Report - Salto

30
Bridges for Recognition | Milestones in European Recognition - Evolution
The most relevant policy initiatives since Lisbon 2000 are the Lifelong Learning Strategy, a
concrete work programme for the future objectives of education & training systems and the
Bruges/Copenhagen process in VET (Vocational Education and Training). These three are now
subsumed under the generic term “Education & Training 2010”. With regard to recognition of
non-formal and informal learning all initiatives stressed the need for a greater transparency of
skills and competences and a better “Valuing of all kinds of learning”.
More specifically, in the identified key priorities of E&T “Bringing learning and learners closer
together“ and “Making learning more attractive..” it was proposed that “youth organisations
should make visible and publicize regularly the outcomes of non-formal and informal learning
that results from their activities”.
This strand was covered concretely by a working group “Validation of non-formal learning”
within the Bruges process and a working group “Making learning attractive/strengthening
links with working life and society” in the E&T 2010 framework.
The main activities of these groups are:
• Elaboration of Common principles for the identification and validation of non-formal
learning
• Development of a European Inventory for the validation of non-formal & informal learning
• Development of a Single European Transparency Framework (EUROPASS)
For the European Commission the most relevant policy initiative in the Youth Sector is undoubtedly
the White Paper on Youth. It proposes to apply the open method of coordination in priority areas
of the specific youth field and to take youth more into account in other policies such as Education
and training. One of the key messages is to “expand & recognise areas of experimentation”
and to recognise the complementarity of formal, non-formal & informal learning