• Lifelong Learning Policy
• Strategic framework for education and training
• Treaty basis
• Exchange of Good Practice and Peer Learning Activities
• Monitoring progress
• Main policy developments and outputs
• Stakeholders' Forum
• Mobility and lifelong learning instruments
• School education
• Higher education
• Vocational education and training
• Adult learning
• Innovation and creativity
• Research and analysis
• Lifelong Learning Programme
• Lifelong Learning Programme overview
• Erasmus for higher education
• Leonardo da Vinci for vocational training
• Comenius for school education
• Grundtvig for adult education
• Transversal programme
• Jean Monnet for European integration
• External Programmes and Policies
• Tempus
• Erasmus Mundus
• Co-operation with industrialised countries
• External co-operation in education and training
• More Information
• Reports and studies
• Education and training in the Member States
• Former programmes
• Dissemination and Exploitation of Results
• Lifelong Learning Programme
• Who we are
• Our Commissioner
• Our structure
• Our mission

European strategy and co-operation in education and training

EU education and training policy has been given added impetus since the adoption of the Lisbon Strategy in 2000, the EU's overarching programme focusing on growth and jobs. Knowledge, and the innovation it sparks, are the EU's most valuable assets, particularly as global competition becomes more intense in all sectors.

While national governments are responsible for education and training some challenges are common to all Member States: Ageing societies, skills deficits of the workforce and global competition need joint responses and countries learning from each other.

High quality pre-primary, primary, secondary, higher and vocational education and training are the fundament for Europe's success. Lifelong learning must become a reality across Europe. It is key to growth and jobs, as well as to allow everyone the chance to participate fully in society.

EU member states and the European Commission have therefore strengthened their political cooperation. This has been done through the Education and Training 2010 work programme launched in 2001 and its follow-up, the strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training ("ET 2020") adopted by the Council in May 2009.

Objectives and targets

The new strategic framework identifies four long term strategic objectives:

1. Making lifelong learning and mobility a reality;
2. Improving the quality and efficiency of education and training;
3. Promoting equity, social cohesion and active citizenship;
4. Enhancing creativity and innovation, including entrepreneurship, at all levels of education and training.

Based on these 4 strategic objectives, a number of priority areas are identified for concrete follow-up activities, for example expanding opportunities for learning mobility or enhancing partnerships between education and training institutions and the broader society.

In addition, EU-level benchmarks have been set for 2010 and 2020.

The benchmarks for 2010 are:

• the share of low achieving 15 year olds in reading should decrease by at least 20%; and
• the average rate of early school leavers should be no more than 10%;
• 85% of 22 year olds should complete upper secondary education;
• the total number of graduates in maths, science and technology should increase by at least 15%, while the gender imbalance in these subjects should be reduced
• the average participation of working adults population in lifelong learning should reach at least 12.5%.

The benchmarks to be achieved by 2020 are:

• at least 95% of children between 4 years old and the age for starting compulsory primary education should participate in early childhood education.
• the share of low-achieving 15-years olds in reading, mathematics and science should be less than 15%.
• the share of early leavers from education and training should be less than 10%.
• the share of 30-34 year olds with tertiary educational attainment should be at least 40%.
• an average of at least 15 % of adults should participate in lifelong Learning

Monitoring progress

Considerable progress has been achieved through cooperation so far - particularly in support of national reforms of lifelong learning, the modernisation of higher education and the development of common European instruments promoting quality, transparency and mobility. Find the latest reports and read more about monitoring progress.

Working together

Member States can learn a lot from each other. The Commission organises peer learning activities between member states interested in jointly developing national policies and systems in specific fields. Read more about the exchange of good practice and peer learning activities.

European reference tools

European cooperation in education has led to the development of a number of EU reference tools to support national reforms. Recommendations and common principles have been developed in the areas of key competences, quality assurance in higher education and in vocational education and training, quality of mobility, validation of non-formal and informal learning, lifelong guidance and the European Qualifications Framework. Read more about main policy developments and outputs.

Documents

• Council Conclusions on a strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training ("ET 2020")
  
• "Delivering lifelong learning for knowledge, creativity and innovation"
  2008 Joint Council/Commission Report on the implementation of the Education & Training 2010 work programme (February 2008)