International Policy Lab: Is Public Funding Keeping Up with the Skills Revolution?

The age of AI means a new era of skills – do public funding systems for learning need to adapt? How can government actors effectively support lifelong learning in a rapidly changing labor market? What can Germany learn from the UK and other international examples and best practices?

The workshop organized by the Bitkom Future of Learning working group brings together international perspectives to explore and compare approaches to financing continuing education and training, with a particular focus on workforce upskilling and reskilling. Featuring perspectives from the United Kingdom and beyond, the panel will examine key policy instruments and broader strategies for aligning funding systems with evolving skills needs.

The Bitkom Future of Learning working group (Arbeitskreis) focuses on innovative educational technologies and didactic approaches across lifelong learning. It promotes digital learning ecosystems, adaptive and immersive formats (e.g., AI, VR, Metaverse), and explores the impact of technology on learning culture and processes. Bitkom members meet regularly as part of the Future of Learning working group to exchange knowledge across business, academia, and public institutions, identify e-learning trends, develop guidelines for Germany’s education landscape, and share best practices for digital transformation.