News

The iRead4Skills project has released a new policy brief titled “Improving Adult Literacy for Social Inclusion and Economic Growth: Strategic Actions, Stakeholder Engagement, and Future Perspectives.” The publication presents key evidence and policy recommendations to address adult literacy challenges and support more inclusive education and labour markets across Europe.

Adult literacy remains a critical issue. Despite ongoing efforts, more than 73 million adults in the European Union lack basic literacy, numeracy, and digital skills, limiting their access to employment opportunities, public services, and active participation in society.

The policy brief highlights the strong connection between literacy and economic performance. Research shows that a 1% increase in adult literacy skills can be associated with a 3% increase in GDP per capita, underlining the importance of investing in basic skills development as both a social and economic priority.

Key Policy Recommendations

The brief proposes a set of strategic actions to strengthen adult literacy systems and align national policies with European initiatives:

• Mainstream literacy in national skills strategies, integrating literacy goals into employment, education, and digital agendas.

• Deploy intelligent reading systems that personalise learning by adapting texts to the reader’s proficiency level.

• Create funding incentives for employers and training providers, encouraging workplace literacy programmes and collaboration with Adult Learning and VET centres.

• Track literacy progress and economic returns through established monitoring tools and policy indicators.

• Strengthen cross-border collaboration, promoting knowledge exchange and cooperation between European education and training stakeholders.

Read the full policy brief on Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/records/19006677