- 2022Implementation
- 2023Implementation
- 2024Completed
Background
The 2021-24 agenda for lifelong learning (the Equal start initiative) continues the implementation of objectives set out in previous strategic documents: the National education strategy for 2013-22, the Lithuanian progress strategy 'Lietuva 2030', which sets out a vision for a smart Lithuania, and the national lifelong learning action plan 2017-20.
Objectives
The aim of the initiative is to develop a lifelong learning support system providing equal training opportunities for all individuals and enabling synergies between all key components of the system:
- comprehensive career guidance system for all;
- integrated management of the lifelong learning system with clear division of responsibilities and functions between key players;
- a coherent support system for both learners facing challenges and difficulties and adults seeking to upskill and/or have their non-formal learning recognised, in line with needs in the labour market.
Description
Under the Equal start initiative, the following developments are foreseen:
- development of a network of regional career centres that would ensure provision of career guidance services starting from early years pupils and accessible to all age groups;
- creation of a centralised system for the recognition of formal, non-formal and informal learning, facilitating transition from one level of education to another;
- creation of a model for a joint lifelong learning system, including the principles of governance, setting priority groups and programmes, embedding elements of a quality assurance and funding system and the legal regulation of the model in the Law on non-formal adult education and continuing education;
- provide support for the development of professional and general competences related to priority sectors of the economy, enabling higher education institutions to offer more programmes and training modules for adult education;
- new measures and increased support for the inclusion of formal and non-formal learning in groups with lower levels of learning (third-age universities and seniors, the low-skilled, low-income earners);
- review and upgrade government commission to coordinate national monitoring of human resources and start implementing the National skills strategy.
In 2022, a reform of the vocational guidance system was initiated, aiming to ensure equal opportunities for all residents of Lithuania to receive vocational guidance services. To promote this reform and to collect feedback from the society, a public consultation-discussion was organised online on 26 January 2022.
Since September 2022, vocational information, counselling and career development support for students has been available in all VET institutions, primarily by establishing career guidance specialist positions in education institutions (secondary education schools, gymnasiums and vocational training institutions). Career development specialists have assumed the responsibility to help students to decide on further education, study choice and career plan. Since the school year 2022/23, the vocational guidance programme is introduced in schools from the first grade. Vocational guidance is provided by a career specialist at the school, and additional classes are organised by the class teacher for primary school pupils.
An order for vocational guidance and counselling was issued by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania. This legal act describes the planning and coordination, organisation and administration of vocational guidance, the distribution of guidance specialists in general education, vocational training and other educational institutions.
The project ,Learn all your lifetime!, was launched in 2023 to promote lifelong learning for adults by creating a unified lifelong learning information system and expanding learning opportunities. It targets individuals between the ages of 18 and 65 who are participating in lifelong learning. The project is implemented by the European Social Fund Agency in cooperation with the Qualifications and Vocational Education and Training Development Centre, the Association of Lithuanian Higher Education Institutions for Centralised Admissions, and the National Education Agency.
According to the project plan, a dedicated lifelong learning information system (individual learning accounts system kursuok), based on individual learning accounts, will be developed and operated to support all lifelong learning and individual learning accounts-related activities.
The project expects to enable over 25 000 adults (aged 18-65, including older workers and employees (55 - 64 years old) and low-skilled/qualified persons) to complete quality-assured non-formal education training, with at least 40% of participants improving their digital competences through kursuok. It is foreseen that at least 40% of participants will improve digital competences).
The project runs from 11 May 2023 to 30 April 2026, with a total funding of EUR 18 432 699.37. It is funded by the Recovery and Resilience Facility plan ,Next Generation Lithuania, with additional support from the budget of the Republic of Lithuania.
In 2024, the project ,Learn for a lifetime!, is ongoing, driving significant reforms in the adult education system. A key initiative is the development of a one-stop platform, kursuok, based on the Individual Learning Accounts Model (ILA model).
The ILA model became operational in 2024, allowing individuals who meet the State's funding priorities to access state-funded training opportunities. Individuals who agree to fund their education independetly can also benefit from training courses offered by various training providers included in the Lifelong Learning information system.
The kursuok platform, providing access to individual learning accounts, has been developed and is now fully operational.
Bodies responsible
- Ministry of Education, Science and Sport
Target groups
Learners
- Learners in upper secondary, including apprentices
- Young people (15-29 years old)
- Young people not in employment, education or training (NEETs)
- Learners at risk of early leaving or/and early leavers
- Older workers and employees (55 - 64 years old)
- Low-skilled/qualified persons
Thematic categories
Governance of VET and lifelong learning
This thematic category looks at existing legal frameworks providing for strategic, operational – including quality assurance – and financing arrangements for VET and lifelong learning (LLL). It examines how VET and LLL-related policies are placed in broad national socioeconomic contexts and coordinate with other strategies and policies, such as economic, social and employment, growth and innovation, recovery and resilience.
This thematic category covers partnerships and collaboration networks of VET stakeholders – especially the social partners – to shape and implement VET in a country, including looking at how their roles and responsibilities for VET at national, regional and local levels are shared and distributed, ensuring an appropriate degree of autonomy for VET providers to adapt their offer.
The thematic category also includes efforts to create national, regional and sectoral skills intelligence systems (skills anticipation and graduate tracking) and using skills intelligence for making decisions about VET and LLL on quality, inclusiveness and flexibility.
This thematic sub-category refers to the integration of VET into economic, industrial, innovation, social and employment strategies, including those linked to recovery, green and digital transitions, and where VET is seen as a driver for innovation and growth. It includes national, regional, sectoral strategic documents or initiatives that make VET an integral part of broader policies, or applying a mix of policies to address an issue VET is part of, e.g. in addressing youth unemployment measures through VET, social and active labour market policies that are implemented in combination. National skill strategies aiming at quality and inclusive lifelong learning also fall into this sub-category.
Supporting lifelong learning culture and increasing participation
Lifelong learning refers to all learning (formal, non-formal or informal) taking place at all stages in life and resulting in an improvement or update in knowledge, skills, competences and attitudes or in participation in society from a personal, civic, cultural, social or employment-related perspective (Erasmus+, Glossary of terms, https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/programme-guide/part-d/glossary-common-terms). A systemic approach to CVET is crucial to ensure adaptability to evolving demands.
This broad thematic category looks at ways of creating opportunities and ensuring access to re-skilling and upskilling pathways, allowing individuals to progress smoothly in their learning throughout their lives with better permeability between general and vocational education and training, and better integration and compatibility between initial and continuing VET and with higher education. Individuals should be supported in acquiring and updating their skills and competences and navigating easily through education and training systems. Strategies and campaigns that promote VET and LLL as an attractive and high-quality pathway, providing quality lifelong guidance and tailored support to design learning and career paths, and various incentives (financial and non-financial) to attract and support participation in VET and LLL fall into this thematic category as well.
This thematic category also includes many initiatives on making VET inclusive and ensuring equal education and training opportunities for various groups of learners, regardless of their personal and economic background and place of residence – especially those at risk of disadvantage or exclusion, such as persons with disabilities, the low-skilled and low-qualified, minorities, migrants, refugees and others.
This thematic sub-category refers to ensuring smooth transitions (permeability) of learners within the entire education and training system, horizontally and vertically. It includes measures and policies allowing learners easily or by meeting certain conditions to move from general education programmes to VET and vice versa; to increase qualification levels in their vocation through the possibility of attending vocational programmes at higher levels, including professional degrees in higher education. It also covers opening up learning progression by introducing flexible pathways that are based on the validation and recognition of the outcomes of non-formal and informal learning.
This thematic sub-category refers to providing the possibility for individuals who are already in the labour market/in employment to reskill and/or acquire higher levels of skills, and to ensuring targeted information resources on the benefits of CVET and lifelong learning. It also covers the availability of CVET programmes adaptable to labour market, sectoral or individual up- and reskilling needs. The sub-category includes working with respective stakeholders to develop digital learning solutions supporting access to CVET opportunities and awarding CVET credentials and certificates.
This thematic sub-category refers to providing high-quality lifelong learning and career guidance services, including making full use of Europass and other digital services and resources.
This thematic sub-category refers to making VET pathways and programmes inclusive and accessible for all. It concerns measures and targeted actions to increase access and participation in VET and lifelong learning for learners from all vulnerable groups, and to support their school/training-to-work transitions. It includes measures to prevent early leaving from education and training. The thematic sub-category covers measures promoting gender balance in traditionally ‘male’ and ‘female’ professions and addressing gender-related and other stereotypes. The vulnerable groups are, but not limited to: persons with disabilities; the low-qualified/-skilled; minorities; persons of migrant background, including refugees; people with fewer opportunities due to their geographical location and/or their socioeconomically disadvantaged circumstances.
Subsystem
Further reading
Country
Type of development
Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). The Equal start initiative: development of the lifelong learning support system: Lithuania. In Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Timeline of VET policies in Europe (2024 update) [Online tool].
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/timeline-vet-policies-europe/search/42002