13.02.2023

BULGARIA IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE EU IN THE PARTICIPATION OF ADULTS IN LIFELONG LEARNING

The European Commission has declared 2023 the Year of Skills. Having a workforce with the skills that are in demand contributes to sustainable growth, leads to more innovation and improves the competitiveness of companies.

In 2021, the participation rate of adults in lifelong learning was 11% in the EU. This is an increase compared to 2020 (9%) and is the same share reported in 2019, data from the European statistical office Eurostat show.

Participation rates in almost all EU countries increased steadily between 2011 and 2021, with the exception of Denmark (-10%) and the Czech Republic (-6%). The biggest increase was registered in the Netherlands (+10%), Sweden (+9%) and Finland (+7%).

In 2021, the highest participation rates of adults in education were recorded in Sweden (35%), Finland (31%) and the Netherlands (27%). At the other end of the scale, the lowest share of adult participation in learning was reported in Bulgaria (2%), Greece (4%) and Slovakia, Romania, Croatia and Poland (all 5%).