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This profile provides a concise and policy-relevant overview of health and the health system in the United Kingdom as part of the broader series of the State of Health in the EU country profiles. It provides a short synthesis of: the health status in the country; the determinants of health, focussing on behavioural risk factors; the organisation of the health system; and the effectiveness, accessibility and resilience of the health system.
This profile is the joint work of the OECD and the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, in co-operation with the European Commission.
Drawing on the OECD’s expertise in comparing country experiences and identifying best practices, the Better Policies series tailors the OECD’s policy advice to the specific and timely priorities of member and partner countries, focusing on how governments can make reform happen.
While access to schooling has expanded around the world, many countries have not realised the hoped-for improvements in economic and social well-being. Access to education by itself is an incomplete goal for development; many students leave the education system without basic proficiency in literacy and numeracy. As the world coalesces around new sustainable development targets towards 2030, the focus in education is shifting towards access and quality. Using projections based on data from the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and other international student assessments, this report offers a glimpse of the stunning economic and social benefits that all countries, regardless of their national wealth, stand to gain if they ensure that every child not only has access to education but, through that education, acquires at least the baseline level of skills needed to participate fully in society.
Final report for the G7 Health Ministerial meeting, Kobe, Japan, 11-12 September 2016. This report addresses, among other issues, to what extent has the achievement of UHC in OECD countries contributed to improved population health outcomes; and is UHC affordable for low- and middle-income countries.
Given the increasing competitiveness and greater geo-political significance of higher education and research, and the under-developed profile of many new Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), this study seeks to examine the processes and strategies being devised by new HEIs to grow research. By focusing on new HEIs, this book provides a unique profile of the experiences of a group of institutions that has hitherto been unidentified and unexplored. It analyses results drawn from an in-depth study of twenty-five HEIs from across sixteen countries: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hong Kong China, Hungary, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom.
This publication sheds light on the issues now facing today’s universities as they confront the increasing pressure to “produce” research to keep the competitive edge. Drawing on eight case studies, the report focuses on four key themes:
- The growing significance of the research mission to higher education.
- Strengthening structures and processes for research management.
- Funding and resourcing university research.
- Nurturing research careers.
Case studies highlight issues in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Germany, Ireland, Malaysia, Portugal and Turkey.
Universities are key elements in the science systems in all OECD countries. However, university research in OECD countries is currently the object of considerable tensions in a context of globalisation, reduced budgets and a changing interface with industry. How can universities adapt to this new order? How can the potential of university research best be enhanced?
This study surveys these issues, consolidating the most up-to-date data on resources and structures of research activities in higher education systems and providing illustrative examples of institutional adaptations. It discusses related government measures and formulates policy orientations to enable countries to rise to the challenges of the coming years.
This report discusses challenges and opportunities in assessing the impacts of science-industry knowledge exchange on innovation. The report provides new evidence on joint industry-science patenting activity and academic start-ups, as well as on the impact of geographical proximity between research institutions and industry on local innovation. The report explores the complex set of knowledge-transfer channels, such as collaborative research, co-patenting, academic spinoffs, and their relative importance across science fields and industry sectors. It also experiments with using labour force survey data to assess the contributions of graduates in social sciences to different industries.
Different policy mixes are used in OECD countries to stimulate science-industry knowledge transfer. This report presents a taxonomy of 21 policy instruments, which include grants for collaborative university-industry research and financial support to university spin-offs, and discusses their possible positive and negative interactions. Based on a number of country case studies, the report also sheds light on new policy approaches to support spin-off creation. The report also explores recent trends on the governance of public research of high relevance to science-industry knowledge transfer using newly developed policy indicators for 35 OECD countries.
In an era of overlapping crises, achieving sustainable development is more challenging than ever. As we approach the 2030 deadline, the world is off track to meet most of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Urgent, transformative action is needed to reverse the setbacks. The OECD and its members have a central role to play in this global effort, guided by a shared commitment to global stability and progress.
The OECD Recommendation on Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development (PCSD) is a key tool in addressing these challenges. It provides policymakers with the necessary mechanisms to ensure that policies across sectors and levels of government are mutually reinforcing in the pursuit of sustainable development, both domestically and globally.
This report takes stock of the progress made in implementing the Recommendation over the past five years. It shows that many of the Parties to the Recommendation have laid a strong foundation for improving policy coherence. However, significant gaps remain, particularly in the capacity to assess the impact of policies on sustainable development and to integrate sustainable development into key governance processes.
The Brussels-Capital Region has witnessed significant improvements in its labour market over the past decade. Local job creation has been driven by ample opportunities for highly-skilled workers whom the Brussels-Capital Region attracts from its surrounding regions, the European Union, and beyond. However, not all of the region’s population has seen their labour market prospects improve equally. Many workers with lower levels of education continue to compete for a small number of vacancies, despite the increasingly tightening labour market.
A future vision for the Brussels-Capital Region, therefore, needs to be built on recognising and addressing the multiple and often distinct challenges faced by its young and diverse population. In a labour market that offers high rewards for skills formation, tailoring continuous education and training offerings to different groups while removing barriers to participation in such programmes will need to take priority. Simplifying processes for accessing employment services, streamlining labour market policies, supporting the geographic mobility of less-educated jobseekers, and removing barriers to employment for its migrant population could serve as building blocks to increase labour force participation and improve the employment quality of all local talent.
The Western Balkan economies have been implementing reforms to improve their competitiveness since the early 2000s. These reforms contributed to economic growth by removing barriers to trade and investment and facilitating the region’s integration into global markets. This led to a doubling of the size of their economies and a six-fold increase of their export volumes.Although the region has considerably reinforced its integration into global value chains, remaining non-tariff trade barriers and regulatory restrictions continue to hamper full access to foreign markets. Many industries in the Western Balkans remain fragile, their technology largely outdated and their products not sufficiently competitive outside the region. Their improved macroeconomic performance has only partially accelerated the structural transformation of domestic producers and their integration into global value chains. Limited business opportunities are a cause of high unemployment, pressing young and talented people to search for better opportunities abroad. At the same time, the Western Balkans face an issue common to all middle-income economies – pressure from countries with lower production costs. Therefore, a shift towards higher technological standards is needed to compete in international markets.The prospects of accession to the European Union (EU) and the alignment with the EU acquis represent excellent opportunities for the Western Balkans to fully embed their economies in European value chains, benefitting from increased investment flows and an upgrade of their manufacturing infrastructure. Against this backdrop, the Berlin Process represents a unique occasion for EU Member States to support the Western Balkans in their ongoing reform efforts, and for the Western Balkan economies to intensify mutual co operation and gain recognition for their endeavours. The OECD is launching this new study on trade and investment in the Western Balkan economies on the occasion of the 2019 Poznań Summit of the Berlin Process, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland, to help the region target the most strategic sectors for inclusive and sustainable growth. This publication was prepared within the OECD South East Europe regional programme, which supports governments in the region to foster sustainable growth, investment and employment through reforms promoting competitiveness and private sector development. This report represents a tangible contribution to the region’s ongoing process of economic reform, which aims to foster inclusive and sustainable growth for the benefit of all the citizens of the Western Balkans.
Today, with the completion of First-of-a-Kind Gen-III nuclear reactors, the nuclear sector is at a critical juncture. These reactors have led in several parts of the world to delays and construction costs overruns that have challenged the competitiveness of nuclear power and are driving the risk perception of future projects. Against this background, a review of historical and recent lessons learnt from nuclear and non-nuclear project offers ample evidence that nuclear new build can be delivered cost and time-effectively.
This study assesses the policy and governance frameworks needed to drive positive learning and continuous industrial performance for nuclear new build. The study also explores the risk allocation and mitigation priorities needed to define adequate financing schemes for these projects. In the longer-term, it identifies cost reduction opportunities associated with the harmonisation of code and standards and licensing regimes and new innovative designs (i.e. small modular reactors and advanced reactors).
In the midst of a global slowdown in productivity, unlocking the innovative potential of rural places is more important than ever. As part of a series on supporting to help rural areas thrive, this thematic report provides the latest analysis and research on rural innovation, and proposes ways to overcome the growing gaps between rural and urban places that are contributing to the geographies of discontent. It first explores the multi-facetted innovative practices that are already occurring in rural places, and proposes alternative indicators beyond the traditional science and technology measures to capture them. Then, it identifies policy drivers and bottlenecks to help rural entrepreneurs, firms and people fully mobilise their growth potential. Results and recommendations are drawn from research and fact-finding missions from select OECD member countries.
The clean energy transition requires a fundamental transformation of power systems, including much higher levels of digitalisation at scale across all grid domains, from generation to transmission and distribution to end-use. Strong policy attention is required to scale up investments in smarter and more resilient grids in emerging and developing economies where electricity consumption is set to grow at a rapid rate while also providing greater levels of electricity access. Investments in smarter and more resilient grids will be necessary to accommodate the greater deployment of renewable energy and enhance energy security.
Digital technologies designed for power systems are instrumental to unlock essential system services required to integrate high shares of variable renewable energy. They can also provide solutions to leverage data flows, connectivity, and management across the whole electricity system. To unlock these digital opportunities, adequate planning, investment, and policy action are needed.
As part of the Digital Demand Driven Electricity Networks (3DEN) initiative, this report provides guidance for energy policy makers on possible ways to enable and drive investments in smart and resilient electricity grids. It also gives suggestions on how to start creating an environment that supports the effective use of innovative digital technologies within the electricity sector. It draws on examples and case studies to show the wide range of digital opportunities and solutions that can help governments implement efficient and smart power systems.
This report provides an overview of funding and financing instruments available to support infrastructure investment in cities and regions. Subnational governments have a critical role to deliver, operate and maintain infrastructure, and to invest to help drive the recovery from COVID-19. In recent years, many subnational governments have introduced innovations in the types of instruments used to access funding and financing. Highlighting examples from G20, OECD and non-OECD countries, this report presents a framework to differentiate funding and financing instruments, including by type of instrument, and their use, and outlines essential framework conditions that are needed to support subnational governments, The report was submitted to the G20 Infrastructure Working Group under the Italian Presidency and key findings were presented at the G20 High-level Conference on Local Infrastructure in Genoa, Italy on 27 September 2021.
Distributed energy resources (DERs) are small-scale energy resources usually situated near sites of electricity use, such as rooftop solar panels and battery storage. Their rapid expansion is transforming not only the way electricity is generated, but also how it is traded, delivered and consumed.Accordingly, DERs can create new power system opportunities, but at the same time, can pose new challenges when a grid has not been properly prepared. Many jurisdictions are just beginning to understand how DERs fit into the wider energy landscape – what they are and what impacts they have on the grid, and how they can be used to improve system reliability and reduce overall energy costs. Meanwhile, other regions have built up experience with DERs, demonstrating that they can provide valuable services to the grid when incentivised with appropriate technologies, policies and regulations.Nonetheless, not all countries use the same electricity market model or are at the same stage of DER penetration, and the fit-for-purpose solutions will vary from place to place. This report reviews lessons from forerunners and distils best practices (with examples and case studies) to help policymakers, regulators and system operators across the globe understand what experience is most relevant to their own situation. Readers will be able to draw on a wide range of practical insights for electricity market design and regulation to help unlock the multiple grid benefits of DER technologies.
Among the millions of asylum seekers who recently arrived in OECD countries, the majority are young people who may be able to take advantage of vocational education and training (VET) opportunities to help them enter skilled employment. This report provides advice to governments and other stakeholders who are seeking to use VET to promote integration, in particular for young humanitarian migrants. While the study draws particularly on policy and practice observed in Germany, Italy, Sweden and Switzerland, it also highlights other international practices.
The report focuses on the main channels through which migrants succeed in VET. It is essential that migrants are fully informed about the opportunities VET provision offers and that they have access to high quality preparatory programmes enabling access to upper-secondary VET. Once in such provision, targeted support should help them to complete VET programmes successfully. OECD countries are putting in place innovative measures to achieve better outcomes for both migrants and for economies as a whole. Ultimately this report argues that VET systems can become stronger, more flexible and more inclusive, when working better for all students, including those with diverse and vulnerable backgrounds.
The German vocational education and training (VET) system is admired around the world for its ability to prepare young people for skilled employment. In Germany, VET smooths transitions into work and is closely aligned with labour market demand. This report focuses on an unprecedented test of the German VET system: how to respond to the significant increase in migrants who arrived in the country in 2015-16. The study explores both the opportunities and the challenges presented by migration. Germany has already devoted significant attention to VET as a mechanism for enabling integration – and for good reason. Work-based learning assists integration because it demonstrably gives learners skills that employers want in real-world settings. The report assesses the barriers faced by learners in their journeys into and through VET, exploring how such challenges can be addressed. In addition, the study looks at system-wide issues in relation to how VET provision and integration policy is governed. Lastly, it explores opportunities for increased flexibility in the German VET system of relevance to all youth at risk of not succeeding in VET. In responding to migrant needs, German VET can become more inclusive without reducing quality.
Demographic pressure and the youth bulge in the developing world pose a major employment challenge. This situation is exacerbated by insufficient job creation, scarce formal wage employment opportunities and vulnerability in the workplace. For these reasons, fostering youth entrepreneurship has gained importance in the global and national development policy agenda. This report aims to contribute to the ongoing debate on the role of youth entrepreneurship in generating employment in developing countries. It is based on the analysis of mixed labour force and enterprise surveys conducted in Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar, Peru and Viet Nam, as well as evidence on the impact of entrepreneurship programmes. This report’s findings add to the global debate on youth entrepreneurship in three important ways. First, it constitutes an unprecedented effort to capture the real situations and multiple faces of young entrepreneurs in selected developing countries. Second, it provides new empirical evidence on the determinants of youth entrepreneurial performance. Third, it proposes a policy roadmap based on lessons learned from recent meta-analyses of the effectiveness of entrepreneurship programmes.
Subnational governments carry out more than 60% of total public procurement in OECD countries. As such, public procurement can offer a powerful tool for cities to boost local growth and advance their strategic priorities, ranging from innovation and inclusion to the transition to a low-carbon economy. Bratislava, the most populated and richest municipality in the Slovak Republic, carried out 39% of its expenditures through public procurement in 2019. The COVID-19 crisis has enhanced both the urgency and the opportunity to improve the city's procurement system and to rethink "what" and "how" to procure. In this context, Bratislava is developing new directives to make its procurement processes more efficient. This report offers recommendations on how Bratislava can use public procurement strategically to identify value-for-money solutions, foster competition, and promote sustainable urban development. The report also includes a concrete case study on Bratislava’s public procurement for street lighting, which provides methodological guidance on the analysis of needs, market engagement, and tender design.