The document outlines the mission and contributions of Eurydice, a network that provides European-level analyses and information to assist education policy-making. It includes key data and reports about compulsory schooling, grade retention, parental choice in education, and various aspects of teacher and school leadership across Europe. The overarching goal is to improve the quality and efficiency of education and training, contributing to societal participation and economic success.

1. EURYDICE
The contribution of
Eurydice to
European
evidence-based
policy making in
Education
Peter Birch
18 September 2014
1

2. Content
Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
• Eurydice Mission
• Reports and data
• ET2020
• Examples: Key data on Teachers and School
Leaders in Europe (2013); Financing
Schools in Europe (2014)
2

3. Compulsory schooling?
Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
Really?!
3

4. Duration of
full-time
compulsory
schooling in Europe
1980-2012
Part-time
Source: Eurydice
Key data on Education in Europe -
2012
Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
4

5. Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
Grade retention?
What is that!?
5

6. Grade retention in primary education (ISCED 1) according to existing regulations,
2010/11
Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
Source: Eurydice- Key data on Education in Europe - 2012
Automatic progression
Grade retention is allowed
Restrictions exist on the practice of grade retention
No specific regulations on grade retention
6

7. Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
What do you mean
we can't choose?!
7

8. Degree of parental/pupil freedom in choice of school for compulsory education
in the public sector, 2010/11
ISCED 2
ISCED 2 and 3
STUDENTS are allocated to a specific school by the public
authorities based on geographical criteria
STUDENTS are allocated to a school but parents may
request an alternative
PARENTS choose a school but the public authorities may
intervene if it is over-subscribed
PARENTS choose a school, with no action by the public
authorities to regulate pupil numbers
Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
Source: Eurydice - Key data on Education in Europe - 2012
8

9. So… how is compulsory education
Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
organised in Europe?
Jose Mujica
9

10. Main models of primary and lower secondary education in Europe (ISCED1-2),
2010/11
Source: Eurydice - Key data on Education in Europe - 2012
Differentiated branches/streams (ISCED 2)
Common core curriculum (ISCED 2)
Single structure (ISCED1+ISCED2)
Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
10

11. Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
Eurydice: mission statement
To provide those responsible for education
systems and policies in Europe with European-level
analyses and information which will assist
them in their decision making.
11

12. Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
Eurydice
Network in 2014
36 COUNTRIES
40 NATIONAL UNITS
(under Ministries’ responsibility)
12

13. 5 Benchmarks for 2020 & programme 2014-2020
2010 : Europe 2020 strategy
2000 : Lisbon
1999 Bologna process
Evolution of the
Eurydice Network
Support to public debate and
providing information to policy-makers
1992 Maastricht
1980 Birth of the Network
Indicators and
secondary analysis
Thematic comparative
studies
Comparable national descriptions
Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
Mutual understanding
Exchange of information Questions and answers
13

14. Current context:
Education and Training 2020
ET 2020: strategic framework strengthening cooperation
in Education and Training
Overarching objectives: high-quality pre-primary,
primary, secondary, higher and vocational education and
training keeping in mind that they contribute to
employment, economic success, and allow people to
participate fully in society
Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
14

15. ET 2020 - objectives
• Making lifelong learning and mobility a reality
• Improving the quality and efficiency of education and
Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
training
• Promoting equity, social cohesion and active
citizenship
• Enhancing creativity and innovation, including
entrepreneurship, at all levels of education and training
15

16. ET 2020 - benchmarks
• early childhood education: 95% of children between 4
and starting age of compulsory primary education
(2011: 93,2%)
• reading, mathematics and science: less than 15% of
15-years olds with insufficient abilities (2009: 20%)
• early leavers: less than 10% (2012: 12,7%)
• tertiary educational attainment: 40% of 30-34 year
Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
(2012: 35,7%)
• lifelong learning: 15 % of adults (age group 25-64)
(2012: 9%)
16

17. To be able to provide legitimate policy advice,
the Commission needs:
• Detailed knowledge about the institutional set-up in
Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
individual countries
• Understanding of association between
reforms/institutional set-up and national performance
• Monitoring of reforms and performance over time
17

18. Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
Eurydice national units provide
normative and qualitative information
(laws, decrees, regulations and
recommendations)
Descriptive, comparable information on
European education systems and policies
Comparative analyses on various topics
Eurydice contribution at
work
18

19. 3 types of products
• Harmonised descriptions of education systems -
Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
Eurypedia
• Reports
• Facts and Figures
19

20. https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/fpfis/mwikis/eurydice/
Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
20

21. … on a wide-range of topics European
education policy:
Teaching
Modernisation of higher education
Financing schools…
Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
Thematic reports…
21

22. Key Data on Education
Key Data on Education in Europe sets out a very wide
variety of both qualitative and quantitative indicators on
different aspects of education systems in 33 European
countries
Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
22

23. Facts and Figures
Structure and main features of
European education systems
School and academic calendars
Structure of European
education systems
Teacher and School Heads
Salaries
Student fees and support
systems in Higher Education
Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
23
23

24. Key Data on Teachers and School
Leaders in Europe
2013 Edition Contents
• Initial Teacher Education
• Recruitment, Employers and Contracts
• CPD and Mobility
• Working conditions and Pay
• Autonomy and Responsiblities of
Teachers
• School Leaders
Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE

25. Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
School Leaders
1/7
25
Figure F1: Professional experience and headship training officially required to be a school head, from pre-primary
to upper secondary education (ISCED 0, 1, 2 and 3), 2011/12
Primary education
(ISCED 1)
Professional teaching experience
+ Administrative experience
+ Training for headship
+ Administrative experience +
Training for headship
Teaching qualification only
Training for headship only
Source: Eurydice.

26. Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
School Leaders
2/7
Figure F2: Minimum number of years of professional teaching experience required to become
a school head from pre-primary to upper secondary education (ISCED 0, 1, 2 and 3), 2011/12
ISCED 0-1 ISCED 2-3 Required but no duration stipulated  Not required
Source: Eurydice. UK (1) = UK-ENG/WLS/NIR
26

27. Figure F3: Existence of specific academies and/or training programmes for school leadership
in pre-primary to upper secondary education (ISCED 0, 1, 2 and 3), 2011/12
Specific training
programmes/academies
No specific training programme
Source: Eurydice.
Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
School Leaders
3/7
27

28. Figure F4: Principal methods of recruiting school heads
from pre-primary to upper secondary education (ISCED 0, 1, 2 and 3), 2011/12
Competitive examination
Open recruitment
Candidate list
Source: Eurydice.
Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
School Leaders
4/7
28

29. Figure F5: Forms of distributed school leadership promoted by the top level education authority from pre-primary
to upper secondary education (ISCED 0, 1, 2 and 3), 2011/12
Pre-primary and primary education
(ISCED 0-1)
Redistribution of tasks among formal
leadership teams
Informal ad-hoc groups
Schools decide about leadership
distribution
No distributed school leadership
Source: Eurydice.
Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
School Leaders
5/7
29

30. Figure F8: Percentage of female school heads in
primary and secondary education (ISCED 1, 2 and 3), public and private sectors combined, 2010
ISCED 1 ISCED 2 ISCED 3
Source: Eurostat
Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
School Leaders
6/7
30

31. Figure F10: Status of continuing professional development for school heads
from pre-primary to upper secondary education (ISCED 0, 1, 2 and 3), 2011/12
Pre-primary and primary education
(ISCED 0-1)
Professional duty
Necessary for promotion
Optional
Source: Eurydice.
Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
School Leaders
7/7
31

32. Figure C1: Status of continuing professional development for teachers
in pre-primary, primary and general (lower and upper) secondary education (ISCED 0, 1, 2 and 3), 2011/12
Pre-primary education
ISCED 0
Professional duty
Necessary for promotion
Optional
Source: Eurydice.
Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
Teachers
CPD 1/2
32

33. Figure C2: Status of the CPD plan at school level for teachers
in pre-primary, primary and general (lower and upper) secondary education (ISCED 0, 1, 2 and 3), 2011/12
Pre-primary education
ISCED 0
Pre-primary and primary
education (ISCED 0-1)
Compulsory
Not compulsory
Source: Eurydice.
Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
Teachers
CPD 2/2
33

34. Norway (primary and general secondary education)
Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
Source: Eurydice - Financing schools in Europe - 2014
34

35. Austria (primary and general secondary schools)
Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
Source: Eurydice - Financing schools in Europe - 2014
35

36. Poland (primary and general secondary schools)
Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
Source: Eurydice - Financing schools in Europe - 2014 36

37. http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/education/eurydice/index_en.php
Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
37

38. Most knowledge is learning from the other across the border.
Amartya Sen - Indian Economist Nobel-prize winner
Thank you
Date: in 12 pts EURYDICE
Website:
http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/index_en.php
Functional mailbox:
eacea-eurydice@ec.europa.eu
38