Lifelong guidance policy and practice in the EU : trends, challenges and opportunities. Final report

A consortium led by the University of Warwick’s Institute for Employment Research, in partnership with University of Jyväskylä’s Finnish Institute for Educational Research and with support from EY, was commissioned by European Commission DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion to undertake a study on lifelong guidance (LLG) policy and practice in the EU focusing on trends, challenges and opportunities. The study was launched at a time when LLG policies and practices are viewed as crucial parts of current policy initiatives around validation of learning and the Pillar of Social Rights (features 1 and 4). The aim was to: Look at how these policies and practices could be promoted by the Commission providing an evidence base for priority-setting; Improve organisational knowledge and support dialogue with stakeholders on LLG and, more widely, skills strategies; and Identify potential, relevant EU interventions in the area of LLG. The study has a forward-looking aspect and provides proposals and directions for the new Commission after 2020.