The Role of Private Companies in Supporting European Policy in the Field of Education and Training

Abstract

For over a decade the OMC in E&T has created new roles for the European Commission, in particular the DG EAC (Daun, 2010; Souto Otero et al., 2008). The OMC process combines definition of common objectives, monitoring of progress, sharing and learning from effective practice, and development of consensus through stakeholder involvement (Council of the European Union, 2000). The OMC is expected to influence national policies and structures by identifying what works to address key policy challenges and advising countries on how to implement policies in that direction (Criado, 2009). In this context the European Commission becomes an agenda-setter as well as coordinator, facilitator, independent advisor, think-tank and knowledge-broker. These roles require a range of skill sets from staff involved, from diplomacy through research and evaluation, to communication and advocacy. They are demonstrated in several fields of expertise: from early childhood education to adult learning, including an array of transversal topics, and also across EU28 countries and beyond.¹ The human resources available to contribute to these tasks were around 160 persons² in March 2014, including managing staff (heads of units and sectors) but excluding staff in charge of managing funding programmes (such as the Lifelong Learning programme or Youth in Action), or purely administrative tasks.