Date: in 12 ptsEASQ

Towards a Towards a

European Area of Skills and European Area of Skills and QualificationsQualifications

European social dialogue committee Brussels, February 2014

Date: in 12 pts

When moving to a new job or to further learning, whether

within or across borders, learners and workers need to see

their skills and qualifications quickly and easily recognised.

This is essential to raise skill levels, help combat

unemployment and complete the project of the single

market.

EASQ

Date: in 12 pts

Various European transparency policies and tools in ET2020 and the Bologna processes

aim to support the lifelong learning and mobility of learners and workers

through better transparency and easier recognition of what they know, understand and are able to do.

EASQ

Progress of a decade

Date: in 12 pts

Still a long way to go…

• Mobility is hampered (geographical, sectoral and between the

different sectors of education and training)

• High unemployment rate (10.9%), especially among young people

(23%), coexists with over 2 million vacancies across Europe

• In 2025: 44.1% high-skilled, 44.7% medium-skilled and only 11.2%

low-skilled jobs

• PIAAC Survey: 20% of the EU working age population has low

literacy and numeracy skills and that 25% of adults lack the

digital skills needed to effectively use ICT

EASQ

Date: in 12 pts

New developments: opportunities and challenges

• Open technologies allow individuals to learn, anywhere,

anytime, through any device, with the support of anyone

• Emergence of innovative models for teaching and learning

(e.g. MOOCs)

• International and sectoral qualifications

• Internationalisation of education & training

EASQ

Date: in 12 pts

Towards a European Area of Skills and Qualifications

EU policies and instruments should:

be centred on the learner, promoting flexible learning pathways,

support new phenomena such as the growing use of digital learning and internationalisation of education,

provide better services to learners and workers,

be simpler, better understandable and more coherent, and

support national structural reforms that aim to achieve these objectives.

EASQ

Date: in 12 pts

Public consultation ongoing

http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/education_culture/more_info/consultations/skills_en.htm

15 April 2014: deadline for submitting contributions for public consultation addressed to stakeholders and the general public (through on-line questionnaire and/or position papers)

EASQ

Date: in 12 pts

Issues under consultation

1. How to place a stronger focus on higher and more relevant skills

2. Further strengthening links between education/training, mobility and the labour market

3. Adapting to internationalisation trends

4. Ensuring overall coherence of tools and policies and further implementing the learning outcomes approach

5. Ensuring clarity of rules and procedures for the recognition of skills and qualifications for further learning

6. Increasing the focus on quality assurance

7. Providing learners and workers with a single access point to obtain information and services supporting a European area of skills and qualifications.

EASQ

Date: in 12 pts

1. Higher and more relevant skills

• European education and training systems fall short in providing the right skills for

employability

• Progress on key competences still disappointing (as well as on other relevant

competencies)

• Differences in skills levels for similar educational qualifications across Europe (PIAAC)

How to promote focus on skills and associated learning outcomes?

Reference frameworks for key competences?

EASQ

Date: in 12 pts

2. Education/training, mobility and the labour market

• High levels of unemployment /skills bottlenecks and mismatches

• Exchange of information between the world of education and the labour market could be improved

• Guidance could be better integrated in lifelong learning and employment strategies and policies

• Sectoral skills and qualifications passports: coordination with Europass?

How can EU transparency and recognition policies promote stronger link between E&T, mobility and the labour market?

EASQ

Date: in 12 pts

3. Internationalisation trends

• Globalisation, technological developments and increased student mobility

• ECTS and EQF: attract interest of growing number of third countries

• VET systems less comparable

• International qualifications (awarded by e.g. international sectoral organisations, multinational companies)

How to promote adaptation of European tools and policies to internationalisation trends?

What else can be done at EU level?

EASQ

Date: in 12 pts

4. Coherence of tools and policies

• Learning outcomes approach embedded in most EU policies and tools, but putting it into practice is a challenge

• EQF cross-cutting tool: could be improved (e.g. greater coherence with other tools, more visible to the individuals)

• EQF – QF EHEA: single reference and self-certification process?

• ECTS – ECVET: some convergence and comparability possible?

What are the obstacles to the use of learning outcomes approach in curricula design and assessment practices?

Suggestions for simplifying and improving coherence?

EASQ

Date: in 12 pts

5. Clarity of rules and procedures

• Flexible combination of VET, HE, NFIL, on-line learning is crucial, but difficult to move between sub-systems

• Lisbon Recognition Convention: final decision on selection of students is up to HEIs

• VET and general education: no European rules or guidance on recognition

• Web-based learning: no clear and commonly accepted procedures

What can be done at EU level to improve recognition for further learning and support mobility between sub-systems of education and training and/or between countries?

EASQ

Date: in 12 pts

6. Focus on quality assurance

• To deliver higher and more relevant skills and to support mutual trust between sub-systems and/or countries, E&T must ensure high quality

• European quality assurance arrangements in different contexts: ESG in HE, EQAVET, EQF QA principles

• Learners can assemble their learning pathways and they need to be able to trust the quality of the learning offering

Is it possible to identify common principles and guidelines of QA valid across sectors and applicable to all qualifications?

Should there be a core of common European QA principles and can the EQF be pivotal in this?

EASQ

Date: in 12 pts

7. Single access point to information and services

• Websites: Study in Europe, Ploteus, EURES, Europass, We Mean Business,

EQF portal, Your Europe

• Networks: Europass, Euroguidance, Eurodesk, EQF-NCPs, ENIC-NARICs

• Possible advantages of integration into a single access point for more user-

friendly and visible services on skills and qualifications recognition and

transparency

What could be the feature of this one-stop shop?

EASQ

Date: in 12 pts

Next steps…

• Early 2014: Eurobarometer survey

• First half of 2014: launch of a study (empirical evidence on remaining obstacles)

• 17 June 2014: high-level closing conference of the public consultation

• First half of 2015: possible launch of a political initiative by the Commission

• 2016: possible initiatives to revise policies and tools

EASQ

Date: in 12 pts

THANK YOU!THANK YOU!

EAC-EASQ-CONSULTATION-A3@ec.europa.eu

EASQ