The Irish Approach to Lifelong Learning: 3 Lessons for the Netherlands 

A Dutch delegation from the ‘Samenhangende aanpak’ was invited by the LLO-katalysator [lifelong learning catalyser] to participate in a study trip to Cork in Ireland from 5 – 7 March 2025. Marsha Wagner took part on GroenvermogenNL and the Topsector Energie’s behalf. The objective was to learn from international good practices. The trip provided a unique opportunity to discover how Ireland has structured lifelong learning and how the Netherlands might implement elements of this approach. Ireland has a well over €1 billion a year National Training Fund (NTF) which facilitates large-scale investment in retraining and upskilling.

3 Effective Strategies from Ireland

• A structural, integral approach 
  Ireland approaches lifelong learning as an interplay between government bodies, the business community and educational institutions. Together, they provide a system which continuously mingles learning and working. The aforementioned organisations provide a clear-cut number of programmes for various groups of professionals on the labour market (e.g. the Springboard+ programme).
• Microcredentials as flexible learning’s building blocks  
  The organisations provide short, recognised courses that give workers an easy way to increase add to their skills and have also integrated Recognizing Prior Learning (RPL).

Learning City approach

In Cork, learning isn’t just facilitated in classrooms, but much more widely, at venues ranging from community centres to businesses. Learning is viewed as society’s communal responsibility. There is, for instance, an annual, community-organised Learning City festival. UNESCO has indicated Cork as a Learning City.

Marsha Wagner was very inspired by the experience: “It’s impressive how Ireland manages to connect learning and working, which keeps people developing and businesses agile. One of the principal success factors is the communal approach to learning from both the ecosystem and the community: everyone, young and old depends on it, now and in the future. To a great extent, this is enabled by the National Talent Fund and is safeguarded by a strong culture within the community”.

The partners in the ‘Samenhangede Aanpak’ programme will translate the lessons learned in Cork into the Dutch situation.

Participating Organisations:

LLO-Katalysator, NPuls, Katapult/Opschaling PPS, GroenvermogenNL, Topsector Energie, Vereniging Hogescholen, MBO Raad, Universiteiten Nederland, the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.