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  Recommended annual instruction time in full-time compulsory education in Europe
  2017/18

  The Council of the European Union has set the goal of reducing low achievement in reading, mathematics and science among 15-year-olds to less than 15 % by 2020. How are European countries going to achieve this? One of the key elements in the learning process is the instruction time available to ...

  The Council of the European Union has set the goal of reducing low achievement in reading, mathematics and science among 15-year-olds to less than 15 % by 2020. How are European countries going to achieve this? One of the key elements in the learning process is the instruction time available to students. In fact, not only the quality of instruction but also the time available for learning can have a positive effect on students’ learning process, in particular, in the case of disadvantaged students. This Instruction Time report analyses the recommended minimum instruction time in full-time compulsory general education in 43 European education systems for the year 2017-2018. Special attention is paid to subjects, with a special focus on reading, writing and literature, mathematics, natural sciences and social studies. The report outlines how reading, writing and literature are the subject area that takes up the largest share of instruction time, especially in primary education. Mathematics represents the second largest share of instruction time. Its share decreases at secondary level in favour of other subjects such as foreign languages. In addition to the comparative analysis, the report includes national diagrams that illustrate data by country and subject, which have been collected jointly by the Eurydice and the NESLI networks. Eurydice has been collecting data on instruction time for more than two decades and updates annually these findings, available on the Eurydice website since 2010.

  • Published: 2019-02-12
  • Corporate Author(s): Eurydice (Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency)
  • Subject: compulsory education, data collection, data processing, education policy, educational planning, educational system, Europe, language teaching, length of studies, organisation of teaching, teaching curriculum
• Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on Building a stronger Europe: the role of youth, education and culture policies’ (COM(2018) 268 final) on ‘Proposal for a Council Recommendation on promoting automatic mutual recognition of higher education and upper secondary education diplomas and the outcomes of learning periods abroad’ (COM(2018) 270 final — 2018/0126 (NLE)) on ‘Proposal for a Council Recommendation on High Quality Early Childhood Education and Care Systems’ (COM(2018) 271 final — 2018/0127 (NLE)) and on ‘Proposal for a Council Recommendation on a comprehensive approach to the teaching and learning of languages’ (COM(2018) 272 final — 2018/0128 (NLE))

  Latest edition.
  • Published: 2018-10-18
  • Corporate Author(s): European Economic and Social Committee
  • Subject: child care, cooperation in the field of education, early childhood, education, education policy, language teaching, level of education, recognition of vocational training qualifications, right to education, vocational training
• Opinion of the European Committee of the Regions — Building a stronger Europe: the role of youth, education and culture policies

  • Published: 2018-10-10
  • Corporate Author(s): Commission for Social Policy, Education, Employment, Research and Culture (European Committee of the Regions) ; European Committee of the Regions
  • Subject: cultural policy, early childhood, higher education, language teaching, pre-school education, recognition of diplomas, secondary education, youth policy
• Special Report No 22/2018 — ‘Mobility under Erasmus+: Millions of participants and multi-faceted European Added Value, however performance measurement needs to be further improved’

  • Published: 2018-09-10
  • Corporate Author(s): European Court of Auditors
  • Subject: administrative formalities, cooperation in the field of education, education policy, EU programme, language teaching, postgraduate education, project evaluation, student mobility, vocational training, young person
• COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Accompanying the document Proposal for a Council Recommendation on a comprehensive approach to the teaching and learning of languages

  • Published: 2018-05-22
  • Corporate Author(s): Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (European Commission) ; European Commission
  • Subject: compulsory education, continuing education, cooperation in the field of education, education policy, innovation, language skills, language teaching, student mobility, teaching method
• Council conclusions on moving towards a vision of a European Education Area

  • Published: 2018-06-07
  • Corporate Author(s): Council of the European Union
  • Subject: access to education, continuing education, cooperation in the field of education, digital literacy, educational system, higher education, language teaching, recognition of diplomas, teaching quality, vocational training
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  Rethinking language education in schools
  

  The European Union (EU) has long promoted language learning and linguistic diversity across Europe, with the view to increase mutual understanding and provide access to other countries and cultures. Since 2002, the EU has supported the principle that every citizen should be offered the opportuni...

  The European Union (EU) has long promoted language learning and linguistic diversity across Europe, with the view to increase mutual understanding and provide access to other countries and cultures. Since 2002, the EU has supported the principle that every citizen should be offered the opportunity to learn at least two foreign languages from a very early age - the ‘mother tongue plus two’ objective. This is also reflected in the European key competence framework. Fifteen years on, it is necessary to question if these definitions and recommendations are still appropriate in the context of societal changes such as new migration, globalisation, economic and technological change.

  • Published: 2018-03-09
  • Corporate Author(s): Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (European Commission)
  • Subject: child of migrant, comparative education, education policy, foreign language, language teaching, mother tongue, multilingualism, new educational methods, use of languages
• Proposal for a COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION on a comprehensive approach to the teaching and learning of languages

  • Published: 2018-05-22
  • Corporate Author(s): Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (European Commission) ; European Commission
  • Subject: compulsory education, continuing education, cooperation in the field of education, education policy, innovation, language skills, language teaching, student mobility, teaching method
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  Languages in secondary education
  An overview of national tests in Europe – 2014/15

  Is there a long history of national testing in foreign languages at school level? What is the purpose of these tests? How many languages are involved, and which languages and skills are tested most often? These key questions are the focus of Eurydice’s new report on languages. The linguistic and...

  Is there a long history of national testing in foreign languages at school level? What is the purpose of these tests? How many languages are involved, and which languages and skills are tested most often? These key questions are the focus of Eurydice’s new report on languages. The linguistic and cultural diversity in Europe calls for the promotion of language learning at school level and beyond. This issue is important not just because it helps protect Europe’s cultural heritage, but because good language skills are a social and economic necessity if Europe is to become a living and concrete reality for its citizens. At European level, the learning of foreign languages at school is therefore recognised as crucially important and is strongly encouraged. The results of the first European Commission survey on language competences published in 2012 showed great variety in language proficiency across Europe, and pinpointed the need to sustain efforts in promoting and improving the teaching and learning of languages at school. It is therefore essential that national authorities in Europe continue their efforts to improve the teaching and learning of languages. Moreover, as stressed by the Council of the European Union in the Conclusions on multilingualism and the development of language competences in 2014, the assessment of language competences is a key factor in the effective teaching and learning of languages at school. In this context, the European Commission asked Eurydice to provide a Europe-wide comparative overview of the national tests for assessing the language competences of secondary school students. The Languages in Secondary Education: An Overview of National Tests in Europe – 2014/15 report covers the 28 EU Member States as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Turkey, Montenegro and Serbia. The reference year is 2014/15. This 'Eurydice Highlights' provides a snapshot of some of the main findings of this study.

  • Published: 2018-02-16
  • Corporate Author(s): Eurydice (Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency)
  • Subject: assessment, education policy, foreign language, language policy, language teaching, secondary education, use of languages
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  Follow-up visit to the Swedish PES (Arbetsförmedlingen) on ‘PES onitiatives around skills- competencies and qualifications of refugees and asylum seekers’
  Summary report

  The PES Mutual Learning Thematic Review Workshop on ‘PES Initiatives around Skills, Competencies and Qualifications of Refugees and Asylum Seekers’ was held in Nuremberg (Germany) on 27-28 April 2017. Following this meeting, several European Public Employment Services expressed their wish to lea...

  The PES Mutual Learning Thematic Review Workshop on ‘PES Initiatives around Skills, Competencies and Qualifications of Refugees and Asylum Seekers’ was held in Nuremberg (Germany) on 27-28 April 2017. Following this meeting, several European Public Employment Services expressed their wish to learn more about the activities and approaches of the Swedish PES (Arbetsförmedlingen), and subsequently a Follow-up Visit took place on the 29 September 2017 in Stockholm, Sweden. In 2015, around 160,000 asylum seekers arrived in Sweden. Although Sweden has had a long tradition of designing and implementing integration policies, this was the first time that such a high number of people arrived in a short period. This posed immediate challenges in terms of reception, housing and asylum application processes to the public authorities. During 2016 and up until August 2017, the number of people seeking asylum decreased to similar numbers that arrived prior to August 2015. After two years, many people who arrived in 2015 have now been granted a residence permit. However, many of them (49 % in 2016) only obtained a subsidiary protection with a temporary residency permit for one year, with the option of reassessment for permanent residency if the applicant has sufficient income to support him or herself. Over the last two years, Swedish integration policies have been re-thought with a focus on speeding up labour market integration for those who have skills and qualifications that are in shortage on the Swedish labour market, and upskilling for those who lack required competences. During the Follow-up Visit, the Swedish PES, together with other actors such as the Swedish Migration Agency, the City of Stockholm and an employer, the Swedish Alcohol Monopoly, explained new initiatives that aim to improve the effectiveness of integration practice with a focus on highlighting the benefits that refugees and asylum seekers bring to the Swedish labour market. PES representatives from the following eleven European countries attended the Follow-up Visit: Austria, Belgium-Le Forem, Belgium-VDAB, Bulgaria, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, Slovenia and Spain.

  • Published: 2018-04-18
  • Corporate Author(s): Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (European Commission) ; ICF International
  • Subject: aid to refugees, development aid, employment policy, employment service, EU Member State, fight against unemployment, integration of migrants, labour market, language teaching, migration, professional qualifications, public service, regional development, Sweden