31.01.2008 Seminar on ILAs 1

Seminar on Individual learning accounts:

An incentive for financing continuing vocational education

and training

31.01.2008 Seminar on ILAs 2

Overview of the presentation• Policy context• Background information• Purpose of the seminar• Themes covered• Common questions for discussion

31.01.2008 Seminar on ILAs 3

Policy context• Revised Lisbon strategy

– Education and Training 2010– Copenhagen – Maastricht – Helsinki process

• European Employment strategy– Integrated Guidelines for Growth and Jobs 2008-2010

• Framework of actions for the lifelong development of competences and qualifications

• Towards Common Principles of Flexicurity COM(2007)359

31.01.2008 Seminar on ILAs 4

Participation by adults in LLL

Benchmark 2010

31.01.2008 Seminar on ILAs 5

Participation in LLL by age and educational attainment (EU-25),

2006

31.01.2008 Seminar on ILAs 6

Background information• European Learning Account Project• OECD • Ikei – Catalogue of recent lifelong learning

co-financing initiatives• Pilot projects

31.01.2008 Seminar on ILAs 7

Purpose of the seminar• to provide a forum for discussion around the

subject of ILAs• to present innovative and best practice

initiatives, identify keys to success and challenges, and explore the conditions to expand ILAs provision

• ILAs - portable savings accounts used to finance education and training after compulsory education usually encouraged by some kind of public support.

31.01.2008 Seminar on ILAs 8

Who is contributing to ILAs?

ILAs

Individual

Employer

State

Others

31.01.2008 Seminar on ILAs 9

ILAs• Why do we focus on ILAs?• What do we want to achieve?• What are the key issues and challenges to

meet the goals of the schemes?

31.01.2008 Seminar on ILAs 10

Issues and challenges of ILAs• Policy objectives• Target group

– Individuals with low qualification levels– Unemployed and people outside the labour

market – Low income levels– Willing to save for training– Others

31.01.2008 Seminar on ILAs 11

• Types of learning– Vocational– General

• Certification and quality assurance– Providers– Programme

• Career guidance and counselling• Financing

Issues and challenges of ILAs

31.01.2008 Seminar on ILAs 12

• Reimbursement – Direct costs – Indirect costs

• Management system– National– Regional– Local framework

• Responsibility, administration and management of the funds– Self management by the individual via a bank– Independent project organisation– Other arrangements

Issues and challenges of ILAs

31.01.2008 Seminar on ILAs 13

• Empirical work• Evaluations• Perspectives• Further research

– Common conceptual framework for comparison

Issues and challenges of ILAs

31.01.2008 Seminar on ILAs 14

Thank you!Peter Szovics, PhD.Project ManagerCedefop, Europe 123GR-57001, ThessalonikiPostal address:PO Box 22427, GR-55102,ThessalonikiTel:  +30 2310 490 097Fax: +30 2310 490 044E-mail:     Peter.Szovics@cedefop.europa.euWeb sites:http://www.cedefop.europa.eu                http://www.trainingvillage.gr

31.01.2008 Seminar on ILAs 15

Formulation of common research questions

• What common methodology (conceptual framework) for evaluation of ILAs schemes would be feasible?– What criteria (e.g. costs and benefits) do we

have to use for selecting success stories?• How to strengthen the role of social

partners in co-financing ILAs?