Forging new pathways of research and innovation in open and distance learning

Forging new pathways of research and innovation in open and distance learning:
Reaching from the roots
Proceedings of the 9 th European Distance and E-Learning Network Research Workshop, 2016
Oldenburg, 4-6 October, 2016
ISBN 978-615-5511-12-7
CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF THE LIFELONG LEARNING
INNOVATION IN EUROPE
András Szűcs, EDEN and Center for Learning Innovation and Adult Learning,
Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Hungary
Policy background
The middle of the second decade of the 2000s in the European Union scene may be
characterised by cumulated economic, social and policy problems, uncertainty, slowing down
in development. Superposed on this, have emerged the structural and power relation troubles
of the EU institutions appearing after the 2014 EU Parliament elections, the linked usual
changes in the policy machinery, not to mention the medium-term planning and budgeting
processes for 2014-2020.
The increasing public interest towards education in particular has generated many reflections
in the media, studies, forecasts and speculations and contributed to the creation of an
atmosphere of expectations, together with dissatisfaction because of the failure of the majority
of ET2010 targets and the long tail of the 2008 economic crisis.
An exemplary resource of recent atmosphere of disappointment has been the Erasmus+ new
educational program implemented with many mistakes. With the decentralisation of the
implementation to the National Agencies from EACEA has been a rapid failure. The
combination of different interpretation of the rules and different technical approaches lead to
divergences from one NA to another, resulting a strong feeling of injustice.
The new resource model of the projects, with the underfinanced pro rata scheme (in
particular in the most popular action) has rearranged the potential participants’ spectrum,
displacing the smaller institutions like associations, foundations, smaller companies (cf.
European Parliament, 2016). Weakening the civil society and professional organizations may
be in consonance with the strategic message which gives unquestionable priority to economic
growth and employment. Regrettably, the European added value of projects is not considered
to be as important anymore as National Agencies favour national priorities.
Another not properly prepared and scheduled action is considered the Opening up education
initiative (2014), misplacing the strategically important field of open and ICT enhanced
learning. The European Commission’s decision to move adult learning from DG Education
and Culture to DG Employment raises questions about the Commission’s commitment to
lifelong learning (EAEA, 2014).
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