Monitoring Progress

Under Education and Training 2020, four strategic objectives have been agreed and a number of EU benchmarks have been set, of which two – concerning early school leaving and tertiary educational attainment – have been taken up by Europe 2020 as headline targets. These benchmarks offer insight and help to gauge Member States' progress in relation to education and training policy goals.

Four Education & Training 2020 Strategic Objectives

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

Seven Education & Training 2020 Benchmarks

1. 1. At least 95% of children between the age of four and the age for starting compulsory primary education should participate in early childhood education;
2. 2. The share of 15-year-olds with insufficient abilities in reading, mathematics and science should be less than 15%;
3. 3. The share of early leavers from education and training should be less than 10%;
4. 4. The share of 30 to 34-year-olds with tertiary educational attainment should be at least 40%;
5. 5. An average of at least 15% of adults should participate in lifelong learning
6. 6. At least 20 % of higher education graduates and 6% of 18-34 year-olds with an initial VET qualification should have had a period of study or training abroad;
7. 7. The share of employed graduates (20-34 year-olds) having left education and training no more than three years before the reference year should be at least 82%.

Benchmarks (3) and (4) together form a headline target of the Europe 2020 strategy. An eighth benchmark, covering foreign language skills and based on the European Language Competence Survey, is currently being developed, with a view of an adoption by the Council in the first semester 2013.

Reports

Read the latest Education Monitor (November 2012) and a short summary of average trends across the EU towards the five benchmarks for 2020.

The European Council and the Commission publish a joint report on the overall situation every two years. Using data from both the progress reports and national reports, this takes a more strategic view, assessing developments across national education systems and delivering a series of key messages.

Find the latest joint reports as well as the Member States' underlying national reports.

More information

• Official documentation on monitoring progress