The Lisbon Process: a European Odyssey

This article deals with the process in the field of education and training that the European Union has put forward to tackle the main challenges it is facing: globalisation, ageing and the ICT revolution. In order to take advantage of the opportunities brought by these three forces and to counteract their potential negative impact, the European Union defined a strategy in 2000: the Lisbon process. It aims at determining the adequate policies to improve Europe's growth potential, employment participation and social cohesion. Five years after its launch, the Lisbon process suffers from a clear lack of implementation that partly explains Europe's lacklustre economic and social performance. The success of the Lisbon process hinges more than ever on the optimal formation and usage of the stock of human capital. Human resources are the main engine for the creation, dissemination and application of knowledge essential for the increase in productivity and creation of jobs necessary for the sustainability of the European economic and social model. The article shows why and how human capital policies aiming at more efficient and more equitable European education and training systems are crucial to the achievement of the economic and social goals set at Lisbon.