Since its inception in November 2012, the EAAL project has evolved through several phases, with its core focus redefined every few years. In its initial phase (2013–2015), the emphasis lay in developing the concept and launching the Learning Parade – Day of learning communities. By 2016, this initiative had secured funding from the state budget and became an integral part of the LLW.

Concurrently (in 2015, 2016 and 2017), we were developing EAAL professional events at the local level, initially adapting them to the specific needs of each community. Over time, the content of these events became more aligned, and the focus gradually shifted towards promoting the development of adults’ basic skills and key competences. During the EAAL consultative events (in 2018 and 2019), we turned our attention to pressing professional issues of the time, including the development of the new Adult Education Master Plan.

This phase was followed by the EAAL forums. In 2021, these were aligned with six pressing socio-economic challenges, while during 2022–2023, the focus shifted to eight categories of life skills. A dedicated thematic subpage (in Slovenian) was created on the Where to Get Knowledge platform to support these themes and present educational offer for each type of skills.

These core areas were further reinforced by a range of ongoing EAAL activities, including the e-bulletin, video publications, the Upskilling Pathways (UP) e-portal and various dissemination efforts (through the SIAE bulletin e-Novičke, EPALE, the SIAE website and its social media channels). We also participated in numerous international events and organised several study visits.

The story of the first decade of EAAL implementation is captured in a video released in 2021, the year in which a new EAAL cycle was launched under the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU. The project’s rich array of activities and accomplishments is documented on the EAAL website, which we update in both Slovenian and English. Recordings of the events referred to are also available there.

During the 2024–2025 period, two themes emerged as central: skills and innovative learning environments

The European Year of Skills (EYS), initiated by the European Commission, ran from 9 May 2023 to 8 May 2024. The SIAE assumed the role of National Coordinator for the EYS and launched a dedicated website to support this initiative. In this capacity, we acted as both a connector and facilitator at national and European levels. These responsibilities were largely carried out within the framework of the EAAL project and were also reflected in LLW 2023, where the Slovenian opening of the EYS was held during the 27th Adult Education Colloquium.

We organised two forums dedicated solely to the topic of skills, advocating a holistic and inclusive approach. During the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU, we also contributed to the development of the joint statement on the EYS (Beyond the European Year of Skills: Maintaining the Momentum).

The First EAAL Forum of the 2024–2025 period, titled Skills for All, marked the closing phase of the European Year of Skills. Held on 16 April 2024 at the House of the EU in Ljubljana and streamed online, the event featured expert contributions on a range of topics, including the PIAAC survey, labour-market needs forecasting and the presentation of the Labour Market Platform. The impactful Awareness-Raising for Lifelong Learning campaign was also showcased. In the closing panel, Skills in Synergy (in Slovenian), four participants reflected on the skill they considered their strongest, exploring both why and how they had developed it. Their reflections underscored the interdependence of skills and how this interplay is manifested in both their personal and professional lives. An article on the event was published under the title The First EAAL Forum 2024 Impressed All.

The Second EAAL Forum 2024–2025 took place on 26 February 2025 at the SIAE and online. Under the title Skills for the Future – Dialogues for Synergy, leading experts examined the relationship among technical skills, soft skills and adaptability, all shaped by the rapid transformation of the labour market and ongoing technological advancement. The forum also considered how to preserve and reinforce the human core while acting in a sustainable way. Through expert dialogue, the EAAL forum highlighted the value of lifelong learning and the synergies across various fields. Its conclusion pointed to intuition as one of the key skills for the future. A related article was published under the same title: Skills for the Future – Dialogues for Synergy.

The Third EAAL Forum 2024–2025 was held on 19 June 2025 at the Centre Rog in Ljubljana and unfolded on two levels. It was originally intended to present the final European report on the EYS. However, due to a significant delay, the document – Report on the implementation, results and overall assessment of the European Year of Skills – was not published until October. As a result, the forum agenda was adjusted. Instead of the planned presentation, a representative of the European Commission delivered a lecture on the Union of Skills initiative, the successor to the EYS, and reflected on the Commission’s broad set of new measures.

Innovative learning environments took centre stage at the Third EAAL Forum

In the company of nine international guests from seven European countries – Belgium, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Latvia, Germany and Slovakia – we explored a range of inspiring examples of innovative learning environments from adult education practice, both in Slovenia and abroad. Our guiding premise was that such environments foster active and collaborative learning, tailored to the needs and interests of the individual.

The keynote speaker, Dr Pieter Sprangers – a renowned educational futurist and learning designer from Belgium – opened the forum by highlighting enthusiasm as the catalyst for learning. He advocated strongly for the value of innovative learning environments and practices, including the concept of nomadic learning. More about the forum can be found in the article EAAL Forum on Innovative Learning Environments Highlights a Pressing Theme.

To support this central focus of the 2024–2025 EAAL project, we developed a dedicated subpage titled Innovative Learning Environments. It features twelve interviews with the designers, facilitators and participants of such environments. The videos present ideas that inspire, occasionally surprise, and above all invite reflection on what becomes possible when learning takes a different path. Many additional examples of innovative learning environments, recorded and presented at EAAL forums between 2021 and 2024, are also available

Mutual learning about alternative learning environments bore fruit

At the European level, national coordinators from fourteen countries – Belgium (Flanders), Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Latvia, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden and Turkey – engaged in a Peer Learning Activity, a two-year process within the EAAL project designed to foster mutual learning. Over the course of this initiative, we held eight online meetings and three in-person gatherings. In addition to the Slovenian one, we explored examples of innovative learning environments during study visits to Hungary in September 2024 and to Slovakia in October 2025.

The outcomes of this collaboration culminated in an online publication titled Innovative Learning Environments, edited with great enthusiasm by the Flemish EAAL coordinator Karine Nicolay, who also shared her reflections on the process in a blog post on EPALE.

Alongside a collection of innovative approaches from all participating countries, the publication also presents measures adopted at the European level. It includes a summary of the expert contribution delivered by Dr Pieter Sprangers at the Third EAAL Forum. The publication stands as a clear example of dedicated international cooperation, driven by a shared and meaningful purpose.

A final report on EAAL 2024–2025 is currently in preparation, bringing together all the insights and outcomes outlined above. At the same time, preparations for the eighth phase of EAAL implementation have already started, which, during the 2026–2027 period, will once again introduce a wealth of inspiring and impactful initiatives to the adult education community.

Zvonka Pangerc Pahernik, MSc (zvonka.pangerc@acs.si), edited by Ana Peklenik (ana.peklenik@acs.si), both ACS

At the end of November last year, the EP approved the new EC, once again led by Ursula von der Leyen. It is expected that specific policies will continue (e.g. the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, which prioritises education, training and lifelong learning) alongside the introduction of new ones. The directions for these were already evident following the European elections in June 2024 and earlier.

In June, the European Council, in its Strategic Agenda 2024–2029, laid the foundations for shaping the political programme of the new EC. In light of current challenges, EU leaders identified three priority areas:

• A free and democratic Europe;
• A strong and secure Europe;
• A prosperous and competitive Europe.

Building on this agenda and discussions with EP political groups, President von der Leyen has set seven priorities for the Commission's new mandate:

1. A new plan for Europe's sustainable prosperity and competitiveness;
2. A new era for European defence and security;
3. Supporting people, strengthening our societies and our social model;
4. Sustaining our quality of life;
5. Protecting our democracy, upholding our values;
6. A global Europe;
7. Delivering together and preparing our Union for the future.

It is worth recalling that in October 2022, von der Leyen launched the European Year of Skills (May 2023–May 2024). She began her new mandate with a pledge to establish a Union of Skills.

In her address, she highlighted adult education and training, as well as lifelong learning, primarily in connection with the labour market and the shortage of specific skills. She emphasised support for small and medium-sized enterprises. She announced increased investments in acquiring and retaining knowledge and skills, recognising various forms of training and the skills achieved through them and further enhancing labour mobility in Europe. She attributed the most significant importance to digital skills.

In line with this vision, von der Leyen prepared letters for the commissioners, executive vice-presidents and high representatives of the College of Commissioners, outlining their missions. Among the members of the College is Romanian Roxana Mînzatu, who is responsible for social rights and skills, quality jobs and preparedness.

The new European guidelines, tasks and measures will undoubtedly impact adult education. How? Gina Ebner and Raffaela Kirher of the EAEA presented the association's perspectives during an online meeting of EAEA members in early December, highlighting the two reports below.

Enrico Letta's report
At the request of the EC, former Italian Prime Minister and current President of the Jacques Delors Institute, Enrico Letta, prepared a report on the future of the single market titled Much More than a Market. Speed. Security. Solidarity. Empowering the Single Market to deliver a sustainable future and prosperity for all EU Citizens. Published on 17 April 2024, it played a significant role in shaping the political direction of the new EC mandate.

In the report, Letta affirms that the single market remains the cornerstone of European integration and values. However, he argues that the pressing socio-economic challenges demand a new strategic vision. He emphasises the need for a more unified approach in areas such as finance, energy and electronic communications. To achieve a sustainable future and prosperity for all EU citizens, Letta proposes introducing a fifth freedom in addition to the EU's existing four freedoms (the free movement of people, goods, services and capital): the free movement of knowledge. This fifth freedom is based on the understanding that data, knowledge and skills are the key resources for Europe's future competitiveness and progress.

Letta emphasises the importance of research, innovation and education and advocates for the establishment of a centralised digital knowledge platform called the European Knowledge Commons. This proposal aims to harness the "collective intelligence" across Europe. Letta is also a strong proponent of incorporating the social dimension – fairness and cohesion – insisting that the new strategy must benefit all EU citizens. He assigns a critical role to digital skills, arguing that they are essential for enabling everyone a knowledge-based participation in society and the economy.

Building on Letta's report, von der Leyen identified five key action areas to enhance Europe's competitiveness: unlocking more capital for European businesses, ensuring energy independence and cheaper energy, unlocking the full potential of trade, addressing the skills shortage and nurturing digital innovation.

While the Much More than a Market report has a strong social focus, it can be concluded that it is not a holistic document – a limitation that also applies to the measures derived from it.

Mario Draghi's report
Former President of the European Central Bank and former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi presented a report on the future of European competitiveness (The Future of European Competitiveness – A Competitiveness Strategy for Europe) to the European Parliament last September. The report and related texts are available here.

The report highlights the urgent need for Europe to address its knowledge and skills deficit, with digital skills identified as particularly critical. This issue is already being addressed through Europe's Digital Decade initiative, which aims for 80% of the working-age population to acquire at least basic digital skills by 2030.

Draghi also underscores the importance of basic skills for productivity and effective participation in the labour market. He attributes the undersupply of skills to five key factors: the gradual decline of educational systems, a shrinking working-age population, low labour mobility, poor working conditions and the limited reach of adult education.

He calls on the education and training system at all levels to provide citizens with quality knowledge and skills in an inclusive manner.

He argues that AE has become critically important, as knowledge and skills must be continuously and rapidly upgraded in times of rapid technological change. This is essential for individuals, businesses and European society as a whole. However, AE remains undervalued and insufficiently integrated into the education and training system. As a result, adult participation is still (too) low in many countries and across the EU, and efforts are often disconnected from labour market policies.

Draghi is particularly critical of the way skills development is funded, not just its scale. He identifies several issues: inefficient coordination of funding (via the ESF+ programme), the EC's limited influence on the relevance and quality of funded projects, insufficient involvement of member states in initiatives like the Pact for Skills, and difficulties in reaching key target groups most in need of education and training, such as employees in small and medium-sized enterprises.

He advocates for significantly greater efficiency in the governance, implementation and evaluation of policy initiatives for knowledge and skills development. Achieving this would require moving beyond current approaches, primarily soft and limited coordination, and ensuring more active involvement of social partners and businesses. Draghi calls for a rethinking of skills development policy, treating it as a strategic investment in creating a so-called Union of Skills focused on high-quality skills, regardless of where or how they were acquired.

Draghi's critical and thought-provoking messages are highly relevant to our field of work. However, they would carry even greater significance if they were not limited primarily to the working-age population.

EP intergroups are forums for nonformal exchanges of views on specific topics among different political groups. Each group is composed of representatives from at least three political groups and is also intended to facilitate contact with member states and civil society.

The Intergroup on the Future of Education will support the EP's efforts in lifelong learning and the development of individuals' skills. Its mission, as stated, is to contribute to building a more inclusive, innovative, resilient, competitive and forward-looking Europe, prepared to lead in a rapidly changing world. The intergroup aims to address pressing challenges comprehensively, including teacher and educator shortages, upskilling and reskilling for the digital and green transitions, declining basic skills, skill shortages in specific sectors and other related issues.

We will undoubtedly report further on their work and achievements in our E-newsletter.

Let us briefly summarise the impact of current European policies on ALE in Europe and Slovenia:

• At the political level, the importance of adult education and training is now widely recognised, but the focus remains on acquiring knowledge and skills for the labour market.
• Formal adult education alone is insufficient; a culture of lifelong learning is essential. This requires rethinking the functioning of all levels of the education system (life-long) and adopting a cross-sectoral approach across all policies (life-wide).
• The primary target group of new European policies continues to be the working population, while older adults and vulnerable groups are largely overlooked.
• Anticipating future knowledge and skills needs is crucial for understanding which skills should and will be required and why.
• Employers must be significantly more aware of and engaged in designing and delivering education and training programmes.
• Conversely, the education system must adapt to deliver high-quality knowledge and skills aligned with current needs (particularly those of the labour market) and enhance its flexibility to respond to changing circumstances.
• Digital and green skills, as well as basic skills, are recognised as priorities. However, transversal skills are rarely mentioned in key documents.
• A reduction in funding for ESF+ and Erasmus+ programmes after 2027 has been announced. At the same time, there is a call for improved governance and evaluation of investments at European, national and local levels.

We can either remain passive recipients of these anticipated changes (which will inevitably affect us, for instance, through E+ and ESF+ projects) or take a proactive stance and become the drivers of new developments. The choice is ours, and we must rise to meet these challenges.

Zvonka Pangerc Pahernik, MSc, (zvonka.pangerc@acs.si), SIAE

You may have already come across the phrase European Year of Skills 2023.

It became relevant last September when the President of the EC, Ursula von der Leyen, called for increased, more effective and inclusive investments in training and upskilling in her 2022 State of the Union address. The Commission followed her announcement by adopting a proposal to declare 2023 as the EYS on 12 October. This is expected to give a new impetus to lifelong learning, aiming to develop and utilise the potential of the European workforce fully.

To achieve the above goals, the European Commission has planned to collaborate with the European Parliament, Member States, social partners, public and private employment services, business chambers, education providers, individuals and companies. However, it is worth noting that the initiative, at least in the Proposal for a Decision, is intended only for the active population (working, unemployed and inactive adults).

The Commission will promote skills development in conjunction with existing EU initiatives, such as the European Skills Agenda, the Pact for Skills, Structured Dialogue on digital education and skills, the New European Innovation Agenda, European Digital Skills and Jobs Platform, the EU Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition and others.

Investments in skills will be supported by existing EU financial resources and forms of EU technical support. These include resources from the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), the Recovery and Resilience Facility, the Digital Europe Programme, the Horizon Europe Programme and Erasmus+. With a budget of €26.2 billion, the latter, among other things, supports the personal and professional development of learners, staff and institutions in vocational education by funding mobility activities and partnerships for cooperation across Europe.

There are also many other Facilities available, while there is no specific resource for marking the EYS.

The initiative for the EYS should be based on a holistic understanding of skills!

The EAEA, a civil society advocate and 120 members – ALE providers across Europe, has responded positively to the initiative for the EYS. At the same time, they emphasise the need to consider that life and work are closely intertwined. Skills are, therefore, necessary for both purposes, and there is often no clear distinction between them. Developing, continually upgrading and using them are all relevant to the well-being of individuals, communities and society.

The above Proposal for a Decision on the EYS is, according to the EAEA, too narrow and mainly focused on the labour market. They believe that, in addition to skills for work, attention should also be given to those for personal development, democratic citizenship, inclusion, sustainability, digital transformation, and the list goes on. In their statement, they advocate for the recognition of transversal and transformative skills. They also emphasise that non-formal learning and education for adults plays a crucial role in all of this. We could not agree more!

From October until now, the Proposal for a Decision on the EYS has undergone many discussions in civil society platforms and various bodies of the European Commission. It is now slowly entering the final stage of negotiations. The publication of the final version of the Decision is scheduled for 9 May, just before the start of this year's LLW. This means that the European Year of Skills will exceed the calendar year 2023 and continue until 8 May 2024.

How will we implement the EYS?

In the Proposal for a Decision on the EYS, the Commission has proposed organising events (conferences, forums, etc.) and public awareness-raising campaigns on the importance of skills and ways to acquire them. Working groups should be formed to encourage discussion and exchange of good practices. The dialogue between the stakeholders listed above should be strengthened. Proposed are: the promotion of education and upskilling programmes, financial incentives and other support facilities. These also include the development of skills intelligence tools and the promotion of tools and instruments for increased transparency and easier recognition of qualifications, including qualifications awarded outside the EU. Implementation of the Decision on the EYS will be binding for EU Member States, but the methods of implementation will be within the jurisdiction of each individual country. For more information, please visit the website.

 Are you interested in how Slovenia will respond to the initiative for the EYS?

What (already existing) things will we highlight, and what will we carry out for the EYS? What alliances will we form, and what will be their potential in the future?

At the moment, many public institutions and other organisations are devising ideas for collaboration. We will gather and coordinate these ideas in close cooperation with the MLFSA. In addition, we will combine our efforts with various stakeholders – from the national to the local level, all the way down to the individual (and vice versa).

The Decision on the EYS also requires each country to appoint its national coordinator. At the suggestion of the MLFSA, I, the author of this article, was nominated for this role.

I see my contribution in the comprehensive information and awareness-raising about the EYS and everything this initiative represents and promotes. So stay with us – you will receive relevant information, and perhaps we will also connect in celebration at various venues throughout Slovenia.

Zvonka Pangerc Pahernik, MSc (zvonka.pangerc@acs.si), SIAE

When in 2016 the European Commission issued its Recommendation on Upskilling Pathways: New Opportunities for Adults, it envisioned two reports on its implementation. The first one – Implementation Report on Upskilling Pathways (February 2019) was prepared after only two years. The report mentions Slovenia in the group of countries in which the UP implementation is tied to existing national strategies and measures. These are (mostly) implemented through projects co-financed by ESF.

The second reporting period for UP ends this year, and EC is carrying out several activities for this purpose. From 16 December last year to 20 March, a public debate took place. In parallel, EC has conducted interviews with experts working in key UP areas. This opportunity was also given to Tanja Vilič Klenovšek, MSc, of the SIAE who is recognised abroad as an adult education guidance expert.

As a reminder: the UP initiative involves three steps

It consists of assessing existing skills, creating a tailored learning offer and validating and recognising learning outcomes. These steps are accompanied by support measures such as guidance, outreach, educators' professional development, etc.

Through UP, adults should achieve a minimum level of literacy, numeracy and digital skills and/or acquire a broader set of skills. They should progress towards attaining an upper secondary qualification or equivalent (level 3 or 4 in the EQF depending on national circumstances).

EAEA recently prepared a comprehensive statement justifying in five areas (financing, governance, cooperation, inclusion and addressed skills) what needs to be done to accelerate the UP implementation – or adult learning and education in general (as it seems that the boundary between the two is almost blurred). Perhaps it is crucial that UP addresses mainly adults with low education or low skills, but through the prism of lifelong learning, the latter will sooner or later concern every adult.

We set up the e-portal Upskilling Pathways within the EAAL project

Within the EAAL project, we also paid attention to this issue and created the UP e-portal in 2017.

Of course, the effectiveness of the portal depends on the wealth of information we publish.

UP Recommendation is one of the key components of the strategic document in adult education, i.e. New EAAL 2021–2030. Therefore, the EC has recently organised a consultation webinar for EAAL national coordinators and representatives of European PES. They wanted to find out how the UP implementation is carried out in our countries, what outcomes we are achieving and what obstacles we are facing.

We told the EC representatives that this initiative is not well known in Slovenia, that more activities to raise awareness are necessary, as well as ensuring that one of the competent ministries takes responsibility for its implementation. At the same time, inter-ministerial coordination is needed, as the issue concerns several departments. We were supported by the representative of Germany, where the challenges are the same, and it is similar in many other countries.

I remember that at the end of 2016, with the publication of the UP Recommendation, the question arose among the EAAL coordinators as to why there were no financial sources for the implementation of this initiative. It was made clear at the time that they are available (e.g. ESF funds, most recently the Recovery and Resilience Facility and E+ projects announced for the UP implementation). So there is plenty of money, but the link between the UP initiative and sources needs to be renewed and intensified!

Zvonka Pangerc Pahernik, MSc (zvonka.pangerc@acs.si), SIAE

The fifth phase of the implementation of the EAAL has turned into its second half.

The current EAAL project is implemented in 2020 and 2021. At the end of January this year, we submitted an interim report in which we reported on the achievements in upgrading the Overview of Adult Education and Learning on Offer portal and creating a systematic communication strategy for its popularisation. We are continuing with the upgrade, and the results will be visible in May. The report listed the international events we attended and highlighted PLA on Reaching out to specific groups, which was supposed to take place in Slovenia, under the auspices of the 25th LLW; however, unfortunately, we hosted it only online.

We planned three Future of Adult Learning Forums, which were postponed to 2021 due to Covid-19. The first, the Forum on Learning and Education for an Inclusive Multicultural Society, was held in January 2021. If you did not participate in this extremely interesting tripartite event organised in partnership with the SLOGA Platform and the Slovenian Philanthropy, take a look at the interesting presentations and testimonies on the website. 

New EAAL — what, when, how …

Like all strategies at the European and national level, the Resolution on a renewed European Agenda for Adult Learning (2011) ended in 2020. The document is (was) crucial for ALE, so we rightly wonder what the next step should be. Slovenia plays a decisive role in this because one of the priorities during our Presidency of the Council of the EU in the second half of this year is precisely the adoption of a new resolution.

A working group at the MESS, in which representatives of the SIAE and the Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for vocational education and training (CPI) also participate, is preparing a baseline document for discussion with European (March 24) and national (April 15) stakeholders. National EAAL coordinators have already discussed the new contents and the continuation of the still current challenges, and there will be more opportunities for that in the future. Probably at the beginning of September the first draft of the resolution on the new EAAL will be discussed at the EC Education Committee, which will be the first formal step under the auspices of the Slovenian Presidency. All efforts are directed in adopting a new resolution at the November meeting of the Council of Ministers for Education.

We would like the draft of the resolution to be as holistic and balanced as possible (according to the four pillars of Delors et al.). In doing that, we, of course, refer to the current European documents, which we wrote about at the end of last year, and two recently joined documents: the Council Resolution on a strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training towards the European Education Area and beyond (2021–2030) (February 26, 2021) and The European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan (March 4, 2021). The latter dictates as much as 60% participation of adults in education and training by 2030.

Let that be all about the activities on the ALE policy level. In parallel (in practice), a new EACEA call for the implementation of the EAAL in 2022–2023 will be published in April. The schedule and outline of the call were presented by the EC at this year's first meeting of EAAL national coordinators in early February. The financial foundations for the further continuation of this process in the EU Member States are laid in the new Erasmus+ programme.

Participating in the drafting of the new resolution will most likely enable us to apply for the call following the latest trends and also, as always, base it on national circumstances and priorities. We will, of course, keep you informed of new developments.

Zvonka Pangerc Pahernik, MSc (zvonka.pangerc@acs.si), SIAE

This time, it was not necessary (or possible) to travel to Brussels for the EAAL national coordinators meeting

We recently reported about the PLA event, where the national coordinators of the EAAL process from most of the European countries could exchange views on work with specific target groups of adults. At that time, we scheduled our regular autumn meeting, where we would be briefed about the current measures at the EU level. Due to COVID-19, we listened to the European Commission representatives on October 15 via Zoom, each from their own part of the continent.

Chiara Riondino, the new Head of the Vocational Education and Training, Apprenticeships and Adult Learning unit of the European Commission Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, presented the (revised) European Skills Agenda, which comprises twelve actions. She explained the European Education Area, which is to be achieved by 2025, the updated Digital Education Action Plan and the wider political context that will impact adult education and learning after 2020.

These actions are built upon the European Pillar of Social Rights; 2018, whose first out of twenty principles promotes the right to quality education, training and lifelong learning for everyone. “Digital” and “green” are the magic words of current European policy, which also calls for up and re-skilling – particularly of adults with low education and unsuitable qualifications. The goal concerning participation is also very ambitious: as many as 50% of adults aged between 25 and 64 should be included in lifelong learning by 2025 (according to the Adult Education Survey, this share was 38% in 2016). The digital culture being introduced by the new action plan will be inclusive and will for the first time ever cover non-formal and informal learning in addition to formal education. The actions are aimed also, or indeed primarily, at recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic.

To sum up, the recommendations at the European level are oriented towards sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience. It is now up to the Member States to use these foundations to develop holistic national skills strategies and to put them into practice in a balanced way.

 European actions are supported by the new 2021–2027 multiannual financial framework

The second EC representative, David Kunst, presented the new financial resources: the EU Budget for Recovery REACT-EU, European Social Fund Plus, Recovery and Resilience Facility, Just Transition Fund, Technical Support Instrument and the Invest EU Programme.

The issue of up and re-skilling (covered in the Council Recommendation on Upskilling Pathways), which is essential also in the EAAL process, remains a priority and is included primarily in the new Recovery and Resilience Facility, which will offer large-scale financial support for investment and reforms to be carried out by the Member States in line with the recommendations of the respective European Semester. The aim is to mitigate the economic and social impact of the pandemic and make economies more sustainable, resilient and better prepared for the challenges of the green and digital transitions. Member States will submit their national recovery and resilience plans to the European Commission – the first draft along with a national budget proposal as early as October this year.

 New tools for the promotion of lifelong learning

Kunst also presented the “Individual Learning Account” tool (Action 9 of the European Skills Agenda). It is designed to increase the participation of adults, as they receive a certain sum of money to be used for education, and everything is supported by guidance, the validation of learning outcomes and the possibility of taking educational leave. The European Commission commissioned a study of existing and potential ways to implement this tool, which we were dealing with many years ago in Slovenia as well. In 2021, the EC will focus on the development of this tool and hold a public discussion with the Member States.

The Skills Agenda also includes an action for introducing micro-credentials (Action 10). This is a response to the growing need for short, flexible, accelerated training to facilitate adaptation to constant changes on the labour market and the demand for new occupations. At the same time, the Action should contribute to greater accessibility of lifelong learning and support the modularisation of programmes, a flexible curriculum and various upskilling pathways. The European Commission is developing the European approach to the introduction of micro-credentials at an accelerated pace. It will include European standards for quality and transparency and support the inclusion of micro-credentials in qualifications frameworks and their collection and presentation in Europass. The revamped Europass platform (Action 11) is now available in 29 languages and offers tools and guidance on CV and cover letter writing as well as other information.

 What does it all mean for adult education?

All speakers, including Martina Ní Cheallaigh, who coordinates the EAAL implementation process at the European Commission, emphasised that adult education and lifelong learning have never been as visible and ubiquitous as they are in the current European education policy. While it is true that the aspect of acquiring skills for work continues to be at the forefront, there are also enough impulses for the humanistic and sustainable dimensions.

The eighth Action of the Skills Agenda expressly concerns skills for life. This Action, which the EC plans to finalise by the end of the year, will be an opportunity to support adult education for everyone – young people and adults – on issues such as media literacy, civic competences and financial, environmental and health literacy. Of course, “skills for work” should not be separated from those “for life”, as they are closely intertwined – this must also be constantly emphasised.

Considering how much the role of adult education is favoured at present, all that remains for us is to help ensure the same attitude at the national level and to implement the above Actions in a coordinated and collaborative spirit. Now there really is no doubt – unity is the only way we will recover and strengthen our resilience!

Zvonka Pangerc Pahernik, MSc (zvonka.pangerc@acs.si), SIAE

In a recent online meeting with some of the members of the association, he emphasised that we must not lose this agenda, which is set to be completed this year. We have lately been receiving messages from the competent unit of the EC that nothing is happening in terms of the overhaul of the existing document (2011) that is otherwise based on the Education and Training 2020 programme (2009). Quite a few consultation processes were devoted to the said overhaul last year, which is why we can probably expect the overhauled version soon. The EC also confirmed last year that efforts will continue within the scope of Upskilling Pathways: New Opportunities for Adults (UP), and some even believe that this means that adult education has thus been fully provided for. But they forget that this initiative is of a narrower nature and is mainly devoted to the acquisition of basic and vocational skills.

An extensive advocacy campaign must be based on partnership

You can read more on the position and proposals of the EAEA relating to the continuation of EAAL on their website. They mainly support the need for a new, powerful agenda based on the recognition of adult education as an independent sector within the education and training system. The document is supposed to continue to cover all aspects of adult education and learning with special emphasis on non-formal education and community learning. In the two issues of the Manifesto for Adult Learning in Europe (2016 and 2019; we would draw attention to Slovenian versions featuring our stories), the EAEA members warned that adult education represents much more than just acquiring basic and vocational skills for work. It affects health and life in general, active citizenship, personal development and much more. In short, it empowers and delights!

They are aware at the EAEA that they will not be propulsive enough without a coordinated "bottom up" campaign featuring pressure and content-based justification from the Member States, which was also confirmed by the mentioned online meeting. They have prepared a sample letter and a communication tool to raise the awareness of various members of the public on the importance of the EAAL. It is up to us to use all of this and thus show that we care.

EAAL has brought about many positives

The improvement of adult education structures and higher level of participation in adult education are the crucial results according to the EAEA, but they do caution about the uneven level of implementation across EU countries. The annual reports of the EAEA 'Adult Education in Europe 2019 – A Civil Society View' testify to the effects of the EAAL to an extent, which is especially true of the most recent two reports. The EC published the Achievements under the Renewed European Agenda on Adult Learning document last year which was prepared in conjunction with the adult education working group for the 2011–2018 period. Interesting content proves that – over the years – adult education has become more recognisable and has attracted more attention from decision-makers, while the adult education systems has adapted more flexibly to national and European challenges. An even more telling indicator is the results of the projects of national EAAL coordinators that have been adapted to the national challenges throughout this period and therefore actually contribute to the transposition of the European strategy into the adult education practice of Member States – subsequently reaching individuals. We regularly notify you of the Slovenian implementations of the EAAL project and its results, and you may perhaps yourself been involved in some of them. Recent publications in both the Spring edition and the present edition of the SIAE Newsletter as well as the EPALE blog (in Slovenian) still have some interesting reading to offer.

We certainly still care about whether adult education will retain its agenda at the European level or not. We should therefore support the advocacy campaign of the EAEA and help implement it in various ways. Let us believe in our success!

Zvonka Pangerc Pahernik, MSc (zvonka.pangerc@acs.si), SIAE

In the previous issue, we informed you of the continuation of the EAAL project in the 2020–2021 period. Before we go full throttle into new challenges, we should first look back at the previous period. We should definitely do so because we submitted an extensive final report at the end of February which demonstrated the complexity of our activity, while we received the news in May that the report had been accepted.

In the 2017–2019 project phase, we conducted a number of events, produced many video publications and recorded statements by important stakeholders, set up the Upskilling Pathways e-portal, disseminated our activities and products through various media and summarised them in the overhauled online EAAL e-bulletin.

There are many added values

New Period with Less Broad, But In-Depth Work

The aforementioned upgrades to the tool and contents of the 2017–2019 phase will be complemented by six events dealing with the topics of the Forum on the Future of Learning organised on 24 January 2019 in Brussels: digitalisation of society, demographic changes (migrations and the ageing society), inclusion and citizenship, environmental challenges and technological change and the future of work. The first three forums are planned in conjunction with the joint campaigns of the LLW 2020 project, while the other three are planned for next year. The second branch of activities will be devoted to overhauling and upgrading of the Kam po znanje (Overview of the adult education offer in Slovenia) portal. The third will be devoted to the setup of a systematic communication strategy that will make our results available to various end users – policymakers, adult educators and learners.

Zvonka Pangerc Pahernik, MSc (zvonka.pangerc@acs.si), SIAE

The European strategy, Education and training 2020, is coming to an end, and a new strategy has been in the works for a while. In this transitional period, the project, Implementation of the (the EAAL project), is entering a new two-year phase. Almost all member countries are continuing with the activities from the 2017–2019 phase, or are starting new challenges. We don’t know what will happen after 2021, but it is very probable that a new EAAL or a new European adult education strategy will be adopted, perhaps even during the Slovenian presidency of the EU Council. It will undoubtedly be influenced by the priorities set by the new EC leadership, which advocates for a social, responsible, and sustainable Union.

​"Competences are essential for a better future. Education and training are essential for competences."

At the meeting of national EAAL coordinators on 4 and 5 February in Brussels, Dana Carmen Bachmann, Head of unit in charge of VET, Apprenticeships, and Adult Learning, informed us of the new aspects of European politics, especially in the field of adult education and lifelong learning. She summarised the recent Communications of the European Commission: The European Green Deal from December, and the Strong Social Europe for Just Transition from January. These two Communications show that acquiring competences is still a priority, that ways to improvement with re-qualification or upskilling are still important and that adults with low level or education or qualification are still the main target group. But some strong changes of direction can be felt, towards a society that values inclusiveness, fairness, preservation of resources, solidarity, multi-generational and multicultural solidarity. Non-formal learning is becoming more important, with a focus on learning communities. This fills me with hope and confirms we are on the right path! It also confirms we are on the right path when it comes to investing in education - the last European Commission Communication coincides with our Adult Education Master Plan in stating that the costs of re-qualifications and additional qualifications should be shared by the government/public sector, employers, and the individuals.

Look at past achievements to jump forward

The new EAAL was adopted in 2011. Since then, significant changes have been implemented in the European adult education systems, which has impacted the management, flexibility, better access, more services and better inclusion, as well as quality, in adult education. The European Commission presented the publication, Achievements under the Renewed European Agenda on Adult Learning for 2011–2018, prepared in collaboration with the working group for AE (including the Slovenian representative, Ema Perme). This interesting publication shows that adult education has gained recognition in the past few years, and attracted the attention of decision makers, while the AE systems have become more flexible in addressing national and European challenges. The advice to pay more attention to financing, coordination, collaboration with employers, and the professional development of adult educators and educational institutions after 2020, also shows how far we have come.

The Service, and the European Commission, have set themselves some very ambitious goals, and we can also look forward to improved platform functionality and other new features. It seems that we will also be facing some new challenges together in this area.

Other topics on the agenda of our meeting in Brussels were: a presentation of a new financial support scheme for individuals and businesses, InvestEU 2021–2027, the announcement of a new Eurydice study on adult education in Europe (2021), and a presentation of projects on which our colleagues from other countries have embarked with additional sources of financing (Erasmus+ KA3 Policy experimentation or Structural Reform Support Services). We also received instructions about reporting on the previous phase, and the current EAAL project. We are happy to report that the EC has simplified the administrative procedures - an example worth following!

We will keep you informed about EAAL activities in Slovenia. We are looking forward to implementing them with your help.

Zvonka Pangerc Pahernik, MSc (zvonka.pangerc@acs.si), ACS

As for consultation meetings, we cooperated with associations and agencies related to adult education and VET ESF-funded projects, preferably with the Public Scholarship, Development, Disability and Maintenance Fund of the Republic of Slovenian, the Public Employment Office, the Chamber of Commerce and the Chamber of Craft.

Events for engaging relevant stakeholders in the identification of the state of affairs and the formulation of a synergetic way forward were organized in addition to awareness raising of the widest public through video and audio recordings on good practice of skills assessment, programmes for low-qualified adults to raise their basic skills and other key competences and/or bring them back to education and/or training, validation and recognition procedures, outreach and guidance as well as other promotional approaches. Activities were intertwined, they complemented and supported each other and provided opportunities for peer learning at national and international level.

The target groups to be reached, engaged and supported are manifold and include stakeholders from the field of education and training (policy makers, professionals, providers and learners) as well as from the field of employment, social affairs and other sectors. In the project, it is envisaged to involve them all, however, as regards learners, with special focus on people with low educational achievements and skills. Classical outreach activities (e.g. personal contacts, local TV and radio, etc.) as well as innovative and ICT-based ones were engaged.

The envisaged impact of the abovementioned activities and their outcomes are greater awareness of stakeholders at policy and professional level on existing and potential new arrangements supporting the implementation of the UP Recommendation.

In addition, we strived for greater awareness of the widest public, especially low-qualified adults, on opportunities enabling them to progress on their upskilling pathways and strengthen their life and work prospects.

Zvonka Pangerc Pahernik, MSc (zvonka.pangerc@acs.si), SIAE