Realising the European Union Lisbon Goal The Copenhagen process and the Maaastricht Communiqué: Martina Ní Cheallaigh DG Education and Culture

EUROPEAN COMMISSIONDirectorate-General for Education and Culture

Development of Vocational Training Policy

Realising the European Union Lisbon Goal

The Copenhagen process and the The Copenhagen process and the Maaastricht CommuniquMaaastricht Communiquéé::

Martina Ní Cheallaigh

DG Education and Culture



The contextThe context

• The Copenhagen process is

– an integrated part of the overall Lisbon strategy 2000-2010

– closely linked to the follow up of ‘common objectives’ (Education and training 2010), agreed in 2001.

– based on a voluntary approach

– inclusive; based on an agreement between 32 countries, the European social partners and the Commission

– based on a perspective of lifelong learning

– Approach is to provide concrete and practical results



Four priority areas for European Four priority areas for European cooperationcooperation

• Improving transparency, information and guidance

• Recognition of competences and qualifications

• Promoting quality assurance in VET• Strengthening the European dimension and

European mobility (through combination of the above)



Europass: Single framework for Europass: Single framework for transparencytransparency

• Europass portfolio: Gives citizens (& employers)

simple access to a flexible tool for presentation and

promotion of qualifications and competences;

• Rationalises and co-ordinates efforts at national and

European level to increase transparency of

qualifications

• National Europass centres linked together in a

European network



Europass PortfolioEuropass Portfolio

• Europass CV • Europass Mobility • Diploma Supplement • Europass Certificate Supplement • Europass Language Portfolio



Lifelong guidanceLifelong guidance

• Aim is to strengthen policies, systems and practices that support information, guidance and counselling

• Recommendations, adopted by Education Council May 2004, have centred on the following themes:

– Access to guidance services, including workplace Quality assurance for guidance delivery, including

ICT products and services

The role of guidance in human resource development

• Handbook for policymakers - OECD/Commission



Credit Transfer System for VET Credit Transfer System for VET (ECVET)(ECVET)

• Aim to support mobility:

– by enabling the accumulation and transfer of learning results and competences

– by promoting transparency of, and comparability between, education and training programmes, curricula and systems



Validation of non-formal and informal Validation of non-formal and informal learninglearning

• A set of common European principles for identification and validation of non-formal and informal learning were endorsed by the Education Council May 2004

• These common principles outline

– how best to enable individuals to have their competences validated in a fair and transparent way and

– basic guidelines for the development of high quality, comparable validation methodologies and systems at European level



Validation of non-formal and informal Validation of non-formal and informal learninglearning

• A common approach will provide a basis for

comparability between validation approaches in

different countries, at different levels and in

different contexts.

• European inventory on non-formal and

informal learning being set up.



Developing training and competences at Developing training and competences at sector levelsector level

A strategy agreed, focus on • Mapping of initiatives at sector and branch level• A more systematic use of the Leonardo Da Vinci

programme to support initiatives at sector level

Not sufficient, need to address• Relevance of European reference levels for sectors,

likewise • Inclusion of sector qualifications in the common

European Qualifications Framework



Quality Assurance in VETQuality Assurance in VET

• Common Quality Assurance Framework in VET endorsed by Council Conclusions:

– builds on national experiences to identify areas and criteria crucial for quality assurance

– raises questions and suggests answers (quality criteria) at systems and provider levels

– consistent with main steps of other relevant instruments, in particular EFQM and ISO



Quality Assurance in VETQuality Assurance in VET

The Common Quality Assurance Framework:• A model, including : 1. planning, 2. implementation,

3. evaluation 4. review. Core quality criteria are associated to each step

• A methodology, where Self-Assessment plays a key role (Sample guidelines)

• A monitoring system and a measurement tool, based on common set of reference indicators



The future of the Copenhagen processThe future of the Copenhagen process

• Joint Council and Commission report ‘Education and Training 2010’ paves the way for a more integrated approach (lifelong learning strategies, EQF)

• Contribution of VET to achieving Lisbon goal: Study• Ministerial meeting in December 2004 adopted

Maastricht Communiqué setting out future priorities and strategies



The Maastricht Communiqué: Challenges The Maastricht Communiqué: Challenges for VET reforms and investmentfor VET reforms and investment

• Improve the image and attractiveness of VET and learning

• Achieve high levels of quality and innovation in VET systems

• Link VET with new labour market requirements resulting from the knowledge society and demographic change

• Improve social cohesion and labour market participation



The Maastricht CommuniquéThe Maastricht Communiqué

National priorities

Implement & use agreed instruments Raise awareness among all stakeholders at

national, regional & local levels Improve public / private investment, including

training incentives of tax & benefit systems Use EU funds to take forward the priorities



The Maastricht CommuniquéThe Maastricht Communiqué

National priorities

• Strengthened planning of VET provision, including, partnerships and early identification skills needs,

• Address the needs of groups at risk• Developing open learning approaches & flexible more

individualised pathways• Developing the learning environment in training

organisations and at work,• Enhancing competence development for VET teachers &

trainers.



The Maastricht CommuniquThe Maastricht Communiquéé

European priorities

Consolidate existing Copenhagen priorities Develop a European Qualifications Framework Develop and implement ECVET Examine the specific learning needs of VET

teachers and trainers Improve the scope, precision & reliability of VET

statistics



European Credit System for VET - LLLEuropean Credit System for VET - LLL

Objectives

Persons Systems

Create and follow individual learning pathways Encourage cooperation and

mutual trustImprove quality and

attractiveness of VET Transparency and recognition

of all learning outcomesTransparency of qualifications,

processes and structures

Authorities & providers



European Credit System for VET-LLLEuropean Credit System for VET-LLL

Aims

Facilitate mobility of individual trainees

Promote learning mobility geographic and

occupational mobility throughout life

Lifelong learning pathways

Includes in principle all formal, non formal and

informal learning



3 Functions of Credit System3 Functions of Credit System

• Accumulate & have valued learning outcomes towards a qualification/award

• Exchange: To establish the equivalence between learning outcomes and training pathways carried out in different contexts (e.g. with different VET providers)

• Transfer: To pass from a formal system of VET to another, from a situation of non-formal learning to the formal system of VET



Working towards a European qualification Working towards a European qualification Framework (EQF)Framework (EQF)

• A meta-framework enabling frameworks and systems to relate and communicate

• At the core a set of (8) common reference levels, making it possible to compare and link the growing diversity of education, training and learning provisions existing throughout Europe

• Reference levels to be complemented and supported by the instruments and common guiding principles agreed at European level.

Documents

Realising the European Union Lisbon Goal The Copenhagen process and the Maaastricht Communiqué: Martina Ní Cheallaigh DG Education and Culture