1996 designated as European Year for Life-Time Education and Training
On 7 September 1994 the European Commission proposed to designate 1996 as the European Year for Life-Time Education and Training. The Year would promote the quality and flexibility of European education and training systems in order to encourage life-long learning and cope with the present-day challenges posed by increased competitiveness and the employment market. The activities carried out during the Year will be organized in the framework of the Community's education and training programmes, SOCRATES and LEONARDO DA VINCI. The activities will focus on the following themes: - The importance of life-long education and training in order to react to social and technological changes; - Improved cooperation at all levels between education and training structures and enterprises, in particular SMEs; - The potential for an open European education and training area in the context of human mobility and vocational training; - Equality of access to education and training, in particular between men and women.