Education in Europe

Education in Europe
By Euronews
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With ISEG

“Why doesn’t Europe have a harmonised education system ?” asks Leonore from Chambéry in France.

The answer comes from Denis Poizat, senior lecturer at the Education Institute from Lyon 2 University, also in France

“Harmonising Europe’s different education systems is an old question as it formed part of the Treaty of Rome, which focussed on professional training.
Industries wanted more qualified, productive people, but the question of education and notably junior and secondary studies was not such a headline issue as it is today.

Today the EU cannot force member states to set up education systems from nursery schools to universities, or do so itself in the harmonious or integrated manner that a member state can within its borders.

However the subsidiarity principle allows Europe to encourage member states, and gives the EU various tools and incentives, like making it easier for teachers in Higher education to work abroad. But no penalties exist.

This means that today even if we cannot talk about real harmonisation in terms of years at school or course content or teacher’s salaries, all Europe’s education systems are tending to converge.
Education is bearing its expected fruits; a better-educated active age group that is more open to innovation, more curious, and that speaks more foreign languages.

Should we go further? For the moment we don’t really know. Some think that the European Constitution and a more closely-federated enlarged EU of the future will speed up harmonisation.
I think, and this is my opinion, that this is a mistake because the large federal states have national education policies full of diversity.

A country like the United States has different internal education policies. That’s how I’d like to answer your question:”

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