Lifelong learning (i26)
- 31/10/2025
- objective
- assessment assessment
In 2024, 13.5% of the Belgian population aged 25-64 participated in (formal or non-formal) training in the last four weeks before the interview. To achieve the sustainable development goal by 2030, this figure had to reach 15%. This objective will not be reached by continuing the trend since 2000 (data available in November 2025). Lifelong learning is therefore developing favourably.
Lifelong learning - Belgium - trend assessment
percentage of population aged 25-64
| 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2023 | 2025 | 2030 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| observations | 6.2 | 8.3 | 7.4 | 6.9 | 7.4 | 11.1 | -- | -- |
| trend and extrapolation (November 2025) | 6.5 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.5 | 9.1 | 10.9 | 12.5 | 15.7 |
| objective 2030 | 15.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
Note: break in time series: 1999, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2014, 2017, 2021 and 2024
Source: Statbel; Eurostat (2025), Participation rate in education and training (last 4 weeks), trng_lfse_01, https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat, last update of data 12/06/2025 23:00 (consulted on 07/07/2025).
Lifelong learning - Belgium and international comparison
percentage of population aged 25-64
| 1992 | 2000 | 2002 | 2010 | 2015 | 2019 | 2020 | 2023 | 2024 | 2024//1992 | 2024//2019 | 2024//2002 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belgium | 2.3 | 6.2 | 6.0 | 7.4 | 6.9 | 8.2 | 7.4 | 11.1 | 13.5 | 5.7 | 10.5 | 3.8 |
| EU27 | -- | -- | 5.3 | 7.8 | 10.1 | 10.8 | 9.1 | 12.8 | 13.5 | -- | 4.6 | 4.3 |
| //: Average Growth Rates | ||||||||||||
Note: break in time series: BE in 1999, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2014, 2017, 2021 and 2024; EU in 2003, 2006, 2014 and 2021
Source: Statbel; Eurostat (2025), Participation rate in education and training (last 4 weeks), trng_lfse_01, https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat, last update of data 12/06/2025 23:00 (consulted on 07/07/2025).
Lifelong learning by region - Belgium
percentage of population aged 25-64
| 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2019 | 2020 | 2023 | 2024 | 2024//2000 | 2024//2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brussels-Capital Region | 6.7 | 12.0 | 9.6 | 11.2 | 10.7 | 10.3 | 15.6 | 17.5 | 4.1 | 10.3 |
| Flemish Region | 6.9 | 9.1 | 8.4 | 7.0 | 8.6 | 7.7 | 11.2 | 15.7 | 3.5 | 12.8 |
| Walloon Region | 4.6 | 5.8 | 4.9 | 5.4 | 6.6 | 5.6 | 9.1 | 12.5 | 4.3 | 13.6 |
| //: Average Growth Rates | ||||||||||
Note: The margin of uncertainty for this indicator is indicated in the text for the latest year. Break in time series: 2004, 2006, 2008, 2014, 2017, 2021 and 2024
Source: Statbel; Eurostat (2025), Participation rate in education and training (last 4 weeks) by NUTS 2 region, trng_lfse_04, https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat, last update of data 12/06/2025 23:00 (consulted on 07/07/2025).
Lifelong learning by sex - Belgium
percentage of population aged 25-64
| 1992 | 2000 | 2010 | 2015 | 2019 | 2020 | 2023 | 2024 | 2024//1992 | 2024//2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| females | 1.7 | 5.7 | 7.6 | 7.3 | 8.6 | 7.7 | 11.7 | 16.0 | 7.3 | 13.2 |
| males | 2.8 | 6.7 | 7.2 | 6.5 | 7.7 | 7.1 | 10.4 | 13.8 | 5.1 | 12.4 |
| //: Average Growth Rates | ||||||||||
Note: break in time series: 1999, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2014, 2017, 2021 and 2024
Source: Statbel; Eurostat (2025), Participation rate in education and training (last 4 weeks), trng_lfse_01, https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat, last update of data 12/06/2025 23:00 (consulted on 07/07/2025).
Lifelong learning by education - Belgium
percentage of population aged 25-64
| 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2019 | 2020 | 2023 | 2024 | 2024//2000 | 2024//2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| less than primary, primary and lower secondary education | 2.2 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 2.4 | 4.6 | 6.3 | 4.5 | 13.1 |
| upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education | 6.5 | 7.3 | 6.1 | 5.5 | 5.4 | 4.8 | 7.6 | 9.6 | 1.6 | 12.2 |
| tertiary education | 11.9 | 15.3 | 12.3 | 11.2 | 13.4 | 11.9 | 16.6 | 22.6 | 2.7 | 11.0 |
| //: Average Growth Rates | ||||||||||
Note: break in time series: 1999, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2014, 2017, 2021 and 2024
Source: Statbel; Eurostat (2025), Participation rate in education and training (last 4 weeks) by educational attainment level, trng_lfse_03, https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat, last update of data 12/06/2025 23:00 (consulted on 07/07/2025).
Definition: share of the population aged 25 to 64 who participated in (formal or non-formal) training in the last four weeks before the interview. The data come from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). Statistics Belgium organises this EU-harmonised survey in Belgium and makes the results available, in particular to Eurostat. The survey methodology was reviewed in 2017. Comparison of the 2017 data with previous years should be done with caution. The data used here come from Eurostat, which publishes detailed and comparable results between EU Member States. Since these data are based on surveys, a margin of uncertainty must be taken into account. This margin of uncertainty increases as the indicator is calculated on smaller sub-populations. The confidence intervals for these data are available on request from Statistics Belgium.
The following breakdowns are available for this indicator: region, sex and education.
Goal: the share of the population taking part in lifelong learning must reach at least 15% in 2030.
The Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs adopted by the UN in 2015 include target 4.3: "By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university".
The European Council of 12 May 2009 adopted in its conclusions a strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training (ET, 2020; Official Journal of the European Union, 28/5/2009). It set the following target: "With a view to increasing the participation of adults in lifelong learning, particularly that of the low-skilled: By 2020, an average of at least 15% of adults should participate in lifelong learning".
In the framework of the European pillar of social rights, the European Commission has set a target for an indicator close to this one. Namely that 60% of adults should participate in training each year. In that context, Belgium set a target of 60.9% and additional numerical targets for 55-64-year-olds of 49.8% and for the low-skilled of 32.6% (European Commission, 2022; Federal Public Service Social Security, 2023).
UN indicator: the selected indicator corresponds to indicator 4.3.1 - Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months, by sex.
Sources
-
Council of the European Union (2009), Council conclusions of 12 May 2009 on a strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training (‘ET 2020’), p. 7, Official Journal of the European Union, https://eur-lex.europa.eu, 2009/C 119/02.
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European Commission (2022), The European Pillar of Social Rights: state of play on the national target for 2030, https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?langId=en&catId=89&furtherNews=yes&newsId=10299 (consulted on 02/10/2025).
- Federal Public Service Social Security (2023), The evolution of the social situation and social protection in Belgium 2021, https://socialsecurity.belgium.be/sites/default/files/content/docs/en/publications/silc/silc-analysis-social-situation-and-protection-belgium-2021-en.pdf (consulted on 02/10/2025).
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