WHITE PAPER ON EDUCATION AND TRAINING

TEACHING AND LEARNING

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TOWARDS THE LEARNING SOCIETY

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"We must have the courage to examineeverything, discuss everything and even toteach everything"

Condorcet

FOREWORD

This White Paper is part of a process designed simultaneously to provide ananalysis and to put forward guidelines for action in the fields of education andtraining. It takes forward the White Paper "Growth, competitiveness, employment",which stressed the importance for Europe of intangible investment, particularly ineducation and research. This investment in knowledge plays an essential role inemployment, competitiveness and social cohesion. This White Paper whilstlooking forward to the Madrid European Council meeting, draws upon theconclusions of the Cannes European Council of June 1995, which state that:"Training and apprenticeship policies, which are fundamental for improvingemployment and competitiveness, must be strengthened, especiallycontinuing training ".

Articles 126 and 127 of the Treaty establishing the European Community stipulaterespectively that "the Community shall contribute to the development of qualityeducation by encouraging cooperation between Member States and, if necessary,by supporting and supplementing their action" and that "the Community shallimplement a vocational training policy which shall support and supplement theaction of the Member States".

These articles are the clear basis for the debate which the Commission, inpresenting this White Paper, intends to launch in 1996, the year which the Counciland the European Parliament have chosen as the European Year of LifelongLearning.

After describing what is at stake and analysing the changes which need to beconsidered, while respecting the principle of subsidiarity, the White Paper sets outthe action to be taken in the Member States and the support measures to beintroduced at Community level. The main lines of action at the European levelenvisaged for 1996 include objectives to:

- encourage the acquisition of new knowledge;

- bring school and the business sector closer together;

- combat exclusion;

- develop proficiency in three European languages;

- treat capital investment and investment in training on an equal basis.

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CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 1

PART ONE: THE CHALLENGES 5

I. THE THREE FACTORS OF UPHEAVAL 5

A. The impact of the information society 6B. The impact of internationalisation 7C. The impact of scientific and technological knowledge 7

II. A FIRST APPROACH:FOCUSING ON A BROAD KNOWLEDGE BASE 9

A. Grasping the meaning of things 10B. Comprehension and creativity 11C. Powers of judgement and decision making 11

III. A SECOND RESPONSE:DEVELOPING EVERYONE'S EMPLOYABILITYAND CAPACITY FOR ECONOMIC LIFE 12

A. What are the skills required ? 12B. How can a person become employable ? 14

IV. DIRECTIONS FOR THE FUTURE 22

A. The end of debate on educational principles 22B. The central question: towards greater flexibility 23C. Action in the Member States 23D. New developments 25

III

PART TWO: BUILDING THE LEARNING SOCIETY 28

I. FIRST GENERAL OBJECTIVE :"ENCOURAGE THE ACQUISITION OF NEW KNOWLEDGE" 32

A. Recognition of skills 32B. Mobility 33C. Multimedia educational software 33

II. SECOND GENERAL OBJECTIVE :"BRING SCHOOLS AND BUSINESS CLOSER TOGETHER" 36

A. Apprenticeship/Trainees schemes 37B. Vocational training 38

III. THIRD GENERAL OBJECTIVE : "COMBAT EXCLUSION" 40

A. Second chance schools 40B. European voluntary service 42

IV. FOURTH GENERAL OBJECTIVE :"PROFICIENCY IN THREE COMMUNITY LANGUAGES" 44

V. FIFTH GENERAL OBJECTIVE :"TREAT CAPITAL INVESTMENT AND INVESTMENT IN TRAININGON A EQUAL BASIS" 47

GENERAL CONCLUSION 50

Annex 1 : Some data and figures 52

Annex 2 : Examples of Community programmes in the field of educationand training 55

Annex 3 : The educational world of Alyat Hanoar 60

Annex 4 : The experience of "Accelerated schools" in the USA 62

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INTRODUCTION

Much of the effort made in recent years to stem the rise of unemployment inEurope has not had lasting effects. Jobs created in the wake of a return to periodsof higher growth have not reversed the long term trends. Long term unemploymentcontinues to increase and the spread of social exclusion, particularly among youngpeople, has become a major problem in our societies.

Education and training have now emerged as the latest means for tackling theemployment problem. It may be surprising that the realisation of the role they canplay has come so late and that it has taken an economic recession to bring itabout. Yet it is unfair to expect education and training alone to make up for everyfailure: education and training cannot solve the employment problem on their ownor, more generally, the problem of the competitiveness of industries and services.Moreover, while it is true that the Treaty on European Union has opened up scopefor Community action in these areas, it also states explicitly that the role atEuropean level is to support and supplement action taken by the Member States.

Be that as it may, the countries of Europe today have no other option. If they are tohold their own and continue to be a reference point in the world, they have to buildon the progress brought about through closer economic ties by more substantialinvestment in knowledge and skills.

The Commission established the general framework for its analysis in its WhitePaper "Growth, competitiveness and employment", drawn up on the initiative ofJacques Delors, which stressed that the development of education and training isone of the conditions for the development of a new model of more employment-intensive growth.

The Essen European Council of December 1994 confirmed this in its conclusionsand re-affirmed them in Cannes in June 1995, in the light of the report from theAdvisory Group on Competitiveness.

There are two major challenges: firstly, providing immediate solutions to currenteducation and training needs; secondly, preparing the future and outlining anoverall approach capable of assembling the efforts of the Member States andthose of the European Union, each acting within its area of competence.

Since the 1960's, Community action in education and training has had significantresults in terms of cooperation, exchanges of experience, supporting innovationand the development of training products and materials. It has also boosteddecisively European mobility of students and people in training. It has alsocontributed to the promotion of learning Community languages and to thedevelopment of communication between European citizens (see annex 2).

The basis of this White Paper is the concerns of every European citizen, young oradult, who faces the problem of adjusting to new conditions of finding a job and

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changes in the nature of work. No social category, no profession, no trade isspared this problem.

The internationalisation of trade, the global context of technology and, above all,the arrival of the information society, have boosted the possibilities of access toinformation and knowledge for people, but at the same time have as aconsequence changed work organization and the skills learned. This trend hasincreased uncertainty for all and for some has led to intolerable situations ofexclusion.

It is clear that the new opportunities offered to people require an effort from eachone to adapt, particularly in assembling one's own qualifications on the basis of'building blocks' of knowledge acquired at different times and in various situations.The society of the future will therefore be a learning society. In the light of thisit is evident that education systems - which means primarily the teachers - and allof those involved in training have a central role to play. The social partners, inexercising their responsibilities, including through collective bargaining, have aparticularly important role, as these developments will condition the workingenvironment of the future.

Education and training will increasingly become the main vehicles for self-awareness, belonging, advancement and self-fulfilment. Education and trainingwhether acquired in the formal education system, on the job or in a more informalway, is the key for everyone to controlling their future and their personaldevelopment.

Education and training remain one of the determining factors in equality ofopportunity. Education systems have already played an essential role in theemancipation and the social and professional advancement of women. Educationcan and must contribute further to the crucial equality between men and women.

Immaterial investment and getting the best out of our human resources willimprove competitiveness, boost jobs and safeguard social achievements. Theindividual's place in relation to their fellow citizens will increasingly be determinedby their capacity to learn and master fundamental knowledge.

The position of everyone in relation to their fellow citizens in the context ofknowledge and skills therefore will be decisive. This relative position which couldbe called the "learning relationship" will become an increasingly dominantfeature in the structure of our societies.

The ability to renew and innovate will depend on the links between thedevelopment of knowledge in research and its transmission through education andtraining. In all this, communication will be essential both for generating anddisseminating ideas.

The future of the EU and its development will depend largely on its ability tomanage the progress towards this new society. The objective is to make it into ajust and progressive society based on its cultural wealth and diversity. There is a

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need to whet society's appetite for education and training throughout life. Thereneeds to be permanent and broad access to a number of different forms ofknowledge. In addition, the level of skill achieved by each and everyone will haveto be converted into an instrument for measuring individual performance in away which will safeguard equal rights for workers as far as possible.

There is no single pattern for all to follow throughout their working lives.Everyone must be able to seize their opportunities for improvement insociety and for personal fulfilment, irrespective of their social origin andeducational background . This particularly applies to the most disadvantagedgroups who lack the family and social environment to enable them to make themost of the general education provided by school. These groups should be giventhe chance not just to catch up, but to gain access to new knowledge which couldhelp to bring out their abilities.

Given the diversity of national situations and the inadequacy of global solutions inthis context, proposing a model is not the answer. This would be doomed to failuregiven the pivotal role of the individual in the construction of the learning societyand the social and cultural diversity of the Member States. The purpose of thisWhite Paper is to plot out the route to this new society by identifying the optionsavailable to the EU in education and training. Its suggestions, guidelines and aimsare intended to support and supplement education and training policies, theresponsibility for which rests first and foremost with national, regional and localauthorities. The objective is not to impose common rules, but rather on the basisof a broad debate to identify the points of convergence and the actions capable ofmeeting the current challenges.

The diversity of the education systems of the EU notwithstanding, there is aEuropean approach to education based on common historic roots, from whichstems the success of cooperation between higher education establishments, forexample, in the ERASMUS programme which has provided mobility for 500,000young students.

In the new context of the internationalisation of the economy, dissemination of newtechnologies and the risk of cultural uniformity, Europe more than ever before is anappropriate level for action. This will in the future be amply borne out by the impactof the free movement of people, which will make it essential for national educationand training systems to consider the European dimension.

To examine education and training in the context of employment does notmean reducing them simply to a means of obtaining qualifications. Theessential aim of education and training has always been personaldevelopment and the successful integration of Europeans into societythrough the sharing of common values, the passing on of cultural heritageand the teaching of self-reliance.

However, this essential function of social integration is today under threat unless itis accompanied by the prospect of employment. The devastating personal andsocial effects of unemployment are uppermost in the minds of every family, every

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young person in initial training and everyone on the labour market. The best wayfor education to continue to exercise this essential function is to seek to provide aconvincing response to alleviate these concerns. The very foundations of anyEuropean society purporting to teach its children the principles of citizenship wouldbe undermined if this teaching were to fail to provide for job prospects.

In the face of unemployment and technological upheaval, training must go beyondthe framework of initial education and develop an on-going capacity for therenewal of the technical and vocational skills of workers around a solid, broadknowledge base.

This White Paper takes the view that in modern Europe the three essentialrequirements of social integration, the enhancement of employability and personalfulfilment, are not incompatible. They should not be brought into conflict, butshould on the contrary be closely linked. Europe's assets in the area of science,the depth of its culture, the capacity of its business, industry and institutions shouldenable it both to pass on its fundamental values and prepare for employment. Thispresupposes that European society stays tuned to the underlying trends at workwithin it.

On this basis, the White Paper considers in turn:

– the importance of education and training to Europe in the current context oftechnological and economic change; and

– the guidelines for action in the pursuit of objectives to build up high-qualityeducation and training.

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PART ONE: THE CHALLENGES

As this century draws to its close, wecan see that the causes of change insociety have been diverse and haveaffected our education and trainingsystems in different ways.Demographic trends have increasedlife expectancy radically changing atthe same time the age structure ofthe population, thereby increasing theneed for lifelong learning. Thesubstantial rise in the number ofworking women has altered thetraditional place of the family inrelation to school and the upbringingof children. Expansion of technicalinnovation in all areas has generatednew knowledge requirements.Consumption patterns and lifestyleshave changed. In addition, peoplehave been alerted to environmentalproblems and the use of naturalresources and this has affected botheducation and training systems andindustrial activities.

Three major, profound and wide-ranging factors of upheaval haveemerged, however, which havetransformed the context of economicactivity and the way our societiesfunction in a radical and lastingmanner, namely: the onset of theinformation society; the impact of thescientific and technological world; andthe internationalisation of theeconomy. These events arecontributing towards the developmentof the learning society. They bringrisks, but also opportunities whichmust be seized.

The construction of this society willdepend on the ability to respond intwo important ways to theimplications of these events. The first

response focuses on the need for abroad knowledge base and thesecond is designed to build upabilities for employment andeconomic life .

Establishing the learning society willalso depend on how those involvedand the institutions in educationand training pursue the developmentsalready under way in the MemberStates.

I. The three factors ofupheaval

Like the rest of the world, Europe hasto face up to the effects of thewidespread dissemination ofinformation technologies, pressure onthe world market and a relentlessonward march of science andtechnology. These challengesrepresent a step forward by placingpeople in a closer relationship withanother.

Europe has been confronted byglobal technological and economicdevelopments in a context ofunemployment levels higher than inother parts of the world and anincrease in social exclusion. This hasled some to consider technology asan intrinsic and definitive obstacle toemployment growth, while othersbelieve that the level of socialprotection in those countries hardesthit has generated fixed costs whichneed to be seriously reconsidered. Ithas forced others back into anationalistic shell which can beinterpreted as an inability to deviseand build a new model of society.

This White Paper considers thatEuropean society is in atransitional phase towards a new

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form of society beyond currentshort term forecasts.

A. The impact of theinformation society

The report "Europe and the globalinformation society" (May 1994),produced by the high-level groupchaired by Mr Bangemann, stressed,"that throughout the world,information and telecommunicationstechnologies are bringing about anew industrial revolution whichalready looks to be as important andradical as those which preceded it".

This revolution like previous ones willhave consequences for work andemployment.

It has not been demonstrated thatnew technologies reduceemployment levels. Sometechnologically advanced countrieshave created around the newinformation related activities, anumber of jobs comparable, indeedin some cases higher, than those lostin other areas.

It is however certain thatinformation technologies haveradically changed the nature ofwork and the organisation ofproduction. These changes arecurrently affecting deeplyEuropean society.

Mass production is declining andmaking room for a more customizedtype of production. The traditionalpattern of growth in paid employment,i.e. full time and permanent, appearsto be on the decline. Productionrelationships and conditions ofemployment are changing. Corporateorganisation is increasingly turningtowards flexibility and

decentralisation. The search forflexibility, the development ofnetworked-based cooperation, theincreased use of subcontracting, thedevelopment of work in teams, aresome of the consequences ofinformation technology.

Information technology is contributingto the disappearance of routine andrepetitive work which can be codified,programmed and automated. Workcontent will increasingly be made upof intelligent tasks requiring initiativeand the ability to adapt.

Although it makes thedecentralisation of tasks easier,information technology coordinatesthese tasks in interactive on-linecommunication networks whichfunction equally well acrosscontinents as from one office andfloor to another. The result issimultaneously a higher level ofindividual autonomy for workers, buta less clear perception of the contextof their actions. The newtechnologies have a twofold effect.On the one hand, they considerablyincrease the role of the human factorin the production process, while onthe other make workers morevulnerable to changes in workorganisation because they are mereindividuals within a complex network.

Information technologies are makingsignificant inroads into production-related activities and into educationand training, thus bringing the'learning system' and the 'producingsystem' closer together. There is amarked convergence between theworld of work and the world oflearning/training as far as thecapacities required are concerned.

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Change connected with informationtechnology has wide economic andsocial consequences for thedevelopment of: self-employment;service industries; new forms of workorganisation known as the "learningorganisation"; managementdecentralisation; and flexible workinghours.

The information society,notwithstanding the new knowledgetechniques it heralds, raises thequestion of whether the educationalcontent it carries will enhance or, onthe contrary, diminish the knowledgeof the individual. The focus up to nowhas been on the potential offered byinformation highways, through therevolutionary quasi-instantaneousness that theINTERNET, for instance, brings tocontacts between firms, researchersand academics. The fear is the riskthat the quality of multi-mediaproducts, particularly in educationalsoftware, could lead to knowledge ofthe "lowest common denominator" inwhich people lose their historical,geographical and cultural bearings.

This is why the Commission,particularly at the G7 meeting on theinformation society in Brussels inFebruary 1995, stressed the need tostimulate European production ofeducational software. The informationsociety is going to change teachingmethods by replacing the excessivelypassive teacher/pupil relationshipwith a new - and seemingly promising- interactive relationship. At the sametime, however, changing teachingmethods does not affect the contentof the material taught.

B. The impact ofinternationalisation

The internationalisation of theeconomy is the second factor ofupheaval, which has given rise tounprecedented freedom ofmovement for capital, goods andservices.

Sooner than is generally believed, aglobal and distinctive labour marketwill emerge. Large and smallcompanies, and even the mobileprofessions, are already using"teleporting" to have work done on-line in low-wage countries.

In its White Paper "Growth,competitiveness and employment"the Commission opted clearly for aEurope open to the rest of the worldbut stressed that its futuredevelopments should have a distinctEuropean dimension, placingparticular emphasis on thepreservation of the European socialmodel. Internationalisation thussimply strengthens Europe'sposition on the world stage . In achanging and uncertain world,Europe is a natural level oforganisation. This has been shownthrough trade policy, technicalharmonisation, environmentalprotection, solidarity between theregions and through real progress inthe field of education and training,e.g. in the ERASMUS programme.Yet, Europe still needs todemonstrate to ordinary peoplethat it is not there just to makeregulations, but that it is close totheir everyday concerns .

This option, involves improving thecompetitiveness of our economies,and will increase the quality of life

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through more efficient distribution ofresources in the world. Itnevertheless implies majoradjustments in every country.

There is a risk of a social rift with allthe adverse and even drasticconsequences this may entail.

C. The impact of scientific andtechnological knowledge

The developments and disseminationof scientific and technical knowledgeis accelerating.

A new model of production ofknowledge and know-how isemerging, combining extremespecialisation and cross-disciplinarycreativeness. Industry reliesincreasingly on science to developnew products (e.g. special alloys forsports equipment, biologicalprocesses for environmentalindustries) and scientific researchneeds equipment with a high degreeof technical sophistication (e.g.supercomputers, high-performancecommunications networks, humangenomes).

But instead of celebrating progressas was the case a century ago,public opinion often perceivesscientific ventures andtechnological progress as a threat .

These growing anxieties are asignificant feature of the end ofthis century. Paradoxically, whereasscience is making significant progress(limiting, if not overcoming famineand many diseases, increasing lifeexpectancy, providing fastercommunication etc.), this progress isfor many people matched by a senseof fear which has some parallels in

the transition from the Middle Ages tothe Renaissance.

Media coverage also presents aviolent picture, re-enforcing theseanxieties.

To tackle this crisis better informationis essential but insufficient on its own.It is by disseminating knowledge that

this irrational climate can beovercome. By demonstrating the linkbetween science and the progress ofmankind, while being fully aware of itslimitations, today's scientific andtechnological world will be acceptedand in a better position to spreadwidely an innovative culture.

In many European countries, theresponse is pitched at two levels,cultural and ethical.

- The promotion of a scientificand technical culture is thesubject of a sustained effort bythe public authorities.Activities at national level onthis issue have, since 1993,been enhanced andcomplemented by a timelyEuropean event, the"European week of scientificculture", the success of whichis growing in all the countriesof the European Union. But itis at school that the issue isreally determined. Scientificand technical information is allthe more rewarding when builton a solid foundation ofscientific education acquired atschool.

- The second level is ethical .The development ofbiotechnologies, man'srelationship to intelligentmachines, new approaches to

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procreation, a heightenedsense of co-existence withother species, protection of theenvironment, are all newissues which Europe mustprepare to face. The sameproblem arises in relation tothe information society. The'information highways' to whichyoung people and evenchildren will have increasinglyeasier access, could well findthemselves inundated withmessages offending humandignity. This clearly raises thematter of protecting ourchildren. The ethics ofresponsibility must become anintegral part of basic educationand the training ofresearchers.

Throughout Europe, in all MemberStates, these three factors ofupheaval and their repercussionsfor industry and employment areincreasingly being taken on boardand addressed . For example, seethe report of the German FederalGovernment on "The future ofGermany as an industrial location"(Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft,September 1993). At European level,the White Paper on "Growth,Competitiveness and Employment"and the conclusions of the EssenEuropean Council, reiterated inCannes, stress the link betweencompetitiveness, employment,education and training.

The response to these three factorsof upheaval is multi-faceted, for itentails a radical shake-up ofEuropean society.

The ultimate goal of training, to buildup the individual's self-reliance andoccupational capacity, makes it the

linchpin of adaptation and change.The two main responses focusedupon in this White Paper areaccordingly to give everyoneaccess to a broad base ofknowledge and to build up theirabilities for employment andeconomic life .

II. A first approach: focusingon a broad knowledge base

In the future, individuals will be calledupon to understand complexsituations which will change inunforeseeable ways, but whichadvances in science shouldnevertheless make it easier tocontrol. They will also be confrontedwith an increasing variety of physicalobjects, social situations andgeographical and cultural contexts. Inaddition, they will have to contendwith a mass of fragmentary andincomplete information open tovarying interpretations and partialanalysis.

There is therefore a risk of a rift insociety between those that caninterpret; those who can only use;and those who are pushed out ofmainstream society and rely uponsocial support: in other words,between those who know andthose who do not know .

The main challenge in this kind ofsociety is to reduce the gap betweenthese groups whilst enabling theprogress and development of allhuman resources.It is possible to understand the worldif the way it interacts and functionscan be grasped and a sense ofpersonal direction found. This is themain function of school. This isparticularly appropriate to the building

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of Europe. By imparting a broadknowledge base to young peopleenabling them both to pick their waythrough its complexity and to discussits purpose, education lays thefoundations of awareness and ofEuropean citizenship.

By the same token, the developmentof a broad knowledge base, namelythe ability to grasp the meaning ofthings, to comprehend and to makejudgements, is the first factor inadapting to economic and labourmarket change. The report from theRound Table of EuropeanIndustrialists (February 1995)stressed the need for flexible trainingwith a broad knowledge base,advocating a 'learning to learn'approach throughout life. It statedthat, "the essential mission ofeducation is to help everyone todevelop their own potential andbecome a complete human being, asopposed to a tool at the service of theeconomy; the acquisition ofknowledge and skills should go handin hand with building up character,broadening outlook and acceptingone's responsibility in society.".

This need for a solid and broadknowledge base which is literary,philosophical, scientific, technical andpractical, does not only concern initialtraining. There are many examplesto show that the vocationalretraining of employees who areunder skilled or highly specialisedon account of the Tayloristapproach to work depends uponthe acquisition of this base as thefoundation for new technical skills .When retraining workers, trainingestablishments are increasinglyhaving to give them a generalgrounding before teaching them anew job.

There is, moreover, an increasingdegree of convergence betweenbusiness and the world of educationwhen it comes to the usefulness ofreconciling general education andspecialised training.

More generally speaking, theforceful return of a broadknowledge base as the key tounderstanding the world outside thecontext of education can be seen.

A. Grasping the meaning ofthings

In an essentially universal societybased on knowledge, a social andcultural identity can only be passedon in part. It has to be built up , notonly by school the role of whichcontinues to be irreplaceable, but theindividuals who draw on the collectivememory while assimilating the varietyof information to which they areexposed, through their involvement indifferent, vocational, cultural, socialand family circles.

The future of European culturedepends on its capacity to equipyoung people to question constantlyand seek new answers withoutprejudicing human values. This is thevery foundation of citizenship and isessential if European society is to beopen, multicultural and democratic.

In this regard, the most eminentacademics stress the importance ofadequate scientific awareness - notsimply in the mathematical sense - toensure that democracy canfunction properly . Democracyfunctions by majority decision onmajor issues which, because of theircomplexity, require an increasingamount of background knowledge.

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For example, environmental andethical issues cannot be the subjectof informed debate unless youngpeople possess a certain scientificawareness. At the moment, decisionsin this area are all too often based onsubjective and emotional criteria, themajority lacking the generalknowledge to make an informedchoice. Clearly this does not meanturning everyone into a scientificexpert, but enabling them to fulfil anenlightened role in making choiceswhich affect their environment and tounderstand in broad terms the socialimplications of debates betweenexperts. There is similarly a need tomake everyone capable of makingconsidered decisions as consumers.

The radical changes taking place inthe scientific and technologicallandscape, require individuals (even ifthey do not aspire to a career inresearch) increasingly to be able tograsp the meaning of things.Individuals must also learn to thinkmore in terms of systems and toposition themselves both as a userand as a citizen, as an individual andas a member of a group.

Literature and philosophy fulfil thesame function in respect to theindiscriminate bombardment ofinformation from the mass mediaand, in the near future, from thelarge informatics networks . Theyarm the individual with powers ofdiscernment and a critical sense. Thiscan provide the best protectionagainst manipulation, enablingpeople to interpret and understandthe information they receive.

It is nevertheless worth stressing theeducational role the mass media canfulfil. Wide-audience TV channels,e.g. the BBC in the United Kingdom,

or more specialised channels e.g. LaCinquième in France, offereducational programmes, providingviewers with a substantial range oflearning material.

In conjunction with the publicauthorities, the mass media makes itpossible to reach attainment targetswhich could not be achieved bytraditional means. A very successfulexample of this is the BBC's recent"Read and write" campaign targetedat disadvantaged groups, parentsand children alike and designed tohelp stamp out illiteracy.

A broad knowledge base enablespeople to find their way in theinformation society, that is to say tobe able to interpret in a critical waythe images and information theyreceive from a variety of sources.

B. Comprehension andcreativity

The ability to understand is thecapacity to analyze how things areassembled and taken apart. Onefunction of this White Paper is todraw attention to the crucial matter ofteaching to promote innovation.

In fact an excessive standardisationof knowledge prevails. It tends to givethe impression that everything has tobe taught in a strictly logical orderand that producing and identifyingquality is a question of mastering adeductive reasoning system basedon abstract concepts, in whichmathematics play a predominant role.In certain cases deductiveapproaches can thus make studentspassive and restrict the imagination.

Observation, common sense,curiosity, interest in the physical and

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social world around us and the desireto experiment are qualities which areoften neglected. Yet these are thequalities which will enable us to traininventors rather than meretechnology managers.

In yesterday's Europe, irrespective ofwhether it was rooted in rural life or inmanufacturing industry, learning wasnaturally directed primarily at theacquisition of abstract concepts toround off practical skills absorbedfrom day-to-day life outside school.The greater part of this practicalknowledge base has been modifiedand has regressed in our urbanised,automated, media-dominated society.It needs to be brought back into abroader knowledge base as a way ofpreparing individuals to master thetechnical instruments they will have touse, so that they, rather than thetechnique, are in charge.

Developing these aptitudes meanspromoting an appreciation of howsociety has been enriched byinvention and how such inventioncame about. Any action taken by theMember States to introduce thehistory of science and technology intoschools and to strengthen the linksbetween research and basiceducation should be encouraged.

C. Powers of judgement anddecision making

Powers of judgement and the abilityto choose are the two essential skillsfor understanding the world aroundus. They involve: criteria for makingchoices; remembering the lessons ofthe past; and an ability to assess thefuture.

The ability to choose is based onpersonal and social values, as well as

being able to rationalize the world inwhich we live.

Recalling and understanding the pastis essential in order to judge thepresent. Knowledge of history(including scientific and technologicalhistory) and geography has a dualfunction as a guide in time and spacewhich is essential to everyone if theyare to come to terms with their roots,develop a sense of belonging and tounderstand others. It is small wonderthat the hallmark of authoritarianregimes and dictatorships has beenthe undermining and falsifying of theteaching of history. The penaltysociety pays for forgetting the pastis to lose a common heritage ofbearings and reference points . It isnot surprising that, not knowing thehistory of European civilisation, thatsuch expressions as, "being out inthe wilderness", "having a cross tobear", "Eureka!", "the judgment ofSolomon" or "the tower of Babel"have lost their meaning.

In the end, it is by presenting theworld not as a completedconstruction, but as something to beconstructed, that an instinct for thefuture will be cultivated.

School must not only allow forcritical faculties to be developed atall levels, among both pupils andteachers, it must also encourage it .Its open environment, cooperationrequirements and duty to prepareyoung people for employment mustnot be allowed to prevent it fromaccomplishing its main function,however, which is to guide the youngpeople in its care in their personaland social development. This WhitePaper contends that in tomorrow'ssociety these two demands will be

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even more compatible than atpresent.

III. A second response:developing everyone'semployability and capacityfor economic life

One of the central issues this WhitePaper seeks to answer, is how bestto use education and training tocommit European countries to aprocess of job creation, whilst takingcontrol of the internationalization ofthe economy and the arrival of newtechnologies

Two questions follow: what are theskills required and how can they beacquired?

A. What are the skills required?

In today's world, knowledge in thebroad sense can be defined as anacquired body of fundamental andtechnical knowledge, allied tosocial skills. It is the balance of thisknowledge acquired through theformal education system, in thefamily, on the job and through variousinformation networks, which make itthe broad and transferable body ofknowledge which is most favourableto employment.

Basic knowledge is the foundationon which individual employability isbuilt. This is par excellence thedomain of the formal education andtraining system. A good balance hasto be struck in basic educationbetween acquiring knowledge andmethodological skills which enable aperson to learn alone. It is thesewhich today need to be developed.

Over the past few years, Europeancountries have opted to re-centrebasic teaching on the "three Rs" -reading, writing and arithmetic - inorder to prevent school failure whichplays a major role in social exclusion.

An early start in education i.e. at thepre-school age is also becomingmore common. Pupils who receivepre-school education are seen tosucceed on average better duringtheir school careers than others.They take their studies further andseem to integrate more easily.

Language learning also needs to beencouraged. A project entitledEuroling is being carried out in thiscontext under the SOCRATESprogramme and has producedteaching material in three languages(Italian, Spanish, Dutch) for nurseryand primary schools. Early teachingof language, starting at nurseryschool, should become part of basicknowledge. The EuropeanCommission believes that it isnecessary to make proficiency inat least two foreign languages atschool a priority, as is proposed inthe second part of this WhitePaper .

Technical knowledge is knowledgewhich permits clear identification withan occupation. It is acquired partlywithin the vocational education andtraining system and partly on the job.This knowledge has substantiallychanged with the advent ofinformation technology and thedemarcation lines betweenoccupations are breaking down.Within this framework of knowledge,certain "key skills" are central to anumber of different occupations andtherefore essential in order to be ableto change jobs. Basic training in

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information technology across theboard has therefore become anecessity.

However, acquiring technicalknowledge should not be restricted toleading-edge or newly-emergedsectors. There are long-established,but still efficient sectors of industry,with a genuine tradition ofcompetence totally in keeping withthe notion of work-shadowing andmentoring. This tradition is still a validsource of inspiration and producesworkers who have mastered all thedifferent facets of their craft and whoare able to pass them on to others.

Social aptitudes concern inter-personal skills, i.e. behaviour at workand a whole range of skillscorresponding to the level ofresponsibility held, such as the abilityto cooperate and work as part of ateam, creativeness and the quest forquality. Full mastery of these skillscan be acquired only in a workingenvironment and therefore mainly onthe job.

The employability of a person andtheir capacity to adapt are linked tothe way they are able to combinethese different types of knowledgeand build on them. In this context,individuals become the principalconstructor of their own abilities andcan combine the skills acquiredthrough the traditional institutionalroutes, with those acquiredthrough their occupationalexperience and those acquired byvirtue of their personal trainingeffort .

By diversifying education provision,building bridges between variouschannels, increasing pre-occupational experience and by

opening up the potential for mobilityas widely as possible, people canbuild up and build on their level ofemployability and better control theircareer.

B. How can a person becomeemployable?

1. The traditional route: the paperqualification

People today opt for generaleducation or vocational trainingroutes leading to paper qualifications,remaining as long as possible withinthe education system.

There is indeed a trend in all theMember States to lengthen the periodof study and strong social pressure tobroaden access to higher educationand thus raise the level achieved bythe greatest number. This alsoconcerns young people who haveopted for vocational courses andeven those who have had workexperience. This situation raisesproblems for the attractiveness ofvocational education, which in severalMember States is considered as a'second best' option offering limitedcareer prospects. Young peopletherefore tend to go for generaleducation at the risk of feelingoverqualified in their jobs.

This type of behaviour by youngpeople is rational because level ofstudy and the paper qualification stillprovide far and away the bestpassport to employment. However,from the social point of view thisraises problems. Young people whohave lower levels of qualification areforced into lower-qualified jobs thanthose to which they hoped to aspire.This "domino effect" also affectsthose with few or no paper

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qualifications and becomes a majorfactor of social exclusion. Over-qualification for jobs also hinderscareer progress.

In most European systems, paperqualifications are designed with aview to filtering out at the top theelite which will lead administrationand companies, researchers andteaching staff . In certain countries,they are even the quasi-absolutereference points for assessingcompetence, which makes it apowerful incentive to pursue long-term studies and to take one'schance in very selective courses.Moreover, a worker's occupationalstatus is in many countries defined bythe diploma held. This link betweenpaper qualification and status,however logical it may be,accentuates the internal lack offlexibility of the labour market.

It could be considered that society"locks out" in this way much talentwhich is frequently unconventionalbut innovatory and that it thereforeproduces an elite which is not trulyrepresentative of the available humanresource potential. This point of viewis borne out by a number of recentsurveys which show that over a longperiod the more elitist types oftraining are more often than not theprerogative of the upper managerialor intellectual strata.

This is not, of course, to say that thepaper qualification is not a valid route.The substantial efforts made by theMember States, and supported bythe Community through SOCRATESand LEONARDO to strengthen initialtraining must of course be pursued.But in parallel with this, we need tomake the best use of skills andabilities irrespective of how they were

obtained and to enhance everyone'spotential by catering more closely forthe needs of the individual, businessand industry. What is needed is amore open and flexible approach.Such an approach should alsoencourage lifelong learning byallowing for and encouraging acontinuing process of skill acquisition.

2. The modern route: integrationwithin a network whichcooperates, which educates,trains and learns

If people are to exercise theirresponsibilities to a greater extent inshaping their skills and abilities theymust first be able to enter institutionaltraining systems more easily. Thisimplies familiarity with them, broaderaccess and better mobility betweenthe different courses.

There are two possible answers.Either the level of paper qualificationsis maintained, in which case thenumber of young people having nopaper qualifications increases, or elsethe number of paper qualifications orthe number of young people holdingsuch qualifications has to beincreased, thus inevitably placingquestion marks around the quality ofthose qualifications.

These are questions which recur in allMember States, as does the questionof the high number of young peopleleaving education withoutqualifications and with a feeling ofpersonal failure, who areconsequently vulnerable on theemployment market through the totallack of any recognised skills.

This White Paper suggests a thirdway forward, which already existsin some Member States. This

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solution does not detract from thepaper qualification, but on thecontrary helps to maintain itsquality and is to recognise partialskills on the basis of a reliableaccreditation system . Thoserejected by the formal system ofeducation would be encouraged tocultivate the skills they have. Thisdoes not mean qualifications in thebroad sense but skills based onspecific fundamental or vocationalknow-how (knowledge of a language,a given level in maths, accounting,using a spreadsheet, wordprocessing, etc.). These partial skillscould also be possessed by adultswho have some expertise due to theirown self-teaching efforts (e.g.computer skills) and who could beencouraged to hone these skills.Accreditation of this kind could, ofcourse, lead to the recognition on abroader basis of the technicalknowledge acquired in a firm, whichis currently more often than notevaluated solely for the company'suse.

However, whether the knowledge andskills are acquired within a formalsystem of education or in a lessformal way, the individual still needsto be assisted. The most efficienteducation and training approachesare those which operate within anetwork. These networks may beinstitutional (education and trainingestablishments cooperating withfamilies or firms) or informal networksof knowledge which are rapidlyspringing up (adult educationestablishments, educationcooperatives, etc.).

a) Promoting access toeducation and training

Once the basics have been secured,two conditions would appear to benecessary if individuals are to be ableto exercise responsibility in buildingup their abilities:

- adequate information andguidance;

- access to training along withall the opportunities availablefor mobility.

i) Information and guidanceconstitute the first condition.

. For a young person seekingto find their way, for an adultundergoing vocational orcontinuing training, there is theproblem of an abundance ofprovision and its presentation. Thecitizen of Europe has betterinformation when choosing a hotelor a restaurant then whenchoosing a type of training.

Being better informed means being ina position to survey training provision.This was stressed in the report of theAdvisory Group on Competitivenesswhich proposed the setting up of'knowledge resource centres' to actas an interface between the supply ofand demand for information ontraining.

It also implies an independentassessment of training, i.e. anassessment made outside theeducation system. This assessmentshould be simple, establish a rankingand make clear comparisons, makingit possible to establish the real

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contribution to employability made bytraining. It is also important toevaluate how training reduces thesegregation in the labour market byencouraging more women to entertraditionally male-dominatedoccupations. Such an assessmentprocess would remove the firstobstacle to guidance.

The second obstacle to guidance isthe problem of knowing howoccupations will develop and whatskills will be required. Asking thisquestion at the European level wouldmake it possible to have acomparative outlook which is broaderand which could contribute to findinga solution.

The third obstacle lies in attitudes.Significant progress has been made,but social origins continue to mark,indeed condition, choices made byindividuals which can work againsttheir social advancement.

ii) The second condition is broadand open access servingindividual aptitudes andneeds.

. Fulfilling this condition impliesmobility between educationalestablishments. This mobility hasmarkedly increased in the MemberStates, a trend which is to beencouraged.

Mobility has also increasedthroughout Europe and theCommunity has made a significantcontribution to this process,particularly through the ERASMUSprogramme. Yet mobility levelsremain unsatisfactory.

There are two main obstacles to theoccupational mobility of people, bethey workers - employees, teachers,researchers, unemployed people - orthose in training, particularly students.

First of all, there is the major issue ofsecuring genuine recognition ofknowledge within the EU. Mutualrecognition of diplomas isguaranteed for the regulatedprofessions and has beenconfirmed through Communitycase law. But recognition ofdiplomas still comes up againstrestrictions for other occupations.The diploma signifies academicrecognition, but the componentparts which make up the diplomaare not recognised, except when itis encouraged by the Communitythrough cooperation betweenhigher education establishmentsand so through Communityfunding. An example is thecooperation between over 40translation/interpreting schools withinthe Tradutech network, which hassince 1986 provided mobility forteachers and students by applyingthe European Course Credit TransferSystem (ECTS) as part ofERASMUS.

Validation of occupationalachievements, outside the paperqualification, between one MemberState and another is even moredifficult to achieve.

Legal and administrative barriersare the second major obstacle totransnational mobility. Dependingon the situation and the MemberState concerned, these barriers stemfrom social protection provisions(particularly as regards pensionschemes), right of residence(especially in the case of persons

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who are legally resident in a MemberState but are nationals of a non-EUcountry) and fiscal regulations (e.g.those applying to study grants orresearch bursaries). The fact thatnational higher education studygrants are not transferable from onecountry to another is an additionalbarrier to mobility.

The move towards the learningsociety means doing away withbarriers to the physical mobility ofpeople in Europe in an age when,due to the new communicationstechnologies, instant non-physicalmobility is a reality.

· There must be access totraining throughout life.

The conclusions of both the Essenand the Cannes European Councilsstressed the need to developcontinuing training, as have theauthorities in the Member States andthe social partners.

Yet there is no sign of much progressin recent years. On the contrary, thebite of the recession, the presence ofsurplus labour market and the arrivalof overqualified young persons on thesame labour market have donenothing to spur a training drive by thebusiness sector, particularly for thebenefit of the older and less-qualifiedemployees. Inequalities in access totraining between different types ofcompanies and groups of employeespersist. In particular, this works to thedisadvantage of workers in SMEsand under- or unqualified workers.This also affects women, eitherbecause they are under-representedin senior management positions andin technology-intensive sectors, orbecause of the employment status ofmany of them (for example part-time

workers). However, some progresshas been made, for example"IDEALS", a project supported underthe Community's 'Telematicsapplications' programme, has, inconjunction with SMEs and technicalteaching establishments, made itpossible to develop training for SMEs(data bases of course modulestailored to the requirements of thedifferent SMEs involved), at the placeof work or at local teaching centres.

The overall training effort remainstoo modest. The emergence of theinformation society and the resultingchanges in the content andorganisation of work neverthelessmake it urgent to improve workers'access to training. They also make itnecessary to enhance its content,which should not stop at mereadaptation to a new job.

• All the opportunities offered bythe information society mustbe seized.

What is at stake must be seen fromthe point of view of both theeducation and the business sector.The facts are there. Competition fromthe USA is stiff generally inmultimedia and in multimedia foreducation in particular. Europe'sweakness does not lie in a lack ofcreativity. Far from it. But Europeaninventors and industrialists areseriously hampered by the highdegree of fragmentation of themarket caused by the cultural andlinguistic diversity of Europe. It isconsequently difficult to make local,regional and national investmentcost-effective, hence the case forencouraging the preparation ofproducts which can be sold not onlyin Europe but throughout the world.

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Teachers must also be given theopportunity to adapt to newtechnologies and to theirconsequences. The penetration rateof educational multimedia at school isstill too slow. There are severalreasons for this. The quality of theproducts available today is not yetgood enough to prompt teachersto use multimedia techniques. Thedevelopment of multimediaeducational software which theEuropean Commission issupporting through the creation ofthe Task Force on educationalmultimedia software is, therefore,particularly important. In addition,teaching staff do not always have theright type and the right amount ofhardware. Finally, teachers are not, inthe main, sufficiently well-versed inthe use of educational multimediatechniques.

The information society also raisesanother question. As stressed by theEU's Committee of the Regions in itsopinion (September 1995) on"Education and training in the face oftechnical and social challenge: firstthoughts" the question is how, "topromote equal access to educationfor men and women alike, and toensure that disadvantaged groups(rural communities, the elderly, ethnicminorities and immigrants) do notbecome second-class citizens asregards access to the newtechnologies and opportunities forlearning.".

The Commission believes thatthere remains too much inequalityin the access to training and to thelabour market and that thepossibilities offered by theinformation society must be fullyused to reduce them.

Information technology will certainlypermit substantial growth in all formsof distance teaching. This was a pointmade by the European Parliament inits July 1993 resolution on open anddistance learning, on the basis of thereport by Mrs D. Pack.

The achievements of the OpenUniversity, which has for many yearsdeveloped distance learning on asubstantial scale, should also bementioned in this context.

. Lastly, specific career accesspathways enabling marginal orexcluded sectors of the population tofind subsequently either training or awork-related activity still need to bedeveloped. This White Paperconsiders this to be a priority .There has been a substantial effort inthe Member States to set upspecialised routes and arrangementsfor bringing marginalized groups backinto the mainstream. The results,particularly in the problems of re-integrating young people, suggestthat there is need for "secondchance" arrangements, for whichthe European Union could providesome support, as proposed in thesecond part of this White Paper.

b) Recognition of acquiredskills

In the learning society individualsmust be able to have their basic,technical and occupational skillsvalidated, how they were acquired.There are already instances of this:the driving licence, English (TEFL)and maths (Kangaroo test). Apersonal skills card providing a recordof skills and knowledge accredited inthis way should be available to allthose who want one.

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This could be applied to certainfundamental areas of knowledgewhich can be easily broken down intodifferent levels (languages, maths,management, informatics, law,economics, etc.). It could also beapplied to technical areas ofknowledge which are assessed incompanies (accounting, financing,exporting, etc.) and even tooccupational areas which cut acrossa number of different disciplines(sense of order, certain areas ofdecision-making, etc.). In this way, forinstance, someone with no paperqualifications can approach aprospective employer, show that theyhave accredited drafting, language,word processing and spreadsheetskills, and thus attract interest in therange of skills they have put together,even though they do not have thepiece of paper giving them the statusof a qualified secretary. There areother examples, such asmanagement and computing.

A number of skill accreditation andassessment systems developed fortheir own purposes by companies inEurope, could also be adopted forgeneral use subject to validation byexperts.

An accreditation system of this kind,on a voluntary basis, widely availablein Europe and involving universities,chambers of commerce and specificbusiness sectors, would complementthe formal qualifications systems andwould in no way be a replacement.

The introduction of new methodsof validating skills, as proposed inthe second part of this WhitePaper, would be a step towardsthe learning society.

c) Positioning the individualwithin a supportingcooperative network

While reliance on a single institutionto build up employability is anincreasingly unsatisfactory option,people cannot be left to fend forthemselves either. The indicationsare that it is by being positioned in co-operative a network that people willbe best served in educational terms.

i) Cooperation betweeninstitutions and othersconcerned.

· Adapting and improvingeducation and training systems hasto be strengthened throughpartnerships: no single institution,school or company can claim to beable to develop the skills needed forachieving employability.

In early childhood, it is cooperationbetween school and family whichbest secures the acquisition of basicknowledge. Special attention must bedevoted in this connection to the roleof the family, particularly in thedisadvantaged areas. Families mustbe closely associated in the operationof "second chance" institutions andbe provided with supportprogrammes.

At a later stage, this cooperationtakes place between educationinstitutions and enterprises. In manyMember States on-and-off-the-jobtraining is being developed,particularly apprenticeship, which isstill the most effective form of thiscooperation. Apprenticeship shouldbe encouraged at European level andapprenticeship pathways made

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possible between the Member States.In the second part of this WhitePaper it is accordingly proposed todevelopapprenticeship/traineeship atEuropean level .

Generally speaking, it is to be hopedthat partnerships between companiesand education establishments can beestablished.

Cooperation of this type is catchingon, particularly through thecontribution of Community action inthe COMETT programme. Mentioncan be made of ECATA (EuropeanConsortium for Advanced Training inAeronautics), a transnational projectbringing together seven universitiesfrom several countries and elevenEuropean manufacturers within apartnership to train young engineers,with the training being certified by adiploma. There is also Biomerit,involving some thirty-three partners -universities, firms, particularly SMEs -from seven European Unioncountries.

The challenge of cooperationbetween education establishmentsand enterprises is to acceptenterprises as full partners in thetraining process. It is no longerpossible to consider the company'srole as solely that of recruiter oftrained individuals or supplier of extratraining. The enterprise is a majorgenerator of knowledge and newknow-how.

It should be noted that trends intraining processes (particularly in thetransversal areas: environment,health, consumption) is increasinglyaccompanied and sustained by avery broad partnership involving, forinstance, local authorities, consumer

associations and specialised bodies(tourism, energy, environment).

ii) A network which is teaching-oriented and is itself a learningsystem.

. As stressed by Carnoy andCastells (in "Sustainable flexibility: aprospective study on work, family andsociety in the information age" of theSchool of Education, University ofStanford, Berkeley University, April1995), this condition applies tocooperation within organisations,cooperation between networks oforganisations and cooperation atlocal level.

• Internal training networks

In an enterprise it is acknowledgedthat working as a member of a teamwhich has been given responsibility,makes it possible to improve thequality of production. Quality circles,job enrichment, plans bringingtogether workers, production andmarketing managers, have allenabled working groups to learn andto teach, bringing benefits toeveryone. On the basis ofoccupational experience, suchcooperation has made it possible totransform automatic know-how into acapacity for autonomy, i.e. into agenuine form of knowledge.

This is becoming more widespreadeven outside quality circles. Oneexample, concerns a leadingEuropean car manufacturer's plant inwhich a problem of blistering on carroofs was solved by having theworkers themselves do the statisticalsurveys, monitoring and analysis ofthe problem (FORCE programme).

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This cooperation is beginning tobring about a radical change in thenature of vocational training inenterprises, which is increasinglytaking place on the basis of atraining plan which the workersthemselves and theirrepresentatives have beeninvolved in preparing . In the mostprogressive and most efficientcompanies, this training is organisedless and less around the acquisitionof skills for a specific task or even aclearly-defined job. Such specifictype of training is now more generallyused to complete the training ofyoung people entering the companystraight from school or university.

Teaching methods in teachingestablishments should also move inthe direction of learning how tocooperate.

There have already been somenotable achievements. For instance,the 'European School Project'initiated by the Centre for Technicaland Collaborative Innovation at theUniversity of Amsterdam, involves400 schools. It uses the "teletrip"principle, an educational projectdesigned by teaching staff workingtogether and covering informationresearch, the exchange of results andproblem solving. Several hundred

"teletrips" have taken place in anumber of different languages,involving thousands of students.

• External cooperation networks

Throughout Europe, there is a movetowards local cooperation (in scienceand technology parks, urban multi-site technology zones, etc.), basedon the exchange of information andtraining between research institutes,companies and teaching

establishments. In involving all thekey interests, particularly nationaland local authorities, such localnetworks represent another factorpromoting individual employability.

Similarly, the networks linkingindividuals and collective bodiesinvolved in local development,particularly those active in communitylife, often enable jobs to be found,which, although they are of lowadded value, help to prevent theproblem of exclusion. In general,these networks aim not only to findconstructive employment for youngpeople and others excluded from thelabour market, but to teach them tocommunicate, to do something usefuland to change their socialenvironment. Their motives arealtruistic, generally unrelated to paidemployment but give them anopportunity to acquire the key skills inthe learning society.

Regional and local cooperation istherefore of prime importance inenhancing employability. Itenables the creation of jobs withhigh added value to be combinedwith the development of policies tohelp marginalised groups tointegrate. It is also one of the mainways of generalising vocationaltraining and strengtheningcohesion in the European Union.

Local knowledge exchange networksare spreading across Europe, inFrance, Germany, Austria, Belgium,Spain, Switzerland, enabling peopleto share skills and train themselvesby 'exchanging knowledge', everyonetaking their turn to be first teacher,then pupil. There is a wide variety ofareas which are conducive toexchange, ranging from informatics tolanguages and even chess games.

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Significantly, these networks are ingeneral involved in eliminatingilliteracy and providing support forschool work. This has served as theplatform for the development of aninformatics-based method formanaging skills, designed to developgroup training. This method iscurrently being tried out by severalenterprises.

IV. Directions for the future

The crucial problem of employment ina permanently changing economycompels the education and trainingsystem to change. The design ofappropriate education and trainingstrategies to address work andemployment issues is, therefore, acentral preoccupation.

Everyone is convinced of the need forchange, the proof being the demiseof the major ideological disputes onthe objectives of education.

The central question now is how tomove towards greater flexibility ineducation and training systems,taking take account of the diversity ofpeople's demands. Debate within theUnion must now focus on this priorityissue.

The diversity of current educationalpractice within the Member Statesshows that responses to thisquestion are already emerging.

Major developments in the adaptationof education and training are takingplace in the following three mainareas: greater autonomy for thoseinvolved in training; awareness of theneed to evaluate the effectiveness ofeducation; and the realization that

disadvantaged groups need specialattention.

A. The end of debate oneducational principles

Heated debates concerning theorganization of education and trainingsystems - including debates oncontent and training methods - havetaken place over the last few years.

Most of these debates now appear tohave come to an end.

• A broad knowledge base andtraining for employment are nolonger two contradictory orseparate things. There isincreasing recognition for theimportance of generalknowledge in using vocationalskills.

• Bridges are being builtbetween school and thebusiness sector. These showthat the ideological andcultural barriers whichseparated education andenterprise are breaking down,benefiting both. In line with thetraditions in the MemberStates, this cooperation isreflected in initial andcontinuing training.

• The principle of equal rights ineducation is being appliedincreasingly in the context ofequality of opportunity,including positivediscrimination in favour ofthose at a disadvantage inorder to prevent under-achievement at school.

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• The dawning of theinformation society, whichinitially caused misgivingswithin the teaching profession,has now revealed newdemand for education andtraining and has started torenew teaching approaches,while facilitating thedevelopment of contacts andlinks between teachers andinstitutions on a Europeanscale.

B. The central question:towards greater flexibility

The current structure of educationand training institution must changeto meet the needs of different groups.

These institutions remain too rigid toeducate and train citizens or workersfor permanent employment. Eventhough some institutions or teachersare experimenting with newapproaches, they remain too isolated.

There needs to be a commitment togreater flexibility to meet greater andmore diverse demands.

How can this be achieved? An urgentdebate on this issue is needed basedon some key questions.

• How can the development ofschooling and access tohigher education for morepeople, be reconciled withmaintaining quality ineducation?

• How can the purposes ofeducation be adapted to thediversity of demands, whilsttheir remains some reluctancein education to differentiatebetween its clientele?

• How can the status ofteachers and trainers bemaintained and improvedwhilst motivating them to meetthe manifold needs of thelearning society?

• How can teachers and trainersbe prepared for thedevelopment of the purposesof education and theconsequent transformation ofteaching methods and tools?

• How can the conditions for life-long learning be created,namely, the on-going accessto the renewing of skills andthe acquisition of newknowledge?

C. Action in the Member States

Significant developments are takingplace throughout Europe. Alleducation systems are seeking toimprove quality, to develop trainingprovision, to provide life-longlearning, and to improve the use offinancial resources.

1. The search for quality

In initial education, the focus isshifting back to acquiring andmastering basic skills, particularly the"three Rs" - reading, writing andarithmetic. There is also a generalmovement towards advancedlearning of foreign languages.Member States are also seeking tofamiliarise young people with newinformation technologies.

Teachers and trainers are developingnew innovative approaches bothinside and outside the institutionaleducation system. At school, this

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involves various methods e.g Decroly(Belgium), Steiner (Germany),Montessori (Italy), and Freinet(France). Innovatory methods arealso emerging for adult education,e.g. the adult education schools or'Outward Bound' courses asdeveloped in the United Kingdom,offering exercises and approacheswhich transform the content oftraditional continuing training byseeking to adapt behavioural patternsrather than abstract knowledge.

All these experiments show teachersand trainers possess genuinecreativeness waiting to express itself.Teachers and trainers in the field areusually ahead of the educationsystems and it is among their ranksthat the pioneers of the learningsociety are to be found.

At higher education levels, trendstowards longer studies and wideraccess for a greater number, areclear signs of an overall increase inthe quality of human capital.However, all higher educationsystems face the problem of tacklingthis sudden numerical increase,while maintaining the quality of theirqualifications.

2. The search for new types ofqualifications

All Member States consider the linksbetween education and training asbeing of key significance. SomeMember States are seeking toprovide for the acquisition of basicskills within the education systemplacing an emphasis ontrainee/apprenticeship schemes .Some have opted for twinningarrangements between schools andbusinesses. The main concern beingboth to place young people in a "work

situation" while maintaining thequality of teaching. Other MemberStates prefer to delay the initialvocational training phase.

The involvement of businesses andthe social partners in organisinginitial training and young people'stransition to working life appears tobe an established trend, notably inthe form of on-and-off-the-jobtraining (for instance in the "dual"system).

Some Member States are trying todevelop "re-integration" or"guaranteed training" structures ,which aim is to provide young job-market entrants lacking qualificationswith another opportunity to acquireindispensable vocational and basicskills.

Several Member States are debatingthe processes of certification,validation and recognition of skillsacquired , in particular those obtainedin a work situation, as traditionalprocesses are often too formal andrigid.

3. The development ofcontinuing training

The concept of key skills isspreading throughout training.Occupations and qualifications arebecoming more flexible. All MemberStates believe that the separationbetween education and vocationaltraining is becoming less and lessclear.

The widespread growth of socialexclusion and the mid-termdemographic outlook, have promptedmost Member States develop theiradult education , particularly at locallevel.

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In several Member States, trainingarrangements are emerging on thebasis of a joint approach between thesocial partners, involving discussion,negotiation and even management oftraining issues. In view of the sharedinterests in, for instance, on-and-off-the-job training and arrangementscombining working time and training,the collective agreement approach atdifferent levels is becoming morenoticeable in a number of MemberStates.

4. New methods of funding andevaluation

Some Member States are trying outnew methods for fundingeducation and training . Theserange from educational vouchers toco-funding of continuing training,where those involved themselvesbear some of the cost (through taxallowances, subsidised loans or theintroduction of a "training fund").

The search for new forms of fundingfor education and training isset in a context where, eventhough they occupy a majorposition in public spending,there has been a certainretrenchment over the pastfew years.

The debate now in progress inMember States on the public fundsand resources to be devoted toeducation and training is beingaccompanied by an increaseddesire for greater transparency ofthe systems and, above all, forevaluation of the costeffectiveness of public expenditurein this field . The problem is to obtainreliable reference benchmarks and,above all, data on private funding(households, companies, etc.). At a

time when the discussion on transfersof funds is picking up speed in allMember States, those in positions ofresponsibility are showing increasinginterest in improving cost-benefitappraisal methods.

D. New Developments

In the light of these changes andexperiences, new developments canbe seen clearly to be going in threemain directions.

The first concerns the increase inautonomy for those involved ineducation and training.

It is by giving greater autonomy tothose responsible for education anda clear understanding of its purposethat education and training systemscan adapt better to meet modernneeds.

There is the question of whether togive greater autonomy to schools.Experience has shown that the mostdecentralised systems are also themost flexible, the quickest to adaptand hence have the greatestpropensity to develop new forms ofsocial partnership.

In the field of continuing training, thisnecessary autonomy must be part ofthe process of negotiation betweenthe social partners at various levels(company, sectoral, regional, inter-sectoral), the essential aim being toensure that all workers, particularlyemployees in the SMEs, have accessto training.

The second new development isevaluation , which is needed to justifythe essential increase in funding.

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Evaluation is equally relevant inascertaining how effectivelyeducation and training cater for theneeds of target groups as well as inthe search for ways of improvingachievement at school, integrationinto working life and vocationalretraining. Education can also help totailor more effectively both initial andcontinuing vocational training to therequirements of the employmentmarket, characterised as it is atpresent by a high rate ofunemployment and a shortage oflabour in certain sectors and certaintrades.

Evaluation can enable continuingtraining to be considered as aninvestment made by enterprises andby workers. In addition, moneyspent on in-company retraining orapprenticeship, for example,constitutes an asset for thecompany alongside its other fixedassets e.g. research equipment.Such investment should thereforebe treated in the same way for taxpurposes without prejudicing the freemovement of workers. This isproposed in the second part of thisWhite Paper.

Evaluation can also help topublicise and disseminateexperience and best practice,which is why in the second part ofthis White Paper setting up anobservation system to monitorinnovatory vocational trainingpractices is proposed.

Finally, the third new developmentconcerns the attention being given todisadvantaged groups .

It is becoming increasingly clear thatthose not integrated into societyshould receive special attention, so

as to give them basic skills, andcultivate fundamental values. As theEuropean Parliament stressed in itsinitial resolution of March 1993,based on Mrs Dührkop-Dührkop'sreport on the schooling of immigrantchildren, school plays a vital role insocial integration.

Positive discrimination in favour ofthose at a social disadvantage isessential, particularly in theproblem suburbs and inner-cityareas . Otherwise, the risk is that thesocial rift widens even further. Theseareas must benefit from increasingpublic aid and the concentration ofinstitutional means to implementpolicies based on local administrationand the social fabric, in particular

local associations. They should begiven the most highly qualifiedteachers - not inexperienced ortemporary staff - using newinformation technology. Support atschool must be strengthened in closeconjunction with families.

** *

Moving towards the learning societyis a twofold challenge.

The first challenge is economic . TheEU, as the world's leading exporter,has quite logically opted to open upto the international economy. Thismeans it has to continuallystrengthen its economiccompetitiveness as the route toachieving the "...sustainable and non-inflationary growth respecting theenvironment..." and the "high level ofemployment and of socialprotection..." set out in Art. 2 of theTreaty establishing the EuropeanCommunity.

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As stressed in the Commission'sWhite Paper "Growth,competitiveness and employment" itshuman resources constitute the EU'smain economic asset. More recently,the Commission Communication "Anindustrial competitiveness policy forthe European Union" clearly set outthe terms of the issues at stake: "TheEuropean Union's greatest asset forboosting its industrial competitivenessis its capacity to generate and useknowledge, with the aid of the greatpotential of its labour force and thesocial consensus laying thefoundation for harnessing it."

Europe must invest in education toraise the general level of skills ofemployees and the workingpopulation, through basic educationand by fostering the acquisition ofnew knowledge throughout life. Thisintangible investment must make itpossible to meet the challenge posedby developments in the labour marketi.e. the mismatch betweenqualifications sought andqualifications available, demographicchange, the growth of service sectoractivities and changes in theorganisation and content of work.

All this is accompanied on the socialfront by an urgent need to avert arift in society . Social exclusion hasbecome widespread in Europe inrecent years and there is no need todwell on the consequences of thissituation.

Clearly, a special effort has to bemade for the most vulnerablesections of the population, particularlyin the urban areas hardest hit byunemployment. This effort dependson initial and continuing training, aswell as measures to give young

people leaving school with noqualifications a second chance.

Naturally, everything starts at school,which is where the learning societyhas its roots. If this White Paper hasplaced so much emphasis on the roleof individuals as the main protagonistin that society, through his self-reliance and the thirst for knowledgewhich will enable them to take chargeof their own future, it is only tohighlight the role of school in thisprocess. School has to adapt, butnevertheless remains theirreplaceable instrument ofeveryone's personal developmentand social integration. Much is askedof it because it has such so much tooffer.

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PART TWO: BUILDING THE LEARNING SOCIETY

Action guideline proposals

The learning society will not come about overnight. It cannot come about bydeclaration. It has to emerge from an ongoing process. This White Paper does notpurport to present a package of measures. The Commission neither has norproposes any miracle solution. The White Paper merely offers a basis for thoroughconsideration and outlines some courses of action.

The scale of the changes in progress nonetheless requires an all-round effort ifEurope wishes to make the urgent need to invest more and more efficiently inknowledge something more than a mere slogan.

What is now needed is a different approach for three reasons:

- giving priority to quality in education and training has become vital to theEU's competitiveness and to the preservation of its social model; indeedEurope's very identity over the next millennium depends on this;

- the demand for education and training is continually increasing; on thesupply side, the emergence of the information society is providing a newpotential;

- social exclusion has reached such intolerable proportions that the riftbetween those who have knowledge and those who do not, has to benarrowed.

Efforts are being made in all Member States to improve the general level of skills,starting with an effort to give back to school its crucial role in society and tostrengthen its role in providing equality of opportunity, in particular betweenwomen and men. The European Union has done its utmost within its limitedbudgetary and legal framework. No one can question the success of programmeslike ERASMUS, COMETT and LINGUA which have served hundreds of thousandsof Europeans well and which have helped to bring about a radical change ofattitude, particularly among the young, for whom Europe has become a reality.

The guiding principles for these programmes when they were launched in the1980s have been carried through to the LEONARDO and SOCRATESprogrammes. In addition, the reforms to the Structural Funds - particularlyObjective 4 - has made it possible to develop Community initiatives in the form ofspecific programmes such as EMPLOYMENT and ADAPT, which have boostededucation and training efforts. In addition, the 4th framework research programmefor the first time makes financial provision for research into education and training.

The point is not to make a clean sweep of local, national and Europeanachievement, and still less to advocate reform of the education systems, but ratherinstead to attempt to put those involved - trainers, companies, public authorities -

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on the same wavelength as regards new courses of action which could quickly beturned into practical measures.

It is for this reason that this White Paper will to launch in 1996, the EuropeanYear of Lifelong Learning , a debate which, in pursuing common objectives, willconform to the principle of subsidiarity and make it easier to distinguish between:

- action to be carried out at local and national level;

- action to be carried out at European level;

- cooperation and support between the EU and its Member States.

The Commission intends to present the conclusions of this debate and willpropose guidelines for further action.

Based on these respective competencies, the principle of subsidiarity is anessential part of this forthcoming debate for the following reasons:

* Firstly, the authors of the Treaty state explicitly in Articles 126 and 127 thatCommunity action in education and training is to complement and supportaction taken at national level, as responsibility for the content andorganisation of their education and vocational training systems rests withMember States.

* Secondly, the principle of subsidiarity whereby decisions should be taken atthe most appropriate level must be a major feature of any action taken ineducation and training and is a major principle of the Treaty.

* More generally, this principle is particularly appropriate, as the highestpolitical level, thus the furthest away from the area of application, shouldonly act when individuals, families, and political authorities at all other levelscannot. As is shown in the analysis carried out in the first part of this WhitePaper, the move to the learning society must be centred on the individual.The Commission is, moreover, fully aware that in several Member Statesresponsibility for action lies with the regional or other decentralisedauthorities.

Let us not forget, however, that to a greater extent than before, promotingthe European dimension in education and training has become a necessityfor efficiency in the face of internationalisation and to avoid the risk of awatered-down European society. If it is to preserve its diversity, its wealth oftraditions and structures, Europe has to become - and increasingly so assuccessive enlargements come about - a focal point of action through theessential cooperation in these fields between the EU and its Member States.

As far as procedures are concerned, the Commission hopes that appropriate foracan be established in 1996 to discuss fully all the issues arising from theestablishment of the learning society. One such forum could, for instance, be a

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"Jumbo" Council of Ministers bringing together not only the Ministers of educationbut also those responsible for social affairs and industry.

The Commission notes with interest that there is a shift in the governmentstructures of a number of Member States to bring together the ministries ofeducation with those of research and training, a move which has taken placewithin the Commission itself.

As far as the funding of future action is concerned, the Commission obviously hasno intention of interfering with internal decisions of the Member States, while at thesame time hoping that priority continues to be given to investment in educationand training.

As far as the Community is concerned, the Commission is also aware that in viewof the financial perspective, additional funding has to be ruled out for the timebeing. It accordingly stresses that the measures proposed generate little cost -although this does not detract from their innovatory nature - and will be financedby reallocating funds within existing programmes. With reference in particular toSOCRATES and LEONARDO, a plan of action will be submitted in 1996 aroundthe objectives set out in the second part of this White Paper.

Against this background, the second part of this White Paper presents ideas foraction to facilitate cooperation between all those concerned or to complement theiractivities, leaving each to exercise their full responsibilities:

- Member States are responsible for shaping and developing the structure,organisation and content of their educational and vocational trainingsystems. They therefore have a crucial role to play in bringing about thelearning society;

- educational and training establishments must be strengthened and activelyparticipate in setting up cooperation networks involving others concerned;

- enterprises must have an increasing role in training and must help todisseminate any new skills developed from their experience;

- individuals must also be able to enjoy permanent access to a whole rangeof better targeted and more clearly identifiable education and trainingprovision, which complements general knowledge and can be acquiredoutside formal systems.

In order to promote these ideas and to implement practical action, the Commissionhas identified five general objectives which are to:

- encourage the acquisition of new knowledge

- bring schools and the business sector closer together

- combat exclusion

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- develop proficiency in three Community languages

- treat capital investment and investment in training on an equal basis.

For each of these objectives this document puts forward guidelines,suggestions and measures which the Community could undertake tocomplement and support national action. It formulates for each generalobjective a significant and experimental project (see box in the text) to pointthe way forward.

This project could initially be started up under the SOCRATES and LEONARDOprogrammes and subsequently be fully implemented under the structuralinitiatives, particularly "EMPLOYMENT" (YOUTHSTART) and "ADAPT". Asregards European-level support, proposals are grouped by theme rather than area(education, training). The legal reference basis for each of these proposals will bedefined if and when a proposal for an appropriate instrument is submitted,depending on the reactions from the Member States, the European Parliamentand other parties interested in this White Paper.

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I. First general objective

"ENCOURAGE THE ACQUISITIONOF NEW KNOWLEDGE"

Enhancing knowledge - by which wemean individuals' general level ofknowledge - ought to be the toppriority. To achieve this a largenumber of measures - analyzed inthe first section of this document - areneeded, and Member States havethe main responsibility for puttingthese in place.

One general and universallyacknowledged principle must beobserved: the advent of the learningsociety involves encouraging theacquisition of new knowledge.

A multitude of incentives to learnmust be provided.The improvement of informationabout existing training will befacilitated by setting up creation, inthe countries "Knowledge ResourceCentres" as proposed in the Ciampireport.

Harnessing the knowledge acquiredby individuals throughout their lifemust be based on opening up newmethods of recognising skills , overand above paper qualifications andinitial training, starting at national andlocal level.

Support for mobility also plays apart in encouraging the enhancementof knowledge. Geographical mobilitybroadens the individual's horizon,stimulates intellectual agility andraises the general level of learning. Itcan only reinforce the ability to learn,which is so necessary to develop.

Finally, education and training mustdraw on the new communicationtechnologies and harness their fullpotential. In the long run every classshould have the necessaryequipment allowing young peopleaccess to the world of computers.This means, in particular, that Europemust adopt new high-quality teachinginstruments adapted to itseducational and cultural traditions.

This White Paper therefore proposeslaunching the following supportactions at European level:

A. Recognition of skills

All European countries are attemptingto identify "key skills" and the bestways of acquiring, assessing andcertifying them. It is proposed to setup a European system to compareand disseminate such definitions,methods and practices. What doesthis entail?

The underlying idea (involvingcooperation between all theEuropean players concerned) is asfollows:

- first, to pinpoint a number ofwell-defined areas ofknowledge of a general ormore specialised nature(mathematics, informatics,languages, accountancy,finance, management, etc.);

- second, devise validationsystems for each of them;

- third, introduce new, moreflexible, ways ofacknowledging skills.

In complementing formal qualificationsystems, this approach would provide

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individuals with greater independencein putting together their ownqualifications. It will awaken a newthirst for education in those notwishing or unable to learn in aconventional teaching setting.

If we manage to set up thisknowledge accreditation system - ona voluntary basis - at European level,we will have taken a huge stridetowards the learning society.

A project will be launched concerningthe "personal skills cards". Thisdocument should allow individuals tohave their knowledge and know-howrecognised as and when they areacquired. It is important to discover,through studies and pilot projects,what type of data is relevant and toconsider how individuals could usesuch a card. The aim is not to devisea uniform card and impose it onEurope, but to contribute to thedevelopment of such tools, so as toprogressively arrive at joint standards,including standards that cut across anumber of occupations.

A European accreditation systemcovering technical and vocationalskills will be set up (see box) basedon a cooperative venture involvinghigher education establishments,businesses, vocational sectors, localchambers of commerce and thesocial partners.

Finally, support will be given toconcluding a whole range ofagreements - at company, branchand regional levels etc. -incorporating the principle of thepersonal skills card.

B. Mobility

Student mobility will be made easier.In line with the Resolution of theEuropean Parliament and theConclusions of the Council ofMinisters (1993), any studentsobtaining a grant in their own countrymust be able, if they wish, to use it inany higher education establishmentin another Member State prepared toaccept them. The Commission willsubmit a proposal to this effect.

New "masters" level courses will bedevised, in cooperation with severalhigher education institutions throughpooling human and materialresources; these will lead to mutuallyrecognized qualifications respondingto the skill needs of the single market.

Mutual academic and vocationalrecognition will be developed by thegeneration of the system of "credit"transfers (European Credit TransferSystem - ECTS) and the applicationof equivalent methods to vocationaltraining. The aim is to obtain mutualrecognition of training modules, givingpreference to agreements betweeneducation and trainingestablishments and betweeneconomic sectors.

The obstacles (administrative, legaland those connected with socialprotection) acting as a brake onexchanges of students, trainees,teachers and researchers must beremoved; the Commission will workout specific proposals on the basis ofguidelines in a Green Paper onthese matters included in its workprogramme.

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C. Multimedia educationalsoftware

As part of the European Year ofLifelong Learning (1996), and inconjunction with the "multimediaeducational software" Task Force,software development will besupported through:

- launching joint calls forproposals for the relevantCommunity programmes(SOCRATES, LEONARDO,ESPRIT, TELEMATIQUE,MEDIA II, INFO 2000);

- setting up a mechanism toenhance and brandeducational software andEuropean products for use ineducation and training in orderto facilitate their dissemination.

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Example N°1

Opening up new avenues for validating skills

Aims

• Generate education and training demand from young people or adultsunable or not wishing to enter either a formal system leading to paperqualifications nor to undergo initial vocational training.

• Render it possible for each individual to have partial skills recognisedunder a flexible and permanent system (to be used by each individual asdesired) for validating knowledge units.

• Identify, assess and reach a common agreement on such knowledgeunits.

• Encourage individuals to assemble their qualifications themselves,notably through accreditation of such knowledge units.

Methods

• Support European cooperation in pinpointing ways of breaking down thebroad discipline fields into basic units.

• Set up European networks of vocational training centres, businesses andvocational sectors making it possible to identify the technical andvocational knowledge in greatest demand, the content of essential "keyskills" and ways to obtaining them.

• Determine the best ways of accrediting knowledge (widely usedevaluation software packages, evaluators, tests, etc.).

• Unify the projects undertaken along these lines within the overallframework of a European accreditation system which will award aEuropean label.

• Devise formats for the personal skills card.

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II. Second general objective

"BRING SCHOOLS AND THEBUSINESS SECTOR CLOSER

TOGETHER"

Schools and businesses mutuallycomplement one another as places oflearning and they should be broughtcloser together. This happened in anumber of European countries a longtime ago. In others it happened lateand gradually, or not at all and theseparation of the worlds of learningand production continues.

Building or reinforcing bridgesbetween schools and businesses cando nothing but good, for both sides,and helps underpin equalemployment opportunities. Withrespect to the world of learning in thewidest sense, stretching from primaryto higher education, training coursesmust be better matched toemployment opportunities. As for thebusiness sector, it stands gainworkers possessing technicalqualifications, basic skills and ageneral cultural upbringing who areable to think for themselves and arereceptive to change. This approachincreases the job prospects for alltrainees.

Therefore, bringing schools and thebusiness sector closer together is apriority in which the social partnersmust play their role and whichinvolves three conditions.

Firstly, education must be openedup to the world of work. Withoutreducing the point of education solelyto the purpose of employment, anunderstanding of the world of work, aknowledge of enterprises and aninsight into the changes which mark

production processes are some ofthe basics which schooling must takeinto account.

Secondly, companies must beinvolved in the training drive, notonly as regards workers but alsoyoung people and adults . Trainingcannot be seen purely as a way ofsupplying skilled labour to firms;enterprises bear a responsibility, i.e.that of giving a chance - often in theform of a job - to those who werefailed by the traditional educationsystems. Companies need to graspthis more clearly. Some have madesubstantial efforts to reskill their staff,thus enabling them to cope withtechnological innovation, while othershave not, throwing onto the streetsworkers who clearly could be re-trained.

Thirdly, cooperation must bedeveloped between schools andfirms.

Reinforcing the links between schoolsand the business sector must bebased primarily onapprenticeship/trainee schemes. Thisapproach is suitable for allqualification levels and is catchingon in higher education, followinginitiatives by engineering or businessschools. For example, afterincorporating this method into its owntraining approaches, a major Frenchbusiness school, the ESSEC, is nowhelping to promote it at Europeanlevel in cooperation with otherEuropean higher educationestablishments such as the LondonBusiness School, the UniversitàBocconi in Milan, or the University ofMannheim.

Apprenticeship/trainee schemes areable to provide young people with

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both the required knowledge plusexperience of life and work withincompanies. By providing them withtheir first contact with the world ofwork, it places them at a considerableadvantage for entering the jobmarket. Promotion ofapprenticeship/trainee schemes atEuropean level will provide addedvalue for both young people andcompanies.

Closer links between the worlds ofeducation and work should also makeit possible to promote and revamp,both initial and continuing vocationaltraining . This covers all employees.One thing cannot be denied : Europeneeds skilled production workers if itis to remain a major industrial power;it must uphold its great tradition ofskilled workmanship while adapting itto new production conditions such asthe mastering of new technologies,the importance of maintenance andbackup activities, workerempowerment for independentworking, team working, involvementin top-quality research, etc. Moregenerally, Europe needs a type ofvocational training no longer brokendown into small specific areas andcompartments, but which allowseveryone to understand, and thus tomaster, the job they do and even toimprove themselves in their job. Thismeans, for instance:

- allowing technicians tobecome engineers bysupplementing their trainingwith more general instructionin organisation, managementand line authority, etc.;

- allowing engineers - as well asworkers - to understand theprocess as a whole, fromproduction to sales and final

use of the product (installation,maintenance).

As the Commission's Communicationon "The Craft Sector and SmallEnterprises: keys to growth andemployment in Europe" (Com(95)502final) shows, the service sector, thecraft sector and small enterprises arekey to job creation. The emergenceof new on-and-off-the-job training,matching new job profiles arising inthe service sector needs to beencouraged and training on how toset up in business supported.

Innovation in the vocational trainingsector must also be stimulated:innovation in training will engenderinnovation in the wider world.

Against this background the WhitePaper proposes the followingmeasures:

A. Apprenticeship/traineeschemes

Apprenticeship/trainee schemes inEurope will be based and developedalong the lines of the ERASMUSmodel (see box) . Support funds willbe made available by redeployingcurrent programmes, particularlyLEONARDO.

The aim is to improve opportunitiesfor young people returning to someextent, throughout the Union and inthe most diverse of occupations, tothe "journeyman" spirit, whichcontributed so much to the quality ofEuropean products and hasdemonstrated how important mobilityis in acquiring knowledge and know-how.

A major effort should be undertakento set up the necessary work-

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shadowing/mentoring arrangementsand provide apprentices withsomeone to tutor them. This is a vitalprerequisite for developing thisapproach, but is sometimes difficult toachieve.

Finally, a Europeanapprentice/trainee charter needs tobe drawn up in the light of the GreenPaper on obstacles to thetransnational mobility of people intraining.

Parallel to this, more widespreadopportunities for undertaking periodsof in-company training at Europeanlevel are to be provided, through aEuropean agreement involvingbusiness confederations.

B. Vocational training

Training for the new occupations inthe service sector is to beencouraged, emphasising the needfor it to be multidisciplinary. Forexample, training for jobs in thetourism and environmental protectionfields, which are now fully coming intotheir own, needs to be promoted.

Support will also be provided fortraining service-sector engineers andtechnicians. Production, installation,maintenance/servicing, repair, adviceto users - services are everywhere.The emergence of new consumergoods, particularly in the computerand communications technologyfields, is increasing considerably thedemand for services whichmanufacturers' or distributors' after-sales service departments are notalways able to satisfy. In areas suchas these, service training cannot beseparated from production.Therefore, the aim must be to trainengineers and technicians more

specifically geared to serviceactivities and consumer needs,through interdisciplinary coursesprovided, in part, within a companyand leading to a diploma or certificatefor service-sector engineers ortechnicians.

Training in how to set up in businessis to be fostered. The best ways ofencouraging people, young ones inparticular, to start up a small businesswill be examined with the MemberStates and social partners. TheGreen Paper on Innovation will,however, show that a lot still needs tobe done to simplify the bureaucracyrequired for enterprise creation.

A European observation system tosurvey innovatory vocational trainingpractices will be set up within theCommission to facilitate theexchange and dissemination of goodpractice and innovative projectswithin the European Union.

In the same vein, arrangements willbe put in place for forecasting needsin terms of skills, qualifications andnew occupations.

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Example N°2

Developing apprenticeship/trainee schemes in Europe

Aims

• Develop all forms of apprenticeship/trainee schemes (on-and-off-the-jobtraining courses, etc.) at all levels across Europe by facilitating mobilitybetween various European apprenticeship/trainee centres for meaningfulperiods.

• Revive the traditional "journeyman" system to provide in-trainingvocational and educational experience within various cultural andcompany environments.

• Promote new forms of tutoring and mentoring arrangements, takingaccount of the European dimension.

Methods

• Set up and consolidate networks of apprenticeship/trainee centrescovering various European countries.

• Foster apprentice/trainee mobility along the lines of ERASMUS.

• Establish a European apprentice/trainee charter as part of the follow-upto the Green Paper on obstacles to transnational mobility of trainees.

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III. Third general objective

"COMBAT EXCLUSION"

The development of our economiesand the constraints ofcompetitiveness have led to severalcategories of the population being leftby the wayside (young people withoutqualifications, older workers, long-term unemployed, women re-enteringthe job market). The analysis in thefirst part of the White Paper showsthat these groups are even morevulnerable since access toknowledge is crucial to fitting intosociety and finding employment.

In order to curb this process ofmarginalisation, Member States havelaunched a series of measures,based mainly on increasing thenumber of training or back-to-workschemes and various measuresaimed at reintegrating those facingthe greatest difficulty and centring onaction by local groupings. One can,thus, see the use of enterpriseinitiatives and workshops and othermethods of re-integration throughvocational activities, clearly structuredand leading to a qualification.Funding such measures weighs veryheavily on the public purse and theCommunity has made a majorcontribution via the Structural Funds.

To supplement all the abovemeasures this White Paperemphasizes the need to promote twotypes of pilot scheme to point the wayforward, of a type already underwayin some Member States to combatexclusion and develop a sense ofbelonging, namely "second chance"schools and voluntary service foryoung people.

A. Second chance schools

The basic idea is simple: provideyoungsters excluded from theeducation system, or about to be,with the best training and bestsupport arrangements to give themself-confidence.

As school is indeed a "first chance"giving every individual the opportunityto integrate into society, it has to besaid that, unfortunately, this is nolonger the case for the mostdisadvantaged, who quite often donot have a suitable family and socialsetting to enable them to benefit fromthe general education provided atschool. Young people excluded fromthe school system can now becounted in tens of thousands in themajor conurbations. Withoutqualifications, they have little hope offinding a job and thus of integratinginto society.

Pilot projects undertaken in MemberStates clearly show that a secondchance must not mean "ghetto-schools". To an increasing degreeschools located in problem areasare offering a second chance, ornew centres of learning are beingset up, equipped with additionalresources depending on wherethey are located.

The task of such schools is toimprove access to knowledgethrough employing the bestteachers, if necessary paying ahigher than normal salary, throughcustomising the pace of teaching,providing new incentives,arranging in-company training,using multimedia and running

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classes containing fewer pupils(see box).

Another aim must be to turn theschool - in problem areas wheresocial and family values aregenerally collapsing - into aneducational meeting place for thecommunity where teachers arepresent outside school hours.

Second chance schemes areintended for the entire schoolpopulation of a deprived area,without differentiating betweenthose able to attend a traditionaltype of school and those not ableto do so, so as to avoid any formof segregation.

It should be noted that many projectsaimed at providing a "second chance"have long been in existence. In theUSA, 500 "accelerated schools" (seeannex 3) have been set up in urbanareas and use consolidated andaccelerated teaching methods.During the G7 information societymeeting held in Brussels lastFebruary, the Americans explainedthat young people dropping out of thetraditional training system had foundtheir way back to learning whenprovided with computers and the bestteachers. They had quickly taken tothe idea of interactivity, in contrast tothe passivity they had shown in aconventional teaching setting. Suchschools should, as far as possible,combine pupils whose schooling hasbeen interrupted and pupils capableof being taught by traditionalmethods.

In Israel , even before it became aState, a novel education system wasdeveloped as part of the "societies forthe young" set up in villagecommunities, making it possible to

receive and integrate child refugeesfrom Europe whose family ties hadbeen severed. This educationalapproach - known as Alyat Hanoar(see annex 4) - has successfullyintegrated young people fromMorocco, Russia, Ethiopia, etc. Sinceits inception this system haseducated and integrated into Israelisociety more than 300,000youngsters, with a drop-out ratemuch lower than the nationalaverage.

In a totally different context, butalso to tackle a crisis situation, it isnot surprising that local authoritiesin Europe, with the support ofother groups, are reverting to theidea, initially started in Europebetween the wars, of offering asecond chance through schools. Inproblem suburban areas, pilot secondchance projects are beingundertaken, involving greaterresources (in terms of teachers andinfrastructure) and drawing inspirationfrom the earlier models as the firststep towards reintegration. This is thecase in the Netherlands, Spain andFrance, where measures are beingtaken at local level. Of the manyEuropean-level projects, one underthe COMENIUS programme involvesfive major European cities (Antwerp,Bologna, Bradford, Marseilles andTurin), which have set up aneducational partnership aimed atsocially integrating the children ofimmigrant families through successfulschool careers.

Some governments have givensignificant financial support to secondchance projects in big-city suburbsand have positive discriminationmeasures setting up speciallydesignated local environments of the'free zone' type.

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The Commission intends - notably -under the SOCRATES andLEONARDO programmes - toprovide support for such secondchance schemes via the co-fundingof a certain number of pilot projects,the networking of projects under wayand the dissemination of pedagogicalapproaches (see box) . Through thisit aims to begin a debate to discoverwhether the time is ripe to encouragethe establishment of second chanceschools on a wider scale.

B. European voluntary service

Voluntary service initiatives exist in anumber of Member States. Withoutsubstituting for military service, itprovides young people with a chanceto engage in an activity serving thecommon good, either in their owncountry or in a developing one.

The European Union has also madea modest contribution - on anexperimental basis - through the"YOUTH FOR EUROPE"programme. Parallel to this, theYOUTHSTART programme containsprovision - under the heading ofvocational training - for fundingmeasures supporting initiatives tointegrate youngsters lackingqualifications.

All these activities, althoughinteresting, are limited in scope.Furthermore, they have not led togenuinely multilateral projects. Sinceno rules exist governing suchvoluntary service, they are fraughtwith many obstacles as regards freemovement, taxation and socialsecurity.

The European Parliament, severalMember States and some voluntarysector organizations have recently

made an increasing number ofrequests for the adoption of practicalmeasures which aim to promotevoluntary service at European level tocomplement actions at national level,in accordance with the principle ofsubsidiarity.

This is the spirit behind the ad hoccommittee "A Citizen's Europe"(Adonnino report, 1985) and theEuropean Parliament Resolutions of22 September and 5 October 1995.The idea of creating a "Europeanvoluntary service for humanitarianaid", has also been taken up theintergovernmental conference studygroup.

To promote the development ofEuropean voluntary service, theCommission will:

- launch a support measurewithin the framework of theexisting "YOUTH FOREUROPE" programme(already adopted by theCouncil and Parliament) for asignificant number of youngvolunteers to undertake avariety of public service tasksoutside their own country. Thisvoluntary service could becarried out inside theCommunity, in particular inproblem neighbourhoods andoutside the Community inmultinational teams working indeveloping countries;

- examine the possibility ofestablishing a legal andfinancial framework on thebasis of Articles 126 and 127of the Treaty establishing theEuropean Community, tofacilitate the development andcoordination of national andCommunity projects in the field

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of European voluntary service,in particular by eliminatingcertain obstacles to the freemovement of youngvolunteers.

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Example N°3

Providing a second chance through school

Aims

• Reintegrate young people without paper qualifications and living indeprived areas in major conurbations through schemes offering a secondchance of obtaining an education, by refashioning schools alreadylocated in such areas or setting up new centres of learning.

• Provide pupils with highly competent teachers, deploying especiallyqualified staff, paid as well as those in the most reputableestablishments.

• Develop, among young people, motivation, the ability to learn how tolearn, basic knowledge and social skills.

• Reduce class-sizes.

Methods

• Assemble additional European funds to support national or regionalfunding for setting up pathways to integration.

• Introduce measures involving consultation and partnership with theeconomic players so as to augment opportunities for integration intoemployment when training pathways have been completed.

• Arrange, at the start of any training pathway, personal sponsorship by alocal SME or major company, if possible backed up by a promise ofemployment if the relevant qualifications or skills recognition areobtained.

• Adopt teaching approaches customised in terms of pace and drawing onthe new educational technologies.

• Network second chance schemes and spread pedagogical methods.

• Closely associate families with the school's activities and approach.

• Make full use (in association with companies) of information andmultimedia technologies.

• Develop, on an intensive basis, sports and cultural activities.

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IV. Fourth general objective

"PROFICIENCY IN THREECOMMUNITY LANGUAGES "

Proficiency in several Communitylanguages has become aprecondition if citizens of theEuropean Union are to benefit fromthe occupational and personalopportunities open to them in theborder-free Single Market. Thislanguage proficiency must be backedup by the ability to adapt to workingand living environments characterisedby different cultures.

Languages are also the key toknowing other people. Proficiency inlanguages helps to build up thefeeling of being European with all itscultural wealth and diversity and ofunderstanding between the citizensof Europe.

Learning languages also has anotherimportant effect: experience showsthat when undertaken from a veryearly age, it is an important factor indoing well at school. Contact withanother language is not onlycompatible with becoming proficientin one's mother tongue, it also makesit easier. It opens the mind,stimulates intellectual agility and, ofcourse, expands people's culturalhorizon. Multilingualism is part andparcel of both Europeanidentity/citizenship and the learningsociety.

The European Union, for its part, iscontributing to the development oflanguage learning as part of LINGUA,now integrated in the SOCRATESand LEONARDO programmes.

It is no longer possible to reserveproficiency in foreign languages foran elite or for those who acquire it onaccount of their geographical mobility.In line with the resolution of theCouncil of Education Ministers of 31March 1995, it is becomingnecessary for everyone, irrespectiveof training and education routeschosen, to be able to acquire andkeep up their ability to communicatein at least two Community languagesin addition to their mother tongue.The Commission regrets the fact thatthe importance of this commitmentwas reduced, the Member Stateslimiting its effect by using the words"if possible".

In order to make for proficiency inthree Community languages, it isdesirable for foreign languagelearning to start at pre-school level. Itseems essential for such teaching tobe placed on a systematic footing inprimary education, with the learningof a second Community foreignlanguage starting in secondaryschool. It could even be argued thatsecondary school pupils should studycertain subjects in the first foreignlanguage learned, as is the case inthe European schools. Uponcompleting initial training everyoneshould be proficient in twoCommunity foreign languages.

Vocational training - initial andcontinuing - must place great stresson language learning. This is of dualsignificance for working life because itconstitutes a major element in aperson's general culturaldevelopment and is an advantagewhen it comes to obtaining a job,either inside one's home country orwhen taking up the option of mobilityavailable within the Union.

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All this presupposes the availability oftop-quality education drawing onmodern materials, equipment andmethods customised to meet theneeds of the diverse groups involved.

In keeping with this, the White Paperproposes the following supportmeasures at European level:

- Community support for theintroduction of assessmentsystems (including elaborationof quality indicators) andquality guarantee systems,covering the methods andmaterials used to teachCommunity languages.

- Definition of a "Europeanquality label" and its award toschools meeting certaincriteria regarding promotion ofCommunity language learning(see box).

- Support for exchanges oflanguage-teaching materialssuitable for different groups(adults, the low-qualified,young children, etc.).

- Encouraging the earlyteaching of Communitylanguages, notably throughthe exchange of teachingmaterials and experience inthis area.

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Example N°4

"European quality label"

Aims

• Promote the learning of at least two Community foreign languages by allyoung people.

• Encourage innovatory language-teaching methods.

• Spread the daily use of European foreign languages in schools of alllevels.

• Foster awareness of Community languages and cultures, and their earlylearning.

Methods

• Mobilising schools to provide learning of at least one Community foreignlanguage as early as primary school.

• Define a "European quality label" quality label which would be awardedaccording to the following criteria:

– genuine use by all pupils of one Community foreign language atprimary school and of two at secondary school.

– involvement of teaching staff from other EU Member States.

– use of methods promoting self-learning of languages.

– creation of an organisation for contact between young people fromdifferent Member States (including via information technologies).

Promotion of this label will make it possible to assemble additionalfunding from the Member States (including local authorities).

• Networking establishments having obtained this label.

• Systematically encouraging mobility to allow teachers to teach theirmother tongue in schools in another country, as permitted by Communitylaw and the ensuing changes made in civil service structures.

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V. Fifth general objective

"TREAT CAPITAL INVESTMENTAND INVESTMENT IN TRAINING

ON AN EQUAL BASIS "

The White Paper acknowledges thatinvestment in skills is a prime factor incompetitiveness and employability. Inorder to put this guideline for actioninto practice two items have to beanalyzed in order to produceproposals for action:

- investment inputs in humancapital;

- accounting and fiscalapproaches to trainingexpenditure.

On the first, it should be noted thatexpenditure on education and trainingis severely affected by the economiccycle and fluctuations in the levels ofactivity. This is particularly true in thecase of companies which, asrecession bites, cut back substantiallyon their expenditure in this area. Asregards public expenditure, thecontext of austerity and reduction ofpublic sector deficits calls for greaterattention to maintaining publicinvestment in education and training.

As regards the accounting and fiscalapproach, labour is not considered asan asset. It is an operating cost andis included as such in the companybalance sheet in the form ofremuneration and taxes. Theapproach to be explored is how toconsider know-how and skillsacquired by employees during thecourse of their duties as adding valueto the company, so that part of theexpenditure on training and salariesduring the training period can be

considered as depreciable intangiblefixed assets and transferredaccordingly on the balance sheet.

A priority task is to consolidate thefunding levels agreed in connectionwith education and training (whichimplies measuring them), to developdirect and indirect incentivespromoting investment in humanresources and to improve accountingand expenditure monitoringarrangements.

It is especially desirable, as theCommission has already proposed inits Communication on "An industrialcompetitiveness policy for theEuropean Union" (COM 94/319 final),to introduce arrangements wherebycompanies which have made aspecial effort in training can entersome of this investment in theirbalance sheet as part of theirintangible assets. In addition, 'trainingfund' schemes should be devised forthose who wish to update theirknowledge or to re-embark upontraining after having earlierinterrupted their studies.

Development of the informationsociety already involves putting inplace a growing number of newgoods and services which will play anincreasingly important role inenhancing knowledge. The fiscalsystems in many Member Statesalready have some provisionsallowing individuals to offset againsttax certain types of expenditure ontheir training. The time has come toask whether such systems should bereviewed and rapidly expanded totake account of technologicalprogress and to allow citizens todevote the highest possibleinvestment to ongoing improvementof their knowledge.

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The White Paper proposes thefollowing support measures atEuropean level:

- measurement of investment ineducation and training on theone hand; and

- promotion of investment inhuman resources on the other.

General management charts (tableaude bord) will be drawn up for the EUshowing public and privateinvestment in education and training.

A survey of the arrangements foraiding and encouraging investment ineducation and training in Europe willbe carried out, the aim being tospread knowledge and understandingabout them.

On the basis of a study covering thedifferent fiscal and accountingapproaches to companies' andindividuals' training expenditure,consultation will be initiated withMember States on promotinginvestment in human resources as afixed asset (see box) .

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Example N°5

Promoting investment in human resources

Aims

• Promote the perception of training as an investment and not as operatingexpenditure.

• Encourage people to invest in their own training along "training fund"lines.

• Foster cooperation between national systems from the point of view ofthe accounting and fiscal approach to training expenditure.

• Bring the fiscal and accounting approaches to intangible investmentcloser together, particularly as regards research and training expenditure.

Methods

• Identify the different arrangements for fiscal and accounting handling oftraining expenditure by companies and individuals.

• Assess the financial implications for Member States and companies.

• Build up Community expertise in ways of handling training expenditure asan investment for companies and individuals.

• Joint examination with the Member States and the social partners of thelegal and administrative arrangements for treating training expenditure bycompanies as investments.

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GENERAL CONCLUSION

The world is going through a period of transition and profound change and thesigns are that in Europe, as elsewhere, a new age is about to dawn which is morevariable and unpredictable than those which went before.

There is no doubt that this new age - one of internationalisation of trade, of theinformation society, of scientific and technical upheaval - brings uncertainties andconcerns, primarily because it is difficult to see the direction of the future.

These uncertainties and concerns are without doubt stronger in Europe thanelsewhere. European civilisation has a long history and is very complex. It is todaydivided between a deep thirst for research and knowledge, the legacy of a traditionwhich made Europe the first to bring about a technical and industrial revolutionand thus change the world, and a deep-seated call for stability and collectivesecurity. This is a perfectly understandable aspiration for a continent so long tornapart by wars and divided by political and social conflicts. Unfortunately, it is alsoone which can engender a reactionary reflex to change.

Yet this age of change is a historical opportunity for Europe , because suchperiods in which one society gives birth to the next are the only ones conducive toradical reform without violent change. The increase in trade across the world,scientific discoveries, new technologies, in fact open up new potential fordevelopment and progress.

An eminent European historian, co-director of the "Annales" and well-placed tocompare this period of change with those that preceded it, particularly thetransition from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance, said1 :

"The Europe of the Middle Ages and post-medieval times had to face up to theByzantine world, the Arab world and the Ottoman Empire. The struggle today isfortunately set in a more pacific context. Nevertheless, the existence ofprotagonists in history gigantic by their size or by their economic strength, orindeed both, means Europe has to achieve a comparable scale if it is to exist,progress and retain its identity. Facing up to America, Japan and soon China,Europe must have the economic, demographic and political mass capable ofsecuring its independence.

Fortunately, Europe has the weight of its civilisation and its common heritagebehind it. Over 25 centuries European civilisation has, in successive stages, beencreative; and even today, as one slogan goes, Europe's main raw material isunquestionably its grey matter.

It is in the European dimension that a forward-looking society can be built, capableat the same time of helping to change the nature of things globally and ofmaintaining full awareness of itself.

1Jacques LE GOFF - La vieille Europe et la nôtre -1994 - Paris, Editions du Seuil.

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This White Paper contends that it is by building up the learning society of Europeas quickly as possible, that this objective can be attained. This move entails radicalchange. All too often education and training systems map out career pathson a once-and-for-all basis. There is too much inflexibility, too muchcompartmentalisation of education and training systems and not enoughbridges, or enough possibilities to let in new patterns of lifelong learning.

Education and training provide the reference points needed to affirm collectiveidentity, while at the same time permitting further advances in science andtechnology. The independence they give, if shared by everyone, strengthens thesense of cohesion and anchors the feeling of belonging. Europe's culturaldiversity, its long existence and the mobility between different cultures areinvaluable assets for adapting to the new world on the horizon.

Being European is to have the advantage of a cultural background of unparalleledvariety and depth. It should also mean having full access to knowledge and skill.The purpose of the White Paper is to make it possible to exploit these possibilitiesfurther; the recommendations it contains cannot claim to provide an exhaustiveresponse to the question.

Their aim is much more modest, namely to help, in conjunction with the educationand training policies of the Member States, to put Europe on the road to thelearning society. They are also intended to pave the way for a broader debate inthe years ahead. Lastly, they can help to show that the future of Europe and itsplace in the world depend on its ability to give as much room for the personalfulfilment of its citizens, men and women alike, as it has up to now given toeconomic and monetary issues. It is in this way that Europe will prove that it is notsimply a free trade area, but an organised political entity, and a way of comingsuccessfully to terms with, rather than being subject to, internationalisation.

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Annex 1

Some data and figures

Note:

1. The data and figures given below are taken from a number of documentsproduced by the European Commission or the OECD. As is the case withall statistics, all the more so when they are of a comparative nature, theyshould be treated with caution, especially since most of them refer to the1991/92 year.

2. The data and figures on vocational training relate mainly to continuingtraining (partly because in several Member States initial training comesunder the national education system, for example in France, and isgenerally called technical training). What is more, to the extent thatcontinuing training is mainly a matter for companies (and economicsectors), it is difficult to obtain precise and overall figures.

EDUCATION

� In 1993 there were nearly 117 million under-25s in the Union's MemberStates, i.e. 32% of the population. Ireland has most young people inrelative terms (43%), i.e. one and a half times more than Germany, whichhas the lowest percentage. Since 1973 the percentage of under-25s inthe population has decreased in all Member States. Several countrieswith the highest percentage of under-25s (Spain, Finland, Netherlands,Portugal), experienced the greatest decrease. It should be noted, too, thatthe percentage of under-25s in the population is very unevenly distributed:from over 35% in southern Portugal, southern Italy, northern half of Franceor in Ireland for example, to less than 29% in the northern regions of Italyand the new Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany.

� During the 1991/92 academic year there were 67 million pupils andstudents in the European Union, i.e. almost one-fifth of the totalpopulation (based on Europe of the 12). Almost 60% of the under-25swere enrolled in an educational establishment. If one takes into account thepupils enrolled in pre-school education, then almost 77 million under-25swere in education in 1992 throughout what was Europe of the 12, i.e. nearon 70% of that population group.

• In 1991/92, the European Union (12 Member States) had over 22million young people in primary education , i.e. over a third of thepopulation in education.

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• Nearly 35 million pupils were enrolled in secondary educationestablishments in the European Union in 1991/92 , i.e. 52% of allyoungsters in education. The corresponding percentages vary onlyslightly between the countries: from 44% in Portugal to almost 60%in Germany. Throughout the Union (particularly in Germany, Italy,Netherlands, Austria and Sweden) there are more young people intechnical secondary education than in the general academic sector(almost 79% in Germany).

• Nearly 10 million youngsters attended a higher educationestablishment in 1991/92 , i.e. 14% of all youngsters in education:this percentage was highest in Denmark and lowest in Portugal. Itshould be noted (still with reference to 1991/92) that 5% of thestudents were non-nationals (here again with large variationsbetween Member States – 10.4% in Belgium and 1.4% in Greece).

� Not all young people necessarily leave school with a qualification: theratio between the number of certificates awarded and the number of 18year-olds was 0.81 in the European Union in respect of secondaryeducation; the ratio between the number of certificates awarded and thenumber of 23 year-olds in the European Union for that same year (1990/91)was 0.23. In both cases the situation varied greatly from one Member Stateto another.

� There were over 4 million teachers in the European Union in 1991/92(not counting higher education).

� Most educational establishments throughout the European Union arewithin the public domain: over 70% of establishments come directlyunder the public sector. Italy has the largest percentage of totallyindependent private establishments (i.e. private and receiving less than50% of their resources from the public sector).

� Over 20% of under-25s not in education were unemployed in March1995, this rate varying from 6.5% in Luxembourg to over 45% in Spain. Inall the Union countries, apart from Germany, unemployment among youngpeople is significantly higher than the labour force as a whole.

� As a general rule (except for Greece and Italy), there is a directrelationship between level of education and unemployment rate: thehigher the former, the lower the latter among young people: inBelgium, Denmark, Germany, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Finland,Sweden and the United Kingdom this rate amounted to or exceeded 15%for young people not continuing past the first level of secondary education,whereas in the same Member States it was below 10% for those who hadcompleted some form of higher education.

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� Expenditure on education accounts for a very large proportion ofpublic spending. Finland earmarks the largest percentage of GNP toeducation (1992 figure), i.e. near on 8%. For the countries where data wereavailable, this figure varies between 7.9% and 5% (Germany, Netherlands).Except for the Netherlands, where the proportion of private establishmentsis fairly high (3.3% of GNP), almost all spending on education goes toestablishments in the public sector. There is not necessarily a direct linkbetween the percentage of GNP allocated to education and expenditure perpupil relative to GNP per capita.

� At present, more than 500 000 students are enrolled in higher-leveldistance education in Europe, i.e. some 7% of the population in highereducation.

VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING

� 60% of young people were engaged in vocational training at uppersecondary level (63% of males and 58% of females) in 1991/92. TheUnited Kingdom is the only country where there are more females invocational training (59%) than males (52%).

� Public expenditure on vocational training programmes was 0.5% ofGDP in 1993 as compared to 0.25% in 1985. It is estimated thatemployers spend approximately 1.5% of the total wages and salary bill onvocational training.

� It is estimated that every year in the EU at least 20% of theeconomically active population is engaged in continuing vocationaltraining/ education of various kinds for two weeks on average.According to a survey carried out in 1993 in 12 Member States, some 5%of male employees and 6% of female employees aged over 25 hadundergone vocational training in the four weeks prior to the survey.

� The private sector is playing a larger role than ever as a trainingprovider. The number of training practitioners in the European Union is putat over 60 000.

� Although there are over 3 000 establishments of higher learning in theEuropean Union, their role in continuing training is modest. In terms ofpersons involved, higher education establishments in France account for5%, the corresponding figure in Germany is 2 to 3%, whereas inScandinavia and the United Kingdom it is over 10%.

� Participation in continuing vocational training is linked to level ofeducation. The figures, for Member States where the information wasavailable, indicate that people having undergone upper secondary

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education participate more in continuing training throughout their workinglife than those who left the system after lower secondary education.

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Annex 2

Examples of Community programmes in the field of education and training

1. Examples of mobility

ERASMUS (students)

Council Decision: 1987

Numbers concerned:1987–88: 3 000 students who received grants1995–96: 170 000 students who received grants

COMETT II (university-enterprise cooperation and traineeships in industryfor students)

Council Decision: 1988

Numbers concerned: 1990: 4 400 students in transnationaltraineeships

1994: 8 700 students in transnationaltraineeships

75% of companies participating in Comett projects were SMEs

PETRA II (young people in initial training and young workers)

Council Decision: 1991

Numbers concerned: 1992-94: 23 566 young people in initial VT13 053 young workers

FORCE (continuing training in Europe)

Council Decision: 1990

Numbers concerned: 5 000 European partnerships, roughly 3 000 of whichbeing companies or consortia (inc. 70% SMEs) and900 European training partnerships involving the socialpartners in 720 projects

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2. Examples of projects within the Socrates programme

• Higher Education Diploma in Administration and Management(Hedam) . This was the fruit of academic cooperation. The course lasts forthree years, 20% of the time being spent learning two languages. 300students are currently working for the qualification. There are 22 partnerinstitutions.

• Distance learning project put forward by the European Federation for theEducation of the Children of Occupational Travellers (Efecot) . Thisbrings together 40 national associations and groups responsible for theeducation of children whose parents are in itinerant jobs (bargees,fairground entertainers, circus artistes, etc.). The project is also aimed atparents.

• Euroling computerised teaching material for elementary and intermediatecourses in Italian, Spanish and Dutch. Can be used independently or ingroups. The project involves eight European universities.

• Polyphonia (European music network - ERASMUS): 12 musicologyfaculties and European academies have formed a network for cooperationto encourage student and teacher mobility (joint courses and intensiveprogrammes, joint examination boards). This network has given rise to achamber orchestra and a brass ensemble.

• Tradutech (European network of translation/interpreting schools -Erasmus): over 40 such European schools have since 1986 beencooperating on of student and teacher mobility. A technical back-upinstrument for translation, Tradutech is one of the fruits of this cooperation.All the partners use the ECTS (European course credit transfer system).The learning of the European languages less widely used and taught hasbeen stepped up and a project which is unique in Europe in the field ofinterpreter training in sign language is currently being developed.

• Diecec (European network of cooperation between towns in the area ofintercultural education - COMENIUS): in order to head off deskilling andunemployment, five major European cities (Marseilles, Antwerp, Bradford,Bologna and Turin) have created an education partnership to promote theintegration of the children of immigrant persons by improving the rate ofsuccess at school.

• Adele (Apprentissage de la dimension européenne en langues étrangères -LINGUA): by setting up transnational working parties involving fourcountries (France, Portugal, Spain and Greece), multimedia trainingmodules are prepared jointly in order to introduce the European dimensioninto education, backed up by teaching method sheets for foreign languageteachers.

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• Meithal (Initial teacher training and the European dimension - COMENIUS):this network (whose name means "working together" in Gaelic) has since1990 being bringing together for a one-month period around a specifictheme ("art in Europe" in 1994) teachers and future teachers from 12establishments from eight European Union countries, the aim being tofoster exchange and reflection on the European dimension in the initialtraining of teachers.

3. Examples of projects within the Leonardo programme

• Quality system (FORCE): a consortium of Spanish, Irish and Portuguesecompanies has organised a training programme tailored to the needs ofEuropean SMEs as regards implementing quality programmes ,seeking toincorporate quality into the management strategy of companies and as ahuman resource management instrument. This project has also contributedto the dissemination of ISO 9 000 quality standards. The product isavailable in four languages on CD Rom.

• International programme for placement of young people in initialtraining in the metal industries- (PETRA): organisation in Denmark aspart of an exercise managed by the joint committee for the metal industriesof a basic training programme which contains a compulsory placementperiod abroad in all types of training. Similar developments have followedthrough regulations in the Netherlands, Italy and Spain.

• Euskal-Herria (COMETT): University-Enterprise Association for Training(UETP) involves ten companies, seven universities and eighteen tradefederations from the Basque country and other European regions and hasendeavoured to develop training and retraining courses to improve thequality of the labour market for workers needing retraining or workers whoare unemployed.

• Preparation and validation of a new workshop occupational profile -the 'expert technician' (FORCE): this project targets highly qualifiedemployees; the partnership involves European car manufacturers, dealersand training centres in several countries and has led to the development oftwo multimedia educational software packages relating to noise controltechniques in cars and the airbag.

• Biomerit (European network in the field of biotechnology training -COMETT): this involves some 33 partners from 7 European Unioncountries. Biomerit has in three years organised nearly 15 training seminarsinvolving around 900 participants. One of the main achievements ofBiomerit is to have familiarised both students and researchers with work inEuropean networks and companies in order to introduce biotechnologicalinnovations in farms and SMEs.

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• Setting up business abroad (PETRA): business schools in Denmark,Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Portugal work as a partnership on thesimulation of setting up transnational businesses as part of an initial trainingnetwork. Projects for setting up businesses abroad are pursued in eachtraining centre. These projects have a specific aim and are scrutinised bylocal assessment boards (chambers of commerce, companies) at a"business fair".

• Ecata (COMETT): a transnational training project in advanced aeronauticstechnology. Seven universities from several countries and eleven Europeanmanufacturers cooperate within this partnership targeting young engineers.The training is certified by a diploma and over 2000 hours of training havebeen provided since 1990.

4. Examples of projects under the telematic project programme

� Learning through exploration and discovery: two consortia ofcompanies and educational institutions have set up two training schemes -one for medical students and the other for technical secondary students -based on intense use of simulated practical work. The students are givenintegrated educational support providing them with guidance andexplanations on request. This approach stresses inductive reasoning andshould engender knowledge which is deeper and more easily transferable(COAST and SERVIVE projects).

� Inter-university cooperation to promote new educational services: it isnot enough to provide access to vast knowledge resources, they must bestructured to match the target populations' needs, be attractive to studentsand motivate them. This concept - of a "hot house" for knowledge definedand fed by a consortium of universities (ARIADNE project) - is currentlybeing validated in a group of companies to check its economic and socialpertinence. A second consortium of universities is trying out distribution ofservices via hybrid networks combining cable TV, publictelecommunications and research networks (ELECTRA project).

� Training at SMEs: a consortium made up of technical educationinstitutions and SMEs is helping to develop a database covering trainingcourse modules. Training service providers adapt standard modules to theircustomers' specific needs. Users have access to the training resourceseither via a company work station or a local training centre (IDEALSproject).

� Training at home: this type of distance training is the more usual one,since advances in telematics allow top-quality pedagogical support to beprovided, coupled with improved trainer-trainee interaction and a media-richenvironment. The DOMITEL project is experimenting with cable TV whileTOPILOT has opted for a solution customised for migrant workers basedon mobile data communications technology.

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� Specialised training networks: a growing number of training courses inleading-edge technologies are not available at university, either becausethere is not enough local demand to economically justify creation of anadvanced course, or because the research in question is principallyconducted by companies. Europe is the most suitable level at which toorganise such types of training. Two consortia are assessing new trainingapproaches adapted to these new needs. The first is run by a network ofmicroelectronic research laboratories (MODEM) and the second by anetwork of national meteorological institutes (EUROMET).

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Annex 3

The educational world of Alyat Hanoar

Alyat Hanoar is an institution in Israel specialising in education of youngstersexposed to especially acute problems during adolescence because of specificfamily, social or cultural problems, which prevent them from growing intoresponsible adults.

Initially launched in Germany in 1932 to save the children of Jewish familiessuffering from discriminatory measures, mainly in the employment field, thisundertaking aimed at transferring groups of such young people to Palestine andproviding them with education and training as part of "communities of independentyoung people" in certain kibbutzim.

For nearly 30 years this organisation has continued, in particular, to educateadolescent immigrants, more particularly traumatised child survivors of theconcentration camps and then adolescent emigrants, without parents, from theMaghreb and Iran. From the early 60s on Alyat Hanoar became increasinglyinvolved with adolescents from what is known as "Second Israel", i.e. the vastnumbers of people - from Morocco in particular - who never integrated properly. In1985 it again steered a new course, when it was given the task of organising theadaptation, education and integration of all youngsters among the 50 000Ethiopian Jews transferred to Israel under particularly traumatic and testingcircumstances.

The keystone in this educational venture to achieve the psychological, cultural andsocial reintegration of such individuals is the "village of the young", or moreprecisely a network of such villages. Such villages consist not only of adolescentstudents (aged from 14 to 18) but also of teachers, support staff ("mothers" or"fathers", educators, instructors, psychology counsellors, social workers, etc.) andtechnical/administrative personnel, many of whom also live on campus, often withtheir families.

Social matters within this set-up are decided by a number of bodies composed ofstudents (student boards, various committees, households and so on). Adult staffregularly attend meetings with the village director where they are provided withguidance on setting a good example for the adolescents, being someone withwhom the latter can identify, from whom they can receive support and with whomthey can interact.

The education provided within such villages has three main aims, namely. to:

1. Foster individuals' independence and consolidate and develop theirpersonality through interaction among the students themselves andbetween students and staff.

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2. Expand upon the educational curricula laid down by the Ministry ofEducation, by taking a wider perspective and developing whatever talentsstudents possess - in the field of sport, art, music, etc. - by means ofcourses, workshops, visits and other complementary activities.

3. Foster the individual students' sense of responsibility towards their group assuch and society as a whole by delegating jobs to each of them (takingturns to work in the refectory, library, sports/playing fields, tidying up livingquarters, etc.) or specific tasks (giving extra teaching lessons,accompanying a student to the community clinic, hospital, etc.).

The most remarkable feature of all, without any doubt, is that this educationalsystem operates with hardly any recourse to the usual sanctions imposed byteachers or parents. Social pressure takes over this role in the "village of theyoung" and is much more effective.

The results achieved by this model are impressive. Not only has it turned out alarge number of leading figures, but the proportion of drop-outs from this type ofeducation is much lower than the national average (3% as against 10%) despitethe fact that a good many of such adolescents had dropped out several timesbefore. The flexibility of this approach and its ability to overcome major culturaldifferences and deep-seated prejudices have also been borne out by theimpressive results obtained, in less than ten years, in integrating young immigrantsfrom Ethiopia.

Since it was set up Alyat Hanoar has educated over 300 000 youngsters.Nowadays, the sixty or so villages it operates contain over 17 000 adolescents, i.e.one third of the young people studying in a similar framework, or 10% to 12% ofstudents in the age group in question.

The average annual cost per student in such villages is relatively modest atFF 35 000 to FF 45 000, teaching costs included.

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Annex 4

The experience of "Accelerated schools" in the USA

A success story in the USA, "accelerated schools" constitute one of the bestsolutions Americans have found to the crisis faced by their education system,confronted with under-achievement by near-on one third of primary and secondarypupils.

Such under-achievers, or "pupils at risk", are usually two years behind the others;over half of them leave school without any paper qualifications; most of them arefrom deprived and poor areas and belong to ethnic minorities not speakingEnglish; many of them also come from single-parent families.

These accelerated schools are based on the conviction that all pupils in the sameage group are capable of reaching the same level of academic achievement bythe time they are of school-leaving age. This means that under-achievers have tobe made to work at an accelerated pace as compared to better-off pupils, which isdone by providing schools of excellence for the former.

The concept underlying these schools is that the teaching provided for "gifted"children is also suitable for all children. This means not viewing under-achievers asslow on the uptake and incapable of learning within the usual time frames, but - onthe contrary - setting them ambitious objectives to be achieved within firmly fixedperiods.

Every pupil, each parent, every teacher must be convinced that failure is notinevitable. Those involved are called on to work together, in cooperation withteaching staff, as a responsible community which has taken full possession of allrights and powers. After drawing up a common vision of what the school should belike, this school community sets out to build an accelerated school, firmly resolvedto respond, on its own, to any problems as and when they arise.

Such a community needs to be founded on the generally under-used talentseveryone has. The process of transforming the school changes attitudes andcreates a new culture.

The process takes about five months to come to fruition, necessitating many hoursof meetings and consultation between the teaching staff, parents and pupils.

Schools pursuing this path must not be left with the feeling that they are out ontheir own. They must receive support within a network of schools adopting thesame approach. In the USA they have the support of teams at universities,Stanford University in particular.

Several hundred such projects have been successfully undertaken in the USA andform the object of studies and publications encouraging their continuation.