A European study has compared the learning atmosphere in various countries. The investigation did not just focus on schools, universities and initial vocational training; all learning-related activities, including adult education, played a role. The result: the frontrunners were the countries which continually perform well in educational matters: Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands and Finland.

By using an elaborate method, the German Bertelsmann Foundation attempted to determine a comprehensive image of lifelong learning in European countries. The researchers thus collected an extensive perspective, taking into account all the relevant activities, for example sport, culture, voluntary involvement as well as participation in courses within adult education centres. The top places in the ranking table they created were awarded to Denmark (75.7 points), Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, Great Britain, Austria and France. Featuring in the middle were Germany (47.8), Spain, Italy and Portugal, with Poland, Hungary, Greece, Bulgaria and Romania (17.3) at the bottom end of the table.

Learning makes you happy

In their conclusions, the researchers noted down numerous connections between a good learning atmosphere and well-being. Countries with a high value on the educational scale were characterised somewhat by the fact that corruption there is not so widespread, there is more confidence in the political institutions and the risk of becoming poor is lower. According to the researchers’ summary, “learning makes you healthy, satisfied and happy” and improves social solidarity. Detailed results of the European Lifelong Learning Indicators (ELLI) study can be viewed at www.elli.org.