European Commission marks first year of Union of Skills with STEM and basic skills push
A year after its launch, the Commission set out progress on basic skills, STEM education and women's participation in future-facing fields, with a civic education framework and a European STEM competence framework still to come.
The European Commission reported progress on March 3 in the first year of the Union of Skills, an initiative launched a year earlier with the aim of strengthening the skills of all learners, workers and researchers, according to the Commission.
Under a basic skills action plan, the Commission said measures have been taken to improve attainment in reading, mathematics and science. A STEM education strategic plan is being used to increase the number of STEM graduates and professionals, alongside efforts to widen the participation of women and girls in future-facing fields.
The Commission also said it is drawing on the European Universities Initiative, which now covers 65 alliances involving 570 institutions, to support learners’ transition from education into the labour market.
Still to come are a framework for civic education intended to promote democratic values and participation, and a European STEM competence framework to standardize STEM skills across the European Union, according to the Commission.