Restricted accessResearch articleFirst published online 2023-5
Tracing the historical construction of a vocational training,adult education and lifelong learning policy space in the European Union from 1951 to present
The purpose of this study is to trace and document the emerging contours of a Vocational Training, Adult Education and Lifelong Learning (VTAELL) space in the EU via an examination of the policy framework built over time in this area over more than six decades, from the inception of today’s European Union to the present day. Nineteen key primary sources were selected from the EU’s legislative record forming the growing overarching legal framework on VTAELL from 1951 to present. These were subjected to a discourse and content analysis, utilizing a process tracing approach to systematically record the gradual construction of VTAELL policy. The narrative shows that policy evolution in this field can be grouped into three distinct stages: policy groundwork; programmaticoperationalization;consolidation, integration and expansion. Furthermore, the analysis reveals that the convergence and cross-referencing of EU’s VTAELL policy across education sectors validates the importance and consolidation of this policy space.
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