BETA


2016/2142(INI) Academic further and distance education as part of the European lifelong learning strategy

Progress: Procedure completed

RoleCommitteeRapporteurShadows
Lead CULT ZVER Milan (icon: PPE PPE) NEKOV Momchil (icon: S&D S&D), DZHAMBAZKI Angel (icon: ECR ECR), KYUCHYUK Ilhan (icon: ALDE ALDE), TRÜPEL Helga (icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE), BILDE Dominique (icon: ENF ENF)
Committee Opinion FEMM BLINKEVIČIŪTĖ Vilija (icon: S&D S&D)
Committee Opinion EMPL
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
RoP 54

Events

2018/02/21
   EC - Commission response to text adopted in plenary
Documents
2017/09/12
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2017/09/12
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted by 577 votes to 54, with 59 abstentions, a resolution on academic further and distance education as part of the European lifelong learning strategy.

Education systems are facing significant challenges as a result of the digital transformation , which are impacting teaching and learning processes. By 2025, nearly half of all job openings in the EU (including both new and replacement jobs) will require high-level qualifications.

New, flexible and accessible forms of lifelong learning can successfully address some of those challenges such as social exclusion, early school leaving and skills mismatches.

Further and distance learning to accompany societal and economic change : Members are of the opinion that, at every stage of life, everyone must have the right to access learning and training opportunities in order to acquire transversal skills such as numeracy, digital and media literacy, critical thinking, social skills and other relevant life skills in order to be better able to adapt to the future. They called for the better inclusion and retention of citizens in the labour market, backed up by improvements in their competences through academic further and distance education and vocational and educational training (VET).

Academic further education and distance education should be integrated into the European lifelong learning strategy.

Parliament called on universities to focus on distance education on an increasingly wide scale, and to extend it to cover free short-term professional courses. It promoted the idea of tailor-made learning and bridging courses designed for those wishing to enter tertiary-level education who need to gain further qualifications in order to meet entry requirements.

In this context, the Commission and the Member States should strive to bridge the technological gap between well-equipped and non-well-equipped educational institutions as part of the national strategies for digital skills. Members stressed the need to enhance close cooperation between educational and training institutions, local communities and the economy.

Technological, financial and regulatory challenges : Members stressed the importance of keeping up with rapid technological developments, in particular with regard to distance education and supporting efforts in this field through significant investments in education, with the help of the European Social Fund. They also stressed the need for adequate funding for quality education and tailor-made education.

Taking note of the differences in regulatory frameworks, Parliament suggested better co-ordination of existing European transparency instruments such as the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) and the European Credit System for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET).

At European level , the resolution recommended:

fostering cooperation and the exchange of best practices between education systems; encouraging the sharing of best practices by national quality assurance agencies with a view to developing criteria for the recognition of new modes of teaching and learning; revising the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) to promote the comparability of qualifications between the countries covered in the EQF and other countries, in particular neighbourhood countries and countries with mature qualifications frameworks, in order to better understand the qualifications acquired abroad and to place people with migrant backgrounds and refugees in lifelong learning and employment; reinforcing the Commission's support for further university education and distance learning through the Erasmus + programme; creating a user-friendly online digital platform that would serve as a one-stop shop to facilitate the exchange of best practices between education professionals and students; developing a learning platform designed for and offered to European educational institutions free of charge, thus boosting the use of e-learning across the EU; adapting education and training systems to meet the growing demand for digitally skilled professionals in the EU.

Members welcomed the ambitious plan to provide ultra-fast internet in primary and secondary schools and libraries by 2025.

At Member State level , Parliament recommended inter alia :

more flexible educational systems to enable more effective implementation of open and online teaching methods; building on existing validation systems to assess and certify skills acquired through up-skilling pathways and to ensure their recognition with a view to qualifications; making available opportunities for ICT training and the development of digital skills and media literacy at all levels of education; improving the availability of data on the employment and social situation of graduates (‘graduate tracking’).

Lastly, Members called for competences and skills acquired outside the formal education system to be recognised through quality assurance and accreditation.

Documents
2017/09/12
   EP - End of procedure in Parliament
2017/09/11
   EP - Debate in Parliament
2017/07/12
   EP - Committee report tabled for plenary
Details

The Committee on Culture and Education adopted an own-initiative report drawn up by Milan ZVER (EPP, SI) on academic further and distance education as part of the European lifelong learning strategy.

Education systems are facing significant challenges as a result of the digital transformation, which are impacting teaching and learning processes. By 2025, nearly half of all job openings in the EU (including both new and replacement jobs) will require high-level qualifications.

New, flexible and accessible forms of lifelong learning can successfully address some of those challenges such as social exclusion, early school leaving and skills mismatches.

Continuous and distance learning to accompany societal and economic change : Members are of the opinion that, at every stage of life, everyone must have the right to access learning and training opportunities in order to acquire transversal skills such as numeracy, digital and media literacy , critical thinking, social skills and other relevant life skills in order to be better able to adapt to the future. They called for the better inclusion and retention of citizens in the labour market, backed up by improvements in their competences through academic further and distance education and vocational and educational training (VET).

The Commission is invited to integrate academic further education and distance education into the European lifelong learning strategy.

The report called on universities to focus on distance education on an increasingly wide scale, and to extend it to cover free short-term professional courses. They promoted the idea of tailor-made learning and bridging courses designed for those wishing to enter tertiary-level education who need to gain further qualifications in order to meet entry requirements.

In this context, the Commission and the Member States should strive to bridge the technological gap between well-equipped and non-well-equipped educational institutions as part of the national strategies for digital skills.

Technological, financial and regulatory challenges : Members stressed the importance of keeping up with rapid technological developments, in particular with regard to distance education and supporting efforts in this field through significant investments in education, with the help of the European Social Fund. They also stressed the need for adequate funding for quality education and tailor-made education.

Taking note of the differences in regulatory frameworks, the report suggested better co-ordination of existing European transparency instruments such as the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) and the European Credit System for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET).

At European level , the report recommended:

fostering cooperation and the exchange of good practices between education systems; encouraging the sharing of best practices by national quality assurance agencies with a view to developing criteria for the recognition of new modes of teaching and learning; reinforcing the Commission's support for further university education and distance learning through the Erasmus + programme; creating a user-friendly online digital platform that would serve as a one-stop shop to facilitate the exchange of best practices between education professionals and students; developing a learning platform designed for and offered to European educational institutions free of charge, thus boosting the use of e-learning across the EU; adapting education and training systems to meet the growing demand for digitally skilled professionals in the EU.

Members welcomed the ambitious plan to provide ultra-fast internet in primary and secondary schools and libraries by 2025/

At Member State level , the report recommended inter alia :

more flexible educational systems to enable more effective implementation of open and online teaching methods; building on existing validation systems to assess and certify skills acquired through up-skilling pathways and to ensure their recognition with a view to qualifications; making available opportunities for ICT training and the development of digital skills and media literacy at all levels of education; improving the availability of data on the employment and social situation of graduates (‘graduate tracking’).

Lastly, the report called for competences and skills acquired outside the formal education system to be recognised through quality assurance and accreditation.

Documents
2017/06/21
   EP - Vote in committee
2017/05/12
   EP - Amendments tabled in committee
Documents
2017/05/02
   EP - Committee opinion
Documents
2017/04/11
   EP - BLINKEVIČIŪTĖ Vilija (S&D) appointed as rapporteur in FEMM
2017/04/03
   EP - Committee draft report
Documents
2016/09/15
   EP - Committee referral announced in Parliament
2016/05/13
   EP - ZVER Milan (PPE) appointed as rapporteur in CULT

Documents

Activities

Votes

A8-0252/2017 - Milan Zver - Vote unique 12/09/2017 12:58:54.000 #

2017/09/12 Outcome: +: 577, 0: 59, -: 54
DE IT ES RO FR GB PL CZ PT AT HU BE SE BG EL LT FI SK HR NL IE LV SI MT EE DK CY LU
Total
87
66
48
30
68
62
50
20
21
18
17
21
19
15
18
11
13
13
11
24
9
8
7
6
5
12
5
5
icon: PPE PPE
200

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1

Denmark PPE

For (1)

1

Cyprus PPE

1

Luxembourg PPE

3
icon: S&D S&D
180

Croatia S&D

2

Netherlands S&D

3

Ireland S&D

For (1)

1

Latvia S&D

1

Slovenia S&D

For (1)

1

Malta S&D

3

Estonia S&D

For (1)

1

Cyprus S&D

2

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1
icon: ALDE ALDE
60

Romania ALDE

3

United Kingdom ALDE

1

Portugal ALDE

1

Austria ALDE

For (1)

1

Croatia ALDE

2

Ireland ALDE

For (1)

1

Latvia ALDE

1

Slovenia ALDE

For (1)

1

Estonia ALDE

2

Denmark ALDE

2
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
48

Italy Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Spain Verts/ALE

3

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Hungary Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Belgium Verts/ALE

2

Lithuania Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Finland Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Croatia Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Netherlands Verts/ALE

2

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

Slovenia Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Estonia Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Denmark Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
46

United Kingdom GUE/NGL

1

Portugal GUE/NGL

For (1)

4

Sweden GUE/NGL

Abstain (1)

1

Finland GUE/NGL

For (1)

1

Netherlands GUE/NGL

3

Ireland GUE/NGL

3

Denmark GUE/NGL

Abstain (1)

1

Cyprus GUE/NGL

1
icon: ECR ECR
68

Italy ECR

2

Romania ECR

For (1)

1

Czechia ECR

2

Bulgaria ECR

For (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Greece ECR

Against (1)

1

Lithuania ECR

1

Finland ECR

Against (1)

2

Slovakia ECR

3

Croatia ECR

Abstain (1)

1

Netherlands ECR

2

Latvia ECR

Abstain (1)

1

Cyprus ECR

1
icon: NI NI
15

Germany NI

2

France NI

Against (1)

2

United Kingdom NI

Abstain (1)

3

Poland NI

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

2

Hungary NI

2
icon: EFDD EFDD
34

Germany EFDD

Against (1)

1

France EFDD

1

Poland EFDD

1

Sweden EFDD

2

Lithuania EFDD

For (1)

1
icon: ENF ENF
38

Romania ENF

1

United Kingdom ENF

Against (1)

1

Poland ENF

2

Austria ENF

Abstain (1)

4

Belgium ENF

Abstain (1)

1

Netherlands ENF

4
AmendmentsDossier
229 2016/2142(INI)
2017/05/12 CULT 229 amendments...
source: 604.632

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)

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  • date: 2016-09-15T00:00:00 body: EP type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading committees: body: EP shadows: group: S&D name: NEKOV Momchil group: ECR name: DZHAMBAZKI Angel group: ALDE name: KYUCHYUK Ilhan group: GUE/NGL name: MICHELS Martina group: Verts/ALE name: TRÜPEL Helga group: ENF name: BILDE Dominique responsible: True committee: CULT date: 2016-05-13T00:00:00 committee_full: Culture and Education rapporteur: group: EPP name: ZVER Milan body: EP responsible: False committee_full: Employment and Social Affairs committee: EMPL body: EP responsible: False committee: FEMM date: 2017-04-11T00:00:00 committee_full: Women’s Rights and Gender Equality rapporteur: group: S&D name: BLINKEVIČIŪTĖ Vilija
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commission
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docs
  • date: 2017-04-03T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE601.250 title: PE601.250 type: Committee draft report body: EP
  • date: 2017-05-02T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE602.944 title: PE602.944 committee: FEMM type: Committee opinion body: EP
  • date: 2017-05-12T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE604.632 title: PE604.632 type: Amendments tabled in committee body: EP
  • date: 2018-02-21T00:00:00 docs: url: /oeil/spdoc.do?i=30102&j=0&l=en title: SP(2017)780 type: Commission response to text adopted in plenary
events
  • date: 2016-09-15T00:00:00 type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP
  • date: 2017-06-21T00:00:00 type: Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading body: EP
  • date: 2017-07-12T00:00:00 type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A8-2017-0252&language=EN title: A8-0252/2017 summary: The Committee on Culture and Education adopted an own-initiative report drawn up by Milan ZVER (EPP, SI) on academic further and distance education as part of the European lifelong learning strategy. Education systems are facing significant challenges as a result of the digital transformation, which are impacting teaching and learning processes. By 2025, nearly half of all job openings in the EU (including both new and replacement jobs) will require high-level qualifications. New, flexible and accessible forms of lifelong learning can successfully address some of those challenges such as social exclusion, early school leaving and skills mismatches. Continuous and distance learning to accompany societal and economic change : Members are of the opinion that, at every stage of life, everyone must have the right to access learning and training opportunities in order to acquire transversal skills such as numeracy, digital and media literacy , critical thinking, social skills and other relevant life skills in order to be better able to adapt to the future. They called for the better inclusion and retention of citizens in the labour market, backed up by improvements in their competences through academic further and distance education and vocational and educational training (VET). The Commission is invited to integrate academic further education and distance education into the European lifelong learning strategy. The report called on universities to focus on distance education on an increasingly wide scale, and to extend it to cover free short-term professional courses. They promoted the idea of tailor-made learning and bridging courses designed for those wishing to enter tertiary-level education who need to gain further qualifications in order to meet entry requirements. In this context, the Commission and the Member States should strive to bridge the technological gap between well-equipped and non-well-equipped educational institutions as part of the national strategies for digital skills. Technological, financial and regulatory challenges : Members stressed the importance of keeping up with rapid technological developments, in particular with regard to distance education and supporting efforts in this field through significant investments in education, with the help of the European Social Fund. They also stressed the need for adequate funding for quality education and tailor-made education. Taking note of the differences in regulatory frameworks, the report suggested better co-ordination of existing European transparency instruments such as the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) and the European Credit System for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET). At European level , the report recommended: fostering cooperation and the exchange of good practices between education systems; encouraging the sharing of best practices by national quality assurance agencies with a view to developing criteria for the recognition of new modes of teaching and learning; reinforcing the Commission's support for further university education and distance learning through the Erasmus + programme; creating a user-friendly online digital platform that would serve as a one-stop shop to facilitate the exchange of best practices between education professionals and students; developing a learning platform designed for and offered to European educational institutions free of charge, thus boosting the use of e-learning across the EU; adapting education and training systems to meet the growing demand for digitally skilled professionals in the EU. Members welcomed the ambitious plan to provide ultra-fast internet in primary and secondary schools and libraries by 2025/ At Member State level , the report recommended inter alia : more flexible educational systems to enable more effective implementation of open and online teaching methods; building on existing validation systems to assess and certify skills acquired through up-skilling pathways and to ensure their recognition with a view to qualifications; making available opportunities for ICT training and the development of digital skills and media literacy at all levels of education; improving the availability of data on the employment and social situation of graduates (‘graduate tracking’). Lastly, the report called for competences and skills acquired outside the formal education system to be recognised through quality assurance and accreditation.
  • date: 2017-09-11T00:00:00 type: Debate in Parliament body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20170911&type=CRE title: Debate in Parliament
  • date: 2017-09-12T00:00:00 type: Results of vote in Parliament body: EP docs: url: https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=30102&l=en title: Results of vote in Parliament
  • date: 2017-09-12T00:00:00 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P8-TA-2017-0324 title: T8-0324/2017 summary: The European Parliament adopted by 577 votes to 54, with 59 abstentions, a resolution on academic further and distance education as part of the European lifelong learning strategy. Education systems are facing significant challenges as a result of the digital transformation , which are impacting teaching and learning processes. By 2025, nearly half of all job openings in the EU (including both new and replacement jobs) will require high-level qualifications. New, flexible and accessible forms of lifelong learning can successfully address some of those challenges such as social exclusion, early school leaving and skills mismatches. Further and distance learning to accompany societal and economic change : Members are of the opinion that, at every stage of life, everyone must have the right to access learning and training opportunities in order to acquire transversal skills such as numeracy, digital and media literacy, critical thinking, social skills and other relevant life skills in order to be better able to adapt to the future. They called for the better inclusion and retention of citizens in the labour market, backed up by improvements in their competences through academic further and distance education and vocational and educational training (VET). Academic further education and distance education should be integrated into the European lifelong learning strategy. Parliament called on universities to focus on distance education on an increasingly wide scale, and to extend it to cover free short-term professional courses. It promoted the idea of tailor-made learning and bridging courses designed for those wishing to enter tertiary-level education who need to gain further qualifications in order to meet entry requirements. In this context, the Commission and the Member States should strive to bridge the technological gap between well-equipped and non-well-equipped educational institutions as part of the national strategies for digital skills. Members stressed the need to enhance close cooperation between educational and training institutions, local communities and the economy. Technological, financial and regulatory challenges : Members stressed the importance of keeping up with rapid technological developments, in particular with regard to distance education and supporting efforts in this field through significant investments in education, with the help of the European Social Fund. They also stressed the need for adequate funding for quality education and tailor-made education. Taking note of the differences in regulatory frameworks, Parliament suggested better co-ordination of existing European transparency instruments such as the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) and the European Credit System for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET). At European level , the resolution recommended: fostering cooperation and the exchange of best practices between education systems; encouraging the sharing of best practices by national quality assurance agencies with a view to developing criteria for the recognition of new modes of teaching and learning; revising the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) to promote the comparability of qualifications between the countries covered in the EQF and other countries, in particular neighbourhood countries and countries with mature qualifications frameworks, in order to better understand the qualifications acquired abroad and to place people with migrant backgrounds and refugees in lifelong learning and employment; reinforcing the Commission's support for further university education and distance learning through the Erasmus + programme; creating a user-friendly online digital platform that would serve as a one-stop shop to facilitate the exchange of best practices between education professionals and students; developing a learning platform designed for and offered to European educational institutions free of charge, thus boosting the use of e-learning across the EU; adapting education and training systems to meet the growing demand for digitally skilled professionals in the EU. Members welcomed the ambitious plan to provide ultra-fast internet in primary and secondary schools and libraries by 2025. At Member State level , Parliament recommended inter alia : more flexible educational systems to enable more effective implementation of open and online teaching methods; building on existing validation systems to assess and certify skills acquired through up-skilling pathways and to ensure their recognition with a view to qualifications; making available opportunities for ICT training and the development of digital skills and media literacy at all levels of education; improving the availability of data on the employment and social situation of graduates (‘graduate tracking’). Lastly, Members called for competences and skills acquired outside the formal education system to be recognised through quality assurance and accreditation.
  • date: 2017-09-12T00:00:00 type: End of procedure in Parliament body: EP
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  • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/education_culture/ title: Education, Youth, Sport and Culture commissioner: NAVRACSICS Tibor
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  • The Committee on Culture and Education adopted an own-initiative report drawn up by Milan ZVER (EPP, SI) on academic further and distance education as part of the European lifelong learning strategy.

    Education systems are facing significant challenges as a result of the digital transformation, which are impacting teaching and learning processes. By 2025, nearly half of all job openings in the EU (including both new and replacement jobs) will require high-level qualifications.

    New, flexible and accessible forms of lifelong learning can successfully address some of those challenges such as social exclusion, early school leaving and skills mismatches.

    Continuous and distance learning to accompany societal and economic change: Members are of the opinion that, at every stage of life, everyone must have the right to access learning and training opportunities in order to acquire transversal skills such as numeracy, digital and media literacy, critical thinking, social skills and other relevant life skills in order to be better able to adapt to the future. They called for the better inclusion and retention of citizens in the labour market, backed up by improvements in their competences through academic further and distance education and vocational and educational training (VET).

    The Commission is invited to integrate academic further education and distance education into the European lifelong learning strategy.

    The report called on universities to focus on distance education on an increasingly wide scale, and to extend it to cover free short-term professional courses. They promoted the idea of tailor-made learning and bridging courses designed for those wishing to enter tertiary-level education who need to gain further qualifications in order to meet entry requirements.

    In this context, the Commission and the Member States should strive to bridge the technological gap between well-equipped and non-well-equipped educational institutions as part of the national strategies for digital skills.

    Technological, financial and regulatory challenges: Members stressed the importance of keeping up with rapid technological developments, in particular with regard to distance education and supporting efforts in this field through significant investments in education, with the help of the European Social Fund. They also stressed the need for adequate funding for quality education and tailor-made education.

    Taking note of the differences in regulatory frameworks, the report suggested better co-ordination of existing European transparency instruments such as the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) and the European Credit System for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET).

    At European level, the report recommended:

    • fostering cooperation and the exchange of good practices between education systems;
    • encouraging the sharing of best practices by national quality assurance agencies with a view to developing criteria for the recognition of new modes of teaching and learning;
    • reinforcing the Commission's support for further university education and distance learning through the Erasmus + programme;
    • creating a user-friendly online digital platform that would serve as a one-stop shop to facilitate the exchange of best practices between education professionals and students;
    • developing a learning platform designed for and offered to European educational institutions free of charge, thus boosting the use of e-learning across the EU;
    • adapting education and training systems to meet the growing demand for digitally skilled professionals in the EU.

    Members welcomed the ambitious plan to provide ultra-fast internet in primary and secondary schools and libraries by 2025/

    At Member State level, the report recommended inter alia:

    • more flexible educational systems to enable more effective implementation of open and online teaching methods;
    • building on existing validation systems to assess and certify skills acquired through up-skilling pathways and to ensure their recognition with a view to qualifications;
    • making available opportunities for ICT training and the development of digital skills and media literacy at all levels of education;
    • improving the availability of data on the employment and social situation of graduates (‘graduate tracking’).

    Lastly, the report called for competences and skills acquired outside the formal education system to be recognised through quality assurance and accreditation.

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  • body: EP shadows: group: S&D name: NEKOV Momchil group: ECR name: DZHAMBAZKI Angel group: ALDE name: KYUCHYUK Ilhan group: GUE/NGL name: MICHELS Martina group: Verts/ALE name: TRÜPEL Helga group: ENF name: BILDE Dominique responsible: True committee: CULT date: 2016-05-13T00:00:00 committee_full: Culture and Education rapporteur: group: EPP name: ZVER Milan
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    • body: EP responsible: False committee_full: Employment and Social Affairs committee: EMPL
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    • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/education_culture/ title: Education and Culture commissioner: NAVRACSICS Tibor
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    Academic further and distance education as part of the European lifelong learning strategy
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