As a "benchmark" for future laureates, Jacques Delors, the person who masterminded Europe's vision of education, was presented the new "Leonardo - European Corporate Learning Award" at Europe's largest trade fair for human resources management - HRM Expo. The presenter of the award was Germany's former foreign minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher.

At the beginning of 2010, the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) predicted that, despite the recession, an additional seven million jobs would be created by 2020 ('new jobs' less 'job cuts elsewhere'). However, the majority of these new jobs require a high level of knowledge and thus primarily involve senior executives and highly qualified technical employees.

"In order for the necessary qualifications to be available in a knowledge-based economy, particularly the companies themselves have to strike new paths in terms of education and human resources", says Prof. Dr. Winfried Sommer, member of the scientific board of the "Professional Learning Europe" congress, which takes place at the same time as the European HRM Expo 2010 in Cologne.

"The failure of the Lisbon processes 2000 to 2010 and the debate on new perspectives for growth, innovation, and employment in the coming decade in accordance with the 'Europe 2020' growth plan make it clear that exemplary commitment in practice is needed more than ever", continues Prof. Sommer.

Sommer and Alexander Petsch, Managing Director of spring Messe Management have brought to life an initiative committee for the new award.

"We wish to bestow the European Corporate Learning Award on people who have initiated and put 'beacon projects' into practice for European education - in the sense that these are considered benchmarks for other participants throughout the Continent", explains Petsch. These projects could come from the area of "corporate learning", for example knowledge-and-talent management, or eLearning - if they have an effect on other companies and sectors.

However, concepts that are of great service to Europe's intercultural solidarity in the area of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) are also conceivable. But first and foremost, the example they set and the broad impact they have in terms of growth and employment in Europe are of greatest importance.

Laureate Jacques Delors - benchmark for future laureates

"The initial award is being bestowed upon Jacques Delors, the former president of the European Commission, as an acknowledgement for the impulses and outstanding services he has rendered for a European education vision and policy. He has been a mastermind of 'lifelong learning' in the name of the European Commission and the UNESCO", explains Sommer.


Understanding education as "the necessary utopia", Delors is still a sober politician who clarifies that education is not a "magic formula opening the door to a world in which all ideals will be attained". But as Chairman of UNESCO's International Commission on Education for the Twenty-First Century, he argues for a holistic approach based on the balance of four pillars of education proclaimed by UNESCO: "learning to know, learning to do, learning to live together, and learning to be".

"The world financial crisis has shown us again that education should not be allowed to end with the attainment of good grades or a university degree, but that it should be combined with responsible dealing and socially committed judgement", says Günther M. Szogs, Secretary of the Leonardo Project and founding member of the New Club of Paris. "Jacques Delors pointed out the way with his holistic approach to education." Currently, several renowned European research projects, such as the European Lifelong Learning Index (ELLI), are based on his learning concept.

The Leonardo award, under the patronage of the Federal Minister of Education Annette Schavan, couldn't be presented to Jacques Delors personally because he fell ill. However, the ceremony tool place at the HRM Expo nonetheless, with the former foreign minister, Hans-Dietrich Genscher and Dr. Ingo Friedrich, President of the European Economic Senate (EES), delivering the laudation.

In the future, the Leonardo Award will be endowed by the EES. At the same time, the award should keep its character as an honorary award. Candidates cannot apply themselves, but must be nominated by the initiative committee in agreement with the international advisory board.