Overview   News

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies are changing how students learn and teachers teach. The paper “Friend or foe? Evidence from the use of generative artificial intelligence in learning and teaching” looks specifically at the impact of generative AI. It reviews scientific evidence and international studies covering students, teachers, parents and the wider education system, including cognitive development, critical thinking, self-regulated learning, equity and socio-emotional impacts.

Read the paper to discover what the evidence tells us about the opportunities, risks and wider implications of generative AI for learning and teaching.

This edition brings several opportunities to engage with EHESO and contribute to discussions on key priorities for European higher education.

On 13 October, our online policy workshop will explore how EHESO can contribute to evidence-based monitoring of the European Universities Initiative, bringing stakeholders together to discuss data and analytical priorities and the future role of EHESO in supporting alliance monitoring. On 5 November, our policy-oriented conference will focus on student-centred higher education, exploring skills, pedagogical innovation and joint programmes and degrees. The conference will also mark the official launch of the Study in Europe Radar, part of the European Student Hub.

This edition also puts a spotlight on graduate outcomes. EHESO is piloting a new approach combining graduate records with administrative employment data to develop more detailed indicators on employment and earnings. Complementing this work, our 14 October research seminar will present new evidence from Switzerland on the labour market returns to doctoral education, comparing the earnings of PhD and Master’s graduates across different labour market destinations.

In Fall 2026 the EUROGRADUATE 2026 survey will take place in the 17 countries participating in this third survey wave, asking graduates from the cohorts graduating in 2024/2025 (T+1) and 2020/2021 (T+5) about employment outcomes, education background and skills use.

Preparations are also underway for the EHESO 2026/2027 data collection, starting in November. Higher education institutions are invited to participate and help strengthen the European evidence base and the data underpinning EHESO tools.

Finally, two user training sessions on 6 and 7 October will offer practical introductions to EHESO Microdata and the Institutional Benchmarking Tool, helping users access, analyse and make effective use of EHESO data.

Together, these activities demonstrate how EHESO brings data, analysis, tools and stakeholder dialogue together to support evidence-informed policymaking and practice across European higher education.

How does your institution compare with higher education institutions across Europe? Registration is now open for the EHESO 2026/2027 data collection, which will begin in November 2026.

By participating, your institution contributes to the EHESO Benchmarking Tool for Higher Education Institutions, gains valuable benchmarking insights, and helps strengthen the European higher education evidence base. Register now to ensure your institution is included from the start.

How can Europe better understand graduate employment outcomes, including earnings, as a major outcome of higher education?

EHESO is piloting a new approach that combines graduate records with administrative employment data to produce more detailed and reliable indicators on employment and earnings by field of study, qualification level and graduate characteristics.

A new study examines how student mobility is distributed across Europe and how learning mobility can become more balanced, inclusive and sustainable.

Developed in the context of the European Education Area and the new higher education mobility target, it provides evidence and policy advice to help shape the future of learning mobility.

Another year, another chapter in Europe’s history.

Save the date for the State of the European Union address on 16 September 2026. President von der Leyen will deliver her annual address to Europe, setting out priorities for the year ahead.

Let’s shape a stronger Europe together.

The European Commission is gathering public input ahead of a new Education Package, to be announced this November. Your feedback can help shape it.

A Call for Evidence is now open, focusing on three areas:

- Basic skills: tackling declining performance in literacy, maths, science, digital skills and citizenship. - Teachers and trainers: improving working conditions, career development and the attractiveness of the profession. - Digital education infrastructure: modernising Europe’s digital education systems in the age of AI, while promoting human agency, inclusiveness and digital sovereignty.

Schools, teachers and trainers, education authorities, researchers, civil society and other interested stakeholders are invited to share evidence, research, relevant policies and successful practices.

Submit your contribution by 8 September!

Teachers are at the heart of every education system. But how are they rewarded across Europe? Explore the Eurydice interactive tool to compare statutory salaries, allowances and career structures across 37 European education systems. The webtool provides comparative and national data on the statutory salaries and allowances of full-time teachers and school heads in public schools across the Eurydice Network. It covers all EU Member States, as well as Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland and Türkiye.

What makes the tool the stand out?

It allows you to browse salary data by education level, from pre-primary to upper secondary; to track how salaries evolve across school years and throughout a career; and you can download the full dataset or export visuals for easy use.

Discover the latest data, explore how teacher salaries and career progression are structured in each country, and gain a deeper understanding of education systems across Europe.

EHESO is strengthening its dialogue with European Universities alliances to better understand their monitoring needs and explore how the Observatory can support evidence-informed policy and alliance-level reflection.

Recent exchanges with alliance coordinators, FOREU4ALL and researchers are helping shape EHESO’s contribution to monitoring the European Universities initiative.

This edition highlights new developments that further strengthen EHESO as a European source of evidence, data and analytical tools for higher education policy and practice.

At the forefront is the release of the revised European Higher Education Sector Scoreboard, which introduces new analytical features, enhanced visualisations and improved data accessibility. The updated platform enables users to explore higher education systems across Europe more effectively, supporting evidence-informed policymaking and comparative analysis.

This edition also highlights EHESO's growing engagement with the European Universities initiative. Through ongoing dialogue with alliance coordinators, FOREU4ALL, researchers and policymakers, EHESO is helping to shape a common approach to monitoring European Universities alliances, building on interoperable data, shared definitions and robust analytical tools.

Another example of EHESO's contribution to the European higher education landscape is its collaboration with the European Patent Office. By providing reliable institutional microdata and unique identifiers, EHESO supports the Deep Tech Finder, helping increase the visibility of European universities, their spin-outs and their contribution to Europe's research and innovation ecosystem.

Finally, we invite you to save the date for two upcoming EHESO events where we will continue to explore and discuss EHESO data and tools with stakeholders. The third EHESO online policy workshop will focus on evidence-based monitoring of European Universities alliances, while the annual EHESO policy-oriented conference will explore how data can support student-centred higher education policies.

Together, these developments reinforce EHESO's mission to provide high-quality data, analytical insights and practical tools that support evidence-based decision-making across the European higher education sector. In that context we invite higher education institutions to help us strengthen the European higher education evidence base and to register now for the EHESO 2026/2027 data collection, which will begin in November 2026.

How does your institution compare with higher education institutions across Europe? Registration is now open for the EHESO 2026/2027 data collection, which will begin in November 2026.

By participating, your institution contributes to the EHESO Benchmarking Tool for Higher Education Institutions, gains valuable benchmarking insights, and helps strengthen the European higher education evidence base. Register now to ensure your institution is included from the start.

Discover how the EPO’s Deep Tech Finder, leveraging EHESO microdata, empowers universities and their spin-outs to connect with investors and partners.

This free tool showcases patent activity from European universities, underlining their central role in advancing deep tech innovation, and demonstrates how EHESO data contributes to making Europe’s research and innovation ecosystem more visible and accessible.

Affordable housing has become one of the defining challenges young people are facing across Europe. Rising rents, limited housing supply and increasing living costs are making it harder for many young Europeans to move out of the family home, pursue education and training opportunities, or access employment in another city or country. In this interview, Normunds Popens, Deputy Director-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, and Matthew Baldwin, Head of the European Commission’s Housing Taskforce, discuss why housing has become a key European concern, how it affects young people’s lives and opportunities, and what actions the European Commission is taking to address this challenge.

Rising housing costs are making it increasingly difficult for many young Europeans to access affordable accommodation and build an independent life. As concerns grow that younger generations may face fewer opportunities than their parents, housing affordability has become a key issue in the debate on intergenerational fairness across Europe. Read our new Focus on article on this issue.

In this interview, AI expert Wayne Holmes looks beyond the hype, focusing on children’s well-being and safe learning environments at the centre of digital strategy. The interview is featured in the SELFIE newsletter, offering fresh perspectives on AI and digital learning in schools. SELFIE is a free, easy-to-use, customisable tool to help schools and teachers assess where they stand with learning in the digital age.

The Youth Climate LAB returns for its fourth edition, focusing on eco-anxiety and resilience through education. From 13–18 July 2026, young people aged 16–26 will meet online to explore climate emotions, exchange ideas and co-create resources for educators and communities. Two participants will be invited to attend Education for Climate Day in Brussels on 22 October. Apply by 25 June!

Our new factsheet highlights key findings from the latest Youth Wiki report on young people’s access to affordable and quality housing across 34 European countries. Discover the main challenges young people face, the policies in place to support them and why housing remains a crucial issue for inclusion, independence and wellbeing. Read the factsheet and explore the findings.

The Youth Wiki is an online platform presenting information on European countries' youth policies. The main objective of the Youth Wiki is to support evidence-based European cooperation in the field of Youth. It does so by providing information on national policies in support of young people – in a user-friendly and continuously updated way. The overall purpose is to help the European Commission and Member States in their decision making, by providing information on reforms and initiatives. It allows the exchange of information and innovative approaches and can substantiate peer learning activities. Currently, 34 countries participate in the Youth Wiki.

The Eurydice Network's task is to provide reliable information and comprehensive analyses of European education systems and policies. The network drafts descriptions of national education systems, comparative studies devoted to specific topics, indicators and statistics. Through its work, Eurydice aims to promote understanding, cooperation, trust and mobility at European and international levels. All Eurydice publications are available free of charge on the Eurydice website. The network consists of national units located in European countries and is coordinated by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency.

More students than ever are entering higher education across Europe. But does access automatically mean equal opportunity? The second episode of Education and Youth in 10’ explores the concept of the “inclusion illusion” in higher education – the idea that systems may appear open and accessible, while many students still face significant barriers once they are inside them. In this 10-minute conversation, the EACEA analyst David Crosier is joined by Arno Schrooyen, Vice-President of the European Students’ Union, and Thérèse Zhang, Deputy Director of the Higher Education Policy unit at the European University Association, to discuss the challenges students face today, from financial pressures and housing costs to wellbeing, mobility and academic success.