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CROSS-NATIONAL PRINCIPLES
OF LIFELONG EDUCATION
FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
M. A. Tappaskhanova
The Memorandum of Lifelong Education of the European Union states the changes that have taken place in the European community in connection with its development, which they call “entry into the epoch of knowledge” [2, p. 4], and the conclusion is made by the results of the assessment of the present situation, that the only possible educational policy in the present conditions is the development of lifelong education. The document reduces all the requirements, and goals stated in the Memorandum, as well as the possibilities, methods and ways of their achievement, down to six key principles of lifelong education. We will name the principles and goals of sustainable development in their interrelation at an international level.
The first principle of lifelong education postulates that contemporary basic knowledge must be accessible for everybody. According to the principle, the goal is to ensure unrestricted permanent access to educational services for everybody who wishes. The second principle states that investments in human resources must grow [2, p. 7]. According to this principle, the goal in the policy of education is to shift the priorities in distributing the investment flows towards human, educational resources, with the increase in the status of an individual personality in the European community. The third principle contains the rule of designing the pedagogical process, implying the need to use innovative methods of teaching in education [2, p. 8]. According to this principle, a priority objective of the system of education is the development and practical implementation of the most recent educational models and standards, corresponding to the present level of development of society and production. The fourth principle states that the system of formal assessment of the learners’ accomplishments must take into account both of the stages of formal education, and the results of their non-formal and informal education. These principles presuppose the achievement of the purpose of development and introduction of the modern systems of pedagogical diagnostics [4, p. 67]. The fifth principle contains the thesis about the need to create and develop the tutorship institution in the context of support of lifelong education [2, p. 9]. Within the frameworks of this principle, the European educational system is set the goal of ensuring full access for every citizen of Europe to the information about the educational possibilities within the frameworks of the European space, as well as consulting events in this dimension. The sixth principle postulates the need to ensure the maximum proximity of education to the place of residence of people. According to this principle, the management structures in the system of education are set the task of providing everybody with opportunity to receive educational services at the place of their residence, using all organizational and technological possibilities [2, p. 190].
We will note that the common idea for all these principles is the understanding of the need to achieve general access to the entire range of educational services in the European community by all available methods. To
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implement the principles and goals formulated at the Lisbon Summit (2000) and documented in the Memorandum of Lifelong Education of the European Union, a variety of programs are being implemented, each of them specializing in its particular sphere of the system of education. The European Union develops partner programs of creating networks of joint training of the required specialists, and programs dedicated to elaboration of common standards of the requirements to European educational systems [2, p. 10]. The programs of development of lifelong education oriented towards higher education are implemented in accordance with the Bologna process [1, p. 65]. Despite the multidimensional character of the Bologna process, the main task faced by the academic community is the integration of all higher educational institutions into the common educational space, with common educational standards ensuring the mutual recognition of the documents of the level of education with the high mobility of students and teachers within the created space, and with the participation of universities in the European program of implementation of lifelong education.
There are several models of development of the system of lifelong education in the world. The first model implemented in Germany, France, Norway, Spain and Greece is characterized by involvement of national universities in the process of development of the system of lifelong education, these universities becoming the principal centers in this system. The second model presupposes the development of the system of lifelong education through the creation of a network of educational centers which are actively supported by government structures (Japan, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Portugal, and Italy). The third model implemented in Great Britain as well as in other countries with Anglo-Saxon types of public-social relations, is characterized by the availability of institutions specializing in lifelong education, but government structures keep themselves separate from supporting them, placing all the responsibility on the commercial sector.
It should be noted that in most European countries, the processes of development of lifelong education started long before the adoption of the Europewide documents dedicated to development of lifelong education. In most southern European countries, the development of lifelong education entered its active stage only in the last decade of the last century, and coincides in time with the development of the Europe-wide legislation dedicated to lifelong education, though naturally the beginning of the implementation of lifelong education resulted from the internal social processes in these countries. It can be also noted that in northern European countries, both universities and a great number of commercial structures and public organizations are involved in development and implementation, while in southern countries, a major role in the development of lifelong education is played by universities and other educational institutions. At the same time, the example of Great Britain and Australia shows that comprehensive development of the system of lifelong education in society is possible only with the most active participation of the state in this process. The reason for the need for state participation is not only the high level of financial expenditures: in many northern European countries, business also actively participates in the funding of educational programs. It is only a centralized and competently designed state policy which takes account of all aspects of the development of society, which will allow the creation of a viable and optimally functioning system of lifelong education
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for this society. An example of the creation of this system of lifelong education is Japan.
The most significant areas of development of the system of lifelong education at the international level among the ones stated are: (a) an increase in the number of educational institutions implementing their activities in the context of lifelong professional education and ensuring its proximity to potential learners; (b) higher levels of financing and introduction of modern teaching technologies; (c) a shift in the priorities of distribution of investment flows towards human and educational resources; (d) raising the status of an individual personality in European society through the system of possibilities of lifelong education; (e) an increase in the state subsidies and private investments allocated for education (introduction of subsidies for organizations and enterprises providing their employees with the opportunity to receive education, cooperation with commercial structures and public funds in crediting or funding educational programs, etc.); (f) the provision of every citizen of Europe with full access to information about educational possibilities within the frameworks of European space, as well as to consulting events of this type.
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Translated from Russian by Znanije Central Translations Bureau
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