4-6 December Rapid and far-reaching change, stimulated by technological innovation and global competition, is refashioning the economic and social organisation of the planet and forcing us to rethink the relationship between education, training and work. Each year, at least 10% of all jobs disappear and are replaced by new, different jobs in new processes and new enterprises, requiring higher or broader skills. The old mass-production system, in which the professional development of the individual is a linear progression - a single career based on the same qualifications and skills - is disappearing fast, and is being replaced by a more knowledge-based economy, where information and technology play a crucial role. What will the situation be like ten years from now, when 80% of the technology we use today will be obsolete? This challenge must first be met by the educational system, which can no longer limit itself to turning out people who have been "educated" once and for all. It must instead form individuals who are able to continue to learn new skills in continuously evolving situations. In the words of Unesco experts, the emphasis must be on "learning to be, learning to know, learning to do, learning to live together". But how, and how much, must educational systems change to reach this goal? Another challenge that our changing society must meet is to provide people with the means for lifelong learning. Lifelong learning has become an essential part of enabling workers to adapt and, above all, anticipate the evolution of technology and work, following flexible and personalised learning paths. This regards young people, those who already have jobs and, first and foremost, the unemployed, who without new and appropriate skills are unlikely to re-enter the active labour force. Despite the cost society bears to support them - 200 billion ECU per year in Europe alone - the unemployed are not learning anything new; in fact, they are de-learning. How can we transform this unproductive expenditure into investment in human capital that will enable people to escape the trap of unemployment? Can we develop a model of development that reconciles economic growth, full employment and an adequate welfare state?

The role of child education Thursday 5 June 1997 A child is first and foremost a product of society: the human brain, which can be compared to a powerful computer with its billions of neurons and synapses, is only partly programmed by the genetic heritage of each individual. Subsequent programming, which continues throughout onešs lifetime, albeit with decreasing intensity, depends on the individualšs interactions with the environment, and hence depends on education. Studies of identical twins have shown that the environment and genes make virtually the same contribution, but a more careful analysis of the behaviour of individuals suggests that the environment exerts a much more pronounced influence. We must therefore pay very close attention to the education of children in the early years of life, because it is only in the early years of childhood that brains are relatively unprogrammed and therefore capable of storing an enormous quantity of information, most of which people will be able to draw on throughout their lives. It is crucial that each child have the opportunity to develop in a family environment that provides affection and is exposed to the type of information that society considers essential. Kindergarten classes should adopt the Montessori approach, enabling children to learn to read and write from the age of two and a half. School itself should begin at four years of age rather than six, creating scope for a significant increase in the volume of information the very young are offered and enabling children to begin to study areas that interest them as soon as possible. Childrenšs brains must also be oriented towards participation in civil society, controlling the atavistic tendencies towards violence that are present in the genetic code of all of us. Unfortunately, in many parts of the world child education is inadequate or inappropriate. The young are therefore limited in their ability to develop their potential and to achieve success in research and work. This is a social problem of tremendous importance, one that presents a great many difficulties to which society must devote attention and resources.