All people in Europe engage in learning. They learn at preschool and school, in higher education and vocational training, and in adult education. How they learn can differ greatly in the various countries. That’s because in the EU, every country can decide for itself how to shape its education policies.
Nonetheless, many countries are faced with similar issues and challenges, for example teacher shortages or the question of how to make digital education work. That is why the EU member states exchange experiences in education on a regular basis.
The European Union fosters this exchange and puts forward its own proposals for measures at national and European level to help provide the best possible education to the people in Europe.
The European Education Area
The EU member states and the European Commission have set themselves one goal: to create a common European Education Area. This will enable all learners in Europe to enjoy free movement and build networks. All levels of education will be part of this, from early childhood education starting at preschool age to lifelong adult education.
The EU member states and the European Commission strive to intensify their cooperation and achieve improvements in the following priority areas:
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Priority 1
People who are at a disadvantage in society and in economic terms are to receive particularly good educational opportunities. The aim is to increase the quality of education.
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Priority 2
All people in the EU should have the possibility to engage in lifelong learning, also after having entered the workforce. The aim is to increase learner mobility and thus the number of people travelling abroad to learn in another country. This provides the opportunity to get to know a new culture and fosters personal development.
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Priority 3
Teacher training and support as well as targeted measures to solve the teacher shortage are another priority.
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Priority 4
The aim is to strengthen Europe’s higher education institutions with regard to both teaching and research.
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Priority 5
The aim is to make digital technologies and skills a natural part of education at all levels. To foster the green transition, it is necessary to impart the know how and skills for an environmentally friendly society to all learners and to establish a sustainable education infrastructure.
The Eurydice network
Education systems in Europe are very different. The aim of the Eurydice network is to gain a good understanding of how the individual systems work and where they differ. To this end, it provides descriptions of all national education systems in Europe to the public. Studies and reports on different topics as well as an interactive mobility scoreboard can also be accessed.
The Eurydice network provides a lot of information about education in Europe.
Comparative reports
Reports on different topics such as sustainability in education or inclusion of disadvantaged groups and diversity.
Data and visuals
Data and statistics on, for example, teacher salaries in Europe.
Mobility scoreboard
Interactive maps showing the possibilities for learning abroad in various European countries. There are different maps for the two areas of higher education and vocational education and training.
National education systems
This page provides descriptive overviews of the individual education systems in Europe.
The European Social Fund Plus (ESF+)
The aims of the European Union are to guarantee professional prospects for everyone, reduce discrimination in the education system, and ensure equal opportunities. The European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) has served as an instrument for achieving these aims for over 65 years. In its current funding period, it is even more focused on the idea of a social Europe. The ESF+ funds projects that improve the training and employment chances of young people and people with a migrant background. Furthermore, the ESF+ supports projects aimed at providing more continuing vocational education and training for people in employment. Business starters and small and medium-sized enterprises also benefit from ESF+ funding. The ESF+ supports disadvantaged families and individuals who have a particularly hard time trying to (re)establish themselves in the labour market and in society. It is thus an effective and valuable addition to our national employment and social policies.
The Federal Ministry of Education and Research has launched four programmes focusing on funding education in the municipalities. It fosters the continuing training activities and educational prospects of people with a migrant background, funds research on the future of education and work, and supports sustainable development in vocational education and training (VET) through targeted qualification measures for VET staff.
Report allegations of fraud and corruption with regard to funding provided through the European Social Fund
To report allegations of fraud and corruption with regard to funding provided through the European Social Fund, reports can be filed ‘not anonymously’ or ‘anonymously’. If you decide to report your suspicion anonymously via the online form, it will be forwarded to the ESF Managing Authority without including the sender’s address. The IP address of the PC and server used for filling in the online form will be saved for the sole purpose of protecting the internet infrastructure of the ESF against cyberattacks. This purpose limitation prevents the misuse of data for tracing back anonymous tip offs.
Editorial deadline for this text: 01.11.2024