On the Way to 2020: Data for Vocational Education and Training Policies. Country Statistical Overviews--2016 Update. Cedefop Research Paper. No 61

European policy-making in vocational education and training (VET) needs to be supported by sound evidence. In this report, Cedefop has selected 36 indicators to quantify key aspects of VET and lifelong learning. The selection is based on their policy relevance and their importance in achieving the Europe 2020 objectives. The report accounts for challenges and opportunities arising from recent developments in the international statistical infrastructure and includes updated comparable data from the European statistical system. This publication should be regarded as a tool to help policy-makers better understand and assess VET developments in each country. While these indicators do not claim to assess national systems or policies, they could be used to reflect on countries' situations and progress towards the strategic objectives set for Europe. The indicators present statistical overviews from all European Union Member States, along with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey. Contains an annex with a short description of indicators. [The HIVA Education and Lifelong Learning Research Group and the Centre for Educational Effectiveness and Evaluation, both at KU Leuven, carried out the underlying methodological and statistical work and updated the report.]