EURYDICE Directorate-General for Education and Culture Non-Vocational Adult EducationC h a p tin e rEurope A : ExecutiveCONTEXT Summary of National Information on Eurybase Working Document January 2007 European Commission EURYDICE Non-Vocational Adult Education in Europe Executive Summary of National Information on Eurybase Working Document January 2007 Eurydice The information network on education in Europe Eurydice European Unit Avenue Louise 240 B-1050 Brussels Tel. +32 2 600 53 53 Fax +32 2 600 53 63 E-mail:
[email protected] Internet: www.eurydice.org CONTENTS Foreword 5 Introduction 7 Context and scope 7 Sources and limitations 8 Main Findings 11 1. Policy, legislative and administrative frameworks 11 2. Financial framework 17 3. Target groups – who is learning in NVAE 23 4. Access framework 26 5. Institutional framework 28 6. Organisation and approaches 30 7. Learning content 34 8. Qualifications framework 42 9. Guidance services 48 10. Quality framework 51 11. Professional development of staff 56 Conclusion 59 Appendices 65 Acknowledgements 85 5 FOREWORD The present general survey of national policies in the area of adult education was completed in response to a request made by the European Commission to the Eurydice network at the end of 2005. The aim was to provide information for the preparation of the Communication from the Commission, which was adopted in October 2006 under the title of Adult learning: it is never too late to learn. A comparative summary of national policies in force allowed a better understanding of the different national contexts, their common and characteristic points, and the challenges they face.