After the meeting of the Education, Youth and Culture Council, held on May 12th, the new strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training (‘ET 2020’) has been published in the Official Journal of the European Union on May 28th. The framework outlines EU cooperation to meet four strategic objectives in this area and establishes reference levels to be attained in specific areas by 2020.

Education and training have made a substantial contribution towards achieving the long-term goals of the Lisbon strategy for growth and jobs. Therefore, and in anticipation of future developments with this process, efforts should be maintained to ensure that education and training remain firmly anchored in the broader strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training (‘ET 2020’).

Council also considers essential that the framework for European cooperation should remain flexible enough to respond to both current and future challenges, including those arising under any new strategy after 2010.

European cooperation in education and training for the period up to 2020 should be established in the context of a strategic framework spanning education and training systems as a whole in a lifelong learning perspective. Indeed, lifelong learning, whose central role is fully recognized within the lifelong learning programme, should be regarded as a fundamental principle underpinning the entire framework, which is designed to cover learning in all contexts — whether formal, non-formal or informal — and at all levels: from early childhood education and schools through to higher education, vocational education and training and adult learning.

In the period up to 2020, the primary goal of European cooperation should be to support the further development of education and training systems in the Member States which are aimed at ensuring:

The personal, social and professional fulfilment of all citizens.
Sustainable economic prosperity and employability, whilst promoting democratic values, social cohesion, active citizenship, and intercultural dialogue.

Strategic objectives of European Education and Training cooperation

The updated framework, which builds on a prior "Education and Training 2010" work programme, covers the period up to 2020. It sets four strategic objectives:

• Making lifelong learning and mobility a reality
• Improving the quality and efficiency of education and training
• Promoting equity, social cohesion and active citizenship
• Enhancing creativity and innovation at all levels of education and training

The periodic monitoring of progress towards a set objective provides an essential contribution towards evidence-based policy making. These strategic objectives should accordingly be accompanied during the period 2010-2020 by indicators and by reference levels for European average performance (‘European benchmarks’). Building on the existing benchmarks, these will help to measure at European level the overall progress made and to show what has been achieved.

These are  targets the EU aims to meet by 2020. For example, at least 15% of adults should participate in lifelong learning, the proportion of early leavers from education should be less than 10% and the proportion of low-achieving 15-year-olds in reading, maths and science should be less than 15%.