The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Developments has presented its innovation strategy, focusing on human capital and education. The initiative was launched at a ministerial council meeting in May following a three-year multidisciplinary, multi-stakeholder effort, the organisation announced.

The OECD says innovation is a key driver of economic growth and social progress that holds an essential role in the economic recovery and creating jobs. Human capital is the source of innovation, and empowering people to innovate requires not only broad and relevant education and training but also opportunities to leverage these skills through the economy and society.

Education and training systems should equip people to learn and develop the broad range of skills needed for innovation, and with the flexibility to upgrade skills and adapt to changing economic and social conditions, says the OECD.

Some policy principles emerging from its analysis were to:

* Develop curricula and pedagogies that develop the capacity to learn throughout life.
* Improve educational outcomes to facilitate participation in further learning and training.
* Continue to reform tertiary education systems.
* Connect vocational education and training to the world of work.
* Enable women to play a larger role in the innovation process.
* Support international mobility.
* Foster innovative workplaces.

For further information: the Innovation Strategy for Education and Training of the OECD Centre for Educational Research and Innovation builds on the organisation's innovation strategy, and will continue its work on 'Education and skills for innovation' and 'Innovation and improvement for education'.

The OECD Innovation Strategy: Getting a Head Start on Tomorrow is the major final report of the strategy, providing analysis and policy guidance on a broad range of issues.

The Ministerial Report on the OECD Innovation Strategy presents the key findings of the strategy in a concise format.

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