Education and Training Statistics Working Group 31 January-2 February 2005 Main conclusions Draft ETS WG - 2005

Item 2: UOE 2004 data collection The ETS WG : took note of the status report agreed to provide missing information as soon as possible in order to have a minimum number of updates in NewCronos after March 2005 ETS WG - 2005

Item 3: SiF “Key statistics on education in Europe The ETS WG : agrees with the contents of the SIF (with some proposals for additions) Eurostat is to send to OECD countries* the SiF indicators in week 6 of 2005 asking for comments by the week 8. * “Eurostat” countries have already received the indicators) ETS WG - 2005

Item 3: Key Data on education 2005 The ETS WG: took note of the timetable for the release of the publication January and February 2005 March and April 2005 May 2005 EEU Updating of the PISA 2003 indicator (Jan.) Continued corrections Finalisation of the “Main Issues” (Jan.) Finalisation and dispatch to printers FR/EN (April) Public Release Nat. Units Eurostat Verification of the last three indicators (Feb.) Reading of the PISA 2003 indicators (Feb.) Reading of the “Main Issues” EN/FR (Feb.) Final re-reading of the overall publication (March) ETS WG - 2005

Item 4: UOE revision The ETS WG : welcomed the improved U-O-E co-operation for the definition of the UOE2005 data request underlined the need to maintain the current focus of the data collection made first comments on the proposed tables for 2005 The ETS WG members will inform the national UOE data providers so that written comments are submitted in the framework of the consultation on the UOE2005 tables to the unique address: estat-uoe-joint@cec.eu.int by the 23rd of February 2005 Countries are also requested to indicate the feasibility and timetable of providing data according to the new request. The U-O-E data requesters are planning to launch UOE2005 by the April 2005 ETS WG - 2005

Item 5: UOE Finance indicators The ETS WG : took note of the importance of education data for projections on “age-related” expenditure carried out by DG ECFIN took note of the new focus of the “stability and growth pact” on the longer term, which means that the importance of education expenditure as a factor to monitor will increase. welcomed the completion of the work on country profiles agreed with the need to contribute to the establishment of a list of educational goods and services; work should start in 2005 but it does not seem feasible to consider delivery of data already for UOE2006 expressed doubts about the feasibility of reconciling UOE and CVTS data on initial vocational training expenditure but would like to be kept inform of the work CVTS TF on this issue. ETS WG - 2005

Item 5: UOE Finance indicators The ETS WG : agreed on the need to include clear definitions on tax reductions, but work should start after the work on the list of goods and services is completed. asked Eurostat to launch the work on the establishment of satellite accounts on education and agreed to inform about ongoing activities in this field took note of the list of R&D contacts provided and the need to intensify co-operation at the national level agreed on the need to intensify co-operation at national level with the R&D data providers to clarify the coverage of Higher Education Expenditure ; a list of R&D contacts has been provided to the ETS WG by Eurostat. ETS WG - 2005

Items 7, 8: Information by DG EAC The ETS WG: took note of the following information provided by DG EAC: - Work programme of JRC « LLL research unit » - the plans for the development of new indicators - DG EAC reorganisation Stressed the need to develop and implement strategies for statistics and indicators in a co-ordinated way taking into account EU policy needs and available capacities in the Member States. ETS WG - 2005

Item 10: ETS WG mandate The ETS WG agrees with the proposed mandate including: - the reinforcement of its strategic role - the need for the ETS WG delegates to act as coordinators for the whole area of education and training statistics at the national level (« ETS coordinators ») - the creation of Task Forces to deal with specific subjects The ETS WG members will communicate to Eurostat as soon as possible (preferably by 11.02.2005) the name of the « ETS coordinator » who will be included in a mailing list to be contacted whenever written consultation is required on different issues. The ETS coordinators will be responsible for informing Eurostat of any changes at the national level. ETS WG - 2005

Item 11: Legal basis on lifelong learning The ETS WG: was in favour of a legal basis for education and lifelong learning statistics agreed on a 3 level approach including a general framework act as level 1 and implementing act as level 2 for activities to be covered by the framework act both for the UOE data collection and for the AES; the 3rd level are the data collection manuals to which reference could be made in the higher levels. took note of the importance to provide the name of the ETS coordinators as requested under item10. Eurostat: will redraft within one month the legal basis making it more general, simplifying the annexes and taking into account the possibility of having an implementing act also for UOE. maintained the objective of having an opinion by the SPC at its next meeting on 25-27 May 2005 Final document available in English by 18 March 2005 SPC document available in EN, FR and DE by 8 April 2005 SPC meeting: 25-27 May 2005 ETS WG - 2005

Item 13: CVTS The ETS WG: welcomes the progress made towards adoption of the Council and EP regulation at 1st reading with a workable compromise allowing for sufficient preparation time took note of the conclusions of the CVTS WG held in December 2004 took note of the planning and the progress made in the preparation of CVTS3 and on the call for expression of interest by countries to participate in the Task Force created to work on the priority activities (through the national CVTS correspondents) ETS WG - 2005

Item 14: Education in the Labour Force Survey The ETS WG: took note of the changes agreed for structural indicators using education variables and the timetable for their implementation took note of the draft report on the quality evaluation of the 2003 ad hoc module on lifelong learning; further input is expected from countries (the LFS-E subgroup network is involved) as soon as possible to keep the deadline of end March 2005 for the delivery of the final quality report will send comments on the Eurostat proposal for a domain on « Education and the Labour Market » in NewCronos by 25 February 2005 ETS WG - 2005

Item 15: Implementation of the AES The ETS WG: agreed with the approach proposed for the implementation of the survey accepted in principle the calculation of the sample size; additional comments and suggestions are expected by 25 February 2005 will update information on the national planning of the surveys and cost estimates as included in annex by 25 February 2005 took note of the information provided by Eurostat on the funding arrangements for the survey France, Finland, Sweden, Italy, UK (countries that are piloting the survey in 2005) will participate in the TF « AES Pilots ». First TF meeting on 11-12 April 2005. Other countries wishing to participate should inform Eurostat by 11 February 2005 ETS WG - 2005

Item 16: Classification of Learning activities The ETS WG: took note of the results of the testing of the survey and the answers given by Eurostat to questions raised during the CLA testing agreed to send further comments on the CLA, by 18.02.2005 so that Eurostat can finalise the classification by 11.03.2005 asked Eurostat to organise an exchange of information in order to achieve a common understanding of the concept of the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) The final version will then be submitted by Eurostat for international consultation (involving at least UIS and ILO) ETS WG - 2005

Item 17: draft AES questionnaire The ETS WG agreed with the following: keep as core but simplify the modules on social and cultural participation keep the proposed way of selection of non-formal education activities ask only for the most recent formal activity maintain informal in the questionnaire and have a closed list of methods used which will be finalised with policy users and will be consistent with CLA definitions maintain the module on obstacles which should be tested using alternative methods (including an open question) in the pilot surveys maintain the proposal on ICT but consider a change in the order of questions, splitting of the « basic level » of skills use main labour status in background variables (self-assessment) add « the variable « date » for the calculation of the age of respondents add question on whether participation in the non-formal activity took place « in the country » or « outside the country » The ETS WG agreed also to send further comments by the 25.02.2005 The ETS WG asked for a clear distinction between core and non-core questions and variables ETS WG - 2005