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If you are a young European adult, you have probably spent a great amount of your time in a school, and if you are a European toddler, you will most probably spend even more time in school. According to the European Commission, almost all children from the age of 4 are now involved in some form of early childhood education and care, very close to the ET 2020 target of 95 %. At the other end of the school spectrum, Eurydice reports that many European countries have extended the number of years of compulsory education since the 1980s.

Does compulsory education mean obligation to attend schools in Europe? Do parents have the right to educate their children at home? Under which conditions can parents exercise this right? Policies and legislation on home schooling vary greatly across Europe. This short report provides a comparative overview on national policies in the 38 countries participating in the Eurydice network. The comparative overview is complemented by short national descriptions.

Does compulsory education mean obligation of attending schools in Europe? Do parents have the right to educate themselves their children and under which conditions? Policies and legislation on home schooling vary greatly across Europe. This short report provides a comparative overview on national policies in the 38 countries participating in the Eurydice network. The comparative overview is complemented by short national descriptions.

This Eurydice chapter focuses on the organisation of different education systems with a special attention to teachers and education staff. You will find accurate information on three major topics: initial teacher education and training, conditions of service, and continuing professional development. You can also access country's specific information by clicking on the tab "This chapter by country".

The higher education sector has experienced profound changes in recent years. Student numbers have continued to increase, while the sector has diversified and experienced significant structural changes, such as new funding arrangements, and new quality assurance systems. The challenges for academic staff have also been growing. Staffs are responsible for teaching ever greater numbers of students, undertaking research, and responding to growing societal needs, while academic jobs become more competitive, and job security more tenuous. "Modernisation of Higher Education in Europe: Academic Staff – 2017" explores the current realities for academic staff within this changing higher education landscape. The report focuses on the qualification requirements for academic staff, the recruitment process, employment and working conditions in academia, the impact of external quality assurance, and top level strategies for internationalisation.

At a time when the importance of teachers is becoming increasingly apparent, what are the main challenges in the teaching profession related to supply and demand? How do education systems address these issues? How does one qualify to be a teacher? What support is available once qualified? What are the career opportunities in this profession? The comparative overview of national policies on teacher careers across Europe, which covers 43 European education systems, provides an analysis of different aspects of the teaching profession. The report focuses on primary and general secondary education. The main themes include: forward planning and main challenges in teacher supply and demand, entry to the teaching profession and teacher mobility, continuing professional development and support, career development, and teacher appraisal.

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.

It's time to #BeActive! Being active is easier than it sounds! To prove that, the European Week of Sport has been launched! The idea is to get you and your fellow Europeans moving. This week is for everyone, regardless of age, background or fitness level. So now it’s your turn! Join in on the #BeActive fun in your country or online. Browse around the website to learn all about the events/activities that are being organized all across Europe and let’s #BeActive!

How do countries across Europe organise their education systems? What are the different models of organisation in primary and secondary education in Europe and how long does each educational level last? How diverse are the programmes offered at tertiary level? The answers to all of these questions can be found in the Eurydice's latest publication "The Structure of the European Education Systems". You will discover, for example, that there are three main organisational models of primary and lower secondary education in Europe and how they function. The report includes national schematic diagrams, an explanatory guide and a map showing visually these models. The information is available for 43 European education systems, covering 38 countries participating in the EU's Erasmus+ programme.

Dear subscriber, we are pleased to inform you about two new Eurydice publications. Summer is over and time has come for Eurydice's usual annual updates on school and academic calendars. Also this year, the COVID-19 pandemic hugely affected the usual routine of education systems. If you’re looking for information such as the distribution of holidays, number of school days in a comparative perspective, you should look at these reports. In particular, this year's edition has been enriched with an introduction and some new maps.

Erasmus+ is for sure a successful EU programmes. It promotes international mobility, increases the sense of belonging to the European community and enhanced valuable experiences abroad. But can it also have a positive effect on the economy of a country? The answer is yes and the Austrian case clearly shows it. A recent study highlighted the effects that the EU programme had on the economy in 2014.

Last Summer, digital skills became an essential part of the Sweden national curriculum in compulsory and upper secondary schools. With this decision the government aims at strengthening the digital knowledge of students and teachers. How will the changes concretely take place and impact students' and teachers' life?

What are the subjects take up the largest share of instruction time? The Instruction Time report analyses the recommended minimum instruction time in full-time compulsory general education in 43 European education systems for the year 2017/18. Special attention is paid to subjects such as reading, writing and literature, mathematics, natural sciences and social studies.