Looking back to move forward

The online event took place in the context of Cedefop’s 'Transparency and transferability of learning outcomes (2021-24)' project and attracted more than 90 experts, who had the opportunity to debate the relationships and impact of the numerous policy initiatives and tools.

Opening the workshop, Cedefop Executive Director Jürgen Siebel stressed how skills and lifelong learning remain a key topic in the EU policy agenda referring also to the proposal of the President of the European Commission to make 2023 European year of skills, and added:

'Learning outcomes must be the glue of European tools and initiatives in the pursuit of increasing the transparency of skills, of qualifications and of systems.'

Cedefop experts Jens Bjørnåvold and Zelda Azzara, in their keynote speech, gave an overview of European and national policy developments taking place over the last two decades, while highlighting the need to understand more of the combined impact of such policies on individuals.

Common understanding and continuity

In the panel discussions as well as in six break-out sessions, participants noted that while some European and national policy tools and initiatives have succeeded in reducing barriers to lifelong learning, others have been less successful. They also pointed to the need to ensure common understanding of concepts and continuity of work over time.

Among others, they concluded that while mutual trust is critical, for example as regards quality assurance, tools and initiatives must increasingly become more accessible to citizens, in particular those groups most at risk.

As Head of Cedefop's Department for VET and Qualifications Loukas Zahilas noted, the discussions and feedback harvested during the workshop will help shape the next steps of Cedefop's 'Transparency and transferability of learning outcomes' project.