http://www.education2010.be/calendar/education-and-training/media/

Meeting in Bruges, Belgium, Ministers of Education of 33 European countries (EU-27, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Turkey), representatives of employers and unions and the European Commission discussed and confirmed shared objectives for vocational education and training for 2011-2020. The Bruges Communiqué is the latest revision of the Copenhagen Process for European co-operation on vocational education and training.
Commissioner Vassiliou said: “It is very important that vocational training fulfils its two central objectives: to contribute to employability and economic growth on the one hand, and to respond to larger societal challenges, in particular social cohesion, on the other. I am very happy that 33 European countries, employers and unions are backing our plans to make vocational training a more modern and attractive learning option in Europe by 2020.”

Source: European Commission (full press release), 07/12/2010

Parallel to the Bologna Process, which focuses on higher education, the ministers for education of 32 European countries also launched a Copenhagen Process in 2002. This process is one of voluntary cooperation in the area of vocational education and training and is first and foremost aimed at creating mutual confidence in the various vocational education and training systems of the individual Member States. The Copenhagen Process takes the so-called “bottom-up” approach, which is illustrated by the fact that the European Social Partner Organizations[1] were asked to come on board from the very beginning.

The Copenhagen Process is very much rooted in Bruges, for, it is during Belgium’s last EU Presidency (2001) that the seed, which led to the Copenhagen Declaration, was sown. Today, on December 7, the European education ministers returned to the West-Flemish capital to ratify the Communiqué which contains the priorities and objectives for the next 10 years. This ‘Bruges Communiqué’ was launched today during a press conference hosted by the Informal Council.

The crucial objective of the Bruges Communiqué is to more actively engage the stakeholders of the Copenhagen Process, reason why, during the preparations for this Informal Council, the 4 main European providers were asked to take part in the drafting of a joint declaration for the very first time. With this declaration, they demonstrate that they henceforth intend to cooperate more closely on a joint European programme and that they endorse the objectives and the priorities of the Bruges Communiqué. In this agreement, they have agreed to:

• pay more attention to learning achievements and competences and to take action on the recognition of competences that were not acquired through education (EVC)
• stimulate the collaboration between education providers (including teachers) and the world of enterprise, including the social partners
• regard vocational education and training as a fully-fledged pathway towards individual vocations but also as a means to acquire competences and progress towards further training programmes, including higher-education programmes
• avail of the information on career prospects and labour-market needs; ensure that pupils, course participants and employees have access to adequate guidance
• continue with a proper investment policy
• promote international mobility
• cooperate on concrete objectives.

Pascal Smet is utterly delighted with the agreement: “Also throughout my Flemish mandate I have always focused on the (re)valuation of vocational education. I am therefore truly honoured that, as chairman of the EU Council, I was able to bring about an agreement on enhanced cooperation on this particular theme within Europe. A united Europe should be reality for all people, irrespective of whether they hold a university degree or have more practically-oriented competences. In the future, Europe, including Flanders, will not only need people with an academic degree but also people with vocational qualifications. After all, in a globalized world where technology is changing at a head-spinning rate and the green economy continues to develop, we do need people who have received proper vocational training”

Pascal Smet, Minister for Education, Youth and Equal Opportunities

[1] BusinessEurope, UEAPME, CEEP and ETUC

More information:

Jeroen JANSSENS, SpokespersonPascal Smet

Jeroen.janssens@vlaanderen.be GSM: +32 (0)477 / 477.000

Studying or doing a traineeship abroad is referred to as learning mobility. The participants concluded that such mobility still remains far from a reality for all. Nevertheless, they agreed that the goal must be upheld.

After all, learning mobility offers a variety of clear advantages. Thanks to foreign experience, young people can better fulfil themselves personally and have better job prospects.

Conclusions

Among the conclusions reached at the conference:

• Learning mobility must be accessible for all young people, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
• Teachers play the role of setting an example and therefore, mobility must be encouraged for students who are studying to become teachers.
• There needs to be a ‘culture of internationalisation’, within the government as well as various institutions. Only then can an international learning experience become the norm for all.
• The interest in learning mobility also needs to be stimulated in vocational programmes that are situated outside of the educational system.
• There is a need for extra financial support for less affluent students and groups that are currently underrepresented.
• Special student loans should also be made available in order to finance learning mobility.

 Flemish Minister for Education Pascal Smet opened the conference together with European Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou. Smet emphasised the importance of learning mobility in educating young people. “As policymakers, it is our responsibility to ensure that young people face their futures with confidence. And with a backpack filled with the right skills. One of the ways to achieve this is to guarantee that, during their education, all students can have the chance to gain experience abroad.”

The Belgian EU-Presidency organised the conference jointly with the DG Education and Culture of the European Commission.

Source: Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union

Over 200 policymakers, experts, researchers, education and training providers and representatives of civil society gathered in Ghent.

An important message of the conference was that education and training is often regarded as the ideal way to achieve social mobility, yet educational systems themselves often aggravate social inequality and reinforce the vicious circle of inequality.

Inclusion at all levels of education

Flemish Minister for Education Pascal Smet and European Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou jointly opened the conference. For a day and a half, the central topic was the important role played by all levels of education: from preschool to compulsory years of education through adult education. Other aspects emphasised were:

• The importance of investing in preschool;
• Combating early departure from school;
• The democratisation of higher education;
• Making vocational training and education more attractive.

Breaking the vicious circle together

The vicious circle of inequality is more prevalent in some countries than others. Greater European cooperation can therefore contribute to breaking the circle. This may involve, for example, sharing good practices and identifying common challenges.

The Belgian Presidency will incorporate the results of the conference in preparation for a ministerial debate on equity at the EU Education Council on 19 November.

Source: Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union

More information: http://www.media-and-learning.eu

In this context EIT labelled Master and Ph.D. programmes play an important role.

EIT Master/Ph.D. degree programmes are offered by research universities in cooperation with research institutes and innovative businesses, which form the EIT Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs). Each KIC addresses a particular global challenge, like climate change, sustainable energy and future information and communication society.

EIT degrees build on the experience gained in the context of other EU actions and are in line with the main achievements of the European Higher Education Area (Bologna Process), in particular in the field of Quality Assurance (European Standards and Guidelines) and recognition tools like the European Qualifications Framework, ECTS and the Diploma Supplement.

EIT curricula are moreover specifically geared at innovation, follow an entrepreneurial approach and have a developed international outreach strategy. They aim at translating state-of-the-art research into new services and products. Students work in trans-disciplinary multicultural teams coached in an interactive way by academics as well as practitioners.  International mobility and placements in industry and business are an essential part of the curriculum. EIT degrees follow quality criteria to encompass the specific features of the EIT curricula.

In order to promote the EIT programmes and degrees and to discuss their further development in dialogue with the different stakeholders within the innovation web, the EIT will hold a conference hosted by the University of Leuven on 2 and 3 December 2010.

Practical info

• Date: 2-3 December 2010
• Location: Leuven
• Venue: University premises
• Contact: EIT, Infopark, Building E, Neumann Janos utca, 1/E, 1117 Budapest  (Hungary)
• Phone: + 36 1 4819 342
• Fax: + 36 1 4819 399
• E-mail: nadja.dokter@eit.europa.eu

The Brussels conference is the last stage of the two-years-long project. The objectives of the conference are

• to introduce the research results, the Education Resource and the Policy Paper for EU decision makers,
• to inform educational and culture stakeholders about the findings of the research and the effect of drama, underpinned both by quantitative and qualitative results,
• to convince key stakeholders to introduce necessary changes suggested by the research.

The conference runs from 9am until 6pm. Deadline for registration is the 22nd October 2010. Participation in the conference is free of charge. However, there are limited seats available in the conference room: Only the first 120 registrations can be accepted. To register for the conference, please click here: http://www.dramanetwork.eu/registration.html

The Standing Group advises the Commission on the identification of concrete statistical indicators to be used to monitor performance and progress in education and training in view of common EU targets (like the Lisbon targets or the EU 2020 targets). This includes the provision of advice on the development and definition of new indicators and benchmarks and on the concrete monitoring of progress and performance of education systems in Europe.

Venue: Ellips Building, Koning Albert II-laan 35, 1030 Brussel

In 2010 Mexico will commemorate the bicentennial of its Independence and the centennial of its Revolution, as well as the 50th Anniversary of diplomatic relations between Mexico and the European Union and the 10th Anniversary of the Mexico-EU Global Agreement. Furthermore, the Center for Mexican Studies of the University of Antwerp will also celebrate its twentieth Anniversary.
Together with the Belgian EU Presidency these celebrations are seen as a unique opportunity to organise a conference: the Encuentro de Mexicanistas 2010 in Antwerp. This conference, held from 20th till 22nd September 2010, is based on three pillars: education, science and culture. During these three days policymakers, academicians and researchers from Member States of the European Union and Mexico will come together to exchanges views and discuss opinions. At the conference parallel sessions will be held on each of the three topics. The central issue in the debate on education is how to facilitate and strengthen academic cooperation and mobility between Mexico and the EU, using existing tools and reflecting on new ones. Four topics will be central during these discussions:

• Quality assurance in the Higher Education
• Mobility and recognition of the study periods abroad
• Skills: “New skills for new jobs”
• Joint Masters and Phd courses

During the conference also some famous Mexican movies will be shown, these movies are open to the public.

Source: Mexicanistas