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How do European countries assess students’ achievement in basic skills (literacy, mathematics and science)? How is the employability of graduates measured? These and other questions are addressed in this report, which contains 35 updated structural indicators in six education policy areas: early childhood education and care; achievement in basic skills; early leaving from education and training; higher education; graduate employability and learning mobility. The 2020 update covers the EU Member States, as well as the United Kingdom, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia and Turkey.

The Eurydice Network's task is to provide reliable information on, and comprehensive analyses of, European education systems and policies. The network, composed of 42 national units based in all 38 countries of the Erasmus+ programme, 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 co-ordinated by the EU Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency.

“You don't stop playing because you grow old; you grow old because you stop playing." G.B Shaw

Modern life is changing our relationship to our bodies. TV, computer, the internet and mobile devices impact the way young people exercise their thumbs more than their legs, arms, hearts and lungs. Instead of playing with friends on the streets, most kids prefer spending time on their virtual profiles and use online applications. Also at school, physical education is being increasingly challenged in an ever more compressed curriculum. Does this impact children's' development and their education?

“School is the advertising agency which makes you believe that you need the society as it is.” Ivan Illich

The absence of male teachers in our schools is not a new issue. According to the latest Eurostat data, only 15 % of primary school teachers in Europe are now men. On the other side, at the highest levels of university staff only 1 in 4 professors are women. Does this strong gender imbalance matter? Does it impact students' achievement? What could be the reason for this pattern?

Belgium reached the upper echelons of world football despite being a country with very small populations. But how did it do? Belgium's "golden generation" is no fluke, but the outcome of an excellent policy design developed over several years which could also have wider implications for how we think about education. Enjoy again, in a period where football is in the spotlight, this Focus on article.