1. Vienna, 7 November 2012

2.  REGIONAL MEETING: EVIDENCE BASED POLICY MAKING IN EDUCATION ◦ 15-16 December 2011, Vienna  Presentation of the Study “Mapping Regional Capacities for Evidence Based Policy Making in Education in South Eastern Europe”  Representatives of RCC Building Human Capital Task Force supported the process of defining course of action based on findings and conclusions.

3.  Second day workshop on the identification of types of interventions for regional cooperation in the selected areas of action assessed by the Study  Multi-beneficiary IPA identified as a common platform for support in the coming period.  Draft outline of the project prepared on the basis of the Study results and inputs collected through the workshops

4.  Target: present project outline on the IPA Multi-Beneficiary Programme Coordination Meeting held on 26-27 April 2012 in Brussels/DG Enlargement  Project received general support from majority of National IPA coordinators  The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) supported the development of a common MBIPA project in the education sector

5.  Justification ◦ EBPM represent a horizontal approach for improved decision making in all segments of education sector ◦ Europe 2020 Strategy “policy measures and reforms in the field of education and training are set to contribute to the European targets and that the exchange of good policy and practice are fully addressed” ◦ Multi-Annual Indicative Planning Document (MIPD) 2011-2013: foster reforms and regional cooperation in education …….activities foreseen under this document is to deliver capacity building activities to administrations and to provide training activities, conferences, seminars, studies, exchange programmes, etc.

6.  Justification  Regional Cooperation Council Strategy and Work Programme 2011 – 2013: ◦ Areas which is insufficiently developed and need to be approached in a coherent manner include life-long learning, evidence based policy making (EBPM), societal debate on education policy, stakeholder participation in decision-making, education institutions’ autonomy as well as professional administration. ◦ Further strengthening of the Education Reform Initiative for South Eastern Europe (ERI SEE) and through.

7.  Project Brief:  Strengthen evidence based policy making in education in Western Balkans through the support to the Education Reform Initiative of South Eastern Europe as well as creating the network of regional knowledge sharing for evidence based policy making in education.

8.  Project Brief:  Jointly tackle urgent reforms in education sectors in Western Balkans, which are also on the top agenda in EU, such as drop outs, fiscal dimension of the education reforms, etc.  Targeting both researchers and policy makers and practitioners with the aim to improve the available and future data inputs for policy design in terms of quality, relevance and availability.  Contribute to sharing of existing analysis, design, and development of policies through a joint exchange platform.  Peer reviews of EBPM in participating countries.

9.  Areas of intervention  Jointly tackle urgent reforms in education sectors in Western Balkans, which are also on the top agenda in EU, such as drop outs, fiscal dimension of the education reforms, etc.  Targeting both researchers and policy makers and practitioners with the aim to improve the available and future data inputs for policy design in terms of quality, relevance and availability.  Contribute to sharing of existing analysis, design, and development of policies through a joint exchange platform.  Peer reviews of EBPM in participating countries.

10.  Areas of intervention  Established regional knowledge sharing network for evidence based policy making in education ◦ Assessment of research institutions ◦ Needs assessment among decision makers and policy makers in education ◦ Joint EBPM portal for education in WB ◦ Peer review mechanism for sharing good practice in education in WB  Improved education statistics in WB ◦ Six-months meetings between statisticians and knowledge sharing network ◦ Support initiatives to ease access to statistics to knowledge sharing network/researchers

11.  Areas of intervention  Enhanced systemic approach to evidence based policy making in WB ◦ Identifying obstacles for EBPM in national systems ◦ Policy recommendations for improvements in national systems (country reports) ◦ Tailored training programs for research organizations and policy makers on tools for evidence based policy making ◦ Support creation of the institutional mechanisms for EBPM approach in education

12.  Areas of intervention  Support/grants for evidence based policy making ◦ Organizing series of EBPM regional initiatives on key education reform topics in WB – through engagement of both national/EU expertise, such as:  Policy options for decrease of drop-out  Roma education  Fiscal dimension of the education reforms  Improving system for early child development  Creating key competencies in education  Establishing a common qualification evaluation framework  Implementing national qualifications frameworks  Involvement of social partners in VET ◦ Organizing targeted regional peer learning and training activities for policy makers and practitioners on key reform topics in WB supporting the policy dialogue in the framework of the Western Balkan Platform for Education

13.  More in-depth discussions would be needed to ensure that all stakeholders are fully on board, thus unable to include in IPA 2013  Strengthen connection with well established programmes in the field of education (Tempus, Erasmus Mundus)…  Regional Support for Inclusive Education…  Existing and planned cooperation in the area of statistics.

14.  Gradually move away from project-thinking and respond to include sector approach in education.

15.  Ministry of Civil Affairs (Education Sector) ◦ Consider including activities related to harmonized development and implementation of Qualification Framework for LLL. ◦ Regional issues concerning “old and new diplomas”. Pre and post Bologna ◦ Inclusion of ETF as participating partner

16.  Ministry of Labor and Social Policy: ◦ This regional cooperation in area of EBPM in education could provide added value in planning and implementation of education policy. ◦ Exclude Roma education from area of intervention (overlap with MBIPA 2012) ◦ Make link with MBIPA Regional statistical project- 2012

17.  EU Delegation ◦ Proposed activities are considered as preferential and in line with the needs of the education system in the country. ◦ Coordination with other similar programmes like the Roma Education Fund should be considered.

18.  Ministry of European Integration: ◦ This initiative very important for the ongoing reforms and assessment of these reforms in the region. ◦ Include Kosovo* as a full member of ERISEE ◦ Specify achievements of ERISEE thus far ◦ Clearly define the governance structure for the project implementation ◦ Avoid overlap with ongoing MBIPA projects (Roma and statistics) ◦ Mention other Clusters of knowledge (NQF and VET) ◦ Continue discussions on regional meetings ◦ Use existing platforms and resources (platform) ◦ Further explain the peer learning mechanism ◦ Include VET in the presented activities ◦ Channel support of capacities for local experts (avoid building capacities on supranational level)

19.  Ministry of National Education: ◦ The project will be effective in developing new policies for education in the concerned countries  Ministry for EU Affairs ◦ The project will contribute to the development of cooperation and enhancement of regional policy dialogue ◦ Exclude Roma education-overlap with ongoing projects ◦ Refer to the definition of minority in accordance with Turkish Constitutional System.

20.  Further dialogue with other clusters of knowledge  Zagreb meeting of NQF cluster in December  Regional event on education and statistics in Belgrade in December  Address conclusions from Compendium  Build on Torino Process achievements  Further support to ERISEE-institutionalisation  Further discussion on RCC level

21.  Apply sector wide approach to new projects  Fragmentation will be rejected by the DG Enlargement-Sector fiche  Challenges: ◦ No clear statements on MBIPA, due to New Financial Framework-IPA II post 2014 ◦ Challenge to participation of non IPA (Moldova), Member States countries (Romania and Bulgaria) and future Member States (Croatia) ◦ Close dialogue with DG Enlargement ◦ Meet the deadline -beginning of February 2013