What is the initiative and where is it implemented (city or country)?
Lifelong learning is a part of the Norwegian government’s policy, inspired by the European Commission, OECD and other international organizations. Lifelong learning is an important principle in Norwegian education policy. The goal is to allow all Norwegians to get an education and develop their skills throughout their whole life. Lifelong learning is considered a way to increase the individual’s life quality and to provide greater economic growth and flexibility in the workplace
How was the initiative established? How was it implemented?
The Strategy for Lifelong Learning of 2007 was the result of decades of investment and the prioritization of continuous learning policies.
In 1993, the Congress of the Norwegian Federation of Trade Unions called on the authorities to develop a plan for continuing education and training that would guarantee access to lifelong learning for all. As a result, The Competence Reform (1997) established the grassroots competence framework targeted at working life, society and the individual. The reform included a system for documentation and validation of non-formal and informal qualifications and provided education and training opportunities to the wider population. The system came into action at the beginning of 2000 through a national system for documentation and validation of non-formal and informal qualifications
The Competence Reform saw the concept of lifelong learning become closely associated with continuing education, training and in-service competence development. The concept was developed further as a ‘perspective from cradle to grave’ and served as the basis for subsequent educational reforms. Knowledge Promotion – a reform of primary and secondary education with a strong focus on substantial basic skills - included a practice-based approach to developing skills aimed at clear objectives. Kindergarten Promotion ensured full kindergarten coverage, high quality and low fees. A white paper from 2006 entitled ‘Early Efforts for Lifelong Learning’ put special emphasis on including all children in good learning communities as a basis for developing basic skills for continuous learning. The proposal included learning pathways from basic education to career guidance and adult learning.
In 2015, the Norwegian government published a white paper with a special focus on low-skilled adults. The aim of the white paper was to develop a coordinated and holistic approach to policies for adults with low education and poor foundation skills and for the recognition of immigrants’ skills. Key priority areas defined in the paper included improving the effectiveness of Norway’s skills and system, tackling skill imbalances and strengthening education and training for low-skilled adults.
To improve in these three areas, five key actions were suggested:
- set up a strategy for skills in Norway, incorporating a whole-government approach;
- establish an action plan for continuous education and training;
- strengthen the link between skill development and economic growth;
- build a comprehensive career guidance system;
- strengthen incentives for people to move into shortage occupations.
These recommendations have, among others, resulted in the ‘Norwegian Strategy for Skills Policy’, a green paper on further education and training and public career guidance centres in all regions in Norway, as well as a skills reform
Which stakeholders are involved in the design and/or implementation of the initiative? Which sectors do they represent?
The Norwegian government employs a complex system of interrelated agencies and institutions that are subordinate to the Ministry of Education and Research to develop and implement strategies in education.
The Ministry’s Department of Policy Analysis, Lifelong Learning and International Affairs is responsible for policy development. Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training is the agency under the Ministry of Education and Research responsible for implementing and monitoring strategies in kindergartens, primary schools and secondary schools. The Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (NOKUT) assures the quality of higher education in Norway. NOKUT also assesses and provides information about the quality of courses in other countries. VOX (Norwegian Institute for Adult Learning) is another implementing and monitoring agency
What are the impacts of the initiative in terms of facilitating lifelong learning? Who does it benefit and how?
The Norwegian government employs a holistic approach to lifelong learning, targeting all levels and sectors providing formal, non-formal, and informal education to nationals and migrants simultaneously and on an equal basis.
Kindergarten is considered a voluntary part of the educational pathway, nevertheless, it lays the foundation for learning basic skills and competence for lifelong learning through seven subject areas. Special attention is paid to children from ethnic minority groups to ensure they learn their native language as well as Norwegian.
Primary and secondary education provides further opportunity for learning and development; 10 years of primary and lower secondary education are compulsory and are based largely on learning outcomes acquired by pupils in basic skills.
Adult education offers strategies for ethnic minority groups and immigrant populations, along with Norwegian nationals, to develop and enhance their basic skills to ensure better quality of life, admission to working life and participation in social life. The national funding scheme, Competence Development Programme (KUP), gives partial funding to development projects run in cooperation with education and training providers and enterprises. KUP also supports access to primary and secondary education for adults.
The national education system ensures a certain degree of flexibility by documenting and validating non-formal and informal learning from upper secondary level, adapted to individual learners’ needs. Informal Learning Project (1999–2002) guaranteed that the evaluation of non-formal and informal learning is done in the manner best suited the individual.
The Norwegian government offers flexible learning pathways and career guidance at every level of education to young and adult learners.
In October 2013, the Ministry of Education and Research appointed a committee to explore the possibility of placing qualifications acquired outside the formal education system (non-formal qualifications) into the national qualifications framework (NQF). The committee presented its report to the Minister of Education and Research on 30 April 2015.
References:
EURYDICE. 2019. Norway: Lifelong Learning strategy. [online] Available at: https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-policies/eurydice/norway/lifelong-learning-strategy_en#:~:text=Lifelong%20learning%20is%20an%20important,skills%20throughout%20their%20whole%20life.&text=Education%20is%20also%20important%20in,society's%20future%20needs%20for%20skills [Accessed 24 August 2020].
Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (NOKUT). n.d. The Norwegian Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning. [online] Available at: https://www.nokut.no/en/norwegian-education/the-norwegian-qualifications-framework-for-lifelong-learning/ [Accessed 24 August 2020].
Norwegian Government. n.d. Ministry of Education and Research - Subordinate agencies and related institutions. [online] Available at: https://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/kd/organisation/kunnskapsdepartementets-etater-og-virksomheter/id2344548/ [Accessed 24 August 2020].
Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research. 2007. Strategy for Lifelong Learning in Norway. [PDF] Available at: https://uil.unesco.org/i/doc/lifelong-learning/policies/norway-strategy-for-lifelong-learning-in-norway-status-challenges-and-areas-of-priority.pdf [Accessed 24 August 2020].