1. Strategic Framework for European cooperation in education and training
»ET 2020«
Peter Schreiner
A chief policy document of the European Union in the field of Education policy.
The Strategic Framework for European Cooperation in education and training „ET 2020“ was adopted by the European Council on 12 May 2009 at the 2941th Education, Youth and Culture Council meeting (responsible ministers)
Provides guiding ideas and a framework for the next 10 years together with concrete steps and measurement
It can be seen as a crucial document that reflects an increasing impact from European perspective to national education systems and common concepts shaping a European education policy
Klingenthal, October 2010

2. ET 2020 Contents Context Structure Points for discussion
My presentation is structured in three parts as follows

3. ET 2020
1. Legal Context
Art. 165 Lisbon Treaty »The Union shall contribute to the development of quality education by encouraging cooperation between Member States and, if necessary, by supporting and supplementing their action, while fully respecting the responsibility of the Member States for the content of teaching and the organisation of education systems and their cultural and linguistic diversity.«
For the legal context it is important to take account of the fact that the EU has only a supporting competence in education
the responsibility for content and structure of the education and training systems is with the member states
But:
What supporting and supplementing means has been changed during the years
Education gained a legal status in the Maastricht treaty 1992 with an Article on education and vocational training. The treaty made the European Parliament joint-decision-maker on future measures in education, on an equal footing with the Council
Increasing influence through soft mechanisms and integration of ET in an overall strategy for growths and employment

4. ET 2020
1. Political Context
»Lisbon strategy 2000«, new strategic goal for EU: to become by 2010 “the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion“
»EU 2020«: A strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth; includes a EU flagship initiative “Youth on the move“ to enhance the performance of education systems
A new economic and social strategy was adopted by the Heads of State or Government in March 2000 in Lisbon.
The strategy puts education and training at the forefront of work to achieve the Europe of knowledge. From then on, investment in human resources and knowledge was considered to be one of the essential conditions for guaranteeing the economic vitality and social cohesion of the Union.
An in 2010 a new strategy was adopted renewing and adapting the Lisbon strategy according to a changed situation.

5. ET 2020
1. Working Method
»Open Method of Coordination« OMC : »It is based on identifying and defining shared objectives at European level, jointly specified means of measurement (indicators, benchmarks) and comparative tools for cooperation contributing to mutual improvement of systems by the dissemination of good practice, peer review and pilot projects. « (Pépin, 2006, 212)
The Open Method of Coordination was introduced.
It promotes convergence of national policies.
It supports the attainment of objectives shared by all.
It is designed to assist the member States in formulating their own policies.

6. »EU 2020« A strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth;
ET 2020
1. Political Context
»EU 2020« A strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth;
»The Commission is proposing five measurable EU targets for 2020 that will steer the process and be translated into national targets: for employment, for research and innovation; for climate change and energy; for education; and for combating poverty.«
EU 2020 describes the general strategy of the EU .
It has five areas of concern and targets:
Employment
Research and innovation
Climate change and energy
Education
Combating poverty
It includes 7 so called flagship initiatives

7. »EU 2020« A strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth;
ET 2020
1. Political Context
»EU 2020« A strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth;
»Education, training and lifelong learning: A quarter of all pupils have poor reading competences, one in seven young people leave education and training too early. Around 50% reach medium qualifications level but this often fails to match labour market needs. Less than one person in three aged has a university degree compared to 40% in the US and over 50% in Japan. According to the Shanghai index, only two European universities are in the world’s top 20.«
This is a quote on the situation of education and training under the heading „Europe must act“
You can see that this picture is shaped by global competition
Shangai index: Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU)
Ranking 2009:
The current top ten are as follows: 1. Harvard 2. Stanford 3. Berkeley 4. Cambridge 5. MIT (Massachusets Institute of Technology) 6. Caltech (California Institute of Technology) 7. Columbia 8. Princeton 9. Chicago 10. Oxford
Utrecht 52, Munich 55

8. »EU 2020« A strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth;
ET 2020
1. Political Context
»EU 2020« A strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth;
»Flagship initiative: “Youth on the move”. The aim is to enhance the performance and international attractiveness of Europe’s higher education institutions and raise the overall quality of all levels of education and training in the EU, combining both excellence and equity, by promoting student mobility and trainees’ mobility, and improve the employment situation of young people.«
One of the 7 is the flagship initiative „Youth on the move“ with the following aim

9. 2. Structure »ET 2020«
Recall and acknowledgement of Lisbon / Barcelona decision 2000 / 2002
Copenhagen and Bologna-Process
Agreement on further development of education and training systems in Member States aimed at two general aims
The personal, social and professional fulfillment of all citizens;
Sustainable economic prosperity and employability, whilst promoting democratic values, social cohesion, active citizenship, and intercultural dialogue.
The strategy framework is structured in 5 sections.
A Recall and acknowledgment of the Lisbon decision and the work programm on e&t of 2002
Lisbon strategy already mentioned, Barcelona 2002 agreed on a strategy in the area of e&t
Copenhagen process efers to a decision to collaborate more colsely in the field of vocational training and education
Bologna process aims at a common Euroepan higher education system up to 2010
Two general aims and four objectives as a common frame

10. 2. Structure »ET 2020« And on four strategic objectives:
Making lifelong learning and mobility a reality
Improving the quality and efficiency of education and training
Promoting equity, social cohesion and active citizenship
Enhancing creativity and innovation, including entrepreneurship, at all levels of education and training
Four strategic objectives that create a comprehensive understanding of education
All key issues are mentioned:
lifelong learning,
quality and efficiency of education
Equity, social cohesion and active citizenship
Creativity and innovation
Who can be against these objectives?

11. 2. Structure »ET 2020« Agreement on principles
European cooperation implemented in a lifelong learning perspective using OMC
Clear and visible outcomes
Copenhagen process (vocational training)
Bologna process (European Higher Education Area)
Cross-sectoral cooperation: employment, enterprise, social policy, youth policy and culture
Transparent ways of networking
Policy dialogue with third countries
Third section includes several principles

12. 2. Structure »ET 2020« Invitation to member states and Commission
Work together,
Use Open Method of Coordination OMC,
Enhance European cooperation on the basis of the four objectives, the principles and working methods and priority areas (work cycles of 3 years)
Fourth part of the document on more general points addressed to member states and the Commission
Program consists of work cycles of 3 years with sub-aims for each of the period and an evaluation after every of these periods.

13. 3. Structure »ET 2020«
Annex II: Priority Areas for European cooperation in E & T during the first cycle:
Making lifelong learning and mobility a reality:
Lifelong learning strategies & EQF
Improving the quality and efficiency of education and training:
Language learning, professional development of teachers and trainers, Governance and funding
Promoting equity, social cohesion and active citizenship
Early leavers from E&T
Enhancing creativity and innovation, including entrepreneurship, at all levels of e&t
transversal key competences

14. 3. Structure »ET 2020«
Annex I: Reference levels of European average performance (“European benchmarks”)
Adult participation in lifelong learning
Low achievers in basic skills
Tertiary level attainment
Early leavers from education and training
Early childhood education
Adult participation in lifelong learning: By 2020, an average of at least 15% of adults should participate in lifelong learning
Low achievers: By 2020, the share of low-achieving 15-years olds in reading, mathematics and science should be less than 15%
Tertiary level: By 2020, the share of the year olds with tertiary educational attainment should be at least 40%
Early leavers: By 2020, the share of early leavers from education and training should be less than 10%
Early childhood: By 2020, at least 95% of children between 4 years old and the age for starting compulsory primary education should participate in early childhood education.
The Commission is asked to work further in the areas of Mobility, employability and language learning.

15. 3. Points for Discussion
Dissemination of the document; ask governments how they implement ET 2020
Concept of lifelong learning. Are there other means of self-understanding of the individual
Economization of education: critical reflection
Take account of the broader context of European integration
CoGREE statement? ? o

16. Thank you for your attention