The LLLPlatform will be holding its 8th Lifelong Learning Week (LLLWeek) on 3-7 December 2018 in Brussels . We are very happy to say that the LLLWeek will take place in cooperation and with the support of the LLL Interest Group and the Youth Intergroup . The LLLWeek has over time become a milestone in the European education agenda, thanks to the support of civil society actors and of Members of the European Parliament, bringing together learners and educators, field workers and policy-makers, thinkers and political representatives and give them the opportunity to discuss today’s greatest educational challenges. The main topic of the week will be Lifelong Learning Culture , the Platform’s theme of the year, envisaging the subject under 3 sub-topics which also govern the LLLAwards2018 : Learning environments Validation, recognition and accreditation of competences Holistic approaches to active citizenship through education and culture Save the date to your agenda, and stay tuned for updates in the coming weeks!

In the context of the public campaign on copyright reform , the Lifelong Learning Platform has endorsed the open letter to EU Ambassadors to ask for a comprehsnsive reform that bears in mind the implication of copyright in education settings. The network seeks to stop this rushed EU copyright reform and addressed itself to the EU Member State Ambassadors and Deputy Ambassadors ahead of the 27 April meeting of the Committee of the Permanent Representatives of the Governments of the Member States to the European Union (COREPER). What is it all about? The copyright reform grants an exception only to formal education establishments: we want the exception to be applicable and mandatory to all education sectors and purposes. We believe that it is not about the user – teacher or others – the provides the education, but rather about the scope of the learning process. Also see the blog post and press release . Help us spread the word in your networks!

This interview appeared on BETA Europe’s March newsletter Tell us a bit about yourself – your academic background, and how your career path led you to Lifelong Learning Platform?   Education is the revolving centre of my personal and professional path; it has always been and will continue to guide my actions. My studies focused broadly on civilisation and language, but also in administration, economics and most of all social studies. I was originally a teacher in primary school, and then approached the world of associations in France. In the ‘80, I joined several organisations for non-formal education and training, putting emphasis on all education sectors. Today, I supervise the international team of La Ligue de l’Enseignement , the oldest education organisation in France – it was founded in 1866! It is a confederation of 102 federations and a network of 30 000 local associations. Through La Ligue, and SOLIDAR (members of the LLLP), we contributed to the foundation of the Lifelong Learning Platform. You can say that I was there since the beginning. Can you explain to us what exactly Lifelong Learning Platform is? When was it founded? What is the mission and objectives of the association? The Lifelong Learning Platform (you can also call us “LLLP”) is an umbrella that gathers over 41 European organisations active in the field of education, training and youth, coming from all over Europe and beyond. We are the platform for education, and we truly have an holistic approach. You can see it in our membership : we have adult education, VET, youth organisations, volunteers, scouts, sports organisations, university, schools, teachers, parents, early-childhood, covering the spectrum for all education sectors and age groups. Currently these networks represent more than 50 000 educational institutions and associations in formal, non-formal and informal learning. Their members reach out to several millions of beneficiaries. Founded in 2005, LLLP’s mission is to voice citizens’ concerns on lifelong learning issues, and to propose concrete solutions, based on the expertise, competencies and experience of its networks, for lifelong learning to become a reality for all. We believe that it is essential to create more complementarity and continuity between formal, non-formal and informal learning. The Platform believes education is the key to foster equity, social cohesion and active citizenship. Thus, the objectives of education and training should not only be described in terms of employability or economic growth but also as a framework for personal development. In 2017 you decided to launch #Erasmusx10 campaign. How did the idea emerge? The idea for the #Erasmusx10 came out of an Erasmus+ Coalition meeting . The coalition is an informal gathering of civil society organisations actively involved in the Erasmus+ Programme, initiated by the LLLP together with the European Youth Forum , where we share updates with our members and interested stakeholders. We also contribute to the overall discussion and policy developments of the programme. Well, on the opening ceremony of the 30th anniversary of the Erasmus, in his first declarations upon the new programme Juncker claimed that “we need to be nine times more ambitious”. We saw an opportunity, jumped on it and said to ourselves: “let’s round it up, let’s go x10!” That’s how the idea for the Erasmusx10 was born. What are the aims of the #Erasmusx10 campaign? What do you advocate for? The title is quite straightforward, we want to see the budget of the Erasmus+ increased by ten times. All stakeholders, including the EU institutions, agree that the programme is the most successful European initiative. Why not capitalise on this success? We are aware that it is a rather ambitious goal, but in this historic moment we have the chance to shape education, mobility and research to make them meet societal needs and hence to make EU progress towards a more inclusive Europe, where education and learning are at the forefront. We believe that investing in the Erasmus+ is a win-win partnership, in that it could really turn it into the education programme of the European Union. Are you satisfied with the results achieved so far? What are the next steps? Since the beginning of the campaign we managed to gather transnational and cross-sectoral support. We mobilised European organisations, politicians, as well as the beneficiaries and people on the ground. We are being acknowledged in the political discourse: the CULT Committee expressly asked the Parliament to refer to our position, and this makes us happy. We also have a petition that gathered thousands and thousands of supporters ( sign it here ! ). But, of course, there is room for improvement. The next steps are twofold and go in this direction. On one hand, we want to mobilise a larger share of the public opinion, reaching out to the ground and to national entities; to this extent, tune in on the Ex10 channels, as some news will be announced in the coming weeks. On the other hand, we will continue to seek to influence the negotiations of the next MFF, both on the EU institutions and in regular talks with the permanent representations. After all, that’s our goal. What are the future plans for LLLPlatform? Can we expect interesting new projects and initiatives in the field of lifelong learning? Of course you can! Lifelong learning is a dynamic concept, and so are the activities of the Platform. At the moment, we are tackling the overarching topic of “Lifelong Learning Culture” , our topic of the year. We explored synergies and cooperation between education and culture on a joint event “Culture and Education for All” earlier in March. We will continue to do so during the Civil Society Days 2018 , and most of all during our Annual Conference in Vienna . It will be a moment of reflection and production, with diverse stakeholders committed to making a new partnership for rethinking education, so make sure to register and contribute to the discussions! Linked to this, we will also shortly launch the call for the LLLAwards 2018 , where we invite stakeholders to submit their initiatives and best practices in the topic of choice: this year we will focus on learning environments, validation, and citizenship within the Lifelong Learning Culture! We also work actively with international partners on EU-funded projects in the fields of: innovative methods for the assessment of the competences of vulnerable groups (project InnoVal ), adult education for a responsible and safe use of internet and digital devices (project DIGIT), as well as the development of youth workers’ skills (COMANITY). All of the Platform’s work will feed into the iconic LLLWeek 2018 (3-7 December). There is a lot in the oven, so make sure to stay tuned on our channels ! Is there any advice you would like to give to the youth in Europe? I would advice to never stop learning. From your first day on this planet till your last, life is a continuous journey across your learning experiences. Thus, the best advice I can give European youth is to embrace the learning dimension of life in all of its forms.   Interview conducted by Evelina Semaškevič, Sponsorship & Outreach Manager in BETA e.V.

The Lifelong Learning Platform is happy to announce that it will be holding its 2018 General Assembly on 7 July in Vienna, Austria . The G.A. will follow the annual conference and will see the participation of the whole LLLP membership. Members will gather to discuss the general direction of the LLLP, and will also proceed to the election of four new Steering Committee members . The rotation systems foresees that three members of the Steering Committee will end their mandate this year, and the General Assembly will be tasked with electing three new representatives, as well as filling in a fourth vacant seat. Members of the Platform are currently presenting their candicancy. During the General Assembly members will be discussing the future of Erasmus+ as well as the LLLP positions on validation of non-formal learning and the synergies between culture & education . The E&T post-2020 policy developments will be part of the discussions too. The LLLP will offer a presentation from the OECD on the current status of investment in education in Europe, and two working groups will also take place. The General Assembly will also be an occasion to vote on and welcome new members in the LLLP family. The LLLPlatform also invites interested organisations to come forward and apply as members of the Platform. If you are interested to become a member of the LLLP and would like to learn more about the procedures and added value, find more info here . Deadline for applications is 7 June 2018.

Each year, the EAEA celebrates innovation and excellence in adult education by awarding successful adult education projects. This year, the EAEA Grundtvig Awards – themed “Cooperations and Partnerships” – will be given to projects that produce new partnerships and promote innovative cooperations. All participating projects will get European-wide visibility – don’t miss the opportunity! Read more about the criteria and apply by completing the submission form on the EAEA website by April 15th!

On 15 March, the EPSCO Council adopted a recommendation on a framework for quality and effective apprenticeships which is said to help young people to enter the world of work. The recommendation encourages the development of a highly skilled and qualified workforce which is responsive to the needs of the labour market. By applying common criteria for the quality and effectiveness of apprenticeships, member states will be better able to develop and promote their national apprenticeship schemes. The recommendation foresees different criteria for learning and working conditions, including the following: a written agreement should be concluded to define the rights and obligations of the apprentice, the employer and, where appropriate, of the vocational education and training institution within a clear and consistent regulatory framework, there should be clear results leading to recognised qualifications, apprentices should be paid or otherwise compensated, apprentices should be entitled to social protection, career guidance, mentoring and learner support should be provided to apprentices both before and during the apprenticeship in order to ensure a successful outcome, pedagogical support should be provided to teachers, trainers and mentors, specially in micro-, small and medium-sized companies. The framework is a follow up to the Council declaration on the ‘European Alliance for Apprenticeships’ of October 2013. The Lifelong Learning Platform welcomes this recommendation, as it deems it goes in the right direction. LLLP hopes this will better frame apprenticeships in a quality and effective way, towards the goal of rendering apprenticeships mobility a true lifelong learning experience . Two of LLLP members, EARLALL and Freref , developed a joint position paper: read it here in English and in French !

Culture and Education for All: Building the Skills for More Resilient Societies Brussels, 16 March 2018 Civil society organisation [1] , European and International Institutions, permanent representations, universities, teachers and stakeholders came together on March 14th to discuss a common approach to linking culture and education. In light of the European Year of Cultural Heritage and the European Commission’s 2017 Communication on “ Strengthening European Identity through Education and Culture ” the debate aimed at discussing possible synergies between the two policy fields and reacting to the proposed Future of Learning package . The package includes the Council Recommendation for the revision of the Key Competences for lifelong learning and promoting social inclusion and shared EU values through teaching. To this extent, recent policy developments prompted the organisers to acknowledge the need to rebuild on past common positions , widen their scope, and formulate new recommendations to policy-makers. The day opened with an intervention by Ms Erna Hennicot-Schoepges, former Minister of Education, Culture and Research of Luxembourg, who recalled that true partnership is possible with common goals and intent within the European arena. In her keynote speech, she addressed the pressing need to boost national investments in education and refocus educational curricula on individual capacity-building from an early age, acknowledging the vital contribution that music, arts and culture can make in this regard. She called for education and culture to become a truly common EU strategy . Mr Yasen Gyurov, Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU, stressed the importance of inclusion through access to quality education and making the best use of digital technology in education to both prepare people for the jobs of the future and support their own personal development. Mr Jens Nymand-Christensen, Deputy Director General of DG EAC, pointed out that we all should embrace cultural diversity as a way of enhancing people’s resilience and immunity to extremist voices . Paolo Fontani, Director of UNESCO Liaison Office in Brussels, emphasised the need for a profound rethinking of what education is for, and of bringing together the culture and education spheres in school programming and curricula development , while bearing in mind that learning not only happens at school. David Lopez, President of the Lifelong Learning Platform, elaborated on this recalling that “ A lifelong learning approach – linking together formal, non-formal and informal learning – should be promoted and for that adequate investment, as well as genuine dialogue between institutions and civil society actors in the education and cultural fields, are essential ”. Lars Ebert, Senior Advisor at ELIA and Culture Action Europe board member, highlighted the importance of breaking the bubbles and the role of arts: “Complex problem solving, critical thinking and creativity are the top three skills in post 2020 societies. To enable humans of all ages to acquire these skills we have to break through silos and set up common frameworks for education and culture and ultimately also science and technology. The arts will play a central role in the future of humans in the 4th industrial revolution. Its high time that this is reflected in our policies” The meeting was highly valuable in contributing to the definition of a new position for civil society organisations and stakeholders vis-à-vis the benefits of more robust synergies between education and culture. The need for a substantiated step forward led the participants to identify common issues and shared solutions in order to render all learners visible. We should all envision mutual forms of communication, and develop a new language that would eventually inform the partnership. The role of teachers – and of teaching (learning) in general – was immensely valued during informal talks, with the argument that the notion of ‘teacher’ should be widened to educators of all forms, including actors in the culture sector. A great role in the definition of new competences shall be played by the digital revolution , which encompasses all aspects of life, (including museums and libraries) and greatly promotes culture and learning opportunities. Culture and education join forces in that, they push forward new examples of learning mobility : cultural awareness and appreciation of cultural diversity are learning schemes that Europe cannot afford to overlook. All organisers call upon the European institutions to enhance synergies and deepen collaboration between education and culture. Various studies have demonstrated that the arts education prepares for the future, developing “soft skills”; increasingly sought for at the labour market educational activities in the cultural sector spark curiosity and inspire children to learn ; cultural awareness and expression support democracy, active citizenship and intercultural dialogue. Recent policy reforms at EU level on validation of non-formal and informal learning should pave the way for a greater involvement of cultural actors and creative competences in these mechanisms. To this extent, more skills call for more learning opportunities of all types , an ideal horizon which can only become reality with investment and a genuinely collaborative and cross-sectoral approach. Such an event highlighted the need for cross-sectoral cooperation and its added value in building bridges for a great personal and professional development for all citizens across Europe. The partner organisations are committed to continue this work throughout the year and the years to come to turn policy into practice. For information contact: Andrea Lapegna – communication@lllplatform.eu Rosa Pérez Monclús – policy@cultureactioneurope.org [1] Lifelong Learning Platform (LLLP); Culture Action Europe (CAE); European Association of History Educators (EUROCLIO); European Distance and e-Learning Network (EDEN); European University Foundation (EUF); Public Libraries 2020; European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA); Europeana

We are proud to say that the Lifelong Learning Platform has been selected by Feedspot Blog Reader as one of the Top 25 Adult Education Blogs on the web! Check out the complete standing, and make sure to follow all the blogs mentioned: blog.feedspot.com/adult_education_blogs/

The Lifelong Learning Interest Group, composed of Members of the European Parliament and representatives of civil society, met on 24 January 2018 for the event “Taking stock of Lifelong Learning in Europe – what will a European Education Area bring”, hosted by MEP Sirpa Pietikainen. The event began with a presentation of the Guiding Principles for Lifelong Learning, based on the outcomes of the Interest Group meetings held since its inception in September 2015. Discussions followed on how the application of these principles could contribute to shaping the vision for a European Education Area announced by Vice-President Jyrki Katainen and Commissioner Tibor Navrascicsjust prior to the Gothenburg Social Summit for Fair Jobs and Growth on 17 November 2017. The Guiding Principles for Lifelong Learning encompass 9 themes: citizenship education, intercultural dialogue, critical thinking, learner-centred approaches, investment in lifelong learning, skills for the world of work, support for educators, policy coherence for lifelong learning, and sustainable development. Each of these themes comprise several guiding principles, which will be published later in 2018. The proposal for a European Education Area was widely welcomed as a positive step forward for education, training and lifelong learning at the EU level. However, many participants stressed the need for policy coherence to ensure that policies do not focus exclusively on a specific sector (e.g. schools) but encompass all levels and forms of education for a truly lifelong learning approach, and that consideration should also be given to countries outside the EU – for example, concerning the recognition of diplomas. Moreover, the lack of implementation of the 2012 Council Recommendation on the validation of non-formal and informal learning by Member States was highlighted as an important obstacle to address in making this ambitious vision a reality. Charlotte Olsson-Altansunar from the Cabinet of Jyrki Katainen, Vice-President of the European Commission, presented its political priorities for education, notably the European Education Area. “The European Education Area is widening the perspective on education and puts it higher on the political agenda. The debate on education changed after the launch of the New Skills Agenda, where a strong emphasis was put on employment. However, looking at the employment market is only one aspect of education, and the skills required for jobs might change very quickly within the next few years,” stressed Charlotte Olsson-Altansunar. “We need to promote key competences such as learning to think through non-formal lifelong learning within education and lifelong learning strategies of the European Union. Lifelong learning will be central for the future of the European Union,” said Sirpa Pietikäinen, Member of the European Parliament (EPP) and Chair of the Interest Group. She stressed the need for a wider approach to education and lifelong learning that considers current and future social and economic challenges. Could the European Education Area potentially be a ‘lifelong learning area’? “Could the European Education Area potentially be a ‘lifelong learning area’?” suggested Gina Ebner, EAEA Secretary-General. The European Education Area may be a step into the right direction; however, it puts the focus on formal education rather than non-formal and informal learning, sectors that play an increasingly important role for the acquisition of skills and competences. “While the European Education Area focuses primarily on formal education, the Member States are encouraged to promote non-formal and informal lifelong learning in the new framework. The funding programmes of the European Union will have a focus on these sectors of education,” said Charlotte Olsson-Altansunar, Cabinet of Jyrki Katainen. She added that the Review of the 2006 Framework of Key Competences referred to lifelong learning. “It is not only about creating new strategies or frameworks for lifelong learning, but also about implementing them. We need a stronger push from the European Commission for that,” said Brikena Xhomaqi, Director of the Lifelong Learning Platform. Civil society at the national, regional and local levels is at the forefront of promoting policy-making and the implementation of education and lifelong learning strategies. “The crucial role of civil society for the European Union needs to be recognised,” said David Lopez, President of the Lifelong Learning Platform and representative of SOLIDAR. Chaired by MEP Sirpa Pietikäinen (Finland, EPP), the Interest Group on Lifelong Learning brings together civil society representatives and MEPs to discuss various key issues connected to lifelong learning. The Group aims to fight inequalities and discrimination in education in order to reach the Europe 2020 and Education and Training 2020 headline targets.

The European Commission has published the mid-term evaluation report of the Erasmus+ Programme. The evaluation builds on over a million responses to questions related to the most well-known programme of the Union, and it establishes itself as the most comprehensive and recent source of evidence. The main highlights from the Commission are: Erasmus+ is felt as to be supportive in both employment terms and active citizenship Evidence shows that Erasmus+ is more coherent, relevant and partly more efficient and simpler than its predecessors. The evaluation makes a clear case for a stronger investment in education and training with a new emphasis on the younger generations and the most vulnerable groups. Click here to read the report . On this very day, the Lifelong Learning Platform also released its own report of the Erasmus+ implementation survey 2017 . We draw similar conclusions for the overlapping parts, with LLLP’s report placing a strong focus on investments for the future.

The European Commission has published the mid-term evaluation report of the Erasmus+ Programme. The evaluation builds on over a million responses to questions related to the most well-known programme of the Union, and it establishes itselfas the most comprehensive and recent source of evidence. The main highlights from the Commission are: Erasmus+ is felt as to be supportive in both employment terms and active citizenship Evidence shows that Erasmus+ is more coherent, relevant and partly more efficient and simpler than its predecessors. The evaluation makes a clear case for a stronger investment in education and training with a new emphasis on the younger generations and the most vulnerable groups. Click here to read the report. On this very day, the Lifelong Learning Platform also released its own report of the Erasmus+ implementation survey 2017. We draw similar conclusions for the overlapping parts, with LLLP’s report placing a strong focus on investments for the future.

Our partners and colleagues at Europeana are very happy to announce a new competition focused this time on education: Europeana #edTech Challenge 2018 . Europeana invites digital publishers, entrepreneurs, developers, designers and cultural heritage digital thinkers to submit their best idea(s) that use cultural heritage and digital technologies to foster innovative learning and teaching. The price is €20.000 and the deadline for submission is 28th February . All the information required for the application and the assessment criteria are available on their website.