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Overview: Adult Education in Cyprus in 2019

Posted: 2020-08-21 / Category: Cyprus country reports > 2019

Cyprus issued its first National Strategy for Lifelong Learning in 2014 and has continuously had high participation rates in adult education, compared to the European average.

In Cyprus 48,1% of the population aged 25-64 participated in non-formal learning activities in 2016, while the European average was at 56,6 % (Adult Education Survey).

The 2014-2020 National Strategy for Lifelong Learning has four priorities:

  • Improve access to and participation in lifelong learning for all
  • Improve the quality by strengthening the curriculum, vocational training, guidance and national skills’ development
  • Invest in research and development and promotion of lifelong learning
  • Establish an efficient governance of lifelong learning

The strategy proposed a set of targets and actions that include:

  • Recognising all learning outcomes (formal and non-formal)
  • Implementing the National Qualification Framework (NQF)
  • Improving lifelong guidance and counselling services
  • Training unemployed people and  
  • Finding job placements

Some of the shortcomings of the Cypriot Strategy for lifelong learning are the lack of mention of intercultural education and the integration of migrants and other non-native adult learners in lifelong learning programs. Various civil society groups advocate for more policy engagement with diversity, multiculturalism and integration matters.Furthermore, society and the government still does not fully recognize the learning outcomes that are acquired at work or in non-formal or informal learning situations. Civil society actors anticipate that the recognition of non-formal learning through the National Strategy will strengthen the links between continuous and vocational education and training and enhance the overall participation in adult learning.

This text was produced by EAEA.
References: UNESCO (2014) Cyprus Lifelong Learning Strategy 2020.; Gravani, Maria. Hatzopoulos, Pavlos. Chinas, Christina (2017). An Adult education and migration in Cyprus: A critical analysis.