New Culture, Old System — Reactions to Internationalization in Spanish Education Policy

Abstract

Spain’s economy was hit hard by the international financial crisis. Hence, youth unemployment is extremely high in Spain, at over 50 per cent among 15- to 29-year-olds in May 2013. International experts recommended making structural adjustments to the educational sector (OECD 2012). Taking action, Spain began to cooperate with other countries, such as Germany, in order to establish a high-quality system of vocational training. The growing attention towards vocational training in Spain is only one example of this phenomenon. In general, Spanish governments tend to present specific reform ideas “as the best way to improve students’ abilities and skills” (Bona! and Tarabini 2012: 337), After all, education policy has become an issue of major relevance in Spain independently, despite and due to the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) Study and the Bologna Process.