01.04.2021

State-of-play report on basic skills development in Europe

In the framework of the BLUESS project, coordinated by the State Vocational Education Institute in Slovakia, EAEA has drafted a report that looks at basic skills policy and practice in Europe, focusing on non-formal adult learning and education. The report is now available!

The newly published report offers a comprehensive look into various policy initiatives in Europe, with special attention paid to the implementation of Upskilling Pathways. Bringing non-formal adult learning into focus, the document also discusses how adult learning providers in Europe have contributed to improving basic skills among European citizens. From initiatives targeting specifically literacy, numeracy or digital skills, to those that look at learning holistically, the report provides insight into how various European countries – in the EU and beyond – have been helping their citizens move up in their personal and professional lives.

In addition to the report, EAEA has drafted an infonote that looks at the principles and steps of the Upskilling Pathways initiative, and their implementation in Europe.

The publication has been drafted with the support of the EaSi programme, within the framework of BLUESS: Blueprint for basic skills development in Slovakia, a project coordinated by the State Vocational Education Institute in Slovakia.

Consult the project results:

23.09.2026 community

Beyond the tatami: what can judo teach us about our own competences?

Sport and movement build more than physical strength. Read against the European Commission's LifeComp framework, judo is a great example of a practice that develops a wide span of personal, social, and learning-to-learn competences, from self-regulation and empathy to critical reflection and collaboration.

21.09.2026 Artificial intelligence

State of the Union 2026: Why Europe needs to invest in adult learning

Europe's resilience cannot be built only through defence, technology and economic competitiveness. It also depends on sustained investment in adult learning, communities and people's ability to shape change together.

14.09.2026 Gender Equality Task Force

Gender Equality Strategy 2026 - a renewed focus on lifelong learning and the care sector

In 2026, the European Commission released a new Gender Equality Strategy and Gender Equality Roadmap, setting out the EU's priorities for advancing gender equality in the coming years. But what does gender equality have to do with lifelong learning? And what role can education and learning play in challenging persistent inequalities?