The legal definition of continuing education in Poland is presented in The Education System Act of 7^th September 1991, (Dziennik Ustaw of 2004, No. 256, item. 2 572 with further amendments.) in article 3, section 17. It declares that continuing education is “education in schools for adults, as well as gaining and supplementing general knowledge, vocational skills and qualifications in the out-of-school forms by people past the period of compulsory education”. According to this definition, continuing education in Poland is not identical with the continuing education concept as defined in the European Union where it is treated as a “lifelong process” (lifelong learning).
Strategy for Continuing Education until 2010” which was accepted by the Council of Ministers on 8^th July 2003. The “Development Strategy for Continuing Education until 2010” specifies the strategic objective of continuing education development and lifelong learning. It is “giving support and direction to personal development, stimulating human innovativeness and creativity”. Implementation of the objective will help “increase competitiveness, improve work organization and build foundations for the knowledge-based society”.
The system of training for the unemployed, job seekers and disadvantaged groups is regulated by the "Act on Promoting Employment and Labour Market Institutions". According to this Act, regional and district labour offices are a part of the public employment services which accomplish territorial self-government tasks in the field of labour market. Labour offices are territorial self-government units. The Minister competent in the labour market affairs co-ordinates activities of public employment services and the Voivode (Head of the Region) supervises and controls them.
Vocational qualification and general education upgrading can be undertaken on the basis of the employer's recommendation or without such a recommendation. The employee can be sent for training in any phase of learning, e.g. to a school of higher education - in any academic year or in any term of academic studies.
It is not possible to estimate the size of the CVET undertaken as individual initiative because the research carried out by the Central Statistical Office does not include category understood as "individual initiative". Indirectly, about those types of initiative we can deduct from the participation of adults in non-formal education. Such survey was carried out by the Central Statistical Office in the II quarter of 2003, including 18 900 households what gave a sample of 47 900 people at the age of 15 and more.

 

  Strategia dla kontynuowania edukacji do roku 2010 ", który został przyjęty przez Radę Ministrów w dniu 8 lipca 2003. W "Strategii Rozwoju dla kontynuowania edukacji do roku 2010" określa strategiczne cele rozwoju kształcenia i uczenia się przez całe życie. To jest "udzielanie wsparcia i kierunku rozwoju osobistego, stymulowanie innowacyjności i kreatywności człowieka.

Law 5/2002 of 19th June (BOE 20th June 2002), the Qualifications and Vocational Training Act, implemented a system of vocational training, qualifications and accreditation. There are three pathways within this section: adult education, run by the educational authorities; vocational training for the unemployed, run by the labour authorities; and continuing training for workers. Under the Qualifications and Vocational Training Act, the Instituto Nacional de Empleo INEM (National Employment Institute) and the Autonomous Regions administer jointly the Plan Nacional de Formación e Inserción Profesional, Plan FIP (the National Training and Employment Plan). The Plan was passed into law by Royal Decree 631/1993 of 3rd May (BOE 4 May) and implemented by the Ministerial Order of 14th April 1994 (BOE 28th April). Since then, subsequent laws have modified aspects of this Order.
The education supply in the field of Adult Education comprises several educational activities: a formal option that allows adults to follow all levels of learning in the education system; a very broad non-formal option that encompasses a variety of learning curricula, and finally, a series of specific or exceptional tests leading to academic or vocational degrees.
The public funds for education in Spain come mainly from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport and the Autonomous Regions. Other ministries and local authorities also contribute, as do local authorities. Regardless of which level of government the funds are from, they are not only allocated to public education, but also for subsidies to private centres and grants and financial assistance for students.
The companies will be able to deliver training themselves or through the employers’ organizations, trade unions or specialist training bodies. The aim is to create a flexible, objective, efficient and transparent management model, which guarantees finance for companies with the minimum of red tape. According to the regulations contained in Royal Decree 395/2006, which regulates the vocational training for employment sub-system, the cost of training actions by companies and of leave for training that has been paid to the individuals must be entered into the company accounts and the companies must also make available to the authorities proof that the training has taken place, in the form of invoices, entries in their account books and any other documentary proof.
With regard to education, individuals who do not have the qualifications needed to go to university and are on or over 25 years of age before the first day of October of the year when entrance exams are held, may enter higher education if they pass these exams. Between 1% and 3% of the places available in universities are reserved for this group.

De acuerdo con las normas contenidas en el Real Decreto 395/2006, que regula la formación profesional para el empleo sub-sistema, el costo de las acciones de formación por parte de las empresas y de la licencia para la formación que se ha pagado a las personas debe ser introducido en las cuentas de la empresa y las empresas también deben poner a disposición de las autoridades de la prueba de que la formación se ha llevado a cabo, en forma de facturas, las entradas en sus libros de cuenta y cualquier otra prueba documental. Con respecto a la educación, las personas que no tienen las calificaciones necesarias para ir a la universidad y se encuentran en o más de 25 años de edad antes del primer día del mes de octubre del año en exámenes de ingreso se celebran, pueden entrar en la educación superior si aprueban estos exámenes. Entre el 1% y 3% de las plazas disponibles en las universidades están reservadas para este grupo.

Bilan des actions menées tout au long de la Présidence française du Conseil de l'Union Européenne dans les domaines de l'Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche.
En juillet dernier, Valérie Pécresse, ministre de l'Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche, avait présenté ses 3 grands axes de travail pour la Présidence française de l'Union européenne :
* Développer la mobilité des étudiants, des chercheurs et des enseignants à travers l'Europe, en encourageant les stages et les séjours à l'étranger, par exemple grâce à l'établissement d'un classement européen des universités ;
* Mieux coordonner l'Espace Européen de la Recherche afin de le mettre au service des grands défis du XXIème siècle (vieillissement de la population, énergie, changement climatique, alimentation...) auxquels la société doit faire face ;
* Faire de l'Europe une vraie puissance spatiale, parce que l'Espace est au service de la Terre, de tous les Européens. Télécharger le document complet
Extraits du document :
Dans le domaine de l’enseignement supérieur, Valérie Pécresse avait fixé 3 grandes priorités : · la mobilité des étudiants, des enseignants et des chercheurs, · l’établissement d’un classement européen des établissements d’enseignement supérieur, · et la formation tout au long de la vie dans les universités européennes. (NDLR : noter les changements dans les trois axes)
La formation tout au long de la vie
Le Premier Ministre François Fillon, en décembre 2007, à la Sorbonne, a demandé à l’Association européenne des universités (EUA) de rédiger un texte qui pourrait constituer un signal fort pour développer la formation tout au long de la vie au sein des universités européennes. L’EUA a ainsi préparé la Charte des universités européennes pour la formation tout au long de la vie.
Cette Charte a pour objet de soutenir les universités d’Europe dans le développement de leur rôle spécifique en tant qu’institutions d’apprentissage tout au long de la vie – ce qui constitue un pilier central pour l’Europe de la connaissance. Elle recommande aussi aux Etats de lever les obstacles juridiques qui empêchent un certain nombre d’apprenants potentiels de retourner dans l’enseignement supérieur, et en développant des mesures d’encouragement pour l’apprentissage tout au long de la vie.

  प्रधानमंत्री फ़्राँस्वा Fillon, दिसंबर 2007 में, Sorbonne पर, कि विश्वविद्यालयों में जीवन भर के प्रशिक्षण को विकसित करने के लिए एक मजबूत संकेत हो सकता है एक पाठ प्रारूप करने के लिए यूरोपीय विश्वविद्यालय एसोसिएशन (EUA) कहा है यूरोपीय. अमेरिका के चार्टर जीवन भर में प्रशिक्षण के लिए यूरोपीय विश्वविद्यालयों के तैयार किया है.  इस चार्टर जीवन भर सीखने की संस्थाओं के रूप में उनकी भूमिका है - यूरोप ज्ञान के लिए एक केंद्रीय स्तंभ का विकास करने में यूरोप के विश्वविद्यालयों का समर्थन करना है. यह भी कि संभावित शिक्षार्थियों उच्च शिक्षा की ओर लौटने का एक संख्या को रोकने कानूनी बाधाओं को दूर करने के लिए, राज्यों की सिफारिश की गई है और जीवन भर सीखने के लिए प्रोत्साहन विकासशील.

There is a long tradition of adult education in Slovakia, however, with a focus on serving adult learners’ personal interests rather than increasing their employability. Continuing vocational education and training (CVET) was originally provided predominantly at training centres linked to enterprises and branch industries. In the early 1990s the two systems - adult education and CVET, underwent dramatic changes. Sectoral industry-affiliated CVET centres closed down or after privatisation, widened their scope of services beyond education and training. Similarly, traditional adult providers started to operate as any other private body offering education and training demanded by the market.
The Strategy of Lifelong Learning and Lifelong Guidance and Counselling till 2015 (Stratégia celoživotného vzdelávania a celoživotného poradenstva do roku 2015) was adopted by the government on 25th April 2007 however without elaborated tools and clear measures in support of LLL. The Strategy reflected trends in EU, the Lisbon strategy and Copenhagen process and recognise importance of adoption of Copenhagen principles and development of Copenhagen tools.
Education and training is offered within the National Programme of Education and Training for the Labour Market (Národný program vzdelávania a prípravy pre trh práce) elaborated and implemented by the employment services headquarters of the Centre of Labour, Social Affairs and Family (ÚPSVaR, Ústredie práce, sociálnych vecí a rodiny) and/or by regional offices, according to identified regional priorities (which should be included in the comprehensive Regional Training Plan) and through training providers selected by public procurement. Furthermore, agreement on training must be based on a specific procedure finalised by a written agreement. Both public and private providers are accepted.
According to § 153 of the Act No. 311/2001 Coll. the Labour Code (Zákon č. 311/2001 Z.z. Zákonník práce), as amended, an employer “shall attend to deepening the employees’ qualification, or to its increase ... employer shall negotiate with employees’ representatives measures aimed at attending to the employees’ qualification, its deepening and increase”. According to § 155(1) the employer can make a written agreement with the employee enabling “the employee for increasing his/her qualification by providing time off, wage compensation and reimbursement of other costs pursuant to study, and the employee commits himself/herself to remaining in an employment relationship with the employer for a determinate period upon completion of study, or to repay costs associated with the course of study, even when the employee terminates the employment relationship prior to the completion of study.”
Despite the developed CVET/LLL market, the share of adult population in training is insufficient. The reason for this is the low purchasing power of inhabitants.

Stratégia celoživotného vzdelávania a celoživotné usmerňovanie a poradenstvo až 2015 (Stratégia celoživotného vzdelávania a celoživotného poradenstva do roku 2015) bol schválený vládou dňa 25. apríla 2007 sa však bez nástrojov rozpracované a jasné opatrenia na podporu celoživotného vzdelávania.

In 2005, with the aim of raising basic qualification levels of adult population, the Portuguese Government launched the New Opportunities Initiative. Among other aspects, this initiative facilitates, with a special interest in terms of continuing vocational training, the recognition, validation and certification of acquired skills (which shall constitute the ‘entry door’ to adult vocational training). It also promotes vocational training intended for adults who have no qualifications or whose qualifications are inadequate for integration in the labour market.
During the current year, within the scope of the Agreement for Vocational Training Reform signed by the Government and its social partners, the Sistema Nacional de Qualificações (National Qualifications System – SNQ) has been created. The Catálogo Nacional de Qualificações (National Qualification Catalogue - CNQ) contains a set of standard guidelines, which are essential for the competitiveness and modernisation of economy and for the personal and social development of individuals, enabling that training solutions are thus rightly adjusted to the needs of enterprises and of the labour market.
The Conselho Nacional da Formação Profissional (National Council for Vocational Training – CNFP), which is an advisory body of the Government in terms of the conception, formulation and support of the qualification policies for the Portuguese population, within the framework of the SNQ. The Council approves the elements which constitute the CNQ.
The social partners’ involvement in the development and provision of continuing vocational training gained increased support with the signing of the Acordo sobre Política de Emprego, Mercado de Trabalho, Educação e Formação (Agreement on Policy concerning Employment, the Labour Market, Education and Training) (2001) and with the implementation of the Código do Trabalho (Labour Code).
The number of workers involved in vocational training schemes varies widely from sector to sector and depending on the size of enterprise concerned. The results of the Inquérito Comunitário à Formação Contínua nas Empresas [Community Survey of Continuing Training in Enterprises]and the Inquéritos Nacional sobre a Execução das Acções de Formação Profissional [National Surveys of the Implementation of Vocational training Activities] indicate an upward trend in participation by workers in enterprises with ten or more employees.
For people who have joined the labour market but wish to continue studying, Portuguese law establishes the rights and status of student-workers (Art. 79 of the Labour Code). Accordingly, workers are entitled to support in the form of flexible working hours (or time off work to attend classes, if necessary) and have the right to take leave of absence to attend assessment procedures.

Em 2005, com o objectivo de elevar os níveis básicos da população adulta, o Governo Português lançou a Iniciativa Novas Oportunidades. Entre outros aspectos, esta iniciativa permite, com um interesse especial em termos de formação profissional contínua, o reconhecimento, validação e certificação de competências adquiridas (que deverá constituir a 'porta entrada "para adultos de formação profissional). Também promove a formação profissional destinados aos adultos que não têm habilidades ou cujos conhecimentos são insuficientes para a integração no mercado de trabalho.

The Law on Education (Švietimo įstatymas, 1991, new edition 2003) is an umbrella law which establishes the goals and principles of the educational system, the framework for institutions, as well as the obligations of the State. It covers formal, non-formal and informal education and training, and assistance (informational, consulting and etc.) for both learners and teachers. Following the Law, the purpose of vocational training is to assist people to acquire, change or upgrade their qualifications and to prepare them to participate in the labour market.
The Provisions of the National Education Strategy 2003-2012 (Valstybinės švietimo strategijos 2003-2012 m. nuostatos) establishes a goal of at least 15% of the working age adult population should participate in some kind of education and training every year by 2012.
The Law on Support for Employment (2006) establishes that training for unemployed people (and those made redundant) is organised according to formal and non-formal vocational training programmes. Participants receive an education grant and their travelling/accommodation expenses are reimbursed during the training period.
Formal labour market training programmes are registered in the Register of Study and Training Programmes of the Ministry of Education and Science (http://www.aikos.smm.lt). Non-formal labour market training programmes for unemployed people are included in a Register controlled by the Lithuanian Labour Market Training Authority (http://www.darborinka.lt).
The legal framework contains some incentives for enterprises and employees to participate in training, although limited to tax relief. The Law on Profit Tax (2001) enables enterprises to deduct training costs from their taxable income. However this provision is not well formulated and not all employers know about this possibility (see Statistics Lithuania: http://www.stat.gov.lt).
Adults willing to upgrade their qualification may find information on all training and study programmes in the homepage of Open Information, Counseling and Guidance System (Atvira informavimo, konsultavimo ir orientavimo sistema, AIKOS): http://www.aikos.smm.lt.

Įstatymas dėl švietimo (Švietimo įstatymas, 1991 m., nauja redakcija 2003) yra "skėtinė" įstatymą, kuris nustato tikslus ir principus, švietimo sistemos, pagrindų institucijoms, taip pat pareigas valstybės. Ji apima formalų, neformalų bei neoficialų švietimą ir mokymą ir pagalbą (informacinę, konsultacinę ir tt.) Abiejų besimokantiesiems ir mokytojams. Po įstatymą, siekiant profesinio mokymo uždavinys yra padėti žmonėms įgyti, keisti ar atnaujinti savo įgūdžius ir paruošti juos dalyvauti darbo rinkoje. 

Adult education within the school system offers full and part-time learning opportunities for adults who could not obtain a formal school graduation certificate of a certain level or an OKJ qualification during their compulsory schooling, or who want to attain a higher level or more specialized qualification. This kind of education is offered by public and higher education institutions at primary, secondary and tertiary levels. Their training programmes offered to adults do not in general differ from the regular full time courses in terms of objectives, structure, main content, or the awarded state recognized qualifications, except for the postgraduate programmes. Postgraduate specialized programmes and doctoral degree programmes target higher education graduates to provide them more specialized or higher level training.
Assisting unemployed people and others endangered by unemployment is the prime duty of the Public Employment Service (Állami Foglalkoztatási Szolgálat, ÁFSZ) whose regional labour centres (regionális munkaügyi központ) support the training of these target groups from sources of the employment sub-fund of the Labour Market Fund. In addition, the training of unqualified adults and older people to obtain a state-recognized vocational qualification, and the vocational, general and language education of people living with disabilities can be supported by the state budget through per capita support (normatív támogatás).
The state regulates by legislation the mandatory further training system of employees in the public sector as well in some fields of the private sector where the nature of work – for example, for safety reasons or because of the constant change of regulations - necessitates it (e.g. in occupations related to gas production and services, commerce of plant and animal health chemicals, professional drivers, bookkeepers and auditors, professional hunters, etc.).
According to the adjusted calculation of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour based on the available adult training statistics, around one third of the participants of registered adult trainings, 100 000 persons, finance their own training.

    L'educació d'adults en el sistema escolar ofereix a temps complet i parcial oportunitats d'aprenentatge per a adults que no podien obtenir un certificat de graduació de l'escola formal d'un determinat nivell de qualificació o un OKJ durant la seva escolaritat obligatòria, o que volen assolir un nivell més alt o més coneixements especialitzats .

The primary aim of CVET in Greece is the development and improvement of the qualifications and skills of unemployed and working people and the creation of new jobs. The definition of CVET and adult education and their forms and functions are provided mainly by recent laws that have introduced important policy developments.
The most important aim of lifelong education is to constitute a dynamic policy factor for social integration. Accordingly, a series of programmes focusing on socially vulnerable and disadvantaged groups are being implemented and promoted.
Despite the policy statements and the actions that have been taken, Greece, along is among the European Union member countries that rank lowest in the field of citizen participation in Lifelong Learning training and education programs at the age group of 24-64. Greece’s participation percentage is only 3.6%, when at the same time the average European participation is 10.8%.
OAED is the major body responsible for implementing continuing vocational training programmes in order to cover the needs of the unemployed who require specialisation in order to find work. The main focus of OAED is to develop and/or expand upon existing continuing vocational training courses with a view to making a more effective intervention in the labour market and covering the needs of the largest possible number of interested persons in training services.
The Account for Employment and Vocational Training (Logariasmos gia tin Apascholisi kai Epangelmatiki Katartisi, LAEK) is a major mechanism of CVET at the initiative of enterprises in Greece. This account has decisively contributed to the reinforcement of vocational training and employment policies. The financial resources of LAEK come from the joint contributions of both employers and employees, which amount to 0.45% of the total salary of each employee and are collected by the Social Security Institute (Idryma Koinonikon Asfaliseon, IKA).
Ο Λογαριασμός για την Απασχόληση και την Επαγγελματική Κατάρτιση (Logariasmos GIA κασσίτερος Apascholisi kai Epangelmatikis Κατάρτισης, ΛΑΕΚ) είναι ένα σημαντικό μηχανισμό Cveta με πρωτοβουλία των επιχειρήσεων στην Ελλάδα. Ο λογαριασμός αυτός έχει συμβάλει αποφασιστικά στην ενίσχυση της επαγγελματικής κατάρτισης και των πολιτικών απασχόλησης. Οι χρηματοδοτικοί πόροι του ΛΑΕΚ προέρχονται από την κοινή συνεισφορά των εργοδοτών και των εργαζομένων, οι οποίες ανέρχονται σε 0,45% του συνολικού μισθού κάθε εργαζόμενου και συλλέγονται από το Ινστιτούτο Κοινωνικής Ασφάλισης (Idryma Koinonikon Asfaliseon, ΙΚΑ).

Continuing education and training is understood to be the continuation or resumption of organised learning following completion of an initial phase of education of varying scope. In addition to continuing ‘vocational’ education/training, this includes continuing general and political education, which is subsumed under the heading of ‘adult education’. The field of CVET in Germany is characterised by: a pluralism of providers, a largely market character, and a comparatively minimal degree of regulation by the state. Only a small part of provision leads to a formal vocational qualification.
In July 2004, the Federation and the Länder adopted a joint strategy for lifelong learning to encourage and support learning for all citizens of all ages and at all stages in their lives which takes place at different locations with different teaching forms. Lifelong learning includes all formal, non-formal and informal learning.
Promotion of CVET for unemployed people and those at risk of unemployment is the responsibility of the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit - BA). The BA is under the jurisdiction of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Soziales - BMAS).
There are a large number of collective agreements that contain training provisions (often in conjunction with other issues requiring regulation such as industrial safety and environmental protection, personnel and skills development, company and work organisation, remuneration arrangements, working hours etc.).
There are group-specific differences in participation similar to those seen in formal, organised CVET, i.e., salaried employees who have not completed any form of formal vocational training, blue-collar workers, foreign nationals and women are the most underrepresented groups in informal CVET.
Patuloy na edukasyon at pagsasanay ay naiintindihan na ang pagpapatuloy o pagpapatuloy ng pag-aaral ng mga sumusunod na inayos na pagkumpleto ng mga unang bahagi ng pag-aaral ng iba't ibang saklaw. Sa karagdagan sa mga patuloy na 'bokasyonal' edukasyon / pagsasanay, kabilang dito ang patuloy na pangkalahatan at pampulitikang edukasyon, kung saan ay subsumed sa ilalim ng heading na 'adult na pag-aaral'.