Birth of a new EU agency

© Belga Image Entrepreneurial learning: the ETF was invited by the Georgian government to organise a workshop on entrepreneurial learning in the digital age. When it was established in 1994, the European Training Foundation (ETF) focused on vocational education and training in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, to support reforms of their education and training systems as part of their path towards joining the European Union. By the time it celebrated its 25th anniversary, in 2019, the ETF’s geographical scope had extended to embrace the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean, the Balkans, Turkey, Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia, as well as cooperation with the African Union. This broader geographical mandate is underpinned by a new focus on “human capital” development issues, including labour market and employment systems, in a lifelong learning perspective. Hands-on support The ideals and principles that have animated the ETF since its inception have remained unchanged: providing high quality, hands- on support to the partner countries in reforming and developing their interface between the worlds of education and work. The ETF encourages these countries to foster home-grown solutions, rather than transpose ready-made ones. It provides sound evidence and the widest possible range of experience, research and good practice from Europe and beyond. It also brings people together from different spheres of government, business and civil society, so that they may share information and experience and build partnerships for change. Its close links with the EU institutions and Member States enable the ETF to leverage intra-EUpolicy developments andexternal assistance programmes, to the benefit of “human capital” development in its partner countries. Future of skills In June 2019, the ETF presented its strategy for the post-2020 period, based on the outcome of consultations carried out in 2018 on the future of work - and in particular the future of skills. This entailed exploring how global trends in technology but also globalisation, migration and climate change, affect the EU and its partner countries. All this work came to a head in November 2018, when the ETF organised a conference on “Skills for the Future: Managing Transition”, in Turin. The ETF has been continuing this work, looking in particular at innovation in traditional sectors such as tourism, agriculture and manufacturing. ETF – Promoting education and training outside the EU The European Training Foundation (ETF) supports the EU’s external action SPECIAL FEATURE 2 2 / SOC I A L AG E NDA / NOV E MB E R 2 0 1 9