Comparability

Comparability - geographical

Detailed statistics is not published by any of the international organisations. International consistent data on adult and continuous education is published by Eurostat based on the LFS (Labour Force Survey). The population used in the LFS is much broader than the one used in the statistics described here and includes courses related to leisure-time activities and courses offered by private firms. On the other hand, the statistics concerned is not so detailed and there is no information on subject areas. Only information which specifies if the course is work-related.

Comparability over time

As long as there are no changes from one year to the next comparability over time is high. Consistency over time is good in some areas e.g. for Higher Preparatory Examination (in Danish, HF) and Business Administration (in Danish, HD). In other areas many changes in subjects and course length make comparability difficult. The activity reflects the trends on the labour market and changes in subsidies.

Course activities and data collection stated at different times for the different course types:

• Course activity at cooking and textile schools, activity through the adult vocational programmes (in Danish, AMU) and course activity through Business administration/Business language diploma degree (in Danish HD and ED) has been reported since the early 1970s

• Data on general adult education (in Danish AVU) and Higher Preparatory Examination (HF) has been reported from app. 1980. By early 1980s the participation at the folk high schools has also been included.

• From 1993 course activity at vocational colleges and teachers training colleges etc. is also included, and from 2002, activities at the universities are also visible in the statistics.

Until 2017 both calendar year and school year are used as reference periods in the statistics. The definition of the school year differs from one course provider to the next. The definition is determined by administrative conditions:

• 1/7 - 30/6 is used for General and preparatory single courses (in Danish, VUC), Danish language courses for foreigners
• 1/8 - 31/7 is used for folk high schools etc. and for open education at university colleges
• 1/9 - 31/8 is used for open education at universities
• 1/1- 31/12 is used for adult vocational programmes (in Danish, AMU)and for open education at vocational colleges and academies of professional higher education

In 2018 there have been some changes and the new reference periods are as following: - 1/7 - 30/6 is used for General and preparatory single courses (in Danish, VUC), Danish language courses for foreigners and adult vocational programmes (in Danish, AMU), open education at vocational colleges
- 1/8 - 31/7 is used for folk high schools etc., open education at university colleges and academies of professional higher education - 1/9 - 31/8 is used for open education at universities

Statistics Denmark has since 2015 released data about the course Danish labour market language skills. Since July 1st 2017 this course is no longer being offered and has resulted in a notable decrease in the numbers.

Coherence - cross domain

A common classification is used for ordinary education and adult and continuously education and therefore comparisons between the two types of education is possible. The Ministry of education has on several occasions published tables that shows number of full-time equivalents. Please note that number of full-time equivalents based on subsidies to the institutions ( Ministry of Education calculation) and the number calculated on the reported length of the courses are comparable only to some extent. This is due to the different handling calculation and population.

In 2008 a Parliament- and a Council regulation were passed on Adult Education Survey (AES). The survey analyses the 25-64-years olds participation in different types of adult education in 2011. The results have been published in 2012.

No other total statistics on adult education has been published, but for some of the course areas, statistics are published by Ministries or NGO's (e.g. by folk high schools or universities). The comparability is high in this respect. As regards Danish courses for foreigners, however, Statistics Denmark delimits the enumerated population differently that the ministry, resulting in differences between the issued statistics.

Coherence - internal

Not relevant for these statistics.