National Reforms in Vocational Education and Training and Adult Learning

2021

Initiative for Adult Education

Status: new cycle 2018 - 2021

Sources:

Legislation: amendment 2017
Website
Final report 1st period German English

Description:

The Initiative for Adult Education enables adults who lack basic skills or never graduated from lower secondary education to continue and finish their education free of charge. The related joint funding programme developed by the state and the provinces (Bundesländer) has aimed to a quantitative expansion and to a qualitative development of education programs regarding compulsory education certificates and literacy/basic education during 2011 to 2014 as well as during 2015 to 2017.

Austrian educational institutions that want to take part have to apply for accreditation in accordance with the guidelines of the Initiative for Adult Education.

The initiative has two focus areas: training of basic skills and lower secondary education as a basic prerequisite for further education and enhancement of chances on the labour market. The main objectivestherefore are:

Equal opportunities and reduction of disadvantages,
reduction of the number of persons without basic education,
increase in the number of persons with basic educational qualifications and
increase in the permeability of the education system.

Measures:

Training of basic skills and lower secondary education for adults in preparation for the compulsory school certificate on the basis of general quality standards
General quality standards: a Compulsory School Examination Act which contains adult-appropriate and innovative forms of implementation with competence-orientated, cross-curricular programs which are tailored to the target groups, taking their living situations and their particular potential into account.
Development of a "Framework Directive for Basic Training and Key Competences" targeted at adults
A clearing-period at the beginning and counselling in regard to the transition into work or further education at the end are very important parts of this programme.

Expected impact:

Increase of qualification levels, the reduction of disadvantages
Provide offers free of charge (literacy/basic education programmes, compulsory education).

Funding: the federal and provincial governments each bear 50% of the costs. This educational offer is free of charge to participants.

Monitoring:

Consistent quality guidelines for all courses of this programme have been implemented.
A monitoring group supervises the process and the results.
The total costs will only be refunded to the institutions if participants graduate successfully.
Evaluation of the program.

Involved bodies:

Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research
Regional governments
Training institutions

National Reforms in Vocational Education and Training and Adult Learning