Report from the Commission - The concrete future objectives of education systems
Date: 2001-01-31
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: access to education, education, educational institution, organisation of teaching, vocational training

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 31.01.2001
COM(2001) 59 final

REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION

THE CONCRETE FUTURE OBJECTIVES OF EDUCATION SYSTEMS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 3

1.

The Perspective from Member States ....................................................................... 3

- Their main concerns............................................................................................... 4

- And EU-level action ............................................................................................... 5

2

Proposed concrete future objectives.......................................................................... 5

- Raising the standard of learning in Europe ............................................................ 6

- Making access to learning easier and more widespread at all times of life ............. 7

- Updating the definition of basic skills for the knowledge society............................. 8

- Opening education and training to the local environment, to Europe
and the world ......................................................................................................... 10

- Making the best use of resources .......................................................................... 13

- Developing a new partnership with schools.......................................................... 13

3.

The “Open method of Coordination” - method proposed by Lisbon... ..................... 14

Conclusions ......................................................................................................................... 15

Executive summary.............................................................................................................. 16

Annexes ............................................................................................................................... 17

REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION

THE CONCRETE FUTURE OBJECTIVES OF EDUCATION SYSTEMS

INTRODUCTION

1.

2.

1.

3.

1

2

3

4

5

At its Lisbon meeting in March 2000, the European Council invited the Education
Council “to undertake a general reflection on the concrete future objectives of
education systems, focusing on common concerns and priorities while respecting
national diversity, with a view to … presenting a broader report to the European
Council in the Spring of 2001”1. The Education Council at its June 2000 meeting
invited the Commission to prepare a draft of the report. The Commission invited the
Member States to contribute to this process by answering a questionnaire as to how
they were following up the Lisbon Conclusions in the field of education generally,
and specifically how they saw the concrete future objectives of the education
systems. It presented a discussion paper to the Education Council on 9 November
2000, based on its own reflections and on current debate and research in the field of
education (the contributions from Member States were not at that stage complete);
the present draft report takes account not only of the contributions which Member
States have made, but of the initial document and the Council discussion on that date.
It prepares for the discussion in the Education Council of 12 February, which should
adopt the report for the European Council in Stockholm as confirmed by the Nice
European Council on 7–9 December 20002.

This report covers not only the education systems as such, but the training systems as
well; the Commission considers that the mandate from the Lisbon European Council
can only be interpreted in that sense. It starts (section 1) with a brief analysis of the
main elements emerging from the contributions made by Member States in response
to the Commission’s questionnaire and of work done at EU-level. It then proposes
(section 2) a number of concrete objectives which could form the basis for a joint
work programme to be agreed by the Council; and finally (section 3) puts forward
suggestions as to how to take forward this work programme in the context of the
“open method of coordination”3 proposed for cooperation in the education field by
the European Councils of Lisbon and Feira4.

THE PERSPECTIVE FROM MEMBER STATES ...

The contributions from Member States5 were varied and diverse; but they show a
number of common concerns about the future and about the contribution which the
education systems must make if the Lisbon goal that Europe should become ”the
most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of
sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion”

Presidency Conclusions, paragraph 27
Presidency Conclusions, paragraph 34
Presidency Conclusions, paragraphs 37/38
Presidency Conclusions, paragraph 38
The texts of Member States' contributions are available on (Europa web site address)

3

is to be achieved, and to the more general goals which society attributes to education.
They also reflect the increasing pace of change within society and the economy, as
well as the impact of increasing European integration. Overall, the Member States
reflect view that education must contribute to three main goals: the development of
the individual, who can thus realise his or her full potential and lead a happy and
fruitful life; the development of society, in particular by reducing the disparities and
inequities as between individuals or groups; and the development of the economy, by
ensuring that the skills available on the labour market match the needs of businesses
and employers. This should be done by a strategy of lifelong learning which
overcomes the traditional barriers between the various parts of formal and informal
education and training.

… THEIR MAIN CONCERNS …

4.

The five following points reflect the main concerns expressed by Member States:

4.1.

Quality

All Member States perceive a need to increase the quality of their education and
training systems. This applies to the quality of the learning process both for young
people and for adults; to the quality of the teaching process, with the implications for
initial and in-service teacher training and of support to teachers and trainers dealing
with disadvantaged groups or with adults; and to the quality of the instruments and
teaching materials available to help people learn.

4.2.

Access

Member States see a need to develop access to learning at all stages of life, and in
many cases mention a specific strategy regarding the development of lifelong
learning. They also stress the role which the education systems must play in
developing social cohesion, and in attracting people with difficulties or from
minorities into learning so that they can be enabled to play their full part in society.
In this connection, a number of Member States stress the need for learning to become
more attractive and more responsive to the specific needs and circumstances of
learners.

4.3.

Content

All Member States see a need to reconsider the basic skills with which young people
should leave initial school or training, and for these to integrate fully the Information
and Communication Technologies. The need for a forward perspective on basic skills
– i.e. for there to be a continuous process of adaptation of their definition, and of the
means for teaching them, and for the range of subjects offered to be as wide as
possible, is also stressed by some.

A number of Member States underline the role of education in transmitting the
values of society – democracy, citizenship, community – though this also underlies
the comments made by all Member States on the role of education as a whole.

4.4.

Openness

Most Member States stress the need for schools, training centres and universities to
be open to the world: to increase their links with the local environment (with

4

businesses and employers in particular, so as to increase their understanding of the
needs of employers and thus to increase the employability of learners); to ensure an
openness of spirit
towards foreign countries, Europe and the wider world (e.g.
through foreign language learning and mobility).

4.5.

Effectiveness

Although Member States report increases in the investments in human resource
spending (as proposed by the Lisbon Conclusions), they also stress the need for their
education systems to make more use of quality assurance and evaluation systems in
assessing their quality and becoming more effective in what they deliver; to ensure
the best use of resources available to them; and to direct investment in human and
financial terms where it will be most useful.

A summary of the contributions made by Member States, organised around the
targets set by the Lisbon conclusions, will be found in Annex 1.

… AND EU-LEVEL ACTION

Similarly, a number of measures have been taken by the Commission since the
Lisbon European Council – most notably the publication of the Communication on
“e-learning”, and the Memorandum on Lifelong Learning which was presented to the
Education Council on 9 November 2000. A summary of these EU-level activities
will be found in Annex 2.

PROPOSED CONCRETE FUTURE OBJECTIVES

On the basis of these contributions, and of the analysis provided above,
the
Commission has noted a very real convergence of analysis and objectives between
Member States. It considers that five concrete objectives could be defined, which
would provide a basis for Member States to work together over the next ten years to
define the contribution they would make at European level to achieving the goals set
out by Lisbon. Of course, all Member States would continue their own efforts in
other areas to increase the quality of service provided to learners and to society and
the economy as a whole; the five objectives set out below would be those around
which the Council could define a joint work programme in the context of the “open
method of coordination” proposed by Lisbon, to be pursued jointly by the Member
States, supported by the Commission, at European level.

These objectives also relate to the Memorandum on Lifelong Learning which the
Commission presented to the Education Council on 9 November 2000, and around
which it intends, with the cooperation of Member States, to develop a debate within
the EU. While the formulation of the concrete objectives below relates to the
contributions made by Member States, they themselves see the future within a
lifelong learning context, and it is thus natural that the two exercises are closely
linked.

The concrete objectives proposed, with some indication of the areas they might
include, are as follows:

5

5.

6.

2.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Raising the standard of learning in Europe

Raising the standard of learning is essential
if Europe is to become a more
competitive and dynamic society. It is also essential if Europe wishes to enable its
citizens better to develop their own skills and competences, and to realise their
potential as individuals, as members of society, and as economic agents. All Member
States recognise the importance of quality, and indeed a recommendation from the
Council and European Parliament on Quality in schools is under discussion, and one
on Quality in higher education has been adopted6. They translate a general view of
the need to ensure high and rising standards of learning for everyone in Europe.

11.

Improving Training for Teachers and Trainers

Upgrading the initial and in-service training of teachers and trainers so that their
skills respond both to the changes in society and expectations, and to the varied
groups involved (all ages of young people in initial education and training, and a
wide spectrum of ages of adults; people with specific learning difficulties, and with
personal or societal difficulties; etc.) is a major challenge to the education systems
over the next 10 years.

The skills of teachers and trainers are the key to the motivation of learners and to
their success. Future-oriented training is now essential – the majority of teachers
qualified 25 years ago or more, and the upgrading of their skills has in many cases
not kept pace with change. Equally, the role of teachers has changed – they are no
longer the unique source of knowledge, which they impart to a respectful audience;
today they function more as tutors guiding learners as each travels a unique and
individual pathway to knowledge. Training should enable teachers and trainers
in much the same way) to
(whose problems are different, but have an impact
motivate their pupils not only to learn the vocational skills they need, but also to
assume the responsibility for that unique and individual pathway which alone can
bring them the competences required in society and in work today.

In the longer term, such questions around the role of the teacher may also need to
take on board the issue of the attractiveness of the status of teachers, given the
percentage of them who are closer to retirement age.

12.

Increasing Literacy and Numeracy

Ensuring that all citizens achieve literacy and numeracy is essential to ensuring
quality learning; they are the key to all subsequent learning capabilities, as well as to
employability. Although an accurate assessment of the extent of the problem is
difficult to make (because people are understandably reluctant to admit to difficulties
with reading or arithmetic), there is no doubt but that a continuing problem exists in
these two fields, and that weaknesses here hold back some people throughout their
lives. Some groups (e.g. those whose mother tongue is not the language of learning)
are particularly vulnerable here.

6

Recommendation 98/561/EC on Quality in Higher Education was adopted on 24 September 1998; the
draft Recommendation on Quality in Schools was discussed by the Education Council on 9 November
2000, and a formal first reading is expected soon.

6

Although the problem is chiefly perceived as relating to initial education and
there is also an increasing problem of people who lose these skills
training,
(particularly literacy) once they have moved out of formal learning. In a society
which enables people to absorb more and more without reading, other means have to
be found to persuade them that maintaining literacy and numeracy skills is essential
both personally and professionally.

The introduction of Information and Communication Technologies both makes the
problem more acute – since the changes in the workplace they induce lessen the
numbers of
jobs available to those whose literacy and numeracy skills are
inadequate; and at the same time provides new and more individual ways of tackling
the problem, which need further development if society as a whole is to reduce the
proportions of people who suffer from this disadvantage. It is clear that a concerted
effort to tackle this problem is now essential in some Member States, and will soon
become so everywhere.

13.

Making access to learning easier and more widespread at all times of life

Everyone accepts that education systems must adapt to a world of lifelong learning;
and in a number of Member States this leads to concerns about the inclusiveness of
education and its contribution to the fight against social exclusion, about its internal
coherence, and about how attractive it is to young people and to adults. The change
in the demographic pyramid – the proportion of young people in society has never
been smaller – also reinforces the importance of encouraging continuing learning in
the older age groups.

14.

Access to Lifelong Learning

The need for education systems to adapt to the needs of people at all ages, and to be
able to attract people of all ages into the learning process, is rightly seen as the most
significant challenge of all by all Member States. All Member States recognise that
the change in the nature of work and of the availability of information mean that a
continuing appetite for learning and for information is crucial for individuals as well
as for society and the economy.

Meeting this challenge involves first and foremost a recognition that change is
needed in the ways the education and training are delivered if they are to become
genuinely available to all, at all stages in their lives. It implies that all parts of those
systems have to become more democratic and more welcoming in their attitude to
learners – particularly higher education. Guidance has to become more readily
available, and greater use made of the potential for individualising pathways offered
by computers. But extending education in this way will raise issues which have not
always been part of the education world – such as the adaptation of timetables to the
availability of those with families, making available child care during courses, or
even the recognition of prior experience gained outside formal education systems. It
also requires further extension of education towards very young children –general
cover for pre-school care, combining play and learning opportunities, is something
which most parents seek, and which provides children with a better social base to
move forward effectively into the more formal learning process of school.

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15.

Making learning more attractive

The issue of incentives to stay in learning, or of the extent to which provision can be
seen to be “demand-led” also arises in this context. As young people reach an age at
which they can leave formal education or training and go into paid employment,
which (with tightening labour markets) becomes an increasing trend, other forms of
incentive have to be available to counter-balance that of the pay packet. At later
stages of life, the issue of finance for learning also arises – although in a different
context. The lifelong learning context implies that people should not have to regard
(e.g.) employment and learning as mutually exclusive.

The way in which these issues are presented varies (by definition) from Member
their existence is widespread, and solutions must
State to Member State; but
therefore be found.

16.

Internal coherence within education systems

The way in which education systems are organised can also make access more
difficult. Are the systems flexible enough, do they provide entry points at all stages
from early childhood right through to later life, how easy is it to move from a
qualification in one stream to a qualification in another, do all paths enable the
learner to go forward into (say) higher education? Questions such as these can
encourage or discourage individuals, each with their own circumstances and
ambitions, to move forward within learning or to opt out or not to come back in.

17.

Education and social cohesion

Finally, if education is to fulfil its role of providing all individuals with an equitable
entry point into society, it needs to do more than just attract and retain the interest of
people from all backgrounds (and increasingly at all ages) to the learning process. It
needs first to ensure that its content is adapted to the needs of the various groups
involved; and secondly, that the picture of society which it conveys, through its
curricula, through its teaching materials, is that which society itself would wish – for
example,
in areas such as equal opportunities, or the fight against racism or
discrimination.

18.

Updating the definition of basic skills for the knowledge society

The basic skills which society requires education to deliver are those which give an
individual a secure foundation for life and work. They thus cover the vocational or
technical skills as well as those social or personal competences which enable people
to work together and to lead happy and fruitful lives. The increased pace of change in
society and in the economy, and in particular the introduction of Information and
Communication Technologies (ICTs) requires us continuously to keep the definition
of basic skills under review, and to adapt it to those changes on a regular basis; and
to see that those who left formal education or training before the new skills were
available, have a chance to regain them later.

19.

Information and Communication Technologies for everyone

The rapid development within society of the use of information and communication
technologies has meant a revolution in the way schools and training institutions

8

work, as indeed it has changed the way in which very many people in Europe work.
As far as the education systems are concerned, there are three challenges:

• Equipping schools. Here, Lisbon set a target that all schools should be equipped
for the Internet and the use of multimedia resources by the end of 2001, and with
considerable national effort, supported in some cases by the EU Structural Funds,
this target will be achieved. Beyond this, however, lies the issue of equipping
teachers and learners with free and easy access to computers.

• Training teachers. Here, too, Lisbon set a target (all teachers to be skilled in the
use of the Internet and multimedia resources by the end of 2002), and the
importance of providing good training for teachers is recognised by all Member
States. Perhaps more importantly, though, new pedagogical issues arise around
ways to encourage people to develop the specific skills to use ICTs well – skills
such as the selection of information, its analysis and its subsequent transformation
into knowledge and skill.

• Networking and Resources. The use of school networks is developing rapidly.
Many Member States have specific networks for education and training, which
they use to provide teachers with training and materials, classes with means and
methods of cooperation both within and between schools, and individual learners
with access to materials related to curricula or indeed with e-mail facilities. At the
same time, the availability of multimedia resources and their linguistic diversity is
expanding, and schools and teachers are becoming more accustomed to their use.
The challenge now is to integrate these new resources within normal teaching
practice, and to evaluate in which subject areas they are currently best used, and
where they need further development before being able to make a worthwhile
contribution to group learning.

• Even in the short time since Lisbon, however, the speed of change has made some
of the targets suggested there less relevant. The real challenge is double: first of
all to ensure that enough equipment and broadband connections exist for pupils to
be able to get real advantage from the Internet and, secondly to ensure that
appropriate learning content and adapted pedagogical frameworks are set up so
that the new learning paradigm (e.g. using collaborative work over the internet)
can be fully exploited . Similarly, for teachers, the issue is not just about training,
it is about equipping them with the skills and the software to integrate the ICTs
into their daily practice, and in this way increase the learning capacities of the
people they work with. These challenges will be with us for a few years yet.

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20.

Professional skills and personal competences

The changing nature of society and of work means that increasingly, professional or
vocational skills are not enough. At work, the complexity of work organisation, the
increase in the types of task that employees are called upon to carry out, the
introduction of flexible work patterns and of team working methods, mean that
employees need skills beyond the purely technical in a way that their predecessors
did not. The range of skills used in the work place is constantly widening. Similarly,
society as a whole is less uniform than in the past, so personal competences (such as
adaptability, tolerance of others and of authority, team work, problem solving and
independence, etc.) are more widely required if people are to live
risk taking,
important of these
together in tolerance and respect for each other. The most
competences is the ability to learn – maintaining the curiosity and the interest in new
issues and skills – without which lifelong learning cannot exist. For many teachers,
however, this ability is difficult to stimulate; and its development should be a focus
both of teacher training and of educational research in the coming years so that
teachers are well prepared for acting in a constantly changing environment

Very often, education systems concentrate on transmission of the professional or
vocational skills, leaving the personal competences more or less to chance. However,
these can be developed and encouraged in parallel to, and through the teaching of,
vocational skills, and research shows that where this is done, the effectiveness of
teaching increases. Spreading these more personal skills required is a challenge for
the knowledge society.

21.

Specific Skills

The permanent review of the content of basic skills is essential in itself. However, it
will from time to time be clear that within the normal basic skills package, some
areas are not as attractive to learners as others – i.e. that not enough people are
entering specific pathways in education or training, with the result that society and
the economy suffer a shortage of skills in particular areas. This is why the continuous
review of the content basic skills has to be prospective – it has to look both at what is
available now and at what will be needed in the future.

Ministerial discussions have confirmed a current shortage of young people taking the
maths and natural science pathways through school and into university. In particular,
the numbers of girls and women taking these subjects are lower than their proportion
of the population would suggest . Given the importance of these subject areas for the
economy in the future, it is essential to understand the causes of such trends, and to
take action to encourage greater
take-up in these areas. "The Commission
communication "Towards a European Research Area" (COM (2000)6) confirmed the
disaffection for scientific study and a loss of interest among the young in careers in
research.

22.

Opening education and training to the local environment, to Europe and the
world

There is consensus about the need to open up education systems to the influences of
other parts of society – both those close to schools (parents, local institutions, local
businesses) and those more distant (exchanges, mobility, e-mail networks). This is
the increased mobility, both professional and
necessary not

just because of

10

geographical, that people undertake during their working lives, but also as part of the
way in which Europe adapts to meet the challenges of a global economy. In addition,
schools do not always have to look far for resources in this area: the multicultural
nature of many city schools, where 10, 20 or even more languages may be spoken by
pupils at home, provides access to other cultures and life-styles on the school’s own
door-step – and the same applies to training or youth institutions as well.

Within this multicultural European context, three particular areas of concern stand
out:

23.

Foreign language teaching

Better foreign language teaching is essential if Europe is to achieve its potential –
whether this is its economic potential, its cultural or its social potential. Unlike our
main competitors, ours is a multilingual society; and our teaching should reflect this
– as it increasingly does.

Research suggests that early foreign language teaching is a key to greater language
success later in life. Not only does it anchor the concept of foreign language in a
child’s mind at a period when the child is most receptive, it also enables interest
about a society’s neighbours and partners to be developed in new ways. The vast
majority of Member States have experimented with early language learning; and the
overall balance sheet
is positive. We now need to build upon that success by
mainstreaming that experience, so that it moves beyond the pilot stage into all
schools; improving the way in which we deal with transition phases from one school
to another – so that success in primary education is effectively built upon in
secondary; and ensuring the availability of mother-tongue foreign language speakers
in schools who can help children develop their skills beyond the capacity of normal
primary or secondary teachers. The resource implications of this challenge are
considerable.

The presence of foreign language mother-tongue teachers would also help with
foreign language teaching at
later ages, as would the development of teaching
materials targeted specifically at adults. For most of the languages of the European
Union, such materials are still scarce.

In both these areas, the contribution of EU programmes such as Socrates or Leonardo
can be considerable; and the added value of cooperation between Member States is
very clear.

24.

Increasing mobility and exchanges

Over the last 10 years or so, not least because of interest sparked by the EU’s own
educational programmes Socrates, Leonardo or Youth, many schools have opened up
to mobility and exchanges. These provide an occasion for a project-linked teaching
cycle, where pupils themselves can often lead; for cross-curricular and team-teaching
work; and for new forms of motivation for learners. While many such activities
involve some public funding, the overall amount is often small as a proportion of the
total costs, and schools and pupils show great resourcefulness in raising additional
money to take the project forward – which is a further incidental benefit of the
activity. Overall, they provide participants with a new view on the world – a practical
use for foreign language learning, and show the positive sides to other people. They

11

also provide a different perspective on the learning process, and the possibility for
teachers to share good practice with their foreign colleagues, and to learn from each
other in that context.

It is now necessary to widen the range of schools and training institutions which take
part in such activities, since institutions with less-advantaged learners tend to be
under-represented. This implies an effort of training for those in the institutions; and
targeting of resources towards such schools; and a campaign of encouragement and
motivation to show what rewards these activities can bring to schools which invest
the effort required.

25.

Strengthening links with business

The need for schools and training institutions to relate to the world of business is
now accepted – as regards training, it is in many countries inherent in the presence of
the social partners in the organisation of training and is clearly an essential part of the
process of ensuring employability. However, local businesses are a resource in other
ways as well, for example in providing a perspective on the future needs for skills in
the area, as well as a potential input for learners into the way in which the business
world works. Schools should also build on the contacts they have with businesses in
their local environment to provide role models of successful businesses as part of
their civic education curricula.

Education systems should also consider whether their attitudes to business, and to
partners outside the education system itself, are still valid in the new Millennium.
Attitudes in the past have tended to be somewhat closed to outside influences – not
least because of the size and ramifications of education systems, the numbers of
people they employ and affect, and the importance attached to them politically.
However, although the European tradition is of limited private sector involvement in
education, experience from elsewhere in the world suggests that business has a long-
term interest in seeing a quality output from schools. Society’s best interest may be
served by encouraging such interest and not by excluding it; and the education
systems should review their practice to see what can be learned from such
involvement in terms of motivating learners and of injecting a new perspective into
schools or training establishments.

26.

Developing the spirit of enterprise

The Lisbon conclusions underline the need for European societies to become more
entrepreneurial. They point to the need to create “a friendly environment for starting
up and developing innovative businesses”7, and to the need for Europe to make
progress generally in this area. But the messages most children receive during their
education do not concern entrepreneurship – still
less do they encourage most
children to see setting up their own business as a viable alternative to being
employed by someone else. And yet research suggests that such decisions are in
practice taken as early as the age of 12 to 13.

Entrepreneurship is also wider than business activity – it
reactive spirit – something that society as a whole should value and invest

is also an active and
in.

7

Cf. Lisbon Conclusions, paragraph 13

12

Schools and training establishments should build this element into their curricula,
and ensure that young people have the chance to develop in this sphere from an early
age.

27.

Making the best use of resources

Although all Member States have been able to report rises in spending on human
resources, as Lisbon seeks, budgets generally are getting tighter. The pressure to use
available resources – whether human or financial – to the best possible effect, is part
of the daily life of leaders of schools and training institutions across the EU. A
certain number of elements which help can be identified.

28.

Quality Assurance systems

Quality assurance systems for schools and training institutions are an essential part of
an effective education and training system. They enable schools and training
institutions to look at the ways in which they serve people, and identify weaknesses
or areas to be improved. The techniques which enable quality to be measured are
readily available, though not all countries have the same experience of their use in
education. Their introduction requires an effort of training for teachers and school
leaders; but
in the
their application leads to increases in quality not
administrative areas of school life, but in the quality of the learning experience
the local
provided to young people and thereby the overall
community has of a school. This in turn enables an increase in confidence in the
capacity of the school to deliver, and to increased expectations of pupil attainment.
The whole is a virtuous circle which leads not only to a more effective use of
resources, but to a significant increase in a school's contribution to its community.

impression that

just

29.

Matching resources to needs

The combination of tighter education budgets and greater pressure for success means
that resources must be targeted to where the needs actually are. This in turn implies
that responsible authorities need to be able to understand which schools are doing
well, which less well or badly; and to direct resources in the directions needed. This
basis for this understanding also needs to be transparent
to the citizen, and
understood by all concerned.

Authorities therefore need a nationally recognised definition of the way in which
success is to be measured (i.e. a progression index), which takes account both of
differences in starting points and of the socio-economic background of the area in
which a particular schools may be. Many Member States have such systems now,
developing them is an essential part of making education more transparent to the
citizen, and ensuring its effectiveness.

30.

Developing a new partnership with schools

In practice, problems occur at local level; and the local level (i.e. the school or
training establishment) should have the means and the powers to respond to
problems in the most effective way possible within an overall resources limit. The
broad principle should be that
the less
intervention is needed from outside – and vice versa. Where an institution is

the more successful

the institution,

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3.

31.

32.

33.

seriously under-performing, the authorities have a clear responsibility to intervene.
But where it is succeeding well, there is less need to intervene or to question the
judgement of its leaders.

Decentralisation of management authority takes many forms, and there is no one
ideal model, but the trend towards it is very general within the EU. Greater freedom
for
leaders enables them to have a different sort of partnership with public
authorities, not just bilateral but multilateral, embracing not only other actors in the
education or training system (such as universities or teacher training colleges, or
other schools) but also private bodies such as businesses. Removing the barriers to
such partnerships can be a fruitful way of enabling education and training institutions
to make the best use of all the resources – financial and human capital as well as
social capital – which are available to them.

THE “OPEN METHOD OF COORDINATION” METHOD PROPOSED BY LISBON

During the discussion at the 9 November 2000 Education Council, the Commission
proposed a two stage process to respond to the Lisbon invitation, viz.: first phase of
the report to the Stockholm European Council on the content and broad lines of the
Education Council’s response; then a process of consultation between the Member
States and the Commission, leading to a second phase of the report (to the Seville
European Council in March 2002) which would define the method for implementing
the “open coordination” process.

The Commission takes the view that the concrete objectives outlined above provide
ample work for the next decade. Clearly many of the elements outlined there can be a
matter for national and or regional authorities and discussed with associations and
social partners where appropriate; but all objectives would benefit from a process of
peer review, of exchange of good practice, and of comparison of progress between
Member States. Nor are the objectives in themselves new; as has already been said,
they have been developed out of those put forward by Member States and out of the
Commission’s reflections and discussions with researchers and others in the
educational world, and represent areas in which work has already begun in many
Member States, and in some cases is well advanced. However, if the learning society
is to become a reality, all actors in the educational process have to be ready to learn;
and the Commission suggests that mutual learning between Member States, as
implicit within the “coordination” process, is a valuable way of increasing the quality
of service delivered to the citizen.

The work programme implicit in these five concrete objectives is very substantial.
The Commission suggests that during the year 2001 Member States and the
Commission should together define what work should be undertaken in each of the
areas concerned – which are suitable for peer review or the exchange of good
practice, where progress should be compared against which benchmarks, which areas
need indicators, where new indicators should be defined, the way in which Member
States will take a view about developments likely to be positive in the future. At the
same time, consideration will need to be given to the way in which education and
training are represented within (say) the Luxembourg process, or the Commission’s
annual Synthesis Report; just as continuing activity at EU level, such as the debate
on the Memorandum on Lifelong Learning, will surely provide very valuable
contributions to the discussions. This examination might be done through the

14

Education Committee; or it might be more efficient to use another group, less
concerned with the regular work of the EU, and thus more able to bring the necessary
time and perspective to the issues raised.

34.

Against this backdrop, the Education Council should commit itself in the report to
Stockholm to come to a view during 2001 – i.e. by the second phase of its report in
2002 – on the way in which “open coordination” should be implemented in the very
special field of education. The Commission recognises, as do Member States, that the
legal provisions of Articles 149 and 150 apply in these fields, and therefore apply to
any work done as part of “open coordination” here too. The Commission will be
ready to contribute to such discussions, and looks forward to taking them forward
under the Swedish and Belgian Presidencies during 2001, and under the Spanish
Presidency in 2002.

CONCLUSIONS

35.

36.

37.

The concrete objectives proposed in this report set out a number of challenges which
all education systems face today, to a greater or lesser extent. They are not confined
to the current 15 Member States; they apply equally, perhaps more strongly in some
cases, to the countries in the process of joining the Union. However, they are in
essence common challenges.

The future of the Union – achieving all the aims inherent in the challenge set out in
the Lisbon Conclusions,
i.e. “to become the most competitive and dynamic
knowledge-based economy in the world capable of sustainable economic growth with
more and better jobs and greater social cohesion” – requires a solid contribution
from the world of education. It requires that education systems can be adapted and
developed so as to deliver the basic skills and competences everyone needs in the
knowledge society; to make lifelong learning attractive and rewarding; and to reach
out to everyone in society, however far from education and training they may
consider themselves, with ways of developing their skills and making the best use of
them.

The Commission believes that no single Member State can now accomplish all this
alone. Our societies, like our economies, are now too interdependent for this to be
realistic. While we must preserve the differences of structure and system which
reflect the identities of the countries and regions of Europe, we must also recognise
that our main objectives, and the results we all seek, are strikingly similar. We should
build on those similarities to learn from each other, to share our successes and
failures, and to use education together to advance European citizens and European
society into the new millennium.

15

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The European Council at Lisbon asked the Education Council “to undertake a general
reflection on the concrete future objectives of education systems, focusing on common
concerns …”. The Council in June 2000 asked the Commission to prepare a draft report; and
the present document, prepared on the basis of Member State contributions and of a Council
debate on 9 November 2000, is that draft.

It starts with an analysis of the main elements in the Member State contributions –
summarised as concerns about the quality of teaching; access to learning; the content of
learning; openness of schools and training institutions to the outside world; and the
effectiveness with which resources in the education systems are used.

It then suggests that the Council adopt a long-term work programme, in the context of the
open method of coordination put forward by Lisbon, in which the Member States, supported
by the Commission, would work in five main areas:

• Raising the standard of learning in Europe, by improving the quality of
training for teachers and trainers, and by making a specific effort on literacy and
numeracy.

• Making access to learning easier and more widespread at all times of life,
through an effort to make lifelong learning easier to enter and more attractive, by
making it easier to move from one part of the education system to another (e.g.
into higher education from vocational education).

• Updating the definition of basic skills for the knowledge society, in particular
by integrating ICT skills, by concentrating more on personal competences, and by
looking at shortages in specific skills.

• Opening education and training to the local environment, to Europe and the
world, through foreign language teaching, mobility by strengthening links with
business and by developing education for enterprise.

• Making the best use of resources, by introducing quality assurance into schools
and training institutions; by better matching resources to needs, and by enabling
schools to develop new partnerships to support their new, wider role.

The report then proposes an approach to the “open method of coordination” proposed by
Lisbon, which takes account of the degree of subsidiarity attaching to education; and
concludes that the objectives set out in the report cannot be achieved by Member States alone,
and thus need cooperation at European level.

16

ANNEX 1
Analysis of national contributions describing Member States' follow-up to the Lisbon
and Feira Summits

This analysis is structured in line with the objectives laid down in the Lisbon Conclusions.
The Member States' replies outlined the measures implemented or planned. Although each
Member State is working to put in place a raft of measures to adapt their education systems to
the Knowledge Society, numerous initiatives still need to be taken.

• A substantial annual increase in per capita investment in human resources.

Although Member States are working hard to increase the education and training
budget, it is not always able to match the constantly growing needs. Depending on
the country involved, such increases either cover all the various activities or are
targeted on specific fields such as boosting the number of teachers, their continuing
training or upgrading their pay,
the
arrangements for keeping young people in a flexible education and training setting
leading to qualifications, reforming the adult education system, or increasing the
number of places available in pre-school education, vocational training or higher
education.

the entire vocational

training set-up,

In addition to increasing budgets, fund reallocation processes or rationalisation
measures are planned in the hope of obtaining a better return on future investment.
The courses on offer in secondary education and adult training are the two fields in
which rationalisation measures appear to be particularly necessary.

• The number of 18 to 24 year olds with only lower-secondary level education who are not

in further education and training should be halved by 2010.

Given the job market situation and the attested correlation between level of training
and participation in working life, the Member States are concentrating their efforts
on achieving such a reduction. It is clear that the situation varies from country to
country. Some have a long way to go, while others have almost achieved the
optimum level.

The Member States which, for various reasons, have a limited capacity at pre-school
increasing the facilities
level, are focusing their efforts on initiatives aimed at
available, making the people involved more professional and ensuring greater quality
of teaching at this level. Their aim is to try to provide, from the outset, young
children with the best possible learning environment, so that they can further build
on this. Here, too, some Member States provide pre-school facilities for almost all
three- and four-year-olds whereas other countries still lag far behind on this score.

Failure at school, which is still too high in most Member States, is targeted for
positive action such as educational guidance, establishment of early warning and
prevention systems,
initiatives for risk groups (conurbations,
ethnic minorities, etc.), measures to diversify teaching content and approaches, plus
making individuals more responsible for themselves.

individual support

17

–

–

training is one of

Teacher
the major objectives given the extremely rapid
developments in both technology and science. The aim here is to acquaint teachers
with new contents, and new fields of university training are gradually opening up.

New learning contexts offering greater flexibility or overall approaches for learners
and those around them are gradually springing up at local level.

Technical and vocational education, plus adult education, are set to undergo major
changes. As regards the former, such development needs to be based on an
assessment of this strand of education, reorganising it on a more modular footing,
increasing the courses on offer,
introducing new areas, close cooperation with
businesses and greater interplay with the job market.

All adult education systems as a whole should be rethought to make courses more
compatible with participants' needs (in terms of timetables, venue, possibility of
combining lessons with a job, providing courses leading to qualifications in demand
on the job market, etc.) – increasing second or third-chance opportunities, both for
young people and adults in work, expanding the training courses on offer by
adopting a more modular approach, developing continuous follow-up and positive
evaluation systems for learners. Some moves are planned to boost cooperation with
businesses, foster individual responsibility, raise the numbers of employees in
continuing training, and offer skill audits to prospective learners, thereby making it
possible to personalise training programmes and facilitate self-learning.

• Schools and training centres, all linked to the Internet, should be developed into
multipurpose local learning centres accessible to all, using the most appropriate methods
to address a wide range of target groups; learning partnerships should be established
between schools, training centres, firms and research facilities for their mutual benefit.

To start with, the "places" devoted to skill learning and knowledge acquisition are on
information and
the increase. Most of them are centred around learning about
communication technologies, vocational training programmes devised locally among
various partners to cover identified needs, sharing hi-tech equipment, teacher training
programmes – with or without distance-learning facilities – advice and guidance
services sometimes located in local authority premises.

Schools will be increasingly requested to open their doors to adult training courses
and to make their equipment and infrastructures available to them.

libraries,

Such multipurpose places of knowledge acquisition and learning should be linked up
in networks so as to bring together a large range of partners: schools, training
local authorities, etc. These
centres,
initiatives are gradually improving the interconnectivity of the local area, thereby –
in the long term – making it easier for each citizen who so desires, no matter where
they live or their particular circumstances, to gain access to a local resources centre,
with or without distance guidance.

training institutes,

technological

It is precisely in this field that, as shown by certain Member States' experience, it
could be necessary – while making sure that all participants are interconnected – to
preserve a certain amount of diversity among local centres. Having different courses
improves access for a larger range of target groups.

18

In Member States where such facilities have been around for a long time now, these
centres have been reinforced or have developed along new lines (for instance, in the
higher education sphere).

• A European framework should define the new basic skills to be provided through
lifelong learning: IT skills, foreign languages, technological culture, entrepreneurship
and social skills. A European diploma for basic IT skills, with decentralised certification
procedures, should be established in order to promote digital literacy throughout the
Union.

Many Member States are aware of the need to adopt a new framework defining the
basic skills to be acquired, mainly those mentioned in the Lisbon Summit
Conclusions. In some case, particular stress is being placed on maths and science
skills or on democratic and civic values.

In a few cases, the teacher training programmes have already been reviewed or are in
the process of being so.

While most Member States would like a European framework defining these new
skills to be adopted, the need for joint groundwork to finalise the details of the
approach is considered a must so as to successfully conclude this matter.

In some countries, the basic ICT skills are validated by a nationally recognised "ICT
driving licence". In such instances, establishments in the country are authorised to
arrange the harmonised tests required for obtaining the licence. The table of
vocational qualifications in this field has been reviewed on some occasions, taking
into account the clarifications proving necessary when devising the licence.

The European diploma project is largely supported by Member States. However,
some reservations are expressed as regards the longevity of the skills attested by such
a certificate, given the rapidity with which this field of activities is evolving.

• Define, by the end of 2000, the means for fostering the mobility of students, teachers,
training and research staff both through making the best use of existing Community
programmes (Socrates, Leonardo, Youth, RTD) by removing obstacles and through
greater transparency in the recognition of qualifications and periods of study and
training. Take steps to remove obstacles to teachers’ mobility by 2002 and to attract
high-quality teachers.

Promoting the mobility of the abovementioned target groups is an aim still to be
achieved by Member States from an education cooperation angle. The mobility
action plan adopted by the Nice European Council contains various ways of
achieving this goal.

Publicity and information campaigns are being stepped up, although in certain cases
the national demand for mobility outstrips the opportunities available. The debate is
continuing on how to do away with the main obstacles, and measures are being taken
to achieve this, the focus being on recognising foreign certificates,
taking into
account periods of study or training spend abroad, portability of financial assistance
and compensation measures, clarifying the reference frameworks of qualifications,
etc.

19

Specific measures allowing teachers to take part in mobility measures more easily
are still all too rare. Some countries intend to take action to resolve the problems
linked to teachers being absent from their home school, the need to find replacements
for them there and career management.

The European Forum on Transparency of Qualifications is viewed with much interest
by Member States and can count on active national participation.

A "diploma supplement" is being looked at in several Member States, not only to
recognise courses of study and training pursued abroad but also to define more
precisely what is taught under the main national course.

• A common European format should be developed for curricula vitae, to be used on a
voluntary basis, in order to facilitate mobility by helping the assessment of knowledge
acquired, both by education and training establishments and by employers.

The European Forum on Transparency of Qualifications, in which Member States are
actively participating, is also the most suitable setting for reflection on this matter.
Working parties have been set up at national level in some cases. The European
curriculum project is favourably received, especially since it could also be used to
indicate skills acquired in non-formal or informal settings.

The "diploma supplement" is also an element mentioned when pondering the
introduction of a European curriculum.

• Ensure that all schools in the Union have access to the Internet and multimedia
resources by the end of 2001, and that all the teachers needed are skilled in the use of
the Internet and multimedia resources by the end of 2002.

Following the Lisbon and Feira Summits, all the Union countries wish to accelerate
their national policies on ICTs applied to education and training. Various measures
are planned in different education and training sectors for training/further training
teachers – for instance via regional centres of expertise – and financial assistance to
help cover the cost of using ICTs, organising a national forum on ICTs at school,
creating research or guidance structures related to ICT-assisted teaching, and
providing assistance in producing content. Infrastructures and equipment are to be
boosted, with e-mail addresses sometimes being allocated to every pupil and each
teacher. Some initiatives are being taken for less-advantaged groups likely to be left
standing on the wrong side of the digital barrier. Partnerships with research bodies
are being encouraged, as is accelerating the rate at which establishments are linked
into networks.

20

Initiatives taken to implement the Lisbon Conclusions at Community level

ANNEX 2

This annex gives an overview of the main initiatives taken at Community level
implementing the Lisbon Conclusions.

in

1.

MEMORANDUM ON LIFELONG LEARNING

This Memorandum8 was presented to the Education Council (9 November) under the
French Presidency.

The Commission has announced that it intends to initiate a broad debate on the
Memorandum at all levels involving all the players concerned by lifelong learning.
The Memorandum will be the point of reference for devising an overall strategy to
foster lifelong learning as a key element in the European social model and as part of
the coordinated employment strategy. It will form the framework within which to
define the new basic skills and devise a consistent strategy on continuing education
and training which seeks
inclusion,
employability and adaptability.

to promote active citizenship,

social

The Memorandum will be discussed at
Swedish Presidency (12 February and 28 May 2001).

the two Education Councils under the

Depending on how the discussions go, the Education Council of 28 May 2001 could
draw the initial conclusions from the debate. The Swedish Presidency intends to
organise several conferences bringing together policy-makers and experts to discuss
the Memorandum.

The consultation process should be finished in autumn 2001 with the presentation of
a report to the Council under the Belgian Presidency.

2.

E-LEARNING – DESIGNING TOMORROW'S EDUCATION

On 24 May 2000, the Commission adopted the Communication on "e-Learning-
Designing Tomorrow's Education9" which spells out and expands on the e-Europe
action plan in the education and training fields. This initiative proposes measures
along four main lines of action, viz.:

– availability of a high-quality infrastructure at reasonable cost;

– availability of courses and assisting services for teachers, trainers and learners so

as to enable them to fully participate in the changes under way;

– development of a wide range of good-quality multimedia services and contents,

plus viable economic or funding models;

8

9

SEC(2000) 1832, 30 October 2000
COM(2000) 318 final, 24 May 2000

21

– networking of initiatives and better dovetailing of measures at all levels.

The e-learning initiative met with a very favourable reception from the Education
Ministers at the Education Council of 8 June and from the Heads of State and
Government at the Feira European Council.

The Commission aims to publish a working document in spring 2001 covering all the
work done at Community level to help implement this initiative. Conferences on e-
learning will have been held under the French and Swedish Presidencies.

The Commission aims to submit to the Council, in spring 2001, a proposal for a draft
resolution on use of information and communication technologies in the education
and training fields. In addition, the Commission aims to present, under the Swedish
Presidency, a progress report on implementation of the e-learning initiative to the
Education Council in May 2001.

3.

PROMOTING MOBILITY

On 21 January 2000, the Commission presented a proposal for a Recommendation on
mobility within the Community for students, persons undergoing training, young
volunteers, teachers and trainers10. This proposal aims at getting rid of numerous
obstacles still hindering the mobility of these target groups. At
its meeting of
9 November 2000 the Council came up with a common position on this
recommendation. The action plan adopted by the Council at the French Presidency's
initiative forms the recommendation's operational wing11.

4.

EUROPEAN REPORT ON QUALITY OF SCHOOL EDUCATION

The European Report on Quality of School Education12 was drawn up by the
Commission in May 2000. It is based on 16 quality indicators chosen in close
cooperation with a group of experts designated by the Education Ministers in 26
European countries. The report stems from the mandate given to the Commission
during the conference of Education Ministers of the European Union and the
candidate countries held in Prague in June 1998.

The 16 indicators cover the following four broad areas: (1) attainment
(2) educational
(4) educational resources and structures.

success and transition;

(3) monitoring of

levels;
school education;

The report was presented to the Education Council held under the Portuguese
Presidency (8 June 2000) and to the conference of European Education Ministers
held in Bucharest (18–20 June 2000) where it met with a very favourable reception.

The indicators included in the first report need to be fleshed out and updated
regularly. In line with the mandate conferred by the Bucharest conference, the field
covered by the report needs to be broadened to cover lifelong learning as a whole.

10

11

12

COM(1999) 708 final, 21 January 2000
Not yet published
European Report on Quality of School Education, European Commission, May 2000

22

The Commission has set up a group of experts from the 35 countries attending the
Bucharest conference, and its first meeting is scheduled for early 2001. The
Commission wishes to present to the conference of European Education Ministers,
planned for Riga in June 2001, a proposal concerning the list of indicators it proposes
to include in the second European Report on Quality of Lifelong Learning due to be
published in 2002.

5.

ACTIVITIES TO EVALUATE QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Regarding higher education, the Council adopted a recommendation in September
1998 on European cooperation in quality assurance in higher education13. As part of
the moves to implement this recommendation the Commission has set up a European
quality assurance network consisting of policy-makers at education ministries,
national evaluation agencies and representatives of European associations working in
the higher education field.

Regarding school education, the Council has just adopted a common position on the
proposal for a recommendation on European cooperation in quality evaluation in
school education14. This recommendation invites Member States to establish in
particular transparent quality assurance systems and to encourage self-evaluation and
external evaluation of schools. For its part, the Commission is invited to encourage
cooperation between schools and the national authorities involved in school
evaluation and to promote their networking at European level. The recommendation
is due to be adopted by the European Parliament and the Council in spring 2001.

6.

EUROPEAN YEAR OF LANGUAGES 2001

The decision establishing the European Year of Languages 2001 was adopted on
17 July 200015. The Year will be mounted in close cooperation with the Council of
Europe. This initiative has several aims, viz.:

–

–

–

to raise European citizens' awareness of the richness of linguistic and cultural
diversity within the European Union;

encourage multilingualism and the lifelong learning of languages;

to bring to the notice of the widest possible public the advantages of
in the personal and
competencies in several languages, as a key element
professional development of individuals,
in
making full use of the rights conferred by citizenship of the Union and in
enhancing the economic and social potential of enterprises and society as a
whole.

in intercultural understanding,

The European conference being held to launch the European Year is scheduled for
18 to 20 February 2001 in Lund under the Swedish Presidency.

13

14

15

OJ L 270, 7 October 1998
COM(1999) 709 final, 24 January 2000
OJ L 232, 14 September 2000

23

7.

COORDINATION OF EMPLOYMENT POLICIES – LUXEMBOURG PROCESS -

The Lisbon Summit has set full employment as an overarching long-term goal for the
new European economy. On this basis, the Commission steered the Luxembourg
process further towards the Lisbon goals via the Employment Guidelines for 2001
which were endorsed by the Nice Council. The new Guidelines, while maintaining
their original four-pillar structure (employability, entrepreneurship, adaptability and
equal opportunity), add two horizontal issues, namely the role of the Social Partners
and that of Lifelong Learning. These have thus become essential components of the
employment strategy. Moreover, lifelong learning indicators form an important part
of the quantitative reporting within the Joint Employment Report, issued annually in
the framework of the Luxembourg process, as well as the Synthesis Report, called
for in the Lisbon Conclusions. These indicators relate to educational expenditure,
early school leavers, e-learning and participation in adult learning

The main financial instrument to support the Community employment and social
policy is the European Social Fund and one of its five priority fields is lifelong
training.

8.

DEVELOPMENT OF INDICATORS FOR LIFELONG LEARNING AND THE INFORMATION
SOCIETY

The Commission has launched several activities to develop relevant statistical
indicators for monitoring progress towards lifelong learning and the knowledge
society. In February 2000 Eurostat initiated a Task Force on "measuring lifelong
learning", in which other Commission DGs, EU agencies and networks as well as
Member States, OECD and UNESCO have participated. The final report is expected
in February 2001 and it will include recommendations for future work on the
statistical aspects of lifelong learning. A seminar on "measuring lifelong learning" is
to be held on 28 and 29 June 2001 with the participation of suppliers, producers and
users of statistics as well as of researchers. This seminar is part of the structured
debate on the Memorandum on Lifelong Learning.

9.

RTD - WHETTING YOUNG PEOPLE'S APPETITE FOR SCIENCE

In January 2000 the Commission adopted a communication entitled "Towards a
European Research Area" (COM(2000)6 final) aimed, in particular, at giving the
young a taste for research and careers in science. Bearing in mind that (i) research
and technology account for 25 to 50% of economic growth, but (ii) every country in
the Union is observing a disaffection for scientific study among the young, the
Commission recommends improved coordination of national awareness-raising
campaigns among young people.

In another communication, on "Making a reality of the European Research Area:
Guidelines for EU research activities" in October 2000 (COM(2000)612 final), the
Commission confirms that it will launch initiatives to support the drive to train
young people in scientific disciplines as soon as the next Framework Programme is
presented in February 2001.

24

10.

PREPARATION OF THE SYNTHESIS REPORT FOR THE STOCKHOLM EUROPEAN
COUNCIL

On 27 September the Commission adopted a Communication on the structural
indicators16 it proposes to use in the synthesis report for the Stockholm European
Council. Three indicators have been adopted for the education and training fields, i.e.
public expenditure on education, adult participation in education and training, and
the proportion of early school-leavers not in further education or training. A fourth
indicator covering connection of schools to the Internet needs to be worked on.

16

COM(2000) 594 final, 27 September 2000

25