European Association of Regional and Local Authorities for Lifelong Learning
EARLALL
The association that is deprived of any profit making, aims at reaching a collaboration degree among the members within the framework of the policies relating to permanent education as well as at establishing a narrow collaboration with the institutions of the European Union and with the international and public organisations throughout the world.
EARLALL welcomes the European Commissions proposal for the Erasmus+ programme 20282034 and its ambition to foster a more inclusive, competitive and cohesive Europe. However, the proposal overlooks the essential role of regional and local authorities, who are not only implementers but strategic partners with the territorial knowledge and democratic mandate needed to translate EU-level objectives into real impact. 1. Strengthening governance and territorial insight Erasmus+ must better integrate the experience of actors closest to learners, labour markets and communities. EARLALL calls for systematic channels for territorial input in programme design, implementation and monitoring. While the proposals Article 7 aims to support policy development, it should more clearly acknowledge regional authorities as key innovators in areas such as competence frameworks, coordination of education providers, lifelong learning strategies, and validation of non-formal and informal learning. Regional and local authorities should be explicitly included in EU-level peer learning, policy dialogue and working groups. Given the proposals focus on the Union of Skills and labour-market needs, regions should also be recognised as strategic partners in implementing these priorities on the ground. 2. Ensuring capacity, accessibility and simplification Many regions, municipalities and smaller organisations require accessible support to overcome administrative complexity and develop high-quality partnerships. Stronger capacity-building, peer learning and simplification measures are essential to reduce territorial disparities and advance inclusion goals. 3. Objectives, pillars and programme focus Erasmus+ must preserve a holistic understanding of learning. While skills and competitiveness are important, objectives must remain balanced with lifelong learning, transversal competences and active citizenship. The proposed two-pillar structure is a positive simplification, but Pillar 2 should more explicitly support policy development and system-level innovation, including teacher development, validation systems and lifelong learning strategies. 4. Budget and sector balance The proposed budget does not amount to a real increase once inflation and the integration of the European Solidarity Corps are considered. Maintaining Erasmus+ ambition will require higher investment and predictable, transparent sectoral funding. EARLALL calls for the return of sector-specific earmarking or multi-year minimum allocations for VET, adult learning, youth, etc., to support long-term planning for territorial stakeholders. 5. Flagship initiatives and inclusive participation Centres of Vocational Excellence, European Universities and Teacher Academies bring strong added value, but their success depends on well-functioning regional ecosystems. Without systematic regional involvement, such initiatives risk becoming isolated and disconnected from local labour-market and community needs. Erasmus+ must safeguard opportunities for small-scale partnerships and newcomers to ensure inclusive participation and territorial relevance. 6. Synergies across EU programmes Stronger coordination with ESF+, ERDF, Horizon Europe and the European Competitiveness Fund is needed. Clearer mechanisms bringing together national, regional and local actors would enhance complementarity and maximise the territorial impact of EU investments. Conclusion To realise its ambitions, the final Erasmus+ regulation should reinforce multi-level governance, enhance territorial capacity, preserve balanced objectives, ensure predictable sectoral budgets, anchor flagship initiatives in regional ecosystems, maintain accessibility for new actors, and strengthen synergies across EU funding instruments. These measures will enable Erasmus+ to deliver inclusive, relevant and transformative learning for all Europeans.
15 Jan 2025 · Host for an Event on AI on Inclusive Futures: Exploring the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on equal access and fair chances in European Education
EARLALL fully supports the Strategic Innovation Agenda proposed for 2021 – 2027 with goals such as increasing the regional impact of knowledge and innovation communities. These will surely contribute to generating highly skilled jobs and significant improvements in innovation activities that may serve as a motor for the economy in the coming years
The consolidation of existing KICs and the setting up of new high-added-value and knowledge-intensive innovation and technology oriented ecosystems are positive aspects that will improve Europe’s citizens wellbeing in a rapidly changing demographic and socio-economic context.
Education and training
Education and training must be an integral part of European innovation policies, and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology should promote mechanisms to reinforce the links between education and training and investment in innovation.
In line with Smart Specialisation Strategies, regional innovation ecosystems can inspire the mission and the 2021-2027 European Institute strategy, that should enhance Europe’s competitiveness, improve the quality and the relevance of skills acquisition, and help to create jobs.
Vocational training centres
The 2021-2027 strategy for the European Institute of Technology and Innovation supports the regional impact of knowledge and innovation communities by strengthening its networks, involving more higher education institutions, businesses and research organisations and by developing regional outreach strategies.
EARLALL firmly believes the Institute must consider and provide support for this including as well open product and process innovation coming from vocational training centres. Their role must be strengthened so that they may become agents supporting innovation; notably applied innovation.
Vocational training centres are ideally placed to act as the right link between research and innovation. VET centres also have a privileged relation with businesses as they promote practical on-the-job competences while providing appropriate technical knowledge. This experience, which is transferable to any territory, might be even more beneficial if collaboration between different centres is encouraged, sharing knowledge and methodologies and fostering open science on a European scale.
In the context of the European Pillar of Social Rights and the EC Communication ‘Strengthening European Identity through Education and Culture’ that sets the EC’s vision to create a European Education Area by 2025, It will be difficult to understand it if we do not recognise a proactive VET system that takes into account:
o A diversified offer that meets the skills demands of the productive sectors and anticipates future qualification needs.
o Innovation and new technologies in VET.
o New active learning methodologies that improve the technical skills and competences and reinforce transversal skills, entrepreneurship and creativity.
o Joint work and cooperation between VET and higher education institutions to provide answers to new qualifications and new training itineraries.
Social Innovation
EARLALL strongly believes that, in addition to technology innovation or innovation of business models, European policies must take into account social innovation as a means of facing social challenges and problems and of achieving a production model that is not only efficient but also fair and equalitarian. Social innovation results as a relevant tool to combat inequality, maintaining social cohesion, creating opportunities among the disadvantaged groups and generating locally rooted, person-centred economic activity. Developing new responses to identify social needs means providing integrated, individualised services, improving their quality, access, coverage and affordability and increasing their efficiency and effectiveness.