ZBIGNIEW WŁODKOWSKI
European Concept of Lifelong Learning in the Context of Changes in Polish Education
I am very pleased to welcome you on behalf of the Polish Ministry of National Education to the Conference devoted to closer cooperation between vocational education and training, higher education and adult education, which is required due to the challenges faced by the three sub-sectors of education as a result of the Europe-wide concept of lifelong learning. To begin with, I would like to refer to the role that was assigned to vocational education and training in Europe by last year’s Communication of the European Commission entitled A new impetus for European cooperation in Vocational Education and Training to support the Europe 2020 strategy. In this communication, VET is described as a tool which helps Europe satisfy the current and future demand for qualified staff, which will facilitate an exit from the crisis and will reduce its social effects. Observing the current economic and social situation, we can undoubtedly say that these errands remain urgent. The challenges faced by vocational education and training are of paramount importance, especially taking into consideration the fact that it allows thousands of young people to find their place in society. We should continue our efforts aimed at ensuring that vocational education and training better responds to changing labour market needs, thanks to accessible planning tools and cooperation with social partners and public employment services. We observe steady growth in the importance of continuing education and vocational education and training resulting from demographic processes, such as an ageing society, which call for greater persistence on the labour market than is the case today. An ambitious plan for the modernisation of vocational education and training in Europe, adopted by ministers of education in December 2010 as the Bruges Communiqué, encompasses specific actions aimed at facilitating the continuation of education by adult learners at any level. It is assumed that, by 2020, European vocational education and training systems should have become more attractive, more adequate, conducive
DEVELOPING COOPER ATION BET WEEN VET, HIGHER EDUC ATION AND ADULT LEARNING IN RESPONSE TO THE CHALLENGE OF LIFELONG LEARNING
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