Eurydice Voice

Welcome to the summer edition of Eurydice Voice, our quarterly newsletter. Recently, European elections saw over 50 percent of EU citizens voting, marking the highest turnout since 1994's 56 percent. Despite this, several countries experienced a decline in voter participation compared to 2019.

The engagement of young people is key for our democratic systems. We propose as an appetizer our Focus On article "If young people care, why do they not engage more with democratic life?" You can also have a look at the Youth Wiki chapter on participation, which provides information on the opportunities for young citizens to engage in politics and civil society and check our Youth Wiki Map which shows where National Programmes for young volunteers exist across Europe.

Changing theme, learn about the Communiqué adopted in Tirana at the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) Ministerial Conference, which outlines future steps to enhance cooperation within the EHEA. Additionally, we feature an interview with Milica Popović on EHEA's fundamental values, including academic freedom and participation in higher education governance.

Lastly, we celebrate the 2 years of the European Digital Education Hub and invite you to subscribe to the upcoming newsletter of the European Higher Education Sector Observatory (EHESO).

Grab a coffee, enjoy the summer, and take a E-YOU Time!

In a world brimming with challenges, from inequality to climate change, youth activism has been a driving force for change. Yet, a concerning trend is emerging: declining youth participation in traditional politics. Dive deep into the reasons why this current generation appears to be prioritizing activism over the sanctity of the ballot box. Understand the driving forces that lead young people towards the frontlines of change and examine how policymakers are striving to bridge this expanding gap.

The EU Youth Strategy sets as an important objective to expand the possibilities for youth engagement in the political and social spheres. It therefore invites the Member States to put in place measures that support youth organisations and create opportunities for debate between public institutions and young people. Discover this chapter of our online platform that illustrates the opportunities available to young citizens in Europe to participate in politics and civil society.

Participation in voluntary activities enables young people to become active citizens and agents of solidarity and positive change for communities. Have a look at this Youth Wiki Map which shows where National Programmes for young volunteers exist across Europe.

The Communiqué adopted in Tirana at the European Higher Education Area Ministerial Conference also proposes next steps to foster cooperation within the European Higher Education Area (“Bologna process”) in 2025-2027. The “Tirana Communiqué” takes stock of the cooperation to date and underlines that more needs to be done to facilitate cooperation in higher education and promote learner mobility.

Dr. Milica Popović is a political scientist specialising in memory studies, political sociology, and higher education studies. She obtained a PhD in comparative political sociology from Sciences Po Paris and one in Balkan studies from the University of Ljubljana. We had the chance to interview her and have an interesting conversation on fundamental values in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) such as academic freedom and student participation.

The new Bologna Process Implementation report has been recently published. It examines the latest policy commitments and their implementation in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). We have asked David Crosier, Olga Davydovskaia, Anna Horvath, Daniela Kocanova, Snejina Nikolova, the authors of the report, to answer a few questions regarding the publication.

Let’s go back in time for a second, shall we? In 1999, the Bologna Declaration was launched, and with it, a pledge from (now) 47 countries to work together and define the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). And how is that going, you wonder? Well, check the new edition of the Bologna Process Implementation Report. It accounts for the newest policy commitments in the EHEA, and how they’re being implemented across countries.

Knowledge and skills are commonly developed in structured programmes taking place in education and training institutions. Such programmes usually lead to a certificate or qualification validating the competences acquired. However, it is important to recognise that learning also occurs outside of education and training institutions, for example at workplaces or within non-professional activities of individuals.

The EU supports actions to recognise and valorise different types of learning, including non-formal and informal learning. The idea behind this is that the validation of knowledge and skills acquired in different learning contexts can enhance people’s aspirations for further learning and/or increase their chances on the labour market.

Eurydice’s newest report explores opportunities for the validation of non-formal and informal learning in 37 higher education systems across Europe. The report looks at whether the validation of non-formal and informal learning allows accessing higher education study programmes and to what extent it can contribute to fulfilling higher education study requirements. The report also examines the types of learning activity that can be validated and the quality assurance mechanisms underpinning validation practice. The report contributes to the future legacy of the European Year of Skills, celebrated recently at its closing event in Brussels.

Over the past two decades, there has been a growing recognition of education's crucial role in transforming society towards sustainability, equity, and social justice. Educational institutions are considered vital agents in tackling the sustainability challenges faced by societies, as they play a key role in developing competences through teaching and learning. To effectively prepare learners to address the green transition and promote a sustainable future, it is essential to integrate sustainability competences holistically into the curriculum and provide teachers and school leaders with proper training and guidance. How is this put into practice in European education systems? Eurydice’s latest report focuses on this aspect. The report explores primary and general secondary education across 39 European education systems and examines approaches to learning for sustainability for students and teachers, and the support offered to schools.

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.