In a highly competitive global landscape, occupations are transformed, new jobs are created and the skills needed for the labour market are constantly changing. European countries are looking at redefining VET [vocational education and training] to respond promptly to such challenges and take advantage of the opportunities ahead. They are…

At its inception in 1993, the European Union (EU) did not consider education one of the pillars of its regional cohesiveness and identity. As time went by, recognition of the potential role of education at individual and social levels increased. This concern for education, however, is much more centred on the acquisition of knowledge and skills…

In this era of global competition, human resources will play a decisive role in the battle for efficiency and competitive advantage, where nations and organisations with superior and quality-oriented human capital will soon outperform those with inefficient and quantity-oriented labour force. Rate of human capital formation will be more important…

The objective of this report is to improve Canadians' understanding of e-learning--particularly of the challenges, limitations and benefits--so that Canada may move forward in appropriate and relevant ways. Levels of adoption of e-learning have been significantly slower than predicted. This report also identifies areas related to e-learning where…

While Article 128 of the Treaty of Rome very clearly states that a common policy for vocational training should be developed, this policy has never come to fruition. This is largely due to resistance from Germany and France, which already possessed highly developed vocational training systems. But the failure can also be attributed to the clash…

Reviews French government policies and initiatives in lifelong learning since the 18th century, including the current emphasis on labor force flexibility and individualization. Concludes that flexibility-based approaches may exacerbate inequality because of differing access to opportunities and different measures used for various target groups.…

Increasing enterprises' expenditure on their employees' vocational education and training (VET) is of concern for governments in many countries. This article identifies and discusses policy goals for increased enterprise expenditure on VET and elaborates options for achieving these goals. Throughout, measures that attempt to mandate and regulate…

PROBLEMS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES IN RELATION TO FUTURE DEMANDS FOR SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL MANPOWER ARE CONSIDERED IN THIS 1963 REVIEW OF NATIONAL POLICIES CONDUCTED BY THE ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT (OECD). A DESCRIPTION OF THE STRUCTURE OF THE UNITED STATES HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM EMPHASIZES (1)…

A study examined employee training policies and their implementation in four or five large companies in five countries (Belgium, Spain, France, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom). Data were gathered through interviews by an expert in each of the countries using an interviewer's guide developed for the project (resulting in approximately 30…

Short-term forecasting methods for assessing the number of students finishing schooling in France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom are reviewed. Types of data that are available for each country are discussed, as well as suggestions for data that need to be collected for more efficient forecasting. (Author/IS)

The long-term economic and social impacts of the rise in levels of education on mechanisms of access to employment and on human resources management were examined in a comparative study of educational expansion and the labor markets of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom, with special reference to the United States. Five teams of…

This paper sketches major programs for adult education in Sweden, the Soviet Union, France, and England and considers several policy implications for adult education in the United States. The first section examines the reforms in Swedish public education designed to facilitate social equality, with special emphasis on the study circle. A…

This document presents five papers, each describing different experiences in the introduction, promotion and implementation of innovative adult training approaches aimed at achieving more flexibility in skill development. An introduction (Anatoli Tchaban) presents background information and a synthesis of the studies covering definitions, concepts…

This paper explores the traditional European model of vocational training in light of a new focus on employability and lifelong learning that is becoming more common in Europe. It includes the following four sections: (1) an overview of some examples of vocational training systems in Europe and the proposal that they share enough to be considered…

This document contains three papers from a symposium on characteristics orientation, needs, and expectations. "Characteristics Orientation of Emerging Professions: Implications for Research, Policy, and Practice of Continuing Professional Education" (William H. Young, Margot B. Weinstein) reports on a qualitative study that examined…