying changing needs and requirements, as well as to examine the most effective and efficient ways to improve reading skills in Europe. The final report of the High Level Group underscores the importance of literacy in the 21st century, as well as the need to ensure political ownership and cooperation to ensure genuine improvement. Council conclusions in 2012 on literacy highlighted the broader personal, economic, cultural and social dimension of literacy, besides a sole educational purpose, and called for creating a broad ownership of a range of players in society in order to improve literacy levels. As a follow-up, the Commission funded a European network of literacy organisations (ELINET) to facilitate the sharing of good practices and policy initiatives, and promote transnational cooperation aimed at improving literacy performance across the European Union. Literacy and Migration Socio-economic status as well as student's migrant and/or minority background play a strong role in low achievement in literacy. An increasing number of young people in European school systems speak a different language at home than in the classroom. It raises specific challenges for their literacy attainment. In 2015 - according to latest PISA data – the proportion of 15-year-old pupils with a migrant background varied from 52% in Luxemburg (the highest in Europe), to 17 % in Sweden and Germany, 14 % in France and 11% in the Netherlands, and to less than 1% in Romania or Poland. A recent study on multilingual classrooms conducted by the European Commission proved that children with migration background or being part of a national minority develop better literacy in the language of schooling if they also develop literacy in their mother tongue, or if at least their mother tongue is taken into account and valued in school . Schools and teachers need to be better prepared to support bilingual learners. Teachers need specific training and support for working with children who are learning the language of the school as an additional language, or who are bilinguals. Moreover, teaching in a multilingual classroom requires a different set of competences . In the latest TALIS survey (2013), teaching in a cultural and linguistic diverse classroom appeared as one of the areas where teachers needed most help for professional development. The 2017 Eurydice report on 'Teaching languages at school in Europe' indicated that only in two countries future teachers were trained to work with students with a migrant background. Languages competence European integration includes the principle of freedom of movement and linguistic diversity as a fundamental component of European culture. Learning languages and being able to communicate in more than one language remains one of the key competences for lifelong learning, as defined in the 2006 Reference Framework. The 2006 Reference Framework referred to 'Communication in a foreign language', however the concept of 'foreign language' can cause ambiguity when trying to define what is foreign and to whom . It also excludes sign languages which could hardly be described as foreign. Therefore, it is proposed to refer to 'Languages competence' in a revised Reference Framework, stressing the importance of learning languages as a tool for communication within multilingual societies and work environments. Learning languages remains one of the key competences for lifelong learning. Focus is on improving the development of linguistic competences and on helping people to communicate across borders, to make use of mobility within Europe and in a globalised economy. The public consultation as well as a study on cross-border cooperation in Europe, completed by European Commission's Directorate general for regional policy in 2016, showed that language barriers (i.e. lack of knowledge of a neighbouring country’s language) was the most important obstacle to cross-border cooperation. Language differences have been also identified as a barrier and risk factor to increase fragmentation in the context of the Digital Single Market . Successive Council conclusions in 2008 and 2011 called on EU Member States to work together to enhance European cooperation on multilingualism and to take appropriate steps to improve effective language teaching and strengthening linguistic competence. A good command of more than one language is essential to making one's way in the modern world and labour market. The New Skills Agenda for Europe (2016) recalled the importance of formal education and training in equipping every citizen with a broad range of skills which open doors to personal fulfilment and development, social inclusion, active citizenship and employment, which includes foreign languages. The Barcelona European Council of 2002 already called for action “to improve the mastery of basic skills, in particular by teaching at least two foreign languages from an early age” . This goal has led most of the EU-level and national policies aimed at monitoring and promoting the development of language competences across Member States, including discussion about the establishment of a linguistic competence indicator. In May 2014 Council conclusions on multilingualism and the development of language competences highlighted that the level of language skills of many young people in Europe could be improved and that, despite some progress in recent decades, there is still considerable variation across countries in terms of access to language learning. Indeed, the First European Survey on Language Competences (2012), which provided the first-ever European scale comparison of the foreign language proficiency of pupils in secondary education, revealed, on average, a low level of competence. Only 42% of the tested pupils overall reached the level of independent user in the first foreign language, and merely a quarter of pupils did so in the second foreign language. This means that after several years of studying a language in school, a majority of young Europeans cannot have a simple conversation in the languages they have studied.

The Key Data on Teaching Languages at School in Europe (Eurydice, 2017) Report gives an overview on what languages students are learning in schools across Europe, at what age they begin studying their first and second foreign language, and what level of proficiency they are expected to reach by the end of compulsory education. The 2017 edition also includes data on how the language skills of newly arrived language pupils are being assessed and what type of language support is available to them. Highlights of the 4th edition of the Key data on teaching languages at school in Europe: ·Students are learning a foreign language from a younger age, compared with a decade ago; ·More lower secondary students are now learning two foreign languages compared with 10 years ago; ·Learning a second language is not compulsory in all countries; ·English is the most studies foreign language, and many more primary education students learn English compared with 10 years ago; ·French, German, Spanish are popular choices for the second foreign language; ·Foreign languages other than English, French, German or Spanish are rarely studied; ·The students are expected to reach 'independent user level' in their first foreign language by the time they finish school; ·VET students learn fewer foreign languages than their counterparts in general education; ·Only around half of all foreign language teachers in Europe have travelled abroad for professional reasons; ·The majority of European countries provide language support for newly arrived migrant students, but only in two countries are all prospective teachers prepared to work with migrant students. Science, technological, engineering and mathematical competence Competences in mathematics, science and technology are increasingly important. With their emphasis on critical questioning and problem solving they are prerequisite for the functioning of technologically advanced, knowledge based societies and economies. Challenges like climate change, energy supply, healthy aging and digitalisation further increase the imminent need for competences in mathematics, science and technologies. The Reference Framework already provided a good and comprehensive definition of these competences. This is also confirmed by the results of the consultation process dedicated to the review of the Recommendation on Key Competences. They indicate that the descriptions of these two competences correspond to the commonly accepted understanding among education experts and the Member States' authorities. Looking at it more than a decade later might lead only to minor changes, adapting the title of this competence to current terminology, strengthening the understanding of science as a process and way of thinking, and including a reference to the increasing need of financial literacy. However, about 20% of Europe's 15-year olds do not reach a minimum level of skills in mathematics and science. Furthermore, a number of countries experience shortages of highly qualified graduates in the so-called STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering and mathematics); the share of STEM graduates compared to the total number of graduates in the European Union is further decreasing . Therefore, in the context of the review of the Recommendation on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning it is important to address the challenge of helping learners to develop competences in mathematics, science and technology. Mathematics is an instrument; mathematical reasoning is essential for a wide range of daily activities, tasks and professions. It is al