1. Monitoring progress in the field of education and training
by the European Commission
Working group ETS
Luxembourg, September 2007
Maria Hrabinska
European Commission, DG Education and Culture

2. Monitoring progress
Communication of the Commission on a coherent framework of indicators and benchmarks
Council conclusions of 25 May 2007 on a coherent framework of indicators and benchmarks
2007 Report on progress towards Lisbon objectives in education and training under preparation

3. Lisbon European Council March 2000
Goal of making Europe the most competitive knowledge based economy by 2010, with better jobs and greater social cohesion.
 Importance of human capital (education) acknowledged
Open method of coordination identified as a key tool
Detailed Work Programme (Education&Training 2010
programme adopted in 2002

4. 5 Education benchmarks  Low achievers in Reading (PISA) : -20%
- adopted by the (education) Council in 2003
- to be achieved by 2010
 Low achievers in Reading (PISA) : -20%
 Early school leavers: not more than 10%
 Upper secondary attainment: at least 85%
MST graduates: 15% increase, better gender balance
Lifelong learning participation: at least 12.5%
In addition quantitative goals set by Barcelona 2002 Spring European Council (languages, pre-primary education, R&D)

5. Monitoring progress
Biennal Joint reports of the Council and of the Commission based on national reports
Annual report on progress towards Lisbon objectives in education and training based on indicators and benchmarks (Progress reports)

6. Development of new indicators
Commission Staff Working Paper on New indicators in education and training of 2004
Council Conclusions on New indicators in education and training of 24 May 2005
Commission Communication on a Coherent Framework of Indicators of February 2007
Commission requested to report back by end 2006
- on progress made towards the establishment of a coherent framework of indicators and benchmarks for following up on the Lisbon objectives in the area of education and training,
- a reconsideration of the suitability of existing indicators for monitoring progress.

7. Communication on a coherent framework
Integration of Bologna process into EU policies and increased importance of higher education
 Copenhagen process in vocational education and training
Re-vised Lisbon agenda from and the new Lisbon focuson jobs and growth
Joint Interim report of 2006 and the importance of making best use of resources
 Proposal for a Recommendation on Key competencies
Coherence with EU policy framework/ formal system of education
Objectives framework needed adaptation to policy development
since the Detailed Work programme of 2002.
Key developments that had to be taken into account:

8. Eight policy areas 1. Improving equity in education and training;
2. Promoting efficiency in education and
training;
3. Making lifelong learning a reality;
4. Key competences among young people;
5. Modernising school education;
Modernising vocational education and training
(the Copenhagen process);
Modernising higher education (the Bologna
process);
8. Employability.

9. Communication on a coherent framework
20 indicators
Participation in pre-school education
Special needs education
Early school leavers
Literacy in reading, mathematics and science
Language skills
ICT skills
Civic skills
Learning to learn skills
Upper secondary completion rates of young people
School management
11) Schools as multi-purpose local learning centres
12) Professional development of teachers and trainers
13) Stratification of education and training systems
14) Higher education graduates
15) Cross-national mobility of students in higher education
16) Participation of adults in lifelong learning
17) Adults’ skills
18) Educational attainment of the population
19) Investment in education and training
20) Returns to education and training

10. Council Conclusions on a coherent framework of indicators of 30 May 2007
5 benchmarks
Need to continue to improve quality of
data produced by the ESS, in particular to
ensure valid, internationally comparable
and, where appropriate, gender- specific
data
Parallel need to continue to enhance
cooperation with other international
organisations
Council reaffirmed

11. 16 core indicators INDICATORS BASED ON EXISTING DATA
1) Participating in pre-school education
2) Early school leavers
3) Literacy in Reading, Maths and Science
4) Upper secondary completion rates of young people
5) Higher education graduates
6) Participation of adults in lifelong learning
7) Cross-national mobility of students in HE
8) Education attainment of the population
I report back in the event of any major development

12. 16 core indicators
II. INDICATORS LARGELY BASED ON EXISTING DATA WERE DEFINITIONS NEED FURTHER CLARIFICATION
9) Special needs education
10) ICT skills
11) Investment in education and training
III. INDICATORS DEVELOPED IN CO-OPERATION WITH OTHER INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS
12) Civic skills
13) Professional development of teacher and trainers
14) Adults' skills
IV. INDICATORS BASED ON NEW EU SURVEYS
15) Language skills
16) Learning to learn skills
Reports back to the Council
II information on the definition,including their composition, data sources, costs and other relevant technical specifications
III on participation of EU MS and the coverage of EU data needs
IV further examine and report back on results

13. Before proceeding with any new survey the Commission shall report
• the political relevance of the indicators;
• the detailed technical specifications of the survey;
• the availability and relevance of existing data at national level;
• the comparability of the data and a timetable;
• an estimate of the infrastructure required and of the likely costs ;
• appropriate management and support structures, enabling Member States to be involved
in methodological and development work.
Commission shall report on
Costs of the Community and of Member States

14. 2007 Progress report under preparation
Monitoring progress towards Lisbon objectives in education and training
Taking into account Council conclusions on coherent framework of indicators
Progress in 8 policy areas
16 core indicators

15. Progress achieved Benchmark already achieved:
Based on data /06
Benchmark already achieved:
Mathematics, science and technology graduates
Constant, but not sufficient progress:
Early school leavers
Upper secondary attainment
Lifelong learning participation
No progress yet:
Low achievers in PISA

16. Overview on progress made

17. Ratio of early school leavers (2006)

18. Reaching the 5 benchmarks in 2010 would imply
 2 million fewer young Europeans having left school early  2 million more young people finishing upper secondary education  over fewer 15 year olds performing low in reading literacy  nearly 8 million more adults participating in lifelong learning

19. Three best performers in the EU
Best performers – School education
Benchmark
2010 target
for EU
Three best performers in the EU
EU-27
average
USA
Japan
Percentage
of early
school
leavers
(18-24)
No more than
10%
2006
Czech Rep.
5.5%
Poland
5.6%
Slovakia
6.4%
15.3% -
Ratio of low
achieving
15-yea
r-olds in
reading
literacy
At least 20% decrease
(to 15.5%)
Change in the percentage of low achievers in %,
Latvia
-40.2%
-27.6%
Finland
(-18.6%)
+2.1%
+8.4%
+88.1%
% of low achievers in 2003
5.7%
Ireland
11.0%
Netherlands
11.5%
19.8%
19.4%
19.0%
Upper
secondary
completion
rate (20-24).
At least
85%
91.8%
91.7%
91.5%
77.8%

20. Three best performers in the EU
Higher education, Adult education
Benchmark
2010 target
for EU
Three best performers in the EU
EU-27
average
USA
Japan
Graduates in MST
Increase of at least 15% (= 100 000 graduates
or 1.6% annual increase over period )
Average annual increase
Romania
+15.6%
Slovakia +14.7%
Poland
+12.5%
+4.8%
(00-04)
+2.5%
-1.1%
Graduates per 1000 population (aged 20-29) in 2005
Ireland
24.5
France
22.5
Lithuania
18.9
12.4
10.2
13.4
% of female graduates in 2005
Estonia
43.5
Bulgaria
41.1
40.0
31.2
31.9
14.4
Adult
participation in lifelong learning (25-64).
At least
12.5%
2006
Sweden
32.1%
(2005)
Denmark
29.2% UK
26.6%
9.6% -

21. Thank you for your attention.