People’s skills are critical to a country’s recovery and resilience in the face of a crisis. As the greatest global crisis of the 21st century, the coronavirus pandemic has severely tested countries’ capacity to develop and use people’s skills effectively. In this context, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia will be hosting the Skills Summit 2020: Skills strategies for a world in recovery as an interactive virtual meeting on 9 October. The summit will be chaired by the Minister of Education, Science and Sports of the Republic of Slovenia.
The Skills Summit 2020 will provide ministers with a unique opportunity at a critical time. Ministers will discuss how countries can develop people’s skills through lifelong learning and use people’s skills effectively to boost recovery today, build resilience for tomorrow and ensure sustainability, health and well-being for all.
Drawing on a wide range of perspectives, the Skills Summit aims to foster open discussion on how countries are designing and implementing skills and learning policies following the crisis, providing opportunities for participants to share good practices of skills development and use to map the road ahead. During the meeting, ministers will be presented with key insights from the OECD’s work on policy responses to the coronavirus pandemic and given a preview of the Skills Outlook 2021 on lifelong learning.
The Skills Summit 2020 provides ministers with a unique opportunity at a critical time. It will convene ministers and senior officials from international organisations responsible for skills-relevant portfolios including education (all levels and forms of learning), employment, business, technology and innovation, and others. Participants will discuss how countries can develop people’s skills through lifelong learning and use people’s skills effectively to boost recovery today and build resilience for tomorrow. Participants will discuss countries’ lifelong learning and skills use policy responses to the current crisis, as well as their visions for how skills development and use should change in the future. Discussions will also cover the progress made since the skills summits hosted by Norway in 2016 and Portugal in 2018, and the role of skills in positively influencing megatrends like digitalisation, globalisation, as well as climate and demographic change, and in ensuring sustainability, health and well-being for all.
Together, we will have an unprecedented opportunity to help countries design and implement better skills policies for today’s recovery, resilience tomorrow and better lives for all.
This unique international meeting will bring together ministers, and senior officials of international organisations, with responsibilities over skills-relevant portfolios including education (all levels and forms of learning), employment, business, technology and innovation, and others with a stake in developing and using people’s skills. OECD Member countries, the European Union, the Council of Europe, UNESCO, OECD accession and key partner countries, and other countries that have engaged in the OECD’s skills work were also invited.
Participation is by invitation only, as the Skills Summit 2020 will be conducted in a videoconference format not open to the press in order to foster free and frank exchanges. Each minister or senior official of international organisations may be accompanied by up to three advisors as observers.
Skills Summit 2020 will be a virtual event. Senior officials from Slovenia and the OECD will set the scene for small-group and plenary discussions between participants. Chatham House rules will apply, and highlights will be captured in a Joint Summary and, for selected open sessions, in video recordings which will be shared with participants.
The working language will be English, with interpretation from French to English available during the closing plenary.
The event will be professionally moderated by Mr. Igor E. Bergant.
This section provides invitees to the virtual Skills Summit 2020: Skills strategies for a world in recovery with guidance on how to register for the event. The Government of the Republic of Slovenia will be hosting the Skills Summit 2020 as an interactive virtual meeting on 9 October 2020, chaired by the Minister of Education, Science and Sports of the Republic of Slovenia. More details on the summit are available in the invitation letters and draft agenda previously circulated to invitees.
Who can register?
As per the invitation letter, invitations were extended to ministers, and senior officials of international organisations, with responsibilities over skills-relevant portfolios including education (all levels and forms of learning), employment, business, technology and innovation, and others with a stake in developing and using people’s skills. OECD Member countries, the European Union, the Council of Europe, UNESCO, OECD accession and key partner countries, and other countries that have engaged in the OECD’s skills work were also invited.
Participation is by invitation only, as the Skills Summit 2020 will be conducted in a videoconference format not open to the press in order to foster free and frank exchanges. Countries and international organisations are strongly encouraged to register ministers (or their equivalent for international organisations) who have contributed to advancing the skills agenda. Each minister (or their equivalent for international organisations) may be accompanied by up to three advisors as observers.
How to register?
Invitees should register by clicking the following link (https://cankarjevdom.eventsair.com/2020-skills-summit/registration/Site/Register) and providing and submitting the information requested in the form.
A separate registration form should be completed for each invitee (minister or their equivalent for international organisations) with information about any advisors who will attend as silent observers.
What information is required for registration?
For smoother registration, please have the following information at hand:
Is registration necessary if you have already confirmed attendance to the OECD?
Yes. The registration form asks for detailed information about participants, which is needed to allow participants to join the virtual meeting.
Can you start the registration, stop, and come back later to complete the registration?
No, please complete the registration in one go. All of the required information is listed above.
Can someone register a minister on their behalf?
Yes, an advisor/assistant can register a minister and up to three advisors on their behalf via the link above.
What will happen when the registration is complete?
The person whom you list as contact person in the form will receive a confirmation e-mail, and your registration details will be shared with the summit organisers from the OECD and Slovenian government.
Can I make changes to the registration after completing the registration process?
Yes, but not using the online form. If you must alter your registration, please notify the Registration Office (registration cd-cc si) of any changes with the OECD on copy (SkillsSummit2020 oecd org).
What are the next steps after registration?
The OECD will shortly provide you with additional information, such as the online platform connection details, a link to the event website, the background paper and final agenda.
How will the information I provide during registration be used and protected?
The information you provide during registration will be used and protected according to the terms and conditions available in the registration form. Both the Government of Slovenia and the OECD will follow their usual best practices in using and protecting your data.
Who should I contact if I am having any problems registering?
You can contact the specialised Registration Office at registration cd-cc si for any technical issues during registration or the OECD at SkillsSummit2020 oecd org for any other issues.
Skills Summit 2020 will be a virtual event. Senior officials from Slovenia and the OECD will set the scene for small-group and plenary discussions between participants. Chatham House rules will apply.
Skills Summit 2020 will be organised as an interactive virtual meeting, using Zoom as a platform.
In order to receive the Zoom link to the Summit, each participant (or their assistant) should click the link, provided by organisers via email. Participants’ details to Zoom ar kindly requested to be provided by Thursday 8 October. You will then receive the Zoom link to enter the Summit, on your screen and by email.
Please find below a technical guide attached with details about how to connect to the Skills Summit 2020.
Technical Information – Practical Guide
To summarise some of the main points in the technical guide:
Test your connection
The event organisers strongly recommend that participants (or their assistants) test participants’ Zoom connection with the Summit technical team on Wednesday, October 7 during one of the following timeslots: 7:00-10:00 and 22:00-24:00 (CEST [UTC +2]). Please use the same equipment for the test and for the Summit;
Update Zoom
We recommend that you install the latest versions of the Zoom Desktop Client or Zoom Mobile App before the Summit;
Arrive early
On the day of the Summit, please connect your device from 07:00 and before 08:00 (CEST [UTC +2]) for identification, testing and instructions;
Rename yourself
To enable the host to accurately identify speakers, please follow the naming conventions in the technical guide when you connect to the Summit;
Stay muted
Active speakers please unmute yourself only when speaking, then mute yourself;
Avoid video conference systems
The event organisers strongly recommend that participants do not use video conference systems for the Summit (e.g. Polycom, Cisco, etc.), as the event organisers cannot provide technical support for such systems.
Slovenia is a fairly small EU member state in Central Europe, positioned at the cross roads between the Mediterranean and the Alps to the west, the Pannonian Plain to the east, and the Western Balkans to the south.
1991: Gained independence
2004: Member of the EU
2007: Member of the Eurozone
2010: Member of the OECD
Political system: parliamentary democracy
Population: 2.1 million
Capital: Ljubljana (295,000 inhabitants)
Language: Slovenian
Population:
Education:
In the Republic of Slovenia, the education system is organised mainly as a public service rendered by public and private institutions and private providers holding a concession who implement officially recognised or accredited programmes. Higher education is organised at public and private universities and independent higher education institutions.
Research population:
Economic data:
Welfare and Equality:
Gender Equality:
It is my great honour and also responsibility to welcome you to the Skills Summit 2020!
This initiative was developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; the first two editions were implemented by Norway in Bergen and Portugal in Porto, while the third is taking place in Slovenia. This will be the first time – and hopefully also the last – that the event is being held on-line as an adaptation to the very different circumstances of Covid-19.
The year 2020 has taught us many lessons about life and systems’ boundaries as well as dedication and responsiveness. And, especially, it has reminded us of the invaluable role of knowledge in the world of the unknown and uncertainties. We are all still facing and tackling challenges due to the new circumstances and conditions, in order to ensure stable education processes and a path to successful rapid recovery. What and how can knowledge and related skills assist in these processes? Why and how should these processes be a worldwide global challenge, and for whom? All of the above-stated and more will and need to be addressed at our 3rd Skills Summit 2020.
High-quality education for all remains of key importance. It needs to be underlined with a stronger voice, and supported even more decisively by all means available in the face of the current circumstances caused by the pandemic. Comprehensive development of knowledge, skills, values and attitudes from early childhood to silver age forms the basis for the successful performance of individuals in all areas of life: in work performance, care for one’s health, the environment and culture, as well as responses to and participation in democratic processes.
Knowledge and the joy of learning throughout the course of life in all environments and by various means are important factors supporting resilience. The ability and willingness to use one’s own skills to contribute to one’s community are preconditions for sustainable societies. For societies that are in good shape in terms of knowledge, health and attitudes!
All of this shows how education and skills are truly interlaced with one another and confirms the need for cooperation at all levels – for people and the planet!
I am very much looking forward to this year’s Skills Summit meeting, which I believe will – together with countries’ practices and experience reports – also activate our common commitment to globally join forces in searching for the best possible responses and a post-Covid-19 vision for education and skills.
I deeply appreciate you joining us!
Sincerely,
The Skills Summit 2020 builds on a series of activities by Slovenia at the national and international levels: from EU projects to support the reform of vocational education and training (VET), participation in the OECD PIAAC international Survey of Adult Skills (2012–2016) to the drawing up of the Strategy for the Development and Use of Skills (2015–2018) and the Resolution on the National Programme of Adult Education in the Republic of Slovenia (2021–2030).
The OECD Skills Strategy Diagnostic Report (OECD, 2017) and the Skills Strategy Implementation Guidance for Slovenia – Improving the Governance of Adult Learning (OECD, 2018) have been recognised as important bases in developing and implementing national development policies in the area of skills. Through the integration of processes, a community has been established that enables a comprehensive and coordinated approach by involving all competent sectors and stakeholders. This is also achieved through initiatives such as Lifelong Learning Week (LLW), by which Slovenia implements the recommendation of the UNESCO 5th International Conference on Adult Education. LLW 2020 has brought to the forefront topics such as the digital transformation of society, interculturalism and learning as living. Through its involvement in international and European processes in the area of skills, Slovenia is encouraged to systematically and comprehensively address the issues of development and use of skills in consultation with countries from all over the world.
Slovenia's commitment to education is confirmed by Slovenia’s Development Strategy 2030 (2017). The main goal of Slovenia’s Development Strategy 2030 is a high quality of life for all, which is reflected in opportunities for employment, education and creativity, decent, safe and active life in a healthy and clean environment and opportunities for participation in democratic processes. The strategic guidelines set out in Slovenia’s Development Strategy 2030 also include learning for and throughout life and a high level of cooperation. The models and recommendations (2020) that have been drawn up to support the implementation of the principles of education and schooling in the Republic of Slovenia in circumstances related to COVID-19 also follow these objectives.
The circumstances of the COVID-19 crisis have seriously tested the flexibility and quality of education and skills systems as well as people's adaptability, attitudes and skills, especially regarding distance learning and working. In addition to measures to ensure a rapid recovery, Slovenia emphasises the importance of a comprehensive approach to learning for the acquisition of knowledge and the development of skills, values and attitudes for and throughout life, including digital skills and competences. Long-lasting resilience, readiness and the ability to help shape the future in the face of trends such as globalisation, digitalisation, and demographic and climate change are also important.
The Skills Summit 2020 attempts to jointly consider all these concerns to enable a better understanding and consideration of effects of environments and circumstances on systems of learning and work, creativity and innovation, health and the environment, society and the planet.
Contact the OECD: SkillsSummit2020 oecd org
Contact the Slovenian Team at the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports:
For any technical issues during registration, please contact the specialised Registration Office at: registration cd-cc si
