European Social Fund’s Lifelong Learning and Regional Development: A Case Study

19 Pages Posted: 14 Feb 2019

See all articles by Francesca Volo

Francesca Volo

Ca Foscari University of Venice - Dipartimento di Economia

Alessandra Drigo

Ca Foscari University of Venice

Bruna Zolin

Ca Foscari University of Venice - Dipartimento di Economia

Domenico Sartore

Ca Foscari University of Venice - Dipartimento di Economia

Date Written: February 12, 2019

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the first impacts of the European Social Fund (hereafter ESF) lifelong learning interventions on the regional development. As is well known, lifelong learning is defined as the all purposeful learning activity, undertaken throughout life, on an ongoing basis, with the aim of improving knowledge, skills, and competence within a personal, civic, social and/or employment-related perspective (CEC, 2000). Beyond the benefits, lifelong learning represents an advantage for the regional economy that could be measured in terms of both estimation of direct impact on domestic demand and evaluation of impacts on the performance of the local economies. The combination of these two kinds of effects generates a positive impact on a wider scale: a higher and skilled workforce attracts more investment, contributing to improve the well-being of a local economy. The case study is the Veneto region. The applied methodologies used in the case study are both a survey and an econometric model. In the first case, the utilized method approaches the topic from a microeconomic perspective, while in the second case the approach is purely macroeconomic.

Keywords: Education, Lifelong Learning, Regional Economic Development, Regional Policy, Regional Labour Market

JEL Classification: H75, R58, R23, I26

Suggested Citation

Volo, Francesca and Drigo, Alessandra and Zolin, Bruna and Sartore, Domenico, European Social Fund’s Lifelong Learning and Regional Development: A Case Study (February 12, 2019). University Ca' Foscari of Venice, Dept. of Economics Research Paper Series No. No. 04/WP/2019 , Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3333902 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3333902

Francesca Volo

Ca Foscari University of Venice - Dipartimento di Economia ( email )

Cannaregio 873
Venice, 30121
Italy

Alessandra Drigo

Ca Foscari University of Venice ( email )

Dorsoduro 3246
Venice, Veneto 30123
Italy

Bruna Zolin (Contact Author)

Ca Foscari University of Venice - Dipartimento di Economia ( email )

Cannaregio 873
Venice, 30121
Italy

Domenico Sartore

Ca Foscari University of Venice - Dipartimento di Economia ( email )

Cannaregio 873
Venice, 30121
Italy

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