European Education Policies and related Eurydice products

1. European Education Policiesand related Eurydice products Wim Vansteenkiste Eurydice Solna 5 November 2009

2. Introduction • Introduction • A new era in educational policymaking in Europe since 2000: A European education area?Towards a knowledgesociety in Europe?

3. Objectives • to give a comprehensive and structured overview of the evolutions in European education and training policies since 2000 • to give you some thoughts (and inspiration) about international trends in education and training (bridge the gap) • to relate these developments with the work of the Eurydice Network

4. Structure • Maastricht Treaty (1992) • The knowledge-based society • The Bologna Process in Higher Education (1998) • EU : The Lisbon Summit (March 2000) • Open Method of Coordination • The Objectives Report (2001) • Detailed Work Programme E&T 2010 (2002)

5. Structure (2) • Barcelona Summit (March 2002) • Benchmarks and Indicators • Enhanced Cooperation in VET(Copenhagen Process) • Follow-up of E&T 2010 • An updated strategic framework (2010-2020) • Trends in education and training • Related Eurydice products

6. 1. Maastricht Treaty (1992) Treaty with focus on monetary, fiscal, economic, budgetary policies • Education (art. 149) “The Community shall contribute to the development of quality education by encouraging cooperation between Member States and, if necessary, by supporting and supplementing their action, while fully respecting the Member States for the content of teaching and the organisation of education systems and their cultural and linguistic diversity.”

7. Maastricht (2) Europe’s role : limited ! Contribute to the development of quality education • Support and supplement actions • Fully respect the responsibility of the member states

8. Maastricht (3) Community actions aiming at : • Development of a European dimension • Mobility of teachers and students • Foreign language teaching • Exchange of experience and information (Eurydice 1980) • Cooperation between educational establishments - Socrates programme: Erasmus (1987), Comenius, Lingua, Grundtvig, Arion, Eurydice (1995-2006) - Lifelong Learning Programme (2007-2013): Comenius, Erasmus, Leonardo da Vinci, Grundtvig and a transversal programme, Jean Monnet programme

9. Maastricht (4) • Vocational training (art. 150) “The Community shall implement a vocational training policy which shall support and supplement the action of the Member States, while fully respecting the responsibility of the Member States for the content and organisation of vocational training”

10. Maastricht (5) Europe’s role : limited! • Support and supplement the actions of Member States Community actions aim to: • Facilitate adaptation to industrial changes through vocational training and retraining • Improve initial and continuing vocational training • Facilitate access to vocational training and encourage mobility of institutions and trainees • Stimulate cooperation on training between educational or training establishments and firms • Leonardo da Vinci programme (1995-2006)

11. Maastricht (6): conclusions Subsidiarity in governance “Whatever can be decided and executed at a lower shall be decided and executed at that level” “The Council (…) shall adopt incentive measures, excluding any harmonisation of the laws and regulations of the Member States to contribute to the achievement of the objectives” Co-decision procedure (proposal of the Commission, co-decision of the Parliament and the Council) Recommendations (not obligatory, voluntary cooperation) LLP-programme (decision) Europass (decision) CV, mobility, diploma supplement, language portfolio, certificate supplement.

12. 2. A knowledge-based society (1) Rise of 2 fundamental concepts in the 90-ies • KNOWLEDGE-BASED SOCIETY • LIFELONG LEARNING

13. A knowledge-based society (2) White paper on growth, competitiveness and employment (1993) supported lifelong learning White book (1995): Teaching and learning – Towards the Learning Society - linking education with economic competitiveness and social cohesion - 5 priorities: • Encourage the acquisition of new knowledge • Bring schools and business closer together • Combat exclusion • Proficiency in 3 community languages • Treat capital investments and investments in training on an equal base 1996: European Year of Lifelong Learning - December: Council conclusions on a strategy for lifelong learning

14. A knowledge based society (3) The Cologne Charter (G8 – June 1999): Aims and Ambitions for Lifelong Learning “The challenge every country faces now is how to become a learning society and to ensure that its citizens are equipped with the knowledge, skills and qualifications they will need in the next century. Economies and societies are increasingly knowledge-based. Education and skills are indispensable to achieving economic success, civic responsibility and social cohesion. The next century will be defined by flexibility and change, more than ever there will be a demand for mobility” (The Cologne Charter – G8 – 1999)

15. 3. Bologna (1999) Starting point: Sorbonne declaration (1998) – initiative of the universities Bologna declaration (June 1999) The Bologna Process aims to create a European Higher Education Area by 2010, in which students can choose from a wide and transparent range of high quality courses and benefit from smooth recognition procedures. Reform is needed if Europe is to match the performance of the best performing systems in the world, notably the United States and Asia.

16. Bologna (2) The three priorities of the Bologna process are: • Introduction of the three cycle system (bachelor/master/doctorate) • Quality assurance • Recognition of qualifications and periods of study (ECTS)

17. Bologna (3) Every second year the Ministers meet to measure progress and set priorities for action. • Bologna (1999) • Prague (2001) • Berlin (2003) • Bergen (2005) • London (2007) • Leuven/Louvain-La-Neuve (2009) Conference: Vienna-Budapest (2010) Coordination: Bologna follow-up group More than the EU: 46 countries involved

18. Bologna (4)

19. 4. The Lisbon Summit (March 2000) A strategic objective for the next decade: “To become the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion”

20. The Lisbon Summit (2) An overall strategy aimed at modernising the European social model • by investing in people • by building an active welfare state • by combating social exclusion Re-launch (2005)

21. The Lisbon summit (3) Invitation to education ministers • Undertake a general reflection on the future objectives of education and training • Focus on common concerns and priorities • Respect national diversity • Report to the European Council in spring 2001

22. 5. Open method of coordination Definition : An instrument to monitor and follow-up on the implementation of commonly agreed objectives by spreading best practice and achieving convergence towards these objectives

23. 5. Open method of coordination (2) How does the OMC work? • Fixing guidelines and timetables to achieve the strategic goal • Establishing quantitative and qualitative indicators and benchmarks • Periodic monitoring, evaluation, peer review as mutual learning processes • European guidelines are translated into national and regional targets

24. Open Method of Coordination (3) OMC helps countries in • Developing their own policies • Sharing good practice • Reviewing the outcomes of their policies

25. 6. The objectives report (2001) General aims for education and training • Development of the individual: realise his potential and live a good life • Development of the society: foster democracy, reduce disparities and inequities, promote cultural diversity • Development of the economy: ensure that skills of the labour force correspond to the economic and technological evolution

26. The objectives report (2) Challenges for Europe in this decade : • Changes in working life • Society, demography and migration • Equal opportunities and social cohesion • Enlargement (access of new countries) Ambitious agenda for education and training systems • Improved quality and efficiency • Facilitation of universal access • Opening-up to the wider world

27. Objectives report (3) 13 associated objectives I. Increasing the quality and effectiveness of resources 1. Improving education and training for teachers and trainers 2. Developing skills for the knowledge society 3. Ensuring access to ICT for everyone 4. Increasing the recruitment to scientific and technical studies 5. Making the best use of resources

28. Objectives report (4) II. Facilitating the access of all 6. Open learning environment 7. Making learning more attractive 8. Supporting active citizenship, equal opportunities and social cohesion

29. Objectives report (5) III. Opening up education and training to the wider world 9. Strengthening the links with working life and research and society at large 10. Developing the spirit of enterprise 11. Improving foreign language learning 12. Increasing mobility and exchanges 13. Strengthening European cooperation

30. 7. Detailed work programme (Feb 2002) ‘Education and Training 2010’: an ambitious agenda For the benefit of citizens and the Union as a whole the following should be achieved in education and training by 2010: • The highest quality will be achieved in education and training and Europe will be recognised as a world-widereference for the quality and relevance of its education and training systems and institutions • Education and training systems in Europe will be compatible enough to allow citizens to move between them and to take advantage of their diversity

31. Detailed work programme (2) • Holders of qualifications, knowledge and skills acquired anywhere in the EU will be able to get them effectively validated throughout the Union for the purpose of career and further learning • Europeans, at all ages, will have access to lifelong learning • Europe will be open to cooperation for mutual benefits with all other regions and should be the most-favoured destination of students, scholars and researchers from other world regions”

32. 8. Barcelona summit (March 2002) • Introduction of instruments to ensure transparency of diplomas and qualifications (ECTS, diploma and certificate supplements, European CV) • Closer cooperation in the context of the Bologna process • Similar action in the area of vocational training (Copenhagen process) • Improved mastery of basic skills by teaching at least two foreign languages from a very early age; establishment of a linguistic competence indicator in 2003 (sic !) • Development of digital literacy; generalisation of an Internet and computer user’s certificate for secondary school pupils (ECDL) • Importance of pre-school education

33. 8. Barcelona summit (March 2002) Education and training are central to the Union’s economic and social strategy for 2010

34. 9. Benchmarks and Indicators Policy rationale: Open Method of Coordination Setting benchmarks is a crucial (to monitor progress effectively), sensitive (setting benchmarks is highly political) and a difficult (technically difficult) issue 2002: Standing group for Indicators and Benchmarks

35. Benchmarks and Indicators (2) 5 benchmarks (May 2003) : to be achieved by 2010 • Early school leavers : An EU average of no more than 10 % early school leavers should be achieved • Mathematics, science and technology : The total number of graduates in mathematics, science and technology should increase by at least 15 % while at the same time the level of gender imbalance should decrease • Completion of upper secondary education: At least 85 % if 22-year-olds should have completed upper secondary education • Basic skills : The percentage of low-achieving 15-years-olds in reading literacy should have decreased by at least 20 % compared to the year 2000 • Lifelong learning : The average level of participation in lifelong learning should be at least 12,5 % of the adult working age population (25-64 age group)

36. Benchmarks and indicators (3) Reaching the European benchmarks in the field of education would imply in 2010: • 2 million fewer young people would have left school early • 2 million more would have graduated from upper secondary education • 200.000 less 15 years old would be low performers in reading literacy • 4 million more adults would participate in lifelong learning • All students leaving school would be able to communicate in two foreign languages (from Progress towards the Lisbon Objectives in Education and Training. Commission staff working document, Brussels, 16.05.2006)

37. Benchmarks and indicators (4)

38. Benchmarks and indicators (5) A new framework for indicators benchmarks • Communication of the Commission (21.02.07): “A coherent framework of indicators and benchmarks for monitoring progress towards the Lisbon objectives in education and training” • Council conclusions (30 May 2007)

39. Benchmarks and indicators (6) 20 core indicators for monitoring progress towards the Lisbon objectives in education and training 1) Participation in pre-school education 2) Special needs education 3) Early school leavers 4) Literacy in reading, mathematics and science 5) Language skills 6) ICT skills 7) Civic skills 8) Learning to learn skills

40. Benchmarks and indicators (7) 9) Upper secondary completion rates of young people 10) School management * 11) Schools as multi-purpose local learning centres * 12) Professional development of teachers and trainers 13) Stratification of education and training systems * 14) Higher education graduates 15) Cross-national mobility of students in higher education 16) Participation of adults in lifelong learning 17) Adults’ skills 18) Educational attainment of the population 19) Investment in education and training 20) Returns to education and training * * The Council conclusions on a coherent framework of indicators and benchmarks identify 16 of the 20 suggestedindicators for full exploitation or development work.

41. Benchmarks and indicators (7) Commission Staff Working Document: Progress towards the Lisbon Objectives in Education and Training – Indicators and Benchmarks 2004-2005-2006-2007-2008-2009

42. 10. Copenhagen process (2002) The Bologna process : paving the way • Ante : European higher education area - Lack of transparency in structures - No quality assurance mechanism - No recognition of qualifications, credits • Post : The answer - Bachelor – Master - Accreditation – Quality control - ECTS

43. The Copenhagen process (2) Rationale for enhanced cooperation in VET • Current situation - Highly fragmented VET : school-based, work-based - No transfer of credits - Uneven quality across countries - New providers • The answer - Greater transparency of structures - Recognition of qualifications and competences - Minimum standards in VET

44. The Copenhagen process (3) Work programme : development of tools to support transparency: • Validation of non-formal and informal learning General principles (2004) • Guidance - Resolution and manual for policy makers (2004)

45. The Copenhagen process (3) • European Qualification Framework (EQF) Recommendation approved in April 2008 • Instrument for credit transfer (ECVET) Recommendation approved in June 2009 • Criteria and principles for quality in VET Recommendation approved in June 2009

46. The Copenhagen process (4) • Follow-up conferences: Maastricht (2004), Helsinki (2006), Bordeaux (2008) • Communication “New skills for new jobs” (December 2008)

48. EQF Level 8 Q NQF/NQS EQF Level 7 NQF/ NQS Q EQF Level 6 Q NQF/NQS EQF Level 5 NQF/ NQS Q NQF/NQS EQF Level 4 Q EQF Level 3 Q NQF/NQS Q NQF / NQS EQF Level 2 EQF Level 1 EQF Country A Country B

49. ECVET Learning outcomes Units Credit points Transfer

50. ECVET voor Peter Chicester college, UK Landstede, NL Learning outcomes Peter Learning outcomes recognized as part of NL qualification Peter Assessed by competent body UK Credits transferred and validated by competent body NL Credits awarded by competent body UK Individual transcript of record