Policy context

European Education Area

For the strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training towards the European Education Area and beyond, 7 EU-level targets have been defined to monitor progress. These refer to reference levels of European average performance in education and training.

EU-level target  Data Source

Low achieving 15-year-olds in basic skills

The share of low-achieving 15-year-olds in reading, mathematics and science should be less than 15%, by 2030.

OECD/
PISA

Low achieving eight-graders in digital skills

The share of low-achieving eight-graders in computer and information literacy should be less than 15%, by 2030.

 Data
from IEA		 IEA/
ICILS

Participation in early childhood education

At least 96% of children between 3 years old and the starting age for compulsory primary education should participate in early childhood education, by 2030.

 

 Eurostat/
UOE

Early leavers from education and training

The share of early leavers from education and training should be less than 9%, by 2030.

 

 Eurostat/
EU-LFS

Tertiary level attainment

The share of 25-34 year-olds with tertiary educational attainment should be at least 45%, by 2030.

 

 Eurostat/
EU-LFS

Exposure of VET graduates to work based learning

The share of recent graduates from VET benefiting from exposure to work-based learning during their vocational education and training should be at least 60%, by 2025.

 

 Eurostat/
EU-LFS

Participation of adults in learning

At least 47% of adults aged 25-64 should have participated in learning during the last 12 months, by 2025.

Available in the database in  spring 2023

2016 baseline data from the adult education survey (AES)

 Eurostat/
EU-LFS

 

Additionally, the  share of people aged 20 to 24 with at least an upper secondary qualification is a supplementary indicator that complements the EU-level target on early leavers from education and training.

Abbreviations used in the table

  • VET: Vocational education and training
  • Eurostat/EU-LFS: EU Labour Force Survey
  • Eurostat/UOE: UNESCO-OECD-Eurostat data collection on education systems statistics
  • IEA/ICILS: International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement/International Computer and Information Literacy Study
  • OECD/PISA: OECD PISA study