Lifelong and Lifewide Learning in Flanders - Belgium

Source: World Association of Public Employment Services (WAPES)

• Participation in lifelong learning

Annex: Interface on its way - An inter-ministerial initiative for the stimulation of LLL

• Introduction

1. Mission of the Interface
2. Concrete subprojects
3. A temporary organisation structure for 2002

Since the beginning of the nineties, the theme of lifelong learning has undeniably been an item on national and international policy agendas.

At the European Luxemburg summit in 1997, lifelong learning was introduced as a central theme in the European employment guidelines. In 1999 the member states ware asked to set target numbers. By publishing "a memorandum on lifelong learning" in October 2000, the European Commission aimed to start a debate on a comprehensive strategy.

Both in the Flemish coalition agreement of July 1999 and the subsequent policy documents of the ministers of Education and Training, Employment and Economy, lifelong learning is considered an important key to the development of a knowledge and information society. Also in the future project of the Flemish government, 'Colourful Flanders' (Kleurrijk Vlaaanderen), the importance of 'lifelong' and 'lifewide' learning is repeatedly underlined. On 7 July 2000 the Flemish government approved the action plan 'Lifelong learning in the right direction' (levenslang leren in goede banen). Point of departure is that every citizen should get the chance to develop his/her abilities and this in the personal, professional, cultural and social spheres.

Important action points that are being realised since 2000:

• A right to career guidance: the need for adults in a turbulent world to adjust their careers and, in so doing, stimulate their own competency development
• APL-RPL: accreditation and recognition of prior learning
• ICT basic skills for everyone: overtaking manoeuvre to also put specific target groups on the ICT-track
• Training cheques: companies should invest more in their human capital. But training costs can be very high. The Flemish government pays half of the training costs through training cheques. These cheques allow enterprises to pay for their employees' training courses on condition that the training is provided by "recognized training centres". The VDAB is one of these centres. The training cheques are an example of e-government. 60% of the consumers are SMEs.
• Individual learning account: the need for individuals to take their development and training in their own hands.
• Modularisation: mutual recognition of diplomas.

VDAB participated in all these projects, which have resulted into an integrated approach of Lifelong Learning in Flanders through the INTERFACE ( zie bijlage)

The Colours document (Kleurennota) of the Flemish government wants Flanders to become a learning meeting point in which lifelong and lifewide learning get a prominent position. As job contents are constantly changing and the knowledge economy is always pushing back frontiers, the citizen must acquire the right to lifelong learning, but also to learn how to learn.

The Vilvoorde Pact has defined 21 objectives for the 21st century. The Pact constitutes the basis for the further progress of the Colourful Flanders project. A first objective aims at Flanders to further develop into a learning society by 2010. At least 10% of the Flemish inhabitants between 25 and 65 participate in permanent training (see table)

Participation in lifelong learning

Training participation of the population between 25 and 64 (numbers for 2000)

Source: Eurostat LFS (processed by steunpunt WAV)

A learning society also acknowledges that competencies are equivalently recognized, irrespective of where and how they were acquired.

In 2020, the number of functionally-skilled persons and the number of persons with ICT-skills should have risen to more than three quarters of the population.

The number of youngsters who leave school without sufficient basic qualifications for the labour market and society has by that time at least been halved.

The development of innovative training methodologies (such as open learning, distance learning or web learning) can raise the training capacity while the means used are efficiently increased. Collaboration between the training providers (VDAB, VIZO, ONDERWIJS) must be reinforced by a computerized signposting that links the respective databases to one another.

The Flemish government has developed various tools to promote companies' training policies. These embrace the reorientation of the Lever credit (Hefboomkrediet) for training courses, the incentive premiums and the training credit. The social partners also want to raise the foreseen wage amount intended for training from 1,4 to 1,9 through the inter-professional agreement.

Room for Lifelong Learning has also been reserved in the Management contract of the VDAB with the Flemish Government and in the business plans (also local). The VDAB has the largest job site in Flanders and that makes it the market leader.

A few VDAB tools and realizations:

• Job and Training manager
• Web learning: Web learning is a new learning method for those who want to update their knowledge in the company or at home. (is a part of distance learning).
• database of training courses
• Screening tool for Part-time Educations
• Start up of RPL-projects
• ECDL (European Computer Driving Licence)
• Set up of an experiment with the learning accounts
• Europass Flanders: enhance the chances on the labour market if you have work and learning experience abroad. The Europass is a European document that vizualizes work and learning experience.
• Database of in-company training periods: overview of companies that allow practical training periods and of candidates for practical training periods
• My VDAB: for employers and job-seekers
• Keep up campaign:
  In May 2002, Flanders started the Keep up campaign (Bijblijfcampagne) in cooperation with the VDAB. The campaign targeted in the first place all citizens and emphasized a qualitative mix of working and learning while underlining the importance of acquiring insight in one's possibilities and competencies and of updating training.
• Competency centres:
  In the competency centres career guidance services are provided to employees.
  As an employee, you can go to a competency centre on your own initiative.
  You can also get career guidance services at the employer's request.
• Basic ICT skills:
  Training: "Introduction to the computer" (Aangename kennismaking met de computer).
  Those who want to learn how a computer works, how to use it and what to do with it can register for the course "Introduction to the computer".
  The training can be attended by everyone who knows little or nothing about computers and the internet, but is aimed in the first place at job-seekers.

The name "Interface" refers to an inter-ministerial initiative taken to enhance Lifelong and Lifewide Learning (see annex).

Annex: Interface on its way - An inter-ministerial initiative for the stimulation of LLL

Introduction

On 15/06/2001, the Flemish government gave its approval to the proposal to reorganise the Flemish government apparatus, among which the policy field of Adult Education and Training, the aspect "Training". The Flemish government directed the ministers involved to proceed with the further concretisation of the proposal.

At the request of the Flemish Minister of Culture and with the approval of the other ministers involved, the Culture sector was also involved in the consultation process.

In April 2002, the Flemish government gave its approval to the "Interface" concept.

1. Mission of the Interface

Under the management of the Ministerial Education Committee, the "Interface" is the tool of the Flemish government for the stimulation of lifelong and lifewide learning and the harmonisation of institutional training providers.

• the learner: individuals, organisations and companies;
• public and private training providers;
• researchers; and
• policy makers.

The Interface

• Provides support to the government for the preparation and implementation of the lifelong and lifewide learning policy;
• Stimulates research into lifelong and lifewide learning as well as the harmonisation of both types of learning and the flow of one into the other;
• Detects the learning and training needs of individuals, organisations and companies and compares the supply to this demand;
• Develops a short- and long-term directional educational plan;
• Pursues harmonisation of common projects, structural initiatives and back offices of institutional training providers;

The Interface supports knowledge and competency management of institutional training providers and realises scale advantages in the development of learning projects, especially projects that involve ICT, E-learning or electronic learning.

• Coordinates lifelong and lifewide learning awareness campaigns;
• The Interface will also boost the demand of and the participation in lifelong and lifewide learning by means of general and more specific campaigns. These specific campaigns are aimed at specific target groups, themes, regional embedding, etc.
• Makes the education offer transparent and organises first line advice through the learning shop;
• The Interface takes inventory of the national, regional and sub-regional education offer and composes a catalogue to make it transparent for the actors, especially the learners.
• Develops a system of mutually transferable and recognized certification and quality monitoring for the training providers.

2. Concrete subprojects

All partners are involved in the different subprojects. Most sub-projects will be prolonged as a permanent assignment within the framework of the Interface after 2002.

The International Adult Learner's Week
This is an annual awareness raising event which is aimed at Flemish adults. The Interface will coordinate the Adult Learner's Week. All partners will use the Week as a steppingstone for their own awareness initiatives for particular target groups.

Harmonisation initiatives
The harmonisation role of the Interface will be mitigated on the basis of five themes this year. A group of experts from the different partners is brought together per domain.

• RTCs (Regional Technology Centres), competency centres and VIZO (Flemish Independent Enterpreneurship Institute) centres: check the added value of the different initiatives; avoid overlappings;
• Databases of work placements: research into the desirability of harmonisation.
• Round table "NT2" (Dutch for foreign speakers). Examining the agreement framework with respect to the level of the training courses and the training providers.
• Purchase of software licences: inquiry into common standards with a view to the common purchase of software licences.
• (5) ICT-training courses: mapping the different ICT-courses with a view to possible harmonisation

Modularisation of training courses with the respective certificates
For a number of delineated projects, both at the level of vocational secondary education and adult education, the Interface wants to provide its support to the substantive harmonisation of programmes, sub-programmes and the related certificates. Also the issue of organisational conditions will be dealt with.

Accreditation of prior learning
The Interface will bring together experts from the different training providers and the social partners, to agree on a time schedule and a methodology regarding APL with a view to the implementation of an APL system. In the elaboration of the methodology and the time schedule, existing research reports are taken into account that can be further complemented with competencies of a personal and emancipatory nature.

E-learning
A group of experts from the partners will determine the scope of E-learning. A study will be carried out to compare existing systems, practices and organisations in Flanders and evaluate them.

Specific training courses of trainers in adult education
A group of experts from the partners will develop a concept of training (modular structure) for the specific domain of adult education for trainers, including its certification. Afterwards, common experiments can be started up. It will be examined in what degree this can happen on the basis of E-learning principles.

Detection of needs
An assignment is issued to elaborate a methodology for the detection of needs.

Annual report
In 2002, the Interface will already draw up a first annual report on Lifelong Learning in Flanders. Moreover, a project is started to enable zero measurement with respect to lifelong and lifewide learning.

3. A temporary organisation structure for 2002

In anticipation of a definitive structure from 2003 onwards, a temporary organisation structure is proposed for 2002.

The Interface falls within the area of competency of a Ministerial Training Committee, which is composed of the Flemish ministers of Education and Training of Culture, Employment and Economy. The Minister of Education and Training has a coordinating role.

The leading officials of the VDAB, VIZO and the Department of Education and SoCius support the Ministerial Training Committee and coordinate the activities of the Interface.

A core group, consisting of a president appointed by the minister of Education and Training, and a representative from SoCius, the VDAB, VIZO and Education (Administration and Permanent Training), is responsible for the implementation of the assignments of the Interface. It coordinates, follows up the activities from nearby and manages the budget.

• The core group is advised by a steering group that consists of one or two representatives from the VDAB and a representative from the Employment Administration.
• A project leader is appointed for each project. He/she is responsible for the daily follow up and the realisation of a project. The project leader is responsible for the management of the means of his/her project within the envelope that was attributed to him/her by the core group.

The project leader disposes of a project group where the partner organisations and, if useful, other organisations delegate an expert during the realisation of the sub-project.

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