30 OCT 2023
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National news

Lithuania: more opportunities for lifelong learning – the individual learning account system

One-stop shop to quality learning for those wishing to improve their skills

Setting up a system of individual learning accounts (ILA) is part of the ‘2021-24 Equal start initiative: development of the national lifelong learning system’. In early May 2023, the national Parliament (Seimas) adopted amendments to the Law on Non-Formal Adult Education and Continuing Education, which legitimised the ILA single-window information system and set up its operating principles. By the end of the same month, the project ‘Learn for life’ was launched to create and operate the ILA digital platform, expected to be launched in November 2023.

Main functionalities of the ILA digital platform

An interinstitutional single-window system will be established in which adults – through their learning account – will be able to find training offers (that meet quality criteria) delivered by various training providers, as well as counselling services and information on how to finance their training. The aim is to enable individuals to access training to acquire competences needed in the labour market, including those linked to the digital and green transitions. Individuals could self-finance their training, fully or partly, by making use of State funds for learning, which will be directed to priority areas important to the State.

Links will be established with the national population register and educational registers, which collect information about learning programmes, record the participation of individuals in programmes, and collect information about certificates verifying the completion of a programme. In the future, it is planned to expand opportunities by creating links with the information systems of other institutions (e.g. Employment Service). This will enable clients of other institutions to use the programmes available in the ILA, and to create links with other registers. The latter will help to identify effectively persons using the ILAs, and whether they belong to priority groups.

ILA quality assurance system

A quality assurance procedure has been prepared and is currently under public consultation; it will regulate the provisions for programme development, evaluation, and monitoring. Only programmes that comply with its requirements will be available through the ILA platform. The Qualifications and VET Development Centre will perform quality assurance monitoring randomly, by selecting up to 10% of the learning programmes implemented each year. Another quality assurance factor introduced is the learners’ opinion. When participants’ assessment does not reach the minimum requirement set in the procedure, the programme will be removed from the ILA platform. 

The European Social Fund Agency is leading the project, along with the Association of Lithuanian Higher Education Institutions for Centralised Admissions (LAMA BPO), the National Education Agency and the  Qualifications and VET Development Centre as partners. The project financing from the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) amounts to almost EUR 19 million. Additional funding is ensured through the European Social Fund, with more than EUR 40 million allocated until 2030.

It is expected that by the end of April 2026, at least 25 461 persons aged 18 to 65 will have completed quality‑assured training through the platform services – of which at least 40% is dedicated to digital skills. 

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    Please cite this news item as: ReferNet Lithuania; Cedefop (2023). Lithuania: more opportunities for lifelong learning – the individual learning account system. National news on VET