2025

National project Monitoring and Evaluation of the Level of Adult Key Competences 

In February 2025, the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Youth of the Slovak Republic introduced the national project Monitoring and Evaluation of the Level of Adult Key Competences (Monitorovanie a hodnotenie úrovne kľúčových kompetencií dospelých), which focuses on the analysis of both cognitive and non-cognitive competences of the adult population, including teachers. The main objective of the project is to analyse representative data collected in both cycles of the PIAAC (International Assessment of Adult Competencies) survey which examines the competences of adults aged 16 to 65. The analysis of the Slovak data will provide insights not only into the level of literacy, numeracy and problem-solving skills in a technically advanced environment, but also into other key skills such as socio-emotional skills, health and occupation. 

The results of the analyses will serve as a basis for follow-up domestic research and consequently for the development of Slovak education policies and strategies, while the project will contribute to the development of educational programmes aimed at improving key competences and skills of adults and teachers. The outputs of the project will include expert national reports and studies that will provide recommendations for improving lifelong learning and the development of competences needed for successful labour market participation. 

The project is in line with the Slovakia 2021-2027 Programme priority area "Skills for better adaptability and inclusion". The mediating body is the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic and the project promoter is the Centre for Scientific and Technical Information of the Slovak Republic. 
The project is co-financed by European Union funds in the amount of EUR 4 248 991,31. 

Action Plan for the Strategy of Lifelong Learning and Guidance for 2025-2027 

The Government of the Slovak Republic has approved the Action Plan for the Strategy of Lifelong Learning and Guidance for 2025-2027 (Akčný plán k Stratégii celoživotného vzdelávania a poradenstva na roky 2025 až 2027). It aims to find appropriate solutions for the development of the skills of the population and strengthening their competences necessary to remain in the labour market. 

The Action Plan focuses on thirteen thematic areas and contains concrete actions that will contribute to the objectives of Strategy of the Lifelong Learning and Guidance for 2021-2030 (Stratégia celoživotného vzdelávania a poradenstva na roky 2021-2030). Each measure contains a detailed set of activities, expected output indicators and information on financial provision. 

The Ministry of Education prepared the document in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family of the Slovak Republic, as well as with other interested ministries and institutions. The material also includes an evaluation of the measures implemented in the previous period 2022-2024.

Adult Education Act

In January 2025, the new Act No. 292/2024 Coll. on Adult Education (Zákon č. 292/2024 Z. z. o vzdelávaní dospelých) came into effect. The primary objective of this legislation is to establish an effective adult education system with an emphasis on supporting non-formal education and an individualized approach to learning. The new act regulates the Slovak Qualifications Framework, the National Qualifications System, certification of educational institutions, accreditation of educational programmes, a system for verifying learning outcomes—including master-level examinations—and the introduction of individual learning accounts.

Organizations will be able to provide educational programmes that award micro-certificates (formal recognition of learning outcomes acquired through at least 25 hours of education). These certificates are designed for individuals who need to supplement their knowledge, skills, and competencies but do not require a full secondary or higher education qualification.

The law introduces an individual learning account as a personalized support tool for adult education. This account is intended to increase motivation for participation in lifelong learning and can only be used in certified educational institutions. Funds from this account can be used for basic skills training, key competencies, personal development courses, or career counseling services for adults.

Additionally, the new legislation clarifies the typology of recognized qualifications in Slovakia and introduces new systemic elements for recognizing qualifications based on knowledge, skills, and competencies acquired through practical experience. It also replaces the outdated partial and full qualification system with a new concept of professional qualification.

Another key change is the establishment of training centres at vocational secondary schools. The Ministry aims to create 10 to 12 such centers, focusing on trade skills development. These centres will support individuals who lack lower secondary education whether due to health, family, or other reasons, or those who have been out of the education system for an extended period.

2024

National Project for the Creation of an Electronic Platform for Individual Learning Accounts

The Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic will create a platform for individual learning accounts, providing citizens with access to a wide range of educational programs and initiatives. The tool for creating this platform will be a new national project titled "Individual Learning Accounts System – Part I: Electronic Platform for Individual Learning Accounts (EPIVU)" („Systém individuálnych vzdelávacích účtov – časť I: Elektronická platforma individuálnych vzdelávacích účtov (EPIVU)“).

The goal of this initiative is to develop a dynamic and interconnected platform that allows citizens access to a broad spectrum of educational programmes and initiatives. EPIVU will serve as a central hub where individual educational needs, course and programme offerings, and initiatives focused on personal and professional development converge.

Individual Learning Accounts (ILAs) are designed to finance the education of every citizen. These accounts provide individuals with the opportunity for further education, allowing them to freely choose the content, location, and form of their learning. Additionally, ILAs enable the accumulation of funds from multiple sources, ensuring access to the payment of educational costs from the age of 16, regardless of current education level or social conditions.

The total allocated funding for the project is nearly 2.3 million EUR. The project will be supported by the European Regional Development Fund under the Slovakia Programme and its priority Skills for Better Adaptability and Inclusion (4P3).
 

National project ‘Individualised and Comprehensive Approach Focusing on Counselling/Career Guidance’ 

In February 2024, the national project Individualised and Comprehensive Approach Focusing on Counselling/Career Guidance (Individualizovaný a komplexný prístup so zameraním na poradenské činnosti/Poradenstvom k zamestnaniu) was launched. It is implemented through Offices of Labour, Social Affairs and Family as an active measure on the labour market and it aims to improve access to employment for disadvantaged job applicants and young people. The national project will be implemented between January 2024 and December 2028.

The project focuses on increasing employment chances for disadvantaged job applicants and NEET (not in employment, education, or training) young people applying for jobs. The main aim of the project is to ensure the availability of individualised approaches and counselling, including career guidance.

The national project aims to increase the employability of disadvantaged and young job applicants, increase work motivation, increase their competitiveness in the labour market and improve so-called soft factors influencing employability. During the project implementation, professionally trained counsellors will increase their individualised approach and counselling skills, as well as ICT skills, to ensure the availability and accessibility of counselling for all identified target groups. 

2023

National Strategy for Research, Development, and Innovation 2030

In May 2023, the Government‘s  Research and Innovation Authority introduced the National Strategy for Research, Development, and Innovation 2030 (Národná stratégia výskumu, vývoja a inovácií 2030), which aims to increase the competitiveness of the economy and the quality of life through the support of research, innovation, and talent. The Action Plan for the National Strategy for Research, Development, and Innovation 2030 (Akčný plán národnej stratégie výskumu, vývoja a inovácií 2030), which was published alongside the strategy, defines the schedule of tasks required to meet the goals of the national strategy in this area.  The reform also includes measures focusing on the development of the educational system’s quality.

The action plan describes the following measures in lifelong learning and transversal skills:

• Support of international mobility of researchers,
• Creation of a unit for talent development and integration,
• Introduction of a series of programmes to establish cooperation with talent from abroad,
• Strengthening of lifelong learning managing capacity at the Ministry of Education, Research, Development, and Youth of the Slovak Republic,
• Institutionalisation and support of language education of foreigners,
• Creation of an educational scheme for employees of public research and development organisations and municipalities on PPP for the development of research and innovation ecosystem,
• Creation of a new Action Plan for Open Science for 2023-2024,
• Increased funding of European Partnerships,
• Support of citizen science and popularisation of research in the form of mini-grants.