Sub-Saharan Africa leads enrolments in professional courses
In what could position the region as the next digital skills learning hub, Coursera says that demand for professional courses has been growing rapidly, at an average of 80% in the past few years. Some 4.9 million Africans with a median age of 34 years were enrolled in Coursera courses between 2019 and 2023. A total of 35% of this group were women, with access to the internet standing at 36%, while 60% of the learners were using mobile phones to study.
Source: University World News

Start Lifelong Learning Now! Tips for Students & Inspiring Examples
While for some people, lifelong learning is a buzzword from yet another New York Times bestseller, for others, it is a lifestyle. Learning throughout life means continuously seeking knowledge and expanding your horizons, regardless of your age or life circumstances. This mindset encourages you to never stop growing and discovering new things, whether that means learning to code or cook brownies.
Source: An article shared by Julia Reed, writer and blogger at Custom-Writing

International Labour Conference adopts new apprenticeship standard
The new labour standard aims to support “opportunities for people of all ages to skill, reskill and upskill continuously” in rapidly changing labour markets. It provides a clear definition of apprenticeships, specifies aspirational standards for quality apprenticeships, including rights and protection for apprentices.
En français. La Conférence internationale du Travail adopte une nouvelle norme sur l’apprentissage
Source: ILO – International Labour Organization

Youth skills: tackling challenges and seizing opportunities for a brighter future of work
This analysis of global labour market and occupational trends highlights strategies to strengthen skills development and boost the competitiveness, agility, and resilience of youth.
En français. Compétences des jeunes : relever les défis et saisir les opportunités pour un avenir professionnel plus prometteur
Source: ILO – International Labour Organization

Could Vocational Education Benefit From Augmented Reality and Hypervideo Technologies? An Exploratory Interview Study
This study investigates the perspective of vocational educators on the possibility of adopting augmented reality (AR) and hypervideo (HV) technologies to support their teaching practice. Vocational education and training (VET) is particularly concerned with the learning of resources (knowledge, skills and attitudes) that are immediately transposable into conduct and procedures in the workplace. AR and HV can provide means to answer this requirement, but both technological solutions are still not so diffused in VET.
Source: IJEVET – International Journal for Research in Vocational Education and Training

Canada/Québec. The Geography of Higher Education in Québec, Canada
Québec is mobilised to become an innovation and entrepreneurial leader in North America, giving higher education institutions (HEIs) a central role in this drive.
En français. Canada/Québec. La géographie de l’enseignement supérieur au Québec, Canada
Source: OECD- Organisation for EconomicCo-operation and Development

UK. Raising the Standard: Sectoral approaches to raising apprenticeship achievement rates
This report attempts to explore the underlying detail behind headline achievement rates across a range of sectors and levels, based on our assertion that only by understanding this finer level of detail can we begin to address what interventions might be required to improve the achievement rates and perceived standards of apprenticeships.
Source: AELP – Association of Employment and Learning Providers

Brazil, India, Jamaica, Kenya and Tunisia. Enhancing TVET through digital transformation in developing countries
To understand how digital transformation in TVET is occurring, the report analyses it at four levels: technical and technological development; curriculum and qualifications; teaching and learning using technology; and its contribution to the sustainability and resilience of societies.
Source: UNESCO

Austria, Croatia, Finland, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden. Entrepreneurship competence in vocational education and training
These reports describe how entrepreneurship competence is embedded in vocational education and training (VET). It complements existing knowledge with examples of methods, tools and approaches that can help policy-makers, VET providers and other stakeholders build better entrepreneurial learning ecosystems.
Austria; Croatia; Finland; France; Italy; Latvia; Spain; Sweden
Source: CEDEFOP

Africa. Youth Employment and Skills (YES) Perspectives: A series on Youth Employment and Skills policies
The policy briefs identified what needs to be done to enhance secondary and technical and vocational education and help Africa’s young people step up their skills for today’s and tomorrow’s jobs.
Source: ACET – African Center for Economic Transformation

Africa. Building pathways to sustainable growth
Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) has the potential to support full and productive employment, enhance productivity and structural transformation, and accelerate sustainable development by equipping youth and adult workers with the skills needed in fast-changing labour markets. Nevertheless, many African countries’ TVET systems struggle to meet labour market demands and the aspirations of people due to a lack of effective linkages between TVET systems, institutions and social partners.
Source: ILO –  International Labour Organization

Europe. The future of vocational education and training in Europe
The report examined how vocational education and training (VET) has changed since the mid-1990s, and how this may influence future opportunities and challenges.
Source: CEDEFOP

Shaping Digital Education: Enabling Factors for Quality, Equity and Efficiency
This report seeks to guide governments in shaping digital education. Offering a range of perspectives for governments and education stakeholders, it analyses enabling factors that can support quality, equity and efficiency in the use of digital technologies in education systems. It provides a comprehensive review of current trends and emerging policies, covering school education, vocational education and training (VET) and higher education, highlighting pathways to support a cohesive and holistic policy framework for digital education.
Source: OECD –  Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development

International trends of lifelong learning in higher education
This report presents six case studies of universities in different regions of the world and offers insights into the practical implementation of lifelong learning in the higher education context. It examines regulations and strategic frameworks that support universities’ commitment to lifelong learning, describes how they are responding to new learning demands, and provides examples of specific programmes and initiatives that promote lifelong learning. The report also discusses the challenges these institutions face and how they are addressing them.
En français. Les établissements d’enseignement supérieur doivent évoluer pour devenir des porte-flambeaux de l’apprentissage tout au long de la vie
Source: UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning

Building Better Formal TVET Systems: Principles and Practice in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
The report brings together global knowledge on Technical Vocational and Education Training (TVET) reform to develop a common understanding on the promise of TVET in advancing employment and productivity. The report also looks at lessons learned from TVET reforms, including from the COVID-19 pandemic, and offers a way forward toward more impactful and coordinated support of TVET systems in the future.
Source: World Bank, ILO, UNESCO