1Education and Culture

Education in Europe - trends and challenges

Tapio SääväläDG Education and Culture, European Commission

Education and Culture

1. Where are we?• Data, indicators, analysis2. Where do we want to go?• Objectives, benchmarks3. How do we get there?• Recommendations,• Reference tools,• Learning from good practice• Lifelong Learning Programme

Education and Training 2020 work programme How does it work?

3Education and Culture

Lifelong learning strategies?

Quality of Learning?

• Individuals’ perspective:• Personal fulfilment• Social

inclusion/citizenship• Employability/

careers

B) Societies’ perspective:• Constructive democracy

C) World of work – perspective• Skills for jobs and innovation

Life

long learn

ing

school

« F

rom

cra

dle

to g

rave »

Life-wide learning

formal

non-formal

informal

Life

long learn

ing

Education and Culture

Skills needs by 2020 – Cedefop forecast

HIGH SKILLS

LOW SKILLS

Education and Culture

Future opportunities

More and new jobs in: • Low-carbon industries;• Digital technologies;• Health and care and other services;• Infrastructures etc

But this requires:• High skills combined with all key competences, creativity

and ability to innovate;• More equitable opportunities for all to high quality;

learning: a broad skills base

Education and Culture

Education and Culture

Key competences for lifelong learning

1. Communication in the mother tongue

2. Communication in foreign languages

• Mathematical competence and basic competences in

science and technology

• Digital competence

• Learning-to-learn

• Social and civic competence

• Initiative taking and entrepreneurship

• Cultural awareness and expression

Education and Culture

Implications to teaching and learning

• Teaching – learning - assessment• Broadening tests, exams... summative assessment• Promoting formative assessment• “Assessment of learning; for learning; as part of

learning...

• Teachers' competences and responsibilities• From subjects to holistic approach• Leadership – ethos of schools

Improving Teacher Quality Ministers’ 10 priorities

digitally literate

subject (s) specialist

teacher of transversal

competences

pedagogue

leader

responds to individual

needs

manager linguistic /

cultural diversity

Professional values and competences

We expect more and more from our teachers ….

mobile learner

autonomous learner researcher

co-worker (colleagues, parents …)

school developer

lifelong learner

reflective practitione

r

Professional values and competences

innovator

We expect more and more from our teachers ….

12Education and Culture

Quality in adult learning

Awareness raising•Policy makers•Learners

Legislative frameworks•Staff•providers•validation•flexible routesStaff competences•Initial education•In-service training

Data and monitoring

• Providers - accreditation

Innovation•European programs

• LLP• ESF

•Institutional development•LeadershipSmart and effective funding

13Education and Culture

Renewed Agenda for Adult learning

• A Council Resolution - November 2011

• - autonomy of the learner but also responsibility for his/her learning pathway and outcomes;

• - learning later in life to promote active, autonomous and healthy ageing and using their knowledge and experience for the benefit of society;

• - greater access to higher education for adults;

• - developing key competences necessary for active participation in modern society;

• - solidarity between different age groups, between cultures and people of all backgrounds;

• - designation of national coordinators to facilitate cooperation with the European Commission and effective liaison with multiple stakeholders in each country.

IdentificationIdentification & & analysisanalysis

Monitoring of Monitoring of situationsituation

Coordination of Coordination of policiespolicies

PreventionPrevention InterventionIntervention CompensationCompensation

Early childhood Early childhood education and education and

carecare

Second chance Second chance opportunitiesopportunities

Re-entering Re-entering mainstream mainstream educationeducation

Comprehensive Comprehensive supportsupport

Measures at Measures at school levelschool level

Measures at Measures at level of level of

education/trainieducation/training systemng system

Student Student focused focused

measuresmeasures

Early School Leaving

Education and Culture

The prison population across Europe

• The total prison population in Europe is estimated to be approximately 800,000 prisoners

• The mean average per country is 129 prisoners per 100,000 people

• The number of prisons per 100,000 people ranges from 19 (Liechtenstein) to 304 (Latvia)

Education and Culture

Prison population per 100,000 people

High Latvia (304), Lithuania (276), Estonia (252), Czech Republic (223), Poland (217), Slovakia (184), Turkey (175), Serbia (164), Hungary (163)

Mid – High UK Scotland (157); UK England and Wales (155), Spain (152), Romania (146), Malta (141), Luxembourg (124), Portugal (121), Bulgaria (120), Croatia (117)

Low - Mid FYR Macedonia (114), France (111), Cyprus (110), Italy (110), Austria (104), Greece (101), Belgium (97), UK: Northern Ireland (97), Ireland (95)

Low Netherlands (87), Germany (86), Switzerland (76), Denmark (74), Norway (73), Sweden (70), Slovenia (64), Finland (59), Iceland (47), Liechtenstein (19)

Education and Culture

Prison occupancy rates

The mean occupancy rate in prisons across those countries included is 109%

On average prisons across Europe are over occupied

Rates of prison occupancy range from 35% (Liechtenstein) - 158% (Serbia)

Education and Culture

The prison population across Europe

Participation amongst adult prisoners remains below 25% in most countries of Europe

Between 3% - 5% of European prisoners are qualified to undertake higher education

Education and Culture

The prison population across Europe

The majority of prisoners are male

Females represent 0% of the prison population in Liechtenstein; 2.6% in FYR Macedonia; 7.6% in Spain

The largest numbers of prisoners can be found in the age groups 20-30 and 31-40 years

Education and Culture

The prison population across Europe

In some countries, the prison population is made up of a high proportion of foreign prisoners – 71.4% Switzerland; 5.5% Greece

Age profile most likely young people, those serving a long sentence or based in a large prison

Education and Culture

Overview of the current situation (1)

• Consensus that education has a rehabilitative role and contributes significantly to prisoners’ successful re-entry into society

• Different models of prison education and training can be observed across Europe – but there is no one single approach

Education and Culture

Overview of the current situation (2)

• Prison education falls into three main categories:• General education• Vocational education and training• Non-formal learning

• Common goal is to prepare prisoners for employability and reintegration into society

Education and Culture

Key challenges

• Increased diversity in the prison population – high numbers of prisoners with low levels of education, basic literacy and numeracy

• Participation levels remain low - prisoners face a number of institutional and situational barriers to participating in learning

• Prisoners who have achieved basic education often find it difficult to continue with higher level learning

Education and Culture

Key messages (1)

Prisoners are a heterogeneous group with different learning needs and require:

•A broad curriculum with wider scope for critical reflection and personal development •An individualised approach to learning to create a tailored learning journey•A holistic approach to learning and rehabilitation

Education and Culture

Key messages (2)

• Different approaches to education and training – e.g. modular or unit based, e-learning and distance learning, validation of prior learning and experience

• An alternative approach to education• Innovative provision• Learning opportunities that are relevant to the job

market and that support rehabilitation and reintegration into society

Education and Culture

Key messages (3)

• A prison environment conducive to learning• Prison staff to support and encourage participation

in prison education• Prison educators who are given support and

training to ensure they have the appropriate competences and knowledge to deliver learning opportunities

Education and Culture

Prison education in Europe Some concluding comments

• Prison education has emerged as an issue which is now ‘on the map’

• Opportunities now exist for further shared learning and experiences in the future

• Continued need for political commitment, funding and collaboration between actors and the wider community is key

• Continued need for a strong evidence base to inform future policy and practice

• EU programmes and funding has played a role in supporting prison education develop and provides a means for the exchange of good practice