THE ROLE OF SOCIAL PARTNERSHIP IN DEVELOPING AN EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT FOR ADULTS IN THE SCANDINAVIAN COUNTRIES

Abstract

This article examines the role of social partnership in shaping educational policy in the Nordic countries. It analyses the Nordic Cooperation Programme in the fields of education, research and languages, and finds that lifelong learning is the primary objective behind the implementation of educational programmes and learning formats in the Nordic countries. The development of adult education in Denmark, Norway and Sweden is analysed separately, and it is demonstrated that access to education in adulthood contributes to enhancing adults’ opportunities for professional fulfilment, as well as enabling a rapid response to changes in the labour market and technological advancements. A decentralised system of adult education governance is characteristic of the Nordic countries. Three main levels of governance are identified: national, regional and local. At the national level, social partnership is represented by advisory bodies that provide advice on the drafting of legislation and the formulation of key labour market policy directions. At the regional level, recommendations are provided to municipalities and cooperation with employers takes place. Social partners analyse labour market needs and provide recommendations on the creation of training modules for specific sectors. The municipal (local) level is the level at which the greatest number of social partners are involved. Representatives of educational institutions collaborate with representatives of enterprises, trade unions, businesses and education providers; they commission educational programmes and organise on-the-job training. The majority of funding for adult education programmes comes from the municipal level. The Scandinavian experience provides a useful theoretical and practical foundation for establishing a comprehensive and effective adult education system in Ukraine. It is proposed to expand nonformal education, ensure the decentralisation of adult education management by transferring more powers and funding to local authorities, and create conditions to increase the adult population’s intrinsic motivation to learn by promoting the concept of lifelong learning.