Report on the use of PIAAC in informing policy in selected countries:Deliverable D3.3
Larson, Anne; id_orcid 0000-0002-2950-8583, Marcella Milana, Gosia Klatt, Miroslava Klempova, Heidi Knipprath, Palle Rasmussen, Ivana Studená, Marti Taru, Sandra Vatrella · 2019
Encouraging Lifelong Learning for an Inclusive & Vibrant EuropeWhat's gone awry in Europe's lifelong learning markets?Although it has been a central EU policy priority since 1993, and the European Union's mechanisms for multinational policy coordination and measurement in lifelong learning are world-leading, one in every five Europeans under 25 is now unemployed.Many are not in employment, education or training.According to the High Level Group on Literacy, one in five 15-year olds lack the literacy skills required to function successfully in a modern society; 73 million EU adults have low levels of education and literacy; while achieving the current EU benchmark of functional literacy for 85% of 15-year-olds would increase lifetime GDP -lifetime earnings -by €21 trillion.Clearly Europe's educational markets are failing to ensure that our citizens -particularly our younger citizens -have the education and training they need for their own economic prosperity and social welfare.They are also failing European society as a whole.Social exclusion, disaffection and the long-term "scarring" effects of unemployment are clear dangers to economic competitiveness, to social cohesion, and to the European project as a whole.This is the starting point for ENLIVEN -Encouraging Lifelong Learning for an Inclusive & Vibrant Europe -a three-year research project (2016-2019) funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 programme.The ENLIVEN research explores these challenges in several ways.First, we are exploring and modelling how policy interventions in adult education markets can become more effective.We bring together state-of-the-art methodologies and theorisations (e.g.Case-Based Reasoning methodology in artificial intelligence, bounded agency in adult learning) to develop and evaluate an innovative Intelligent Decision Support System (IDSS) to provide a new and more scientific underpinning for policy debate and decision-making about adult learning, especially for young adults.For this, we are drawing on findings from research conducted by European and international agencies and research projects, as well as findings from ENLIVEN research itself.The IDSS is intended to enable policy-makers at EU, national and organizational levels to enhance the provision and take-up of learning opportunities for adults, leading to a more productive and innovative workforce, and reduced social exclusion.The IDSS work organised in two workpackages (WPs 8-9).Second, we are investigating programmes, governance and policies in EU adult learning.By looking at the multi-dimensional nature of social exclusion and disadvantage, and the role of public and private markets in reversing -or reproducing -inequalities across Europe, we aim to provide a more holistic understanding of policies, their rationales, operationalization, and role in enhancing growth and inclusion.Beginning with the main European policies and funding schemes for adult learning aimed at tackling disadvantage, inequality and social