Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

European Union: The Strive for Smart, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Education Policy Reform Trends in G20 Members

Abstract

This chapter aims at presenting the key features of the education policy of the EU as part of its overall reform agenda. It exposes the specific strategic community priorities related with the various subsystems of education (vocational training, higher education, school education, and adult learning) and also the horizontal goals that overarch the subsystems. The main components of the lifelong learning paradigm, as a general policy framework, are presented, with a special focus on the EU’s higher education modernisation agenda. A detailed picture of various policy instruments the community uses to support policy implementation is also presented. The final section of the article analyses the possible future developments of education reform policy in the EU.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    See European Commission (2010a). For more detail see also the European Commission’s related website (http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020).

  2. 2.

    Council Conclusions on Europe 2020, Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN), Brussels, 16 March 2010.

  3. 3.

    Council Conclusions of 12 May 2009 on a strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training (ET 2020), Official Journal C 119, 28 May 2009, pp. 0002–0010.

  4. 4.

    European Council Conclusions. Brussels, 17 June 2010.

  5. 5.

    European Council Conclusions. Brussels, 17 June 2010.

  6. 6.

    Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2008 on the establishment of the European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning (Official Journal C 111, 6 May 2008).

  7. 7.

    Draft Conclusions of the Council and the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council, on efficiency and equity in education and training (2006/C 298/03), Official Journal of the European Union 8 December 2006; Conclusions of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council of 15 November 2007 on improving the quality of teacher education on 15 November 2007 (2007/C 300/07), Official Journal of the European Union 12 December 2007; Conclusions of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the Council of 21 November 2008 on preparing young people for the twenty-first century: an agenda for European cooperation on schools (2008/C 319/08), Official Journal of the European Union 13 December 2008; Council Conclusions of 26 November 2009 on the professional development of teachers and school leaders (2009/C 302/04), Official Journal of the European Union 12 December 2009

  8. 8.

    European Commission (2007); Council Conclusions of 22 May 2008 on adult learning (2008/C 140/09), Official Journal of the European Union 6 June 2008; European Parliament Resolution on Adult learning: It is never too late to learn, 2007/2114 (INI).

  9. 9.

    Recommendations of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning (2006/962/EC), Official Journal of the European Union, 30 December 2006.

  10. 10.

    Resolution of the Council and the Ministers for Education, meeting within the Council, of 19 September 1983 on measures relating to the introduction of new information technology in education; Council Resolution of 13 July 2001 on e-Learning; European Commission (1996).

  11. 11.

    Council Recommendation of 24 September 1998 on European cooperation in quality assurance in higher education (98/561/EC); Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 February 2001 on European cooperation in quality evaluation in school education (2001/166/EC), Official Journal of the European Communities L 60/51.

  12. 12.

    See, for example, the “University-business dialogue and co-operation” website of the European Commission (http://ec.europa.eu/education/higher-education/business_en.htm).

  13. 13.

    See the official website of the year (http://create2009.europa.eu/about_the_year.html).

  14. 14.

    See the “Innovation Union” website of the European Commission (http://ec.europa.eu/research/innovation-union/index_en.cfm?pg=keydocs).

  15. 15.

    See particularly the following decisions: Council Resolution of 27 June 2002 on lifelong learning (2002/C 163/01), Official Journal of the European Communities C 163/1; Conclusions of the Council and of the representatives of the Governments of the Member States meeting within the Council on Common European Principles for the identification and validation of non-formal and informal learning (May 2004); Resolution of the Council and of the representatives of the Member States meeting within the Council on Strengthening Policies, Systems and Practices in the field of Guidance throughout life in Europe (May 2004); Resolution of the Council and of the representatives of the Member States meeting within the Council on Strengthening Policies, Systems and Practices in the field of Guidance throughout life in Europe (May 2004); and European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning. Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council (April 2008).

  16. 16.

    See European Commission (2001) for the source of the list in quotation marks. The details in brackets are explanations referring also to major subsequent policy developments.

  17. 17.

    See the “Agenda for new skills and jobs” website of the European Commission (http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?langId=en&catId=958).

  18. 18.

    See, for example, the “European University Lifelong Learning Network” created in 2006 by 100 partner institutions in 31 countries which created an online “Managers’ Handbook” for university leaders intending to open their institutions towards LLL (http://distance.ktu.lt/thenuce/ebook2006/INTRODUCTION/fcontent.html).

  19. 19.

    See, for example, Tomusk (2007) and Olsen and Maassen (2007).

  20. 20.

    See the “Industrial innovation—Innovation Policy” website of the European Commission (http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/innovation/policy/index_en.htm).

  21. 21.

    See the platform’s website (http://empowereu.org/).

  22. 22.

    See Jo Ritzen’s article on 12 August 2012 in University World News (http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20120807141433279). See also Ritzen (2012).

  23. 23.

    See the relevant website “The Lifelong Learning Programme: education and training opportunities for all” of the European Commission (http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-programme/index_en.htm).

  24. 24.

    The current Lifelong Learning Programme was launched in 2006 (Decision no 1720/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 November 2006 establishing an action programme in the field of lifelong learning, Official Journal of the European Union, 24 October 2006).

  25. 25.

    See European Council (2000).

  26. 26.

    See the relevant website “Main policy initiatives and outputs in education and training since the year 2000” of the European Commission (http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-policy/policy-framework_en.htm).

  27. 27.

    See the website “Exchange of good practice and peer learning” of the European commission (http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-policy/exchange_en.htm) and particularly the website “Knowledge System for Lifelong Learning” of CEDEFOP (http://www.kslll.net).

  28. 28.

    See, for example, the “Higher education – Studies” website of the Commission for all recent analyses in the field of higher education policy (http://ec.europa.eu/education/higher-education/studies_en.htm) and also its website “Research and Analysis” (http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-policy/analysis_en.htm).

  29. 29.

    See a popular explanation on the relevant website “European semester: a new architecture for the new EU economic governance – Q&A” of the European Union (http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/11/14).

References

  • Borg, C., & Mayo, P. (2005). The EU memorandum on lifelong learning. Old wine in new bottles. Globalisation, Societies and Education, 3(2), 203–225.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, M. (2012). Skills for prosperity? A review of OECD and partner country skill strategies, Working paper. Paris: OECD.

    Google Scholar 

  • CEDEFOP (2012). Qualifications frameworks in Europe: An instrument for transparency and change. Briefing note (online: http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/publications/20509.aspx)

  • Coles, M. (2011). Referencing national qualifications levels to the EQF, European qualifications framework series: Note 3, Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.

    Google Scholar 

  • Corbett, A. (2011). Ping Pong: Competing leadership for reform in EU higher education 1998–2006. European Journal of Education, 46(1), 36–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • EUA. (2008). European Universities’ charter on lifelong learning. Brussels: European University Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission (1993). Guidelines for community action in the field of education and training, Commission working paper, COM(93) 183 final.

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission. (1996). Learning in the information society. Action plan for a European education initiative (1996–98). Communication to the European Parliament, the Council, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, Brussels.

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission. (2001). Making a European area of lifelong learning a reality. Communication from the Commission. Brussels.

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission. (2006). The history of European cooperation in education and training. Europe in the making – an example. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities.

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission. (2007). Action plan on adult learning: It is always a good time to learn. Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, Brussels, 27 September 2007. COM(2007) 558 final.

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission. (2008). Improving competences for the 21st century: An agenda for European cooperation on school. Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, Brussels, 3 July 2008. COM (2008) 425 final.

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission. (2010a). Europe 2020. A strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. Communication from the Commission, COM (2010) 2020 final.

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission. (2010b). New skills for new jobs: Action now. A report by the expert group on new skills for new jobs prepared for the European Commission.

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission. (2011a). Supporting growth and jobs – An agenda for the modernisation of Europe’s higher education systems. Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions {SEC(2011) 1063 final}.

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission. (2011b). Progress towards the common European objectives in education and training (2010/2011). Indicators and benchmarks. Commission Staff Working Document. Brussels.

    Google Scholar 

  • European Council. (2000). Presidency conclusions, Lisbon, 23–24 March 2000.

    Google Scholar 

  • Field, J. (1998): European dimensions. Education, training and the European Union. higher education policy series 39. London/Philadelphia: Jesica Kingsley Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gordon, J., et al. (2009). Key competences in Europe: Opening doors for lifelong learners across the school curriculum and teacher education. Warsaw: CASE-Center for Social and Economic Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • Halász, G. (2003). European co-ordination of national education policies from the perspective of the new member countries. In Becoming the best – Educational ambitions for Europe pp. 89–118). Enschede: CIDREE-SLO.

    Google Scholar 

  • Janne, H. (1973). For a community education policy. Commission of the European Communities. Bulletin of the European Communities, Supplement. 10/73.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kwiek, M. (2012). The growing complexity of the academic enterprise in Europe: A panoramic view. European Journal of Higher Education (online: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21568235.2012.702477)

  • Lee, M., Thayer, T., & Madyun, N. (2008). The evolution of the European Union’s lifelong learning policies: An institutional learning perspective. Comparative Education, 44(4), 445–463.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moschonas, A. (1998). Education and training in the European Union. Aldershot: Brookfield.

    Google Scholar 

  • OECD. (2012). Better skills, better jobs, better lives. A strategic approach to skills policies. Paris: OECD.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olsen, J. P., & Maassen, P. (2007). European debates on the knowledge institution: The modernization of the university at the European level. In P. Maassen & J. P. Olsen (Eds.), University dynamics and European integration (pp. 3–22). Dordrecht: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Ritzen, J. (2012). Can the University save Europe? IZA policy paper, no. 44. Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit Institute for the Study of Labor. Bonn.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shattock, M. (2008). Introduction. In M. Shattock, (Ed.), European Universities for entrepreneurship: Their role in the Europe of knowledge (pp. 11–21). EUEREK. Final report. Sixth Framework Programme (online: http://cordis.europa.eu/search/index.cfm?fuseaction=lib.document&DOC_LANG_ID=EN&DOC_ID=129062621&q=)

  • Tomusk, V. (Ed.). (2007). Creating the European area of higher education. Voices from the periphery. Dordrecht: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vught, F. van (2009). The EU innovation agenda: Challenges for European higher education and research. Higher Education Management and Policy, 21(2), 13–34.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University Eötvös Loránd, Budapest, Hungary

    Gábor Halász

Authors
  1. Gábor Halász
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gábor Halász .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of International Cooperation, National Institute of Education Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China

    Yan Wang

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Halász, G. (2013). European Union: The Strive for Smart, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth. In: Wang, Y. (eds) Education Policy Reform Trends in G20 Members. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-38931-3_15

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation