Policy Area Education

Early school leaving often results in alienation and the young persons facing a NEET situation (Not in Employment, Education or Training). Well-skilled teachers are a prerequisite for effectively tackling these societal challenges. The skills supply also needs to be secured, to make the teaching profession more attractive.

2019 European Semester Country Reports for the Baltic Sea Region recommendations: Investment needs have been identified in various Baltic Sea Region countries to promote measures to prevent early school leaving and improve transitions from school to work for youth in general and youth with migrant backgrounds as well as at-risk groups. Integrated support and services to unemployed and inactive, including young people, as well as targeted outreach and individualised support can help to improve access to employment.

This Action focuses on:

• preventing early school leaving;
• re-integrating young people in NEET situations into education or labour market and
• vocational education and training as an important vehicle to achieve the above.

The Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated the utmost importance of science and research for the resilience of our societies to the 21st century’s social, environmental and economic grand challenges, including the preparedness to pandemics and responses to outbreaks. There is an urgent need for a more effective coordination of research policies and an intensified transnational use of the research facilities aiming at a common region for research and innovation. By realising the European Research Area (ERA), the Union and its Member States will strengthen their scientific and technological bases, their competitiveness and their capacity to collectively address grand challenges.

2019 European Semester Country Reports for the Baltic Sea Region recommendations: High investment priorities have been identified to enhance and better coordinate the research and innovation capacities of the BSR-member countries, where appropriate across borders. The universities and research institutions should also improve the commercial viability and market relevance of their research projects and intensify the support of collaborative research. A better cooperation on promoting mobility of researchers across borders can help to fully utilise the available human capital in the macro-region.

This Action focuses on:

• facilitating the cooperation of science and research policies in the Baltic Sea region aiming at a common research and innovation area;
• widening participation among the Baltic Sea Region Member States in Horizon Europe;
• enhancing the transnational cooperation in the development and utilisation of existing and new research infrastructures and
• promoting mobility among researchers.

Lifelong learning will soon be a reality – during the working life, one will regularly upgrade skills, adjusting to the needs of the labour market, or because of the need to find a less physically demanding job, or simply because one would like to do something else, including starting their own company. The educational systems need to be adjusted to these new demands to offer lifelong learning. This also includes upgrading teachers’ skills in educating and training adults and elderly.

2019 European Semester Country Reports for the Baltic Sea Region recommendations: Lifelong learning should be promoted, notably flexible upskilling and reskilling, considering digital skills, better anticipating change and new skills requirements based on labour market needs, facilitating career transitions and promoting professional mobility. Lifelong learning strategies and flexible learning pathways throughout the lifecycle should be developed in cooperation with social partners, civil society and other stakeholders. Basic skills of adults, including migrants, should be upgraded and new opportunities for low-skilled adults should be created.

This Action focuses on:

• making lifelong learning a reality, offering competence development and resources for face-to-face guidance throughout the whole life;
• supporting dialogue between social partners, relevant authorities and education providers on a society of longer lives and a sustainable working life;
• active ageing and solidarity between the age groups.

The increased number of refugees constitutes a challenge to those Member States where refugees choose to seek asylum. At the same time, many Member States struggle with demographic changes with an ageing population, which within a decade will lead to a deficit of skilled workers – academic and non-academic – in for e.g. industry, health care and other sectors. This underlines the need for an effective integration of refugees and migrants for them to contribute to the building of inclusive, cohesive and prosperous societies which is of common interest to all Member States.

2019 European Semester Country Reports for the Baltic Sea Region: Socioeconomic integration of third country nationals should be promoted, including inclusive and qualitative education and training plus individual support. Basic skills of adult migrants should be upgraded and new opportunities for low-skilled adults created.

This Action focuses on:

• early recognition of potential, offering tailor-made vocational education (including language) and in-company trainings for a smooth and fast integration in the labour market;
• involving the society at large in the integration.