Sweden:Lifelong Learning Strategy
From Eurydice
Contents
- 1 Sweden:Political, Social and Economic Background and Trends
- 2 Sweden:Organisation and Governance
- 2.1 Sweden:Fundamental Principles and National Policies
- 2.2 Sweden:Lifelong Learning Strategy
- 2.3 Sweden:Organisation of the Education System and of its Structure
- 2.4 Sweden:Organisation of Private Education
- 2.5 Sweden:National Qualifications Framework
- 2.6 Sweden:Administration and Governance at Central and/or Regional Level
- 2.7 Sweden:Administration and Governance at Local and/or Institutional Level
- 2.8 Sweden:Statistics on Organisation and Governance
- 3 Sweden:Funding in Education
- 4 Sweden:Early Childhood Education and Care
- 4.1 Sweden:Organisation of Programmes for Pre-Primary Education
- 4.2 Sweden:Teaching and Learning in Programmes for Pre-Primary Education
- 4.3 Sweden:Assessment in Programmes for Pre-Primary Education
- 4.4 Sweden:Organisation of the Pre-Primary Class
- 4.5 Sweden:Teaching and Learning in the Pre-Primary Class
- 4.6 Sweden:Assessment in the Pre-Primary Class
- 4.7 Sweden:Organisational Variations and Alternative Structures in Early Childhood Education and Care
- 5 Sweden:Single Structure Education (Integrated Primary and Lower Secondary Education)
- 6 Sweden:Upper Secondary and Post-Secondary Non-Tertiary Education
- 6.1 Sweden:Organisation of Upper General and Vocational Secondary Education
- 6.2 Sweden:Teaching and Learning in Upper General and Vocational Secondary Education
- 6.3 Sweden:Assessment in Upper General and Vocational Secondary Education
- 6.4 Sweden:Organisation of Post-Secondary Non-Tertiary Education
- 6.5 Sweden:Teaching and Learning in Post-Secondary Non-Tertiary Education
- 6.6 Sweden:Assessment in Post-Secondary Non-Tertiary Education
- 7 Sweden:Higher Education
- 8 Sweden:Adult Education and Training
- 9 Sweden:Teachers and Education Staff
- 9.1 Sweden:Initial Education for Teachers Working in Early Childhood and School Education
- 9.2 Sweden:Conditions of Service for Teachers Working in Early Childhood and School Education
- 9.3 Sweden:Continuing Professional Development for Teachers Working in Early Childhood and School Education
- 9.4 Sweden:Initial Education for Academic Staff in Higher Education
- 9.5 Sweden:Conditions of Service for Academic Staff Working in Higher Education
- 9.6 Sweden:Continuing Professional Development for Academic Staff Working in Higher Education
- 9.7 Sweden:Initial Education for Teachers and Trainers Working in Adult Education and Training
- 9.8 Sweden:Conditions of Service for Teachers and Trainers Working in Adult Education and Training
- 9.9 Sweden:Continuing Professional Development for Teachers and Trainers Working in Adult Education and Training
- 10 Sweden:Management and Other Education Staff
- 10.1 Sweden:Management Staff for Early Childhood and School Education
- 10.2 Sweden:Staff Involved in Monitoring Educational Quality for Early Childhood and School Education
- 10.3 Sweden:Education Staff Responsible for Guidance in Early Childhood and School Education
- 10.4 Sweden:Other Education Staff or Staff Working with Schools
- 10.5 Sweden:Management Staff for Higher Education
- 10.6 Sweden:Other Education Staff or Staff Working in Higher Education
- 10.7 Sweden:Management Staff Working in Adult Education and Training
- 10.8 Sweden:Other Education Staff or Staff Working in Adult Education and Training
- 11 Sweden:Quality Assurance
- 12 Sweden:Educational Support and Guidance
- 12.1 Sweden:Special Education Needs Provision within Mainstream Education
- 12.2 Sweden:Separate Special Education Needs Provision in Early Childhood and School Education
- 12.3 Sweden:Support Measures for Learners in Early Childhood and School Education
- 12.4 Sweden:Guidance and Counselling in Early Childhood and School Education
- 12.5 Sweden:Support Measures for Learners in Higher Education
- 12.6 Sweden:Guidance and Counselling in Higher Education
- 12.7 Sweden:Support Measures for Learners in Adult Education and Training
- 12.8 Sweden:Guidance and Counselling in a Lifelong Learning Approach
- 13 Sweden:Mobility and Internationalisation
- 13.1 Sweden:Mobility in Early Childhood and School Education
- 13.2 Sweden:Mobility in Higher Education
- 13.3 Sweden:Mobility in Adult Education and Training
- 13.4 Sweden:Other Dimensions of Internationalisation in Early Childhood and School Education
- 13.5 Sweden:Other Dimensions of Internationalisation in Higher Education
- 13.6 Sweden:Other Dimensions of Internationalisation in Adult Education and Training
- 13.7 Sweden:Bilateral Agreements and Worldwide Cooperation
- 14 Sweden:Ongoing Reforms and Policy Developments
- 14.1 Sweden:National Reforms in Early Childhood Education and Care
- 14.2 Sweden:National Reforms in School Education
- 14.3 Sweden:National Reforms in Vocational Education and Training and Adult Learning
- 14.4 Sweden:National Reforms in Higher Education
- 14.5 Sweden:National Reforms related to Transversal Skills and Employability
- 14.6 Sweden:European Perspective
- 15 Sweden:Legislation
- 16 Sweden:Institutions
- 17 Sweden:Glossary
Sweden:Political, Social and Economic Background and Trends
Sweden:Historical Development
Sweden:Main Executive and Legislative Bodies
Sweden:Population: Demographic Situation, Languages and Religions
Sweden:Political and Economic Situation
Sweden:Organisation and Governance
Sweden:Fundamental Principles and National Policies
Sweden:Lifelong Learning Strategy
Sweden:Organisation of the Education System and of its Structure
Sweden:Organisation of Private Education
Sweden:National Qualifications Framework
Sweden:Administration and Governance at Central and/or Regional Level
Sweden:Administration and Governance at Local and/or Institutional Level
Sweden:Statistics on Organisation and Governance
Sweden:Funding in Education
Sweden:Early Childhood and School Education Funding
Sweden:Higher Education Funding
Sweden:Adult Education and Training Funding
Sweden:Early Childhood Education and Care
Sweden:Organisation of Programmes for Pre-Primary Education
Sweden:Teaching and Learning in Programmes for Pre-Primary Education
Sweden:Assessment in Programmes for Pre-Primary Education
Sweden:Organisation of the Pre-Primary Class
Sweden:Teaching and Learning in the Pre-Primary Class
Sweden:Assessment in the Pre-Primary Class
Sweden:Organisational Variations and Alternative Structures in Early Childhood Education and Care
Sweden:Single Structure Education (Integrated Primary and Lower Secondary Education)
Sweden:Organisation of Single Structure Education
Sweden:Teaching and Learning in Single Structure Education
Sweden:Assessment in Single Structure Education
Sweden:Organisational Variations and Alternative Structures in Single Structure Education
Sweden:Upper Secondary and Post-Secondary Non-Tertiary Education
Sweden:Organisation of Upper General and Vocational Secondary Education
Sweden:Teaching and Learning in Upper General and Vocational Secondary Education
Sweden:Assessment in Upper General and Vocational Secondary Education
Sweden:Organisation of Post-Secondary Non-Tertiary Education
Sweden:Teaching and Learning in Post-Secondary Non-Tertiary Education
Sweden:Assessment in Post-Secondary Non-Tertiary Education
Sweden:Higher Education
Sweden:Types of Higher Education Institutions
Sweden:First Cycle Programmes
Sweden:Bachelor
Sweden:Short-Cycle Higher Education
Sweden:Second Cycle Programmes
Sweden:Programmes outside the Bachelor and Master Structure
Sweden:Third Cycle (PhD) Programmes
Sweden:Adult Education and Training
Sweden:Distribution of Responsibilities
Sweden:Developments and Current Policy Priorities
Sweden:Main Providers
Sweden:Main Types of Provision
Sweden:Validation of Non-formal and Informal Learning
Sweden:Teachers and Education Staff
Sweden:Initial Education for Teachers Working in Early Childhood and School Education
Sweden:Conditions of Service for Teachers Working in Early Childhood and School Education
Sweden:Continuing Professional Development for Teachers Working in Early Childhood and School Education
Sweden:Initial Education for Academic Staff in Higher Education
Sweden:Conditions of Service for Academic Staff Working in Higher Education
Sweden:Continuing Professional Development for Academic Staff Working in Higher Education
Sweden:Initial Education for Teachers and Trainers Working in Adult Education and Training
Sweden:Conditions of Service for Teachers and Trainers Working in Adult Education and Training
Sweden:Continuing Professional Development for Teachers and Trainers Working in Adult Education and Training
Sweden:Management and Other Education Staff
Sweden:Management Staff for Early Childhood and School Education
Sweden:Staff Involved in Monitoring Educational Quality for Early Childhood and School Education
Sweden:Education Staff Responsible for Guidance in Early Childhood and School Education
Sweden:Other Education Staff or Staff Working with Schools
Sweden:Management Staff for Higher Education
Sweden:Other Education Staff or Staff Working in Higher Education
Sweden:Management Staff Working in Adult Education and Training
Sweden:Other Education Staff or Staff Working in Adult Education and Training
Sweden:Quality Assurance
Sweden:Quality Assurance in Early Childhood and School Education
Sweden:Quality Assurance in Higher Education
Sweden:Quality Assurance in Adult Education and Training
Sweden:Educational Support and Guidance
Sweden:Special Education Needs Provision within Mainstream Education
Sweden:Separate Special Education Needs Provision in Early Childhood and School Education
Sweden:Support Measures for Learners in Early Childhood and School Education
Sweden:Guidance and Counselling in Early Childhood and School Education
Sweden:Support Measures for Learners in Higher Education
Sweden:Guidance and Counselling in Higher Education
Sweden:Support Measures for Learners in Adult Education and Training
Sweden:Guidance and Counselling in a Lifelong Learning Approach
Sweden:Mobility and Internationalisation
Sweden:Mobility in Early Childhood and School Education
Sweden:Mobility in Higher Education
Sweden:Mobility in Adult Education and Training
Sweden:Other Dimensions of Internationalisation in Early Childhood and School Education
Sweden:Other Dimensions of Internationalisation in Higher Education
Sweden:Other Dimensions of Internationalisation in Adult Education and Training
Sweden:Bilateral Agreements and Worldwide Cooperation
Sweden:Ongoing Reforms and Policy Developments
Sweden:National Reforms in Early Childhood Education and Care
Sweden:National Reforms in School Education
Sweden:National Reforms in Vocational Education and Training and Adult Learning
Sweden:National Reforms in Higher Education
Sweden:European Perspective
Sweden:Legislation
Sweden:Institutions
Sweden:Glossary
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Background
Sweden has a well-established tradition of broad public education. Child care, compulsory school and upper secondary school lay the foundations for lifelong learning. The formal system has the task of bringing about equal recruitment and making the importance of social background less dominant. Adult education is one way of reducing existing education gaps and breaking the trend where people end up outside lifelong learning. Adult education has well-established traditions in Sweden. Apart from formal learning in the public education system, non-formal and informal learning take place both in working life and in private life. Policy is directed to supporting adult learning, and promoting the development of structures for coordination between different players supporting learning. The tools of labour market policy are an important part of state investments in lifelong learning.
Strategies for Lifelong Learning
The term ”lifelong learning” presupposes flexible learning pathways, individual awareness of the opportunities available and the demands to be imposed on different forms of education. Information and guidance are key issues. Other central issues concern follow-up and evaluation. Equivalence and gender equality remain unchanged as important goals of educational policy.
The principles of lifelong learning on which the Swedish education system is based are described in the document The Swedish strategy for lifelong learning. A summary of principles and orientations (May 2007). However, the principles discribed in the document have been applied for a considerable time and are not new, but remain relevant. Policy development in line with the principles described has continued. Quality is a key word, and this applies not least to the early stages in education where basic knowledge is a priority. In higher education, a priority is quality development through a new quality assurance system and a new system of resource allocation. In municipal adult education the possibilty to taylor education to the needs of the individual is strengthened. Curricula have been based on learning outcomes for many years. The Swedish Government’s overall EU priorities for 2015 include initiatives for high quality education that prepares all young people for their future professional lives and eases the transition between studies and working life, alongside initiatives for vocational education and training and lifelong learning.
National Qualification Framework
Sweden has introduced a national qualification framework in accordance with the European Parliament recommendation on a European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning. Learners, graduates, education providers and employers can use the framework to understand and compare qualifications awarded in different countries and by different education and training systems. The Government determines which level of the national qualification framework certain qualifications correspond to. It will be possible to apply for level assessment of other qualifications. It is the awarding body of a particular qualification that applies for level assessment, the awarding body will be charged for the level assessment. The framework was introduced 1 October 2015. The Swedish National Agency for Higher Vocational Education (Myndigheten för yrkeshögskolan) is the responsible authority. For more information, in Swedish only, see the National Qualification Framework, (Sveriges referensram för kvalifikationer, SeQF).
