I represented the UK at the Education Council, on behalf of DCSF and BIS.

Summary

The council had only two substantive agenda items—adopting the joint progress report on the education and training work programme, and a debate on the role of education in the upcoming EU2020 strategy. Also, Androulla Vassiliou, the new Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, presented her priorities for forthcoming work in the area of education.

The presidency introduced the joint report on the implementation of the education and training 2010 work programme. While advancements have been made across the key competencies and agreed benchmarks, low literacy levels and drop-out rates remain a concern. The council adopted the report without further comments.

Ministers discussed the role of education and training for the Europe of 2020, based on a presidency discussion paper which argued that education must play a central role in ensuring that Europe is a leading, competitive, knowledge-based economy. All countries supported the key messages in the text, notably the need to upgrade skills, promote mobility, foster innovation at all levels of education, and increase the links between the education system and employers.

A number of member states underlined the importance of focusing on current and future skills needs. I also spoke on the importance of an outcome-based approach to the EU’s open method of co-ordination and noted the need for an individualised approach to learning.

The Commissioner concluded by calling for increased, targeted investment in education, a more innovative higher education area, and greater flexibility between the world of education, employment and wider society. She also revealed President Barroso’s plans for EU2020, including his proposal that the benchmark on 40 per cent tertiary level education attainment should be one of five priority benchmarks for the upcoming EU2020 strategy.

The council was followed by a lunch debate on social inclusion and social responsibility through education and training. This focused on the balance between promoting equity and excellence, and will lead to council conclusions to be agreed by Ministers later this year.