In light of the first round of PIAAC results and current challenges of skills provision, Germany, like many other European countries, has focused on joining forces to reduce functional illiteracy and raise the level of basic skills among adults.
A national German strategy agreed in 2012, was four years later transferred into the National Decade for Literacy and Basic Skills “AlphaDekade” (2016-2026). This initiative, which is now approaching its official closure, has led to demonstrable achievements in a number of areas, which is a point of departure of an expert workshop organised by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the Institute of Innovation and Technology in Germany.
Experts from nine countries were invited to discuss and give recommendations on ways of creating innovative learning offers and ways to enhance quality and impact in the field of work-oriented and life-oriented basic adult education. Issues on cooperation and networking among stakeholders and different governance levels were also on the agenda during the expert hearing in Berlin on February 22-23, 2024.
Most countries pointed out the importance of addressing the multi-literacies adults face in their daily lives today, and the crucial role of guidance to meet adults in their diverse and concrete life and work situations as well as to provide relevant services for these concrete circumstances.
Finland, Sweden and NVL were invited to present Nordic and national initiatives that aim at getting adults and young people digitally included and at improving their oral and written competences as well as mathematics and social skills. NVL’s work on reaching hard-to-reach adult learners and Nordic competence descriptions for adult literacy education raised great interest. Presentations on Combination education (general education and vocational training) from Sweden, the Skills Plus programme from Norway and Skills Badges in non-formal adult education from Finland were highly appreciated.
The following Nordic initiatives were presented at the expert hearing:
- Skills Badges (Finland)
- Combination education(Sweden)
- Skills Plus(Norway)
- Competence profiles (Nordic Alfa Council / NVL)
- Professionalisation of staff (NVL)
- Hard to reach learners, policy recommendation (NVL)