COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Draft 2015 Joint Report of the Council and the Commission on the implementation of the Strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training (ET2020) New priorities for European cooperation in education and training
Date: 2015-08-26
Institutions: Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, European Commission
Subjects: continuing education, cooperation in the field of education, education policy, educational system, level of education, new educational methods, vocational training

EN 

   EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 26.8.2015  COM(2015) 408 final   COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Draft 2015 Joint Report of the Council and the Commission on the implementation of the Strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training (ET2020) New priorities for European cooperation in education and training {SWD(2015) 161 final}  
 
 
1. CONTEXT 

Europe is facing a number of urgent tasks: restoring job creation and economic recovery, 
achieving  sustainable  growth;  bridging  the  investment  gap;  enhancing  social  cohesion; 
giving  radicalisation  and  violence  priority  attention.  At  the  same  time,  Europe  must 
address long-term challenges such as ageing, adjusting to the digital era and competing in 
the global, knowledge-based economy. 

Europe's  policy  response  under  the  new  Agenda  for  Jobs,  Growth,  Fairness  and 
Democratic  Change  marks  a  fresh  start.  There  is  a  strong  economic  case  for  education 
and  training  as  a  growth-friendly  sector  to  play  a  critical  role  under  this  new  Agenda. 
Investment  in  human  capital  is  money  well  spent.  Good  education  and  training  help 
promote  sustained  economic  growth:  they  fuel  R&D,  innovation,  productivity  and 
competitiveness.  As  underlined  in  the  2015  Employment  Guidelines,  education  and 
training systems should improve their effectiveness and efficiency to raise the skill level 
of the workforce and address skills mismatches, to better anticipate and meet the rapidly 
changing needs of labour markets. This is particularly important in an increasingly digital 
society and for the transition to a circular economy. 

The  tragic  outbursts  of  violent  extremism  at  the  start  of  2015  sent  a  reminder  that 
education  and  training  have  an  important  role  in  fostering  inclusion  and  equality, 
cultivating mutual respect and embedding fundamental values in an open and democratic 
society.  By  reaching  out  –  in  particular  to  the  most  disadvantaged  –  education  and 
training are crucial to prevent and tackle poverty and social exclusion and discrimination, 
and to build a foundation on which active citizenship rests. Education and training should 
thus  step  up  efforts  to  improve  access  to  quality  learning  for  all,  thereby  fostering 
upwards social convergence. 

Education and training therefore make a substantial contribution to several EU strategies 
and initiatives, including the Europe 2020 Strategy, the Digital Single Market initiative, 
the European Agenda on Security and the Investment Plan for Europe, while respecting 
the  competence  of  Member  States  for  their  education  and  training  systems.  ET  2020 
cooperation  complements  national  action  and  supports  Member  States,  through  peer 
exchanges,  mutual  learning  and  evidence  building,  in  pursuing  reforms  to  further 
improve their performance.  

The Commission’s 2014 Education and Training Monitor shows that serious challenges 
remain: 

-   20%  of  15  year-olds  in  the  EU  score  poorly  in  reading,  science  and  mathematics; 
20% of adults have low levels of literacy and numeracy, and 25% have low levels of 
digital skills – yet only 10.7% take part in lifelong learning and very few low-skilled 
adults. 

-  Early school leaving now stands at 11.1% and 19 Member States have reached the 
Europe  2020  headline  target,  but  there  are  still  more  than  5  million  early  school 
leavers, with high unemployment rate (41%). 

2 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
-   Higher  education  attainment  continues  to  improve  and  is  now  37.9%.  16  Member 
States  have  met  the  Europe  2020  headline  target,  but  employability  of  graduates 
remains a severe problem in countries most affected by the crisis.  

The comprehensive mid-term stocktaking of the ET 2020 strategic framework carried out 
in 2014, involving Member States and key stakeholders, and providing the basis for this 
Report, led to three main policy conclusions: 

-  The  great  value  of  an  integrated  framework  covering  education  and  training  at  all 
levels was confirmed. Today's need for flexibility and permeability between learning 
experiences  requires  policy  coherence  from  early  childhood  education  and  schools 
through to higher education, vocational education and training and adult learning. 

-  The ET 2020’s four strategic objectives (and current EU benchmarks) remain valid 
as they were formulated in a comprehensive and forward-looking manner in the ET 
2020 Council conclusions of 2009, providing a solid basis for ET 2020 activities up 
to  2020.  However,  the  policy  focus  needs  to  be  re-calibrated  to  include  both  the 
pressing  economic  and  employment  challenges  and  the  role  of  education  in 
promoting  equity  and  non-discrimination  and  in  imparting  fundamental  values, 
intercultural competences and active citizenship. 

-   The  role  of  ET  2020  as  contributor  to  the  overall  EU  agenda  for  jobs,  growth  and 
investment,  including  the  European  Semester,  needs  to  be  further  deepened.  This 
implies  strengthening  evidence  building  and  mutual  learning  around  reform 
challenges as well as increasing the country specific relevance of the framework.  

Against the challenges and policy conclusions set out above, and to better align ET 2020 
with the EU’s political term and priorities, this Joint Report proposes to steer European 
cooperation under this framework up to 2020, thus increasing its work cycle from 3 to 5 
years. 

2. MAIN CHALLENGES AND FUTURE PRIORITIES 

On the basis of the stocktaking, and recognizing differences between Member States, this 
chapter  presents  the  main  developments  and  challenges  in  European  education  and 
training,  underpinning  the  identification  –  in  Annex  1  –  of  the  new  priority  areas  and 
concrete issues for further work up to 2020. 

2.1. Quality and relevance of learning outcomes is key for skills development 

in 

Europe’s low levels of basic competences hamper economic progress and severely limit 
individuals 
their  professional,  social  and  personal  fulfilment.  To  enhance 
employability,  innovation  and  active  citizenship,  basic  competences  must  go  hand  in 
hand with other key competences and attitudes: creativity, entrepreneurship and sense of 
initiative,  digital  skills  (including  coding),  foreign  language  competences,  critical 
thinking  including  through  e-literacy  and  media  literacy,  and  skills  reflecting  growing 
sectors, such as the green economy .  

The quality of  learning outcomes to be  stimulated in a lifetime perspective. While 16 
Member States have put in place comprehensive lifelong learning strategies, all countries 

3 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
should develop these  strategies  and ensure the permeability between various  forms and 
levels  of  learning  and  from  education  and  training  to  work.  This  requires  continued 
efforts of coordination and partnership between different learning sectors. 

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) is the starting point and one of the most 
efficient  means  for  raising  proficiency  in  key  competences,  but  it  faces  a  double 
challenge  of  increasing  access  and  quality.  Provision  of  services  for  children  under  3 
years is particularly problematic. Building on the ECEC quality framework developed by 
Member States during the previous work cycle, key issues for further work include the 
improvement  of  access,  focusing  on  the  disadvantaged,  the  professionalisation  of  staff 
and efficient governance, funding and monitoring systems. 

Measures  reducing  early  school  leaving  (ESL)  have  been  introduced  by  all  Member 
States,  but  do  not  always  add  up  to  a  comprehensive  strategy  as  required  by  the  2011 
Council Recommendation. A successful response requires a long-term commitment and 
cross-sector  cooperation,  focusing  on  prevention  and  early  intervention.  School-based 
ESL  strategies  should  include  collaborative  approaches,  partnership  with  external 
stakeholders and the community, and improve learning outcomes of all learners. 

Higher  education  (HE)  systems  should  boost  the  knowledge  economy.  HE  needs  to 
respond effectively to the demands of a changing society and labour market, by ensuring 
that  modernisation  focuses  on  synergies  between  teaching,  research  and  innovation, 
linking HE institutions and local communities and regions, and innovative approaches to 
improve  the  relevance  of  curricula,  including  using  information  and  communication 
technologies  (ICT).  Increasing  graduation  rates  remains  a  challenge  for  many  Member 
States, especially among disadvantaged groups. 

Vocational  education  and  training  (VET)  graduates  show  good  employment  rates  in 
most Member States. Apprenticeships and dual VET schemes are particularly important 
as  they  ensure  relevant  skills  which  facilitate  transitions  to  the  labour  market.  Member 
States  have  taken  many  measures  to  implement  the  deliverables  defined  in  the  Bruges 
Communiqué (2010) for the period 2011-2014 to improve the performance, quality and 
attractiveness  of  VET,  with  an  emphasis  on  work-based  learning.  For  the  next  work 
cycle,  promoting  such  learning  in  all  its  forms  should  continue,  while  reinforcing  the 
European Alliance for Apprenticeships and strengthening anticipation of skills needs for 
the  labour  market.  Medium-term  deliverables  (MTDs),  as  defined  in  the  Riga 
conclusions of 22 June 2015 (see Annex 2), have sharpened the focus and are limited in 
number. 

Adult  learning  (AL)  is  the  basis  for  up-skilling  and  re-skilling.  Recent  trends  on  low 
basic  skills  of  adults  and  high  unemployment  rates  make  it  necessary  to  reinforce  the 
implementation of the European Agenda for AL. Priorities should include more effective 
governance,  significant  increases  in  supply  and  take-up,  a  more  flexible  offer,  broader 
access, closer monitoring and better quality assurance (see Annex 2). 

2.2.  Education  must  contribute  to  social  cohesion,  equality,  non-discrimination  and 
civic competences 

Inequality is at its highest level in 30 years in most European and OECD countries, and 
has a negative impact on educational outcomes, as education systems tend to reproduce 
existing  patterns  of  socio-economic  status.  Breaking  the  intergenerational  cycle  of  low 

4 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
qualifications must therefore be a priority. While a majority of Member States has taken 
measures  to  improve  access  to  education  for  disadvantaged  learners,  a  significant 
educational  gap  persists  and  access  to  good  quality  mainstream  education  and  training 
remains a challenge in many parts of the EU. Effective action for inclusive education and 
training  for  all  learners  is  needed,  focusing  on  those  with  disadvantaged  backgrounds, 
special needs, migrants or with a migrant background and Roma. The Youth Guarantee 
should be fully mobilized. 

Gender gaps in education must be tackled and gender differences in educational choices 
addressed. Bullying and violence in the learning environment, including gender related, 
cannot be tolerated. Learning institutions and educators must be equipped and supported 
for  learners  to  experience  inclusion,  equality,  non-discrimination  and  democratic 
citizenship in their learning environments. 

The Paris Declaration of Education Ministers of 17 March 2015 called for actions at all 
levels to reinforce the role of education in promoting citizenship and the common values 
of freedom, tolerance and non-discrimination, strengthening social cohesion and helping 
young people become responsible, open-minded and active members of our diverse and 
inclusive  society 1.  Education  is  important  to  prevent  and  tackle  marginalisation  and 
radicalisation. The follow-up to the Declaration is a key priority in the new work cycle, 
with concrete measures underpinned by funding from the Erasmus+ programme, in line 
with the four areas identified in the Declaration: (i) promoting the acquisition of social, 
civic  and  intercultural  competences,  enhancing  ownership  of  Europe's  fundamental 
values, and fostering active citizenship (ii) enhancing critical thinking and media literacy 
(iii)  fostering  the  education  of  disadvantaged  children  and  young  people  and  (iv) 
promoting intercultural dialogue. 

2.3. Relevant and high-quality learning requires … 

A  more  active  use  of  innovative  pedagogies  and  digital  skills  and  tools:  Several 
Member States report initiatives to increase teachers’ and learners’ digital skills and one 
third  have  introduced  national  strategies  for  digitalisation  of  education.  Still,  huge 
challenges  remain.  The  digital  revolution  is  boosting  demand  for  digital  skills  and 
competences; education and training must address this need, which requires investment in 
infrastructure,  organisational  change,  digital  devices  and  digital  competences  of 
educators, and the creation of digital (and open) educational resources and high quality 
educational  software.  Education  and  training  should  reap  the  benefits  of  new  ICT 
developments  and  adopt  innovative  and  active  pedagogies,  based  on  participatory  and 
project-based  methods.  Open  learning  environments  can  help  collaboration  between 
educational sectors including for disadvantaged learners.  

Strong  support  for  educators:  Many  Member  States  report  measures  for  enhancing 
teacher  training  and  emphasize  that  initial  education  and  the  continuing  professional 
development of teachers and trainers should be fit for purpose, combining subject matter, 
pedagogy and practice. Educators should be trained to deal with the growing diversity of 
learners,  prevent  ESL  and  use  innovative  pedagogies  and  ICT  tools  in  an  optimal 
manner, while enjoying induction support early in their careers. 

1 Non-formal  education  is  important  to  promote  social  and  democratic  participation  of  young  people, 
which  is  a  priority  under  the  EU  cooperation  framework  in  the  field  of  youth;  see  upcoming  2015  EU 
Youth Report 

5 

 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
Staff shortages increasingly hinder quality instruction in many countries, while interest in 
teaching careers is in decline. Comprehensive long-term strategies are required to select 
the most suitable candidates, with diverse backgrounds and experiences, considering that 
the profession has a strong gender bias, offering them attractive career prospects. 

Facilitating  learning  mobility:  The  first  Mobility  Scoreboard  (2014)  reveals  that  the 
environment  for  learning  mobility  varies  greatly  between  Member  States,  with 
significant  barriers  remaining  in  terms  of  information,  student  support  and  recognition. 
Actions  on  transparency,  quality  assurance,  validation  and  recognition  of  skills  and 
qualifications  have  to  be  tracked  and  pursued.  Better  data  is  needed  for  evidence 
monitoring on mobility. 

Supporting  internationalisation  in  HE  will  remain  a  priority,  including  development  of 
strategic partnerships and joint courses, and promotion of mobility of students, staff and 
researchers. 

Strengthened and simplified EU transparency and recognition tools: Transparency and 
recognition tools are essential for mobility, employability and lifelong learning, as well 
as to ensure the use of qualifications acquired outside the EU. Most Member States have 
developed  National  Qualifications  Frameworks  and  have  referenced  these  to  the 
European  Qualifications  Framework  (EQF).  Further  work  should  promote  a  shift  from 
transparency to recognition of qualifications across Europe, by strengthening the role of 
the  EQF  and  promoting  the  validation  of  non-formal  and  informal  learning.  Adequate 
recognition  and  validation  instruments  for  digitally  acquired  knowledge,  skills  and 
competences can support the uptake of open and innovative learning practices. Particular 
attention  should  be  given  to  simplifying  and  rationalising  existing  EU  instruments  on 
skills and qualifications directed to the wider public to strengthen outreach. 

Filling  the  investment  gap:  Effective  investment  in  quality  education  and  training  is  a 
source of sustainable growth. Yet, since the crisis public budgets remain tight and several 
Member States cut their education and training expenditure in real terms. This suggests 
the  need  to  support  Member  States  in  designing  reforms  that  deliver  quality  education 
and  training  more  efficiently,  within  a  broad  societal  context.  The  Investment  Plan  for 
Europe  (IPE),  Erasmus+,  the  European  Structural  and  Investment  Funds,  including  the 
Youth  Employment  Initiative  and  Horizon  2020  can  help  stimulate  investments  and 
support ET 2020 policy priorities ensuring strong links with policies.  

3. GOVERNANCE AND WORKING METHODS 

Since the 2012 Joint Report, the governance of ET 2020 has improved, in particular by 
strengthening  evidence  building  (the  Education  and  Training  Monitor)  and  the 
operational  character  of  Working  Groups  and  regular  platforms  for  exchanges  between 
key  stakeholders  such  as  the  Education,  Training  and  Youth  (ETY)  Forum.  The 
stocktaking indicates a consensus on the following approach for the next work cycle: 

•  Strong  analytical  evidence  and  progress  monitoring  are  essential  for  the 
effectiveness  of  the  ET  2020  framework,  and  will  be  done  in  cooperation  with 
Eurostat, Eurydice network, Cedefop, OECD and other organisations. 

6 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
•  Streamlining and rationalising reporting within the ET 2020 framework remain a 

priority and will be aided by the extension of the work cycle to 5 years; 

•  Stronger  links  between  education,  business  and  research,  and  involvement  of 
social  partners  and  civil  society will  strengthen the impact  of ET  2020  and the 
relevance  of  learning  systems  to  increase  Europe’s  innovation  capacity. 
Knowledge  Alliances,  Sector  Skills  Alliances  under  Erasmus+,  Marie 
Skłodowska-Curie  actions  and  the  European  Institute  of  Innovation  and 
Technology  under  Horizon  2020  are  trend-setting  in  this  respect.  Engagement 
with stakeholders will also be stimulated through the ETY Forum, the European 
University–Business  Forum,  the  VET-Business  Forum  and  Thematic  Fora  in 
Member  States.  Cooperation  with  European  civil  society  and  European  social 
partners will be pursued to allow an optimal use of their expertise and outreach 
capacity.  

The ET 2020 tools have proved their worth but have not always had effective impact at 
national  level,  notably  due  to  a  lack  of  synchronization  of  activities,  shortcomings  in 
dissemination and low national awareness of the usefulness of results. The ET 2020 tool 
box will be strengthened: 

-  To  improve  transparency  and  coherence  of  ET  2020  activities,  the  Commission  in 
cooperation with the Member States (including the trio of Council Presidencies) will 
prepare an ET 2020 indicative rolling Work Plan integrating and providing a clear 
overview of peer learning events and key activities planned in the ET 2020 Working 
Groups  and  informal  groups  of  senior  officials,  i.e.  the  meetings  of  the  Directors 
General  for  schools,  VET  and  HE  (DG  meetings)  and  the  High  Level  Group  on 
Education and Training. 

-  As of 2016 a new generation of Working Groups will work on the ET 2020 priority 
areas. The Groups will report to the relevant informal groups of senior officials who 
provide  steering  and  filter  relevant  outputs  for  the  attention  of  the  Council. 
Innovative working methods will be encouraged and the outputs of the Groups will 
be better disseminated catering for real knowledge sharing. 

-  ET  2020  peer  learning  activities,  usually  part  of  Working  Groups,  will  be 
strengthened and enable Member States sharing similar policy challenges to work in 
clusters.  Peer  reviews  in  the  context  of  DG  meetings  focusing  on  country  specific 
challenges have proved useful but require more preparation and interactive dialogue. 
Tailor-made peer counselling can support a particular national reform agenda. 

-  The  dissemination  of  good  practices  and  lessons  learned,  using  international 
evidence when  relevant,  will be  enhanced  through thematic events,  policy learning 
exchanges and any arrangement for knowledge transfer and exchange on what works 
in education.  

-  The  Education  and  Training  Monitor,  synchronised  with  the  European  Semester 
and  providing  up-to-date  thematic  and  country  specific  evidence  (including  strong 
points  and  challenges),  will  be  used  systematically  to  inform  policy  debates  at 
Council  level  and  the  European  Parliament  in  discussions  on  education  challenges 
and reforms. 

7 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
- 

Full use will be made of the potential of Erasmus+ for increasing the impact of the 
ET 2020 tools, including by anchoring the preparation for policy experimentations in 
the Working Groups and using evidence gathered through excellent projects. 

8 

 
 
 
ANNEX  1:  PRIORITY  AREAS  FOR  EUROPEAN  COOPERATION  IN  EDUCATION  AND 
TRAINING 

The  mid-term  stocktaking  confirmed  the  four  ET  2020  strategic  objectives  set  by  the 
Council in 2009: 
1.  Making lifelong learning and mobility a reality; 
2. 
3.  Promoting equity, social cohesion and active citizenship; 
4.  Enhancing  creativity  and  innovation,  including  entrepreneurship,  at  all  levels  of 

Improving the quality and efficiency of education and training; 

education and training. 

Within  these  strategic  objectives,  the  stocktaking  exercise  highlighted  the  common 
objective of Member States to streamline the current priority areas for action. The table 
below proposes a reduction from 13 to 6 priority areas, each of which can contribute 
to  one  or  more  strategic  objectives,  for  the  period  up  to  2020,  fully  coherent  with  and 
contributing to the overall EU political priorities. 

In the table below, the priority areas are declined into concrete issues, in response to the 
Council’s request for a more concrete indication of matters for future work. These areas 
will  be  followed-up  through  the  ET  2020  working  methods  and  its  tool  box;  they  (i) 
reflect  a  common  challenge  for  the  Member  States;  and  (ii)  show  an  added  value  in 
tackling them at European level. 

Member States will select, in accordance with national priorities, those areas and issues 
for work and cooperation in which they wish to participate. 

9 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
PRIORITY AREAS 

CONCRETE ISSUES 

1  Relevant and high-
quality skills and 
competences, focusing 
on learning outcomes, 
for employability, 
innovation and active 
citizenship 

• 

• 

Enhancing targeted policy action to reduce low achievement in 
basic competences across Europe, covering literacy, 
mathematics, science and digital literacy 

Strengthening the development of transversal skills and key 
competences, in line with the Reference Framework on Key 
Competences for lifelong learning, in particular digital, 
entrepreneurship and linguistic competences through common 
EU frameworks and self-assessment tools such as HEInnovate 

•  Re-igniting lifelong learning strategies addressing the transition 

phases within school education, while promoting transitions to 
and between VET, HE and AL, including non-formal and informal 
learning, and from education and training to work 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Fostering access to high-quality ECEC, especially for the 
disadvantaged, and implementing the quality framework on ECEC 

Reducing ESL by supporting school-based strategies and second 
chance opportunities, emphasizing effective learning 
environments and pedagogies 

Promoting the labour market and societal relevance of HE, 
including through better intelligence and anticipation about labour 
market needs and outcomes, new forms of curriculum, more work 
based learning and enhanced cooperation between institutions and 
employers 

Implementing Riga MTDs in VET (see Annex 2), while 
reinforcing the European Alliance for Apprenticeships and 
strengthen the anticipation of skills needs for the labour market 

Implementing the European Agenda for AL (see Annex 2) 

2 

Inclusive education, 
equality, non-
discrimination and 
promotion of civic 
competences 

•  Addressing the increasing diversity of learners and enhancing 

access to good quality and inclusive mainstream education and 
training for all learners, including those from disadvantaged 
backgrounds, those with special needs, migrants and Roma, while 
tackling discrimination, racism, segregation, bullying, violence 
and stereotypes 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Tackling gender gaps in education and promoting more gender 
balanced educational choices 

Facilitating the effective acquisition of the language of learning 
and employment by migrants  

Promoting civic, intercultural, social and relational 
competences, mutual understanding and respect, and ownership of 
democratic values and fundamental rights  

Enhancing critical thinking and cyber and media literacy 

10 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3   Open and innovative 

education and training, 
including by fully 
embracing the digital 
era  

•  Mainstreaming innovative and active pedagogies such as inter-
disciplinary teaching and collaborative methods, to enhance the 
development of relevant and high-level skills and competences 
while fostering inclusive education, including for disadvantaged 
and learners with disabilities 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Fostering participatory education governance by stimulating 
engagement of learners, educators, parents and the broader local 
community such as civil society groups, social partners and 
business 

Increasing synergies between education, research and innovation 
activities, with a sustainable growth perspective, building on 
developments in HE, with a new focus on VET and schools 

Promoting the use of ICT as a driver for systemic change to 
increase quality and relevance of education at all levels 

Boosting availability and quality of open and digital educational 
resources and pedagogies at all education levels, in cooperation 
with European open source communities 

•  Addressing the development of digital skills and competences at 
all levels of learning in response to the digital revolution  

• 

• 

• 

• 

Strengthening recruitment, selection and induction of the best 
and most suitable candidates for the teaching profession 

Raising the attractiveness and prestige of the teaching 
profession, including through comprehensive strategies  

Supporting initial education and continuing professional 
development of educators, especially to deal with increased 
diversity of learners, ESL, work based learning, digital 
competences and innovative pedagogies, including through EU 
tools such as eTwinning, the School Education Gateway and the 
ePlatform for AL in Europe (EPALE) 

Promoting excellence in teaching at all levels, through 
programme design, learning organisation and incentive structures, 
and exploring new ways to measure the quality of teacher training 

4 

Strong support for 
educators 

5 

Transparency and 
recognition of skills and 
qualifications to 
facilitate learning and 
labour mobility  

•  Fostering transparency, quality assurance, validation and 

recognition of skills and qualifications, including those acquired 
through digital, online and open learning and the validation of 
informal and non-formal learning 

• 

• 

Simplifying and rationalising the transparency, documentation, 
validation and recognition tools that involve direct outreach to 
learners, workers and employers and promoting the use of 
qualifications frameworks 

Supporting the mobility of students, staff and researchers and the 
development of strategic partnerships and joint courses by 
increasing HE internationalisation  

11 

 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
6 

Sustainable investment, 
performance and 
efficiency of education 
and training systems  

•  Exploring the potential of the IPE in the area of education and 

training, including by promoting funding models attracting private 
actors and capital 

•  Encouraging Member States to use evidence based policy-making 
to monitor policies and design reforms that deliver quality 
education more efficiently 

•  Encouraging innovative ways to ensure sustainable investment in 
all forms and levels of learning, including performance-based 
funding and cost-sharing 

12 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ANNEX 2: SPECIFIC VET AND ADULT LEARNING PRIORITIES UP TO 2020 

The  sectorial  agendas  for  VET  (the  Copenhagen-Bruges  process)  and  the  Renewed 
European  Agenda  for  AL  require  a  more  detailed  identification  –  and  endorsement  via 
this Joint Report – of the deliverables/ priorities for the period up to 2020. 

Riga MTDs for VET 

•  Promoting  work-based  learning  in  all  its  forms,  with  special  attention  to 
apprenticeships,  by  involving  social  partners,  companies,  chambers  and  VET 
providers, as well as by stimulating innovation and entrepreneurship 

•  Further  developing  quality  assurance  mechanisms  in  VET  in  line  with  EQAVET 
recommendation  and,  as  part  of  quality  assurance  systems,  establishing  continuous 
information and feedback loops to IVET and C-VET systems based on learning 
outcomes 

•  Enhancing  access  to  VET  and  qualifications  for  all  through  more  flexible  and 
permeable systems, notably by offering efficient and integrated guidance services and 
making available validation of non-formal and informal learning 

•  Further  strengthening  key  competences  in  VET  curricula  and  providing  more 
effective opportunities to acquire or develop those skills through I-VET and C-VET 
Introducing systematic approaches to, and opportunities for, initial  and  continuous 
professional  development  of  VET  teachers,  trainers  and  mentors in both school 
and work-based settings 

• 

Renewed European Agenda for AL priorities 

•  Governance:  ensure  coherence  of  adult  learning  with  other  policy  areas,  improve 
coordination,  effectiveness  and  relevance  to  needs  of  society,  economy  and  the 
environment; increase investment 

•  Supply and take up: significantly increase the supply of high quality AL provision, 
especially  in  literacy,  numeracy  and  digital  skills,  and  increase  take-up  through 
effective outreach, guidance and motivation strategies targeting groups most in need 
•  Flexibility  and  access:  widen  access  by  increasing  availability  of  workplace-based 
learning  and  making  effective  use  of  ICT;  put  in  place  procedures  to  identify  and 
assess  the  skills  of  low  qualified  adults  and  provide  sufficient  second-chance 
opportunities  leading  to  a  recognised  EQF  qualification  for  those  without  level  3 
qualifications 

•  Quality:  improve  quality  assurance,  including  monitoring  and  impact  assessment, 
improve initial and continuing education of adult educators and collect necessary data 
on needs to effectively target and design provision 

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