- Methods and Projects
- Standards and Classifications
Standardised Methodological Report
Survey on Adult Population Involvement in Learning Activities
- 1Contact
- 1.1Contact organisation
National Statistics Institute of Spain
- 1.5Contact mail address
Avenida de Manoteras 50-52 - 28050 Madrid
- 1.1Contact organisation
- 2Metadata update
- 2.1Metadata last certified
04/12/2023
- 2.2Metadata last posted
20/11/2023
- 2.3Metadata last update
04/12/2023
- 2.1Metadata last certified
- 3Statistical presentation
- 3.1Data description
The Survey on Adult Population Involvement in Learning Activities (AES) is the implementation in Spain of the European project Adult Education Survey, coordinated by Eurostat. The objective of the survey is to understand the training and learning activities carried out by the adult population - "lifelong learning".
The survey provides national and regional results with tables on: involvement in learning activities, characteristics of these, difficulties in participating, search for information on learning possibilities, linguistic knowledge and maximum educational attainment level.
- 3.2Classification system
- Clasificaciones utilizadas
The classifications used are:
1. Countries (list of ISO 3166-1 codes)
2. Statistical classification of economic activities at 2 and 3 digits (NACE Rev.2)
3. International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO-2008) to 2 digits
4. Classification of Learning Activities (CLA 2016)
4. Level of education (ISCED 2011)
5. Area of education (ISCED-F 2013)
6. Languages (list of ISO 639-2 codes)
For some of these classifications there are corresponding national adaptations and approved standard classifications, for example :
1. Countries according to INE's standard list of countries and other territories (as of 1 January 2015);
2. National Classification of Economic Activities (CNAE-2009);
3. National Classification of Occupations (CNO-2011); 4. Level of education - National Classification of Education (CNED-2014); 5. Area of education (CNED-F 2016).For more information, consult the survey methodology available at:
- Clasificaciones utilizadas
- 3.3Sector coverage
The survey is aimed at people between the ages of 18 and 69, both included, who live in family households. Persons of said ages resident in institutions or collective establishments are excluded.
- 3.4Statistical concepts and definitions
- Learning activities
Those activities of an individual organised with the intention of improving or broadening their knowledge, abilities and competences. The two fundamental criteria for distinguishing, for suitable statistical treatment, learning activities from non-learning activities, require verification that:
a) the action must be deliberate, that is, the action is for the predetermined purpose of learning and
b) the action must be organised in order to achieve said purpose in some way, including the possibility of self-organisation. - Aprendizaje
Adquisición de conocimientos, actitudes, valores o competencias por parte de una persona, y la generación de cambios en sus niveles de comprensión y comportamiento a través de la experiencia, la práctica, el estudio o la instrucción.
- Lifelong learning
This is defined as all learning activity undertaken on a lifelong basis, for the purpose of improving or broadening knowledge, abilities and competences, from a personal, civic, social, and/or work-related perspective.
- Deliberate (or intentional) learning
This is defined as a deliberate search for knowledge, abilities, competences or permanent value attitudes. The crutial criterion is therefore the intention of learning, formulated prior to the student or other individual beginning the activity.
- Aprendizaje imprevisto o aleatorio
Las diversas formas de aprendizaje no organizado, incluyendo las que comprenden actividades de comunicación que no han sido diseñadas con el fin de producir un aprendizaje. El aprendizaje imprevisto o aleatorio se puede producir como consecuencia del quehacer diario, de eventos, o de actividades de comunicación no concebidas como actividades intencionadas de educación o aprendizaje. Entre los ejemplos de aprendizaje aleatorio se pueden mencionar las actividades que tienen lugar durante una reunión o las asociadas con una transmisión de radio o televisión que no han sido diseñadas como un programa educativo.
- Aprendizaje informal
Modalidades de aprendizaje intencionadas, aunque no institucionalizadas. De esta manera, se caracterizan por ser menos estructuradas y organizadas que la educación formal o no formal. El aprendizaje informal puede incluir actividades de aprendizaje realizadas en el hogar, el lugar de trabajo, la comunidad o como parte del vivir diario. Asimismo, puede tener carácter individual, familiar o social.
- Organised (or institutionalized) learning
Organised learning is when it is planned according to a pattern or sequence with explicit or implicit objectives. This requires a providing agent (person or persons or body) that establishes the learning environment and a teaching method through which the communication is organised.
- Educación formal
Según la CINE-2011, la educación formal es aquella educación institucionalizada, intencionada y planificada por organizaciones públicas y organismos privados acreditados para ello que, en su conjunto, constituyen el sistema educativo formal del país. Por definición, los programas de la educación formal y las correspondientes certificaciones son reconocidos oficialmente.
El componente principal de la educación formal es la educación inicial, definida como aquella destinada a niños, adolescentes y jóvenes adultos antes de su incorporación al mercado laboral, y que está constituida por programas educativos a tiempo completo, integrados en itinerarios continuos e impartidos por entidades específicas para este tipo de educación. También incluye la educación, destinada a cualquier edad, en la que el contenido de los programas o las certificaciones resultantes son equivalentes a los de la educación inicial. - Educación no formal
Según la CINE-2011, la educación no formal es aquella educación institucionalizada, intencionada y organizada por un proveedor de educación pero que no está normalizada. La educación no formal se caracteriza por ser una alternativa o complemento a la educación formal de las personas, dentro del proceso de educación y formación permanente a lo largo de la vida. Va dirigida a todos los grupos de edad, los programas son de una duración y/o intensidad menor (habitualmente bajo la forma de cursos, seminarios o talleres) y no están necesariamente integrados en itinerarios definidos.
En general, la educación no formal conduce a acreditaciones no reconocidas oficialmente o incluso puede no verse reflejada en ninguna acreditación. Sin embargo es posible obtener certificaciones educativas por validación oficial de conocimientos adquiridos exclusivamente a través de la participación en programas no formales.
- Learning activities
- 3.5Statistical unit
People between the ages of 18 and 64, both inclusive, who are members of a family household.
- 3.6Statistical population
The population scope of the survey is made up of people between the ages of 18 and 69, both included, who live in family households. Persons of said ages resident in institutions or collective establishments are excluded.
- 3.7Reference area
The geographical scope is the whole Spanish territory.
- 3.8Time coverage
In accordance with EU regulations, the survey is carried out every six years. The previous survey results are from 2007, 2011 and 2016.
- 3.9Base period
< p> Base period: 2007
- 3.1Data description
- 4Unit of measure
- 4.1Unit of measure
The unit of measurement for the total column (first column) in the results tables is the number of persons (or number of educational activities, as the case may be) and for the rest of the columns (disaggregation of the total according to different categories of variables) is in percentages of the total.
- 4.1Unit of measure
- 5Reference period
- 5.1Reference period
The reference period or time scope for studying involvement in learning activities that has been considered most convenient is one year, considering the twelve months prior to the interview.
Data referred to the period: EADA 2022
- 5.1Reference period
- 6Institutional mandate
- 6.1Legal acts and other agreements
The compilation and dissemination of the data are governed by the Statistical Law No. 12/1989 "Public Statistical Function" of May 9, 1989, and Law No. 4/1990 of June 29 on “National Budget of State for the year 1990" amended by Law No. 13/1996 "Fiscal, administrative and social measures" of December 30, 1996, makes compulsory all statistics included in the National Statistics Plan. The National Statistical Plan 2009-2012 was approved by the Royal Decree 1663/2008. It contains the statistics that must be developed in the four year period by the State General Administration's services or any other entity dependent on it. All statistics included in the National Statistics Plan are statistics for state purposes and are obligatory. The National Statistics Plan 2021-2024, approved by Royal Decree 1110/2020, of 15 December, is the Plan currently implemented. This statistical operation has governmental purposes, and it is included in the National Statistics Plan 2021-2024. (Statistics of the State Administration).
The survey is subject to the following community regulations:
COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) No 1175/2014 of 30 October 2014 implementing Regulation (EC) No 452/2008 of the European Parliament and Council concerning the production and development of statistics on education and lifelong learning, as regards statistics on the adult involvement in lifelong learning.
The English and Spanish versions of this regulation are accessible from the following link: https://www.ine.es/normativa/leyes/UE/minine.htm#30459
- 6.2Data sharing
The exchanges of information needed to elaborate statistics between the INE and the rest of the State statistical offices (Ministerial Departments, independent bodies and administrative bodies depending on the State General Administration), or between these offices and the Autonomic statistical offices, are regulated in the LFEP (Law of the Public Statistic Function). This law also regulates the mechanisms of statistical coordination, and concludes cooperation agreements between the different offices when necessary.
On the other hand, Commission Regulation (EU) 1175/2014 stipulates, in article 6, the transmission of the microdata file to Eurostat within six months following the conclusion of collection.
- 6.1Legal acts and other agreements
- 7Confidentiality
- 7.1Confidentiality - policy
The Statistical Law No. 12/1989 specifies that the INE cannot publish, or make otherwise available, individual data or statistics that would enable the identification of data for any individual person or entity. Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics stipulates the need to establish common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of data used for the production of European statistics and the access to those confidential data with due account for technical developments and the requirements of users in a democratic society
- 7.2Confidentiality - data treatment
INE provides information on the protection of confidentiality at all stages of the statistical process: INE questionnaires for the operations in the national statistical plan include a legal clause protecting data under statistical confidentiality. Notices prior to data collection announcing a statistical operation notify respondents that data are subject to statistical confidentiality at all stages. For data processing, INE employees have available the INE data protection handbook, which specifies the steps that should be taken at each stage of processing to ensure reporting units' individual data are protected. The microdata files provided to users are anonymised.
- 7.1Confidentiality - policy
- 8Release policy
- 8.1Release calendar
The advance release calendar that shows the precise release dates for the coming year is disseminated in the last quarter of each year.
- 8.2Release calendar access
The calendar is disseminated on the INEs Internet website (Publications Calendar)
- 8.3User access
The data are released simultaneously according to the advance release calendar to all interested parties by issuing the press release. At the same time, the data are posted on the INE's Internet website (www.ine.es/en) almost immediately after the press release is issued. Also some predefined tailor-made requests are sent to registered users. Some users could receive partial information under embargo as it is publicly described in the European Statistics Code of Practice
- 8.1Release calendar
- 9Frequency of dissemination
- 9.1Frequency of dissemination
The frequency of data publication will be every six years.
- 9.1Frequency of dissemination
- 10Accessibility and clarity
- 10.1News release
The results of the statistical operations are normally disseminated by using press releases that can be accessed via both the corresponding menu and the Press Releases Section in the web
- 10.2Publications
All information related to this survey can be found at :
In addition, other INE summary publications publish information from this survey.
- 10.3On-line database
INEbase is the system the INE uses to store statistical information on the Internet. It contains all the information the INE produces in electronic formats. The primary organisation of the information follows the theme-based classification of the Inventory of Statistical Operations of the State General Administration . The basic unit of INEbase is the statistical operation, defined as the set of activities that lead to obtaining statistical results on a determined sector or subject based on the individually collected data. Also included in the scope of this definition are synthesis preparation.
Access to the databases is through INEbase / Society / Education and Culture, or via the following link:
- 10.4Micro-data access
A lot of statistical operations disseminate public domain anonymized files, available free of charge for downloading in the INE website Microdata Section
Access to the miro data is through INEbase / Society / Education and Culture, or via the following link:
- 10.5Other
Information can be requested through the Information Area:
- 10.6Documentation on methodology
The methodological report of the survey can be found at:
- 10.7Quality documentation
Fields 10.7 to 17 form the user-oriented quality report for this statistical operation.
The detailed results tables also publish sampling errors from the main survey estimates. See:
https://www.ine.es/dyngs/INEbase/es/operacion.htm?c=Estadistica_C&cid=1254736176759&menu=resultados&secc=1254736194656&idp=1254735573113
- 10.1News release
- 11Quality management
- 11.1Quality assurance
Quality assurance framework for the INE statistics is based on the ESSCoP, the European Statistics Code of Practice made by EUROSTAT. The ESSCoP is made up of 16 principles, gathered in three areas: Institutional Environment, Processes and Products. Each principle is associated with some indicators which make possible to measure it. In order to evaluate quality, EUROSTAT provides different tools: the indicators mentioned above, Self-assessment based on the DESAP model, peer review, user satisfaction surveys and other proceedings for evaluation.
For AES 2022, a series of measures have been implemented to help ensure the process and quality of the results. These include the following:
- Data collection through the CAPI, CATI or CAWI application with the implementation of errors and warnings for inconsistency between survey responses, in order to carry out the first filtering in the same dwelling where the information is obtained.
-Specific training for interviewers.
- Revision of question codes (studies, activity and occupation).
- Centralised checking of errors and warnings in the collection to confirm the correct functioning of the applications and avoid systemic errors in the collection.
-Use of the EDIT check tool provided by Eurostat to check for inconsistencies. i.e. the survey is subject to a double check, that of the INE itself and that provided by Eurostat.An important point to note is that, by regulation, the survey does not admit proxy response, which is only available in the event of the inability to answer.
On the other hand, the harmonised methodology in EU countries allows us to offer quality comparisons at an international level. The results by Autonomous Community are also comparable due to the size of the sample.
- 11.2Quality assessment
The AES 2022 is considered to be of high quality. Its sample size allows it to provide indicators with reasonable sampling errors. The harmonised methodology used allows for reliable comparisons at an international level and provides an extremely valuable, linked and integrated measure of adult learning activities, including sociodemographic information (educational level, type of household, etc.) that no other statistical source provides with these conceptual details.
Statistical information on adult learning activities in the AES 2022 can be compared with other important sources on educational statistics from administrative records such as student registration.
With regard to the survey limitations, it is important to note those that are inherent to statistical sampling operations, such as non-response and sampling errors or variation coefficients of the estimates mentioned above. In both cases, they remain within reasonable limits.On the other hand, partial non-response in some economic variables, as occurs with the variable that collects household income, remains within the limits of other social surveys.
- 11.1Quality assurance
- 12Relevance
- 12.1User needs
At an international level, the main user of the survey is the European Commission (D.G. EAC), as well as other international organisations (CEDEFOP, OECD, etc). Due to the number of requests, the universities and foreign organisations that request the European microdata from Eurostat are also of special relevance.
The users of the survey at national level are the ministries, public bodies and autonomous communities, meeting their information needs as far as possible.
Other national users to be taken into account are universities, researchers, private companies and foundations.
- 12.2User satisfaction
The INE has carried out general user satisfaction surveys in 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016 and 2019 and it plans to continue doing so every three years. The purpose of these surveys is to find out what users think about the quality of the information of the INE statistics and the extent to which their needs of information are covered. In addition, additional surveys are carried out in order to acknowledge better other fields such as dissemination of the information, quality of some publications...
On the INE website, in its section Methods and Projects / Quality and Code of Practice / INE quality management / User surveys are available surveys conducted to date.(Click next link)
At the national level there is no specific user satisfaction survey for the AES; however, the INE user satisfaction surveys indicate the level of satisfaction of the group of users of social statistics.
At the international level, and within the Task Force in charge of preparing the 2011 survey, a satisfaction survey was carried out among the main users at the European level (DG for Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion, D.G Education and Culture, CEDEFOP...). The conclusions were taken into account in the preparation of the AES 2011. The AES 2022 is a continuation of the previous ones.
- 12.3Completeness
The survey provides complete information on the variables that the EU regulation considers to be mandatory.
The rate of available mandatory statistical results is equal to 100%.
- 12.1User needs
- 13Accuracy and reliability
- 13.1Overall accuracy
The sample design is aimed at minimising sampling errors and the different processes that make up the survey are aimed at reducing non-sampling errors, both in the collection phase and in the subsequent filtering and imputing phases.
Calibration techniques have also been applied to reduce bias due to non-response.
Information on sampling errors is available on the INE website, so users can assess the quality of the data presented.
https://www.ine.es/dyngs/INEbase/es/operacion.htm?c=Estadistica_C&cid=1254736176759&menu=resultados&idp=1254735573113
- 13.2Sampling error
The detailed results tables include sampling errors for the main survey estimates.
https://www.ine.es/dyngs/INEbase/es/operacion.htm?c=Estadistica_C&cid=1254736176759&menu=resultados&idp=1254735573113
Therefore, the variation coefficient of:
- total of people who have carried out formal education activities is 1.76
- total of people who have carried out non-formal education activities is 1.08
- total of people who have carried out informal learning activities is 0.93
- 13.3Non-sampling error
Non-sampling errors are reported in the survey methodology:
Non-response rate over total number of respondents: 20.8%
- 13.1Overall accuracy
- 14Timeliness and punctuality
- 14.1Timeliness
The time interval between the end of the reference period (30/07/2023) and the publication date of the final results is 143 days.
By regulation, the microdata is sent to Eurostat 6 months after the end of the fieldwork.
- 14.2Punctuality
Survey data was published according to the expected publication date.
- 14.1Timeliness
- 15Coherence and Comparability
- 15.1Comparability - geographical
National Comparability:
The design and the sample size allow a comparison of results at Autonomous Community level.
International comparability:
The strict application of the definitions and concepts of the European Union survey, which is reflected in the Regulation (EU) No 2019/1700 of the European Parliament and of the Council, allows the comparison of the AES results with those of similar surveys in other European countries.
- 15.2Comparability - over time
Data from this survey has been published in 2007, 2011, 2016 and 2022, so the number of comparable years in the time series is 4. From 2011, the survey is obligatory according to EU regulations and data will be published every 6 years.
Temporal comparability is partially limited by the change in the classifications used (CLA 2016, ISCED 2011) and by the new educational laws (LOE - Organic Law on Education, LOMCE - Organic Law on Improving the Quality of Education, LOMLOE (Organic Law Amending the LOE). It is also influenced by the economic situation of the survey reference period.
- 15.3Coherence - cross domain
The AES follows the concepts and definitions established by the Statistical Office of the European Communities (Eurostat). There are other sources of information on educational level or involvement in education and training in Spain, such as the Labour Force Survey or statistics on students enrolled in the formal education system by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport. The results from these sources are different to the results obtained from the AES, as a result of their different nature and the methodology applied in each case.
The comparison between these figures provides a similar pattern in their evolution over time, but also shows some discrepancies in the estimates.
However, the use of the various results provided by the different statistical sources does not indicate a coherence problem, but rather presents measurements of reality from different points of view. - 15.4Coherence - internal
The data obtained is fully consistent internally, since the consistency of the data collected in each questionnaire has been checked both in the collection and filtering phase. Once the information has been processed and aggregated into tables, the results have been analysed in order to avoid other inconsistencies that may arise.
- 15.1Comparability - geographical
- 16Cost and burden
- 16.1Cost and burden
The estimated budget appropriation necessary to finance this statistic, foreseen in the 2023 annual program, is 1,012.67 thousand euros.
The average interview time is estimated at 19,78 minutes. In order to reduce the burden on respondents, the following measures were taken:
- implementation of CAPI, CATI and CAWI questionnaires
- elimination of existing variables in the 2011 AES that were considered non-essential by the main users
- 16.1Cost and burden
- 17Data revision
- 17.1Data revision - policy
The INE of Spain has a policy which regulates the basic aspects of statistical data revision, seeking to ensure process transparency and product quality. This policy is laid out in the document approved by the INE board of directors on 13 March of 2015, which is available on the INE website, in the section "Methods and projects/Quality and Code of Practice/INE’s Quality management/INE’s Revision policy" (link).
This general policy sets the criteria that the different type of revisions should follow: routine revision- it is the case of statistics whose production process includes regular revisions-; more extensive revision- when methodological or basic reference source changes take place-; and exceptional revision- for instance, when an error appears in a published statistic-.
The final results were published in November 2023 and not reviewed. If an error is detected and the data needs to be modified, an explanatory note will be added to the new information to alert the user that the data has changed.
- 17.2Data revision - practice
No revisions are planned. Final data have been published in November 2023 and has not been reviewed.
- 17.1Data revision - policy
- 18Statistical processing
- 18.1Source data
The framework for sample selection will be the most updated georeferenced address framework (GAD) at the date of sample selection.
For the EADA 2022, an independent sample has been designed for each autonomous community, since the objective of the survey is to provide reliable estimates at this level of disaggregation.
The type of sampling used in the selection of the sample has been a two-stage stratified sample.
The stratification criterion used was the size of the municipality to which the section belongs, as well as the main sociodemographic characteristics of the section.
The persons in each section will be selected by systematic sampling with random start.
The decision on the sample size is established to comply, on the one hand, with the precision requirements contained in Regulation (EU) no. 2019/1700 of the European Parliament and the Council that regulates this survey at Community level, and on the other hand, with the objectives of providing reliable data for each autonomous community.
According to the above, the effective sample size should be around 20,000 people, so that according to the incidences in other similar surveys, as well as the different behavior of the autonomous communities, the theoretical sample size is set at around 34,000 people.
The distribution of the sample among the autonomous communities has been made taking into account the different size of the communities and the commitment of each one of them.
- 18.2Frequency of data collection
The survey is expected to be compiled every six years.
- 18.3Data collection
The collection was carried out by a company external to the INE by means of a multichannel procedure. Collaboration was requested through a web questionnaire (CAWI), for which the selected person had one week to complete the questionnaire in full, followed by a telephone appeal phase with the possibility of an interview (CATI) and finally a personal interview with an electronic questionnaire on a laptop computer (CAPI) for those persons who had not collaborated at the time of implementing this collection method. During the visit to the dwelling, the interviewer requests the necessary information to complete the electronic questionnaire. The interview could be supplemented, if necessary, with telephone calls to complete omitted data or correct erroneous data.
The interview ‘proxy’ was not accepted (for another person to provide data on the selected person) but it was allowed, in the event of the selected person's inability to respond, for another person to help them provide the information.
For more information see the survey methodology:
- 18.4Data validation
The computer application for collection was prepared by the external company, both for CAWI and for CATI and CAPI, and included all the rules for monitoring the questionnaire completion flow as well as all the controls and rules for detecting inconsistencies that the promoting service considered appropriate, so that, at the time of completing the questionnaire, it was considered filtered and only lacking in a coding for the INE to consider it valid.
The necessary coding, both for the CAWI part and the CATI or CAPI part, was carried out by the same company in charge of the collection.
In the promoting unit, the filtering was revised by means of the ATINE programme, processed by the Sub-directorate General for ICT (SGTIC) of the INE, which allows the control of the survey flow as well as errors in range and inconsistency. The correct allocation of the educational attainment level was also reviewed and it was ensured that the coding that was accurate.
No automatic imputation was applied to partial non-response. All the variables had to be completed and all the established controls had to be fulfilled for the questionnaire to be considered valid. However, following the guidelines of the European questionnaire, almost all the questions allowed the option of do not know/no answer.
- 18.5Data compilation
To estimate all the characteristics of the sample, reason estimators have been used to which calibration techniques are applied, taking the age groups and sex of the population of the Autonomous Community, total population from 18 to 69 years of the province and nationality (Spanish and foreign) as auxiliary variables.
For more information on estimators and sampling errors, please consult the survey methodology:
- 18.6Adjustment
Seasonal adjustment does not apply.
Calibration and adjustment methods are used to decrease the effect of non-response and improve the quality of the estimators.
- 18.1Source data
- 19Comment
- 19.1Comment
- 19.1Comment