REGIONAL: Comparative Analysis of Regional Policies for Adult Learning

Regional Introduction

The EU Commission, DG EAC “Mind the Gap: Education Inequality across EU Regions” (Sep. 2012) stresses major geographic disparities persist in educational opportunities and outcomes, across and within EU regions. The report highlights “big regional disparities in terms of adult participation in lifelong learning in the EU”. A key message of the report is that “policy solutions must be tailored rather than generic”.
In Europe, regions are tasked with the formulation of policies and implementation of programmes for Adult Learning (AL) and the supervision of AL services/opportunities. Regions are at the forefront of translating EU policies and strategies into actionable policy measures and programmes to support AL. Such pivotal role of regions for AL is recognised by - Council “A Renewed European Agenda for AL” (2011/C 372/01) calling for optimizing “the involvement of central, regional and local authorities” and the need to “intensify[ing] cooperation and partnership between all stakeholders relevant for AL, notably public authorities […] especially at regional and local level” - Committee of Regions opinion on “Action Plan on AL, It is Always a Good Time to Learn” (2008/C 257/11) recalled that “in many Member States, regional and local level is responsible for adult learning and it is at local and regional level that decisions are taken and put into practice” - DG EAC “European Guide: Strategies for Improving Participation and Awareness of AL” (2012), reiterates the crucial role of local policy making for AL: regional and local authorities are “in a privileged position to interact directly with adult population, beyond the provision of education services.
Regional and local authorities represent the closest-to-the citizen public authority and thus have considerable capacity to re-direct citizens towards adult learning.” EU institutions recognise the key role of regions in the formulation of AL policies and programmes, and recognise that “barriers to participation by individuals may be policy-related”, EC “AL: It Is Never Too Late to Learn”, COM(2006) 614. Regional disparities highlight the role of local policy makers in shaping efficient AL policies for societal and economic benefits of EU citizens, especially at a challenging time of economic crisis coupled with the phenomenon of ageing population. Against this background that clearly identifies in the regions the key stronghold of AL policies and programmes, at present there are no comparative analysis of regional policies devoted to AL. As such, there in immediate knowledge gap on how regions formulate policies for AL.

REGIONAL intends to address this specific policy gap by carrying out comparative analyses of policy initiatives for the adult education field, to ultimately improving adult education at a system/policy level: the comparative analyses will identify key elements of success in the formulation and implementation of AL policies, as well as the funding of AL (including cost-benefits and returns on investment) at regional levels for AL as a means to improve “adults -in particular low-skilled and older workers- ability to adapt to changes in the labour market and society”. The focus of the investigation is on AL as a means of up-skilling or re-skilling those affected by unemployment, restructuring and career transitions (Council, European agenda for adult learning, 2011/C372). The results of such comparative analysis would allow to pinpoint specific elements to enhance the way policies are formulated, implemented, and financed so as to increase the efficacy and efficiency of policies for AL across Europe. Project results will be consolidated into a “policy making toolkit” comprising research guidelines, methodology, questionnaires, Country Profiles and case studies compiled in the comparative analysis of regional policies, their formulation, implementation and funding.
Web Link - http://www.regionalproject.eu/index.php

REGIONAL Project Policy Making Toolkit_August 2015.pdf

Regional Project Toolkit

Policy Making in Adult Education

Policy Making in Adult Education Comparative Analysis.pdf

Policy Making in Adult Education Comparative Analysis

Policy Making in Adult Education Comparative Analysis.pdf

Policy Making in Adult Education Country Profile Ireland

Policy Making in Adult Education Informed Policy making.pdf

Policy Making in Adult Education Informed Policy Making

REGIONAL PROJECT Challenges for Adult Learning Policy Making.docx

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