30 May 2011

There are three main sources providing results on participation in education and training.

- The Adult Education Survey (AES) is carried out every 5 years starting from 2011 and is designed to give detailed information on the participation of individuals in education and training activities. A pilot survey took place in 2007. The reference period for the participation in education and training activities is the twelve months prior to the interview.

- The Labour Force Survey (LFS) provides annual evolutions for a limited set of indicators. The reference period for the participation in education and training activities is the four weeks prior to the interview.

- The Continuing Vocational Training Survey (CVTS) completes the AES results each 5 years focussing on enterprise strategies for employee skill developments. The reference period for the participation in education and training activities is the four weeks prior to the interview.

The time series for the indicator 'lifelong learning' (participation of adults aged 25-64 in education and training) is based on the EU-LFS (four-week reference period) which is, where necessary, adjusted and enriched in various ways, in accordance with the specificities of an indicator, including the following:

- correction of the main breaks in the LFS series,

- estimation of the missing values, (i.e. in case of missing quarters, annual results and EU aggregates are estimated using adjusted quarterly national labour force survey data or interpolations of the EU Labour Force Survey data with reference to the available quarter(s))

In addition to these series, an ad-hoc module to the LFS was conducted in 2003 on lifelong leaninng with similar characteristics to the AES (12-month reference period).

Life-long learning is also part of the Sustainable Development Indicators.

The classification of education, occupation and economic activities in these surveys are fully harmonised with the classifications used in other fields of the European system of statistics.

The classification of the economic activities is in accordance to NACE Rev.1.1 until 2007 and NACE Rev 2 from 2008 and occupations according to ISCO-COM (88) until 2010 and ISCO (08) from 2011 (http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/ramon/).

The classification of educational activities is based on ISCED - the International Standard Classification of Education - UNESCO 1997.

As a general rule the EU-LFS and the AES covers all economic sectors while the CVTS is restricted to enterprises with 10 or more persons employed belonging to the NACE Rev 1.1 categories C, D (15-16, 17-19, 21-22, 23-26, 27-28, 29-33, 34-35, 20+36+37), E, F, G (50, 51, 52), H, I (60-63, 64), J (65-66, 67), K+O.

Lifelong learning: All learning activity undertaken throughout life, with the aim of improving knowledge, skills and competences, within a personal, civic, social, and employment related perspectives.

Learning activities: Any activities of an individual organised with the intention to improve his/her knowledge, skills, and competences. Intentional learning (as opposed to random learning) is defined as a deliberate search for knowledge, skills, competences, or attitudes of lasting value. Organised learning is defined as learning planned in a pattern or sequence with the explicit or implicit aims.

Formal education is defined as education provided in the system of schools, colleges, universities and other formal educational institutions that normally constitutes a continuous "ladder" of full-time education for children and young people, generally beginning at the age of five to seven and continuing to up to 20 or 25 years old.

Non Formal Education is defined as any organised and sustained educational activities that do not correspond exactly to the above definition of formal education. Non-formal education may therefore take place both within and outside educational institutions and cater to persons of all ages. Depending on country contexts, it may cover educational programmes to impart adult literacy, basic education for out of school children, life-skills, work-skills, and general culture.

The numerator of the LFS-Life-long learning indicator denotes the percentage of persons aged 25 to 64 (excluding the ones who did not answer the question 'participation to education and training') who received education or training in the four weeks preceding the survey. Both the numerators and the denominators come from the European Union Labour Force Survey (LFS).

Life-long learning is computed on the basis of the variable 'participation in education and training in the last four weeks' from the EU Labour Force Survey. From 2004 onwards, this variable is derived from two variables, i.e. 'participation in regular education' and 'participation in other taught activities'. Self learning activities are no longer covered.

A reference period of the four weeks preceding the survey has been chosen for the LFS questions on participation in education in order to avoid distortion of information due to recall problems (see relevant footnotes for exceptions in the Annex: Lifelong learning. 

The information collected in the LFS relates to all education and training, whether relevant to the respondent's current or possible future job or not. It includes formal and non-formal education and training that means in general activities in the school/university systems but also courses, seminars workshops, etc. outside the formal education and regardless their topic.

Before 1998, education and training was related only to the activities relevant for current or future possible job of the respondent.

Individuals living in private households for the EU-LFS and the AES. Enterprises for the CVTS.

See the information available for individual survey.

See the information available for individual survey.

See the information available for individual survey.

See the information available for individual survey.

See the information available for individual survey.

See the information available for individual survey.

The European Union Labour Force Survey implementation is governed by legislative acts of the Council and Parliament, as well as of the Commission. The principal legislation is the Council Regulation (EC) No 577/98 of 9 March 1998 on the organisation of a labour force sample survey in the Community (OJ No L 77/3). This is the main regulation with provisions on design, survey characteristics and decision making processes. See also the list of LFS Regulations.

Not available.

Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics (recital 24 and Article 20(4)) of 11 March 2009 (OJ L 87, p. 164), stipulates the need to establish common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of data used for the production of European statistics and the access to those confidential data with due account for technical developments and the requirements of users in a democratic society.

See the information available for individual survey.

See the information available for individual survey.

Not applicable.

In line with the Community legal framework and the European Statistics Code of Practice Eurostat disseminates European statistics on Eurostat's website (see item 10 - 'Dissemination format') respecting professional independence and in an objective, professional and transparent manner in which all users are treated equitably. The detailed arrangements are governed by the Eurostat protocol on impartial access to Eurostat data for users.

See the information available for individual survey.

News releases on-line.

See the information available on the Website.

Please consult free data on-line or refer to contact details.

See the information available on the Website.

See the information available on the Website.

See the information available on the Website.

See the information available on the Website.

See the information available on the Website.

See the information available on the Website.

See the information available for individual survey.

See the information available for individual survey.

See the information available on the Website.

See the information available on the Website.

See the information available for individual survey on the Website.

See the information available for individual survey on the Website.

See the information available for individual survey on the Website.

See the information available for individual survey on the Website.

See the information available for individual survey on the Website.

See the information available for individual survey on the Website.

See section 3.1

See the information available for individual survey on the Website.

Not available.

See the information available for individual survey on the Website.

See the information available for individual survey on the Website.

See the information available for individual survey on the Website.

See the information available for individual survey on the Website.

See the information available for individual survey on the Website.

See the information available for individual survey on the Website.

See the information available for individual survey on the Website.

See the information available for individual survey on the Website.

Not available