Report on a literature review of reforms related to the 2006 European Framework of Key Competences for lifelong learning and the role of the Framework in these reforms

This report presents the findings from a literature review of reforms related to the 2006 European Framework of Key Competences for lifelong learning. The Commission is currently conducting a wider review of the Key Competence Framework which this study feeds into. In June 2016, it launched the New Skills Agenda for Europe, which proposes ten actions to strengthen human capital, employability and competitiveness, including a relaunch of the Framework in 2017: "The goal is to develop a shared understanding of key competences and to further foster their introduction in education and training curricula. The revision will also provide support for better developing and assessing these skills. Special attention will be paid to promoting entrepreneurial and innovation-oriented mind-sets, including by encouraging practical entrepreneurial experiences." (EC 2016 - The New Skills Agenda for Europe page 5-6). As such, the revision to the framework aims to review current definitions of key competences and, where appropriate and necessary, update these definitions. In this context, the overall aim of this study was to undertake a literature review and desk based exercise to provide an overview and analysis of the main reforms featuring the development, teaching and learning of key competencies in the EU since 2016. The focus was at Member State level and the review also considered, where possible, education sector (i.e. early childhood through to adult and higher education) and types of learning (formal, non-formal and informal). The outputs of the study are intended to contribute to the Key Competence Framework review and the wider activities linked to this review including a consultation process with various stakeholders. On its own, the study does not provide a firm indication of the use of the European Key Competence Framework across Member States, instead it can help inform further and wider work (particularly linked to the consultation phase)