After having dropped substantially in 2020, the rate of adult participation in education and training is back to pre-pandemic levels. In 2021, 28.0% of people aged 25-64 years and living in one of the five Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) participated in education and training during the weeks prior to answering the survey. [1] In the EU the corresponding number was 10.8%.

After a long period of increasing adult participation in education and training the participation rate sank in 2020, in the Nordics and in the EU. In the light of the pandemic, this is not surprising, but getting back on track in terms of participation is a priority to the Nordic co-operation as this is one of the indicators of Vision 2030. The 2021 rates show a full recovery, for the Nordic Region as well as for the EU.

The Nordic Region has had a higher participation rate than the EU during the whole period, with the difference varying between 13 and 18 percentage units.

The indicator shows the proportion in the age group 25-64 years that have participated in education and training during the four weeks prior to answering the survey, in percent. The participation rate in education and training covers participation in formal and non-formal education and training.

Source: Nordic Statistics Database, COMP13: Adult participation in education and training by reporting country and time 

The participation rates in the five Nordic countries for which data is available varies between 20 and 35% in 2021. This means that between 20 and 35% of people 25-64 years old participated in formal and non-formal education and training in the four weeks prior to answering the survey.

Finland and Sweden show similar patterns, with the participation rate increasing steadily more or less during the whole period. Denmark and Iceland share a different pattern, where the rate has declined almost every year since 2015. Norway has had the steadiest development of participation rate of the five.

Source: Nordic Statistics Database, COMP13: Adult participation in education and training by reporting country and time

Vision 2030

The vision is that the Nordic Region will become the most sustainable and integrated region in the world. To achieve this vision, three areas are prioritised within the Nordic co-operation: A green Nordic Region, A competitive Nordic Region and A socially sustainable Nordic region. For each area, indicators that will help measure if progress is made have been identified, all in all 45. Adult participation in education and training is a vision indicator under A competitive Nordic Region, relating to the target Quality education. For more information on Vision 2030 and the indicators, please see this article. More on the development of the indicators can be found here.

Labour Force Survey

Data on adult participation in education and training is collected from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) which is an inquiry directed to households, designed to obtain information on the labour market and related issues through a series of personal interviews. LFS adopted a new methodology from 2021 onwards, leading to a break in time series for all countries in 2021. However, the assessment is that participation rates are marginally affected by these changes, so comparisons over time can be done. For more information regarding the new methodology and its implications, see this article.

[1] During the last four weeks prior to answering the survey