Translation of "Education and training system " (English → French) :

The Member States were asked to pay more attention to optimising the resources of the education and training systems by incorporating the principles of efficiency and equity and setting effective reform and investment targets by concentrating on pre-primary education, targeted early intervention programmes and education and training systems which can be sources of equity, guaranteeing access for all to education.

In addition, the new overall cooperation scheme for education and training (" the Education and Training 2010 programme on the future objectives of education and training systems in Europe"), launched in Stockholm in March 2001 to follow-up the Lisbon Strategy, and made operational by the Work Programme on the Objectives of Education and Training Systems, adopted by the Council and the Commission on 14 February 2002 ("Education Training 2010"), gives high priority to the issues of competencies and mobility in the European knowledge society and economy.

Subsequent to the adoption of Leonardo da Vinci II in April 1999, a number of policy initiatives have been launched with a major impact on vocational training policy and consequently on Leonardo da Vinci II : the Lisbon strategy of March 2000, which accords an important role to education and training for the achievement of its goals [4]; the communication of the Commission on 'Making a European Area of Lifelong Learning a Reality' [5], setting a new paradigm for education and training; the report of the Education Council and the European Commission on the common objectives of education and training systems [6], and the subsequent detai ...[+++]led work programme [7]; the Council resolution of November 2002 on enhanced European co-operation in Vocational Education and Training (VET) [8] extended by the subsequent Copenhagen declaration that was adopted by 31 Ministers, the Commission and the social partners at European level; the Action Plan for the promotion of language learning and linguistic diversity [9], adopted by the Commission in July 2003 and based on the experience of the European Year of languages.

In the area of education and training, we can mention the achievement of a European area of lifelong learning [5], the implementation of the detailed work programme on the objectives of education and training systems [6], work to strengthen the convergence of higher education systems, in line with the Bologna process, and vocational training systems, in line with the Copenhagen declaration.

In the detailed joint work programme on the objectives for education and training systems (Education and Training 2010), the Commission proposes adopting European benchmarks applicable to education and training systems in areas which are central to the achievement of the strategic goal set by the Lisbon European Council of making Europe "the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world" by 2010.

Dead-ends occur where there is a lack of flexibility and permeability within and between the various constituent parts of education and training systems - and sometimes between education/training and work: people are prevented from swapping tracks if they find they are on the wrong one or when they want to resume study/training at a higher level or a later in life. This is usually the result of a lack of assessment of prior and informal learning acquired by applicants to education and training courses, in particular when they change tracks, and in continuing vocational education and training and adult education.