HR capacity building firmly embedded in Europe’s current growth strategy

High-level strategy

Europe 2020 is a high-level strategy (owned by the European Council). It was launched in March 2010 and is partly based on insights gained at the onset of the current financial crisis and the recognition that continuing with the pre-crisis scenario is not an option for future European growth and cohesion.

HR development as a cross-cutting theme

The strategy has three main thrusts:

• smart growth (which requires developing an economy based on knowledge and innovation);
• sustainable growth (which requires promoting efficient use of resources while retaining competitiveness of the economy); and
• inclusive growth (which focuses on fostering employment and reducing poverty).

All three thrusts imply the need for capacity building. Smart innovation and sustainable growth both require development of R&D capacities, in addition to investments in the actual implementation of R&D and its outcomes. Inclusive growth requires increasing the employability of citizens, the foundation of which is increased school retention and persistence.

Specific targets

Five priority targets have been selected for achievement in 2020:

1. 75% of the population aged 20-64 should be employed;
2. 3% of the EU's GDP should be invested in R&D;
3. The share of early school leavers should be below 10% and at least 40% of the younger generation should have a tertiary degree;
4. 20 million less people should be at risk of poverty; and
5. The "20/20/20" climate/energy targets should be met (including an increase to 30% of emissions reductions if the conditions are right).  

Progress in achieving goals will be monitored at the national level through indicators (to be) developed by the European Commission. However, in working towards these targets individual member states have and will have room to select activities that match their local needs and context.

Implications for the education sector

Europe's determination to develop as a knowledge-based economy is apparent in that four of the five priority targets have their foundations in HR development. HR capacity building will also increase the employment potential of the population Europe-wide, thereby achieving geographically balanced socio-economic growth and social cohesion.

The third target of the strategy explicitly expresses the EU's ambition and priority setting for the HE sector in particular. For this particular target, quality, relevance and affordable access to education will be key factors to ensuring that students are motivated and retain interest to continue their education up to the tertiary level and/or beyond.

It is envisaged then that member states will prioritise investments that increase school persistence and progression to HE in order to achieve their national targets on this issue.

Implementation of the strategy

The EU has already set up seven flagship initiatives to kick-start and guide the implementation of the strategy.

Under smart growth the following initiatives have been started:

• Innovation Union (aimed at improving access to R&D funds and boosting investment EU-wide);
• Youth on the move (partly aimed at enhancing education systems and increasing the international competitiveness of Europe’s higher education); and
• Digital society (partly aimed at increasing internet connectivity and speed within Europe).

Under sustainable growth the following initiatives have been started:

• Resource efficiency (partly aimed at decoupling economic growth from the use of resources, modernisation of the transport sector and promotion of energy efficiency); and
• Industrial competitiveness (partly aimed at improving the business environment, particularly for SMEs and to develop a strong and sustainable  industrial base that is globally competitive).

Under inclusive growth the following initiatives have been started:

• Employment and skills (aimed at supporting labour mobility and lifelong learning); and
• Fighting poverty (aimed at fostering social and territorial cohesion and reducing poverty through a wide sharing of jobs and growth).

Internationalisation and mobility

Again, four of these flagship initiatives (Innovation Union; Youth on the move; Employment and skills; Fighting poverty) are of direct relevance to HR capacity building.

The focus of Innovation Union and establishment of the ERA implies investment in HE to provide human resources for research and innovation. The focus of Youth on the move implies investments in the quality and internationalisation of Europe’s HE.

And so the separate EHEA actions that enhance internationalisation, mobility, educational award transparency and recognition will also automatically serve the Europe 2020 objectives in this regard.

Life Long Learning, labour mobility and gender

The initiatives Youth on the move, Employment and skills and Fighting poverty also underscore the importance of Life Long Learning and having all hands on deck if European productivity and geographically balanced social welfare is to be achieved.

Achieving headline Targets 1 and 4 calls for enhanced inclusivity. It calls for the creation opportunities and an environment that allows maximal labour market participation of all able and willing individuals in most phases of life. Again, unification of the educational award structure Europe-wide through EHEA actions will also complement this objective of the strategy and facilitate labour mobility throughout Europe.

Achieving Target 1 also calls for greater participation of women in the labour market than is currently the case. Concerted gender targeted actions will be needed at the national level if this target is to be met.

The role of the HE sector in the Europe 2020 strategy has recently been outlined in depth by the European Commission.