Ensuring equal opportunities for all Europeans and
improving the skills mismatch without endangering
the existence of disciplines must be the key
targets of the renewed EU agenda for education, the
European Committee of the Regions stresses. The
assembly of EU's cities and regions adopted its
position to the
European Commission's recent initiatives
in the field of education on Thursday 30 November.
In an
opinion
drafted by Csaba Borboly (RO/EPP),
President of Harghita County Council, the Committee
emphasises that the access to educational opportunities
must not to be determined by family income, the
student's origin or mother tongue. To address the brain
drain within and across Europe's regions, specific
support should be provided for projects and measures
for the development of training programmes and school
and higher educational infrastructure in the less
developed regions that are often facing a downward
demographic and educational spiral.
"It is also important to allow for greater support from
the European Investment Bank and the European funds for
regional initiatives aimed at developing education",
rapporteur Borboly points out.
The opinion warns that moving towards more
results-orientated financing and making higher
education, training and publicly funded education
systems subordinate to the requirements of
effectiveness, direct competitiveness and rapid
employability could endanger the existence of
disciplines and skills whose disappearance "would cause
considerable cultural, community and economic damage",
affecting particularly minority communities. Instead it
suggests targeting the mismatch between the skills and
needs of the labour market by introducing needs-based
training courses and more flexibility into higher
education.
"A student should be able to choose freely between
courses offered at different universities and attend
short training courses provided by vocational
organisations and chambers, with the involvement and
consultation of all relevant stakeholders, including
local employers. Successful completion of training of
this kind should be recognised as at least partially
equivalent to university courses", Borboly explains.
The Committee also calls for new measures and more
resources for the internationalisation of education and
vocational training systems and warns against the
consequences of United Kingdom's withdrawal from the
EU, which could lead to uncertainty as to the
recognition and equivalence of qualifications and
degrees and harm the excellent cooperation with higher
education institutions and R&D centres. "This
collateral damage must be limited as far as possible
provided that the principle of reciprocity is upheld",
Borboly stresses.
Furthermore, the opinion points out that faster
identification and recognition of the skills, aptitudes
and qualifications of migrants, refugees and
asylum-seekers is crucial for their educational
integration and involvement in the labour market.
Contact:
Lauri Ouvinen
Tel. +32 22822063
lauri.ouvinen@cor.europa.eu