Education Ministers back pan-European anti-corruption platform

Helsinki, Finland on 26 and 27 April 2013
European Ministers have backed the creation of a Europe-wide platform to tackle corruption and fraud in education and an ethical code for teachers. Meeting at the Council of Europe’s 24th Education Ministers Conference in Helsinki (Finlandia Hall) – 26-27 April – ministers and high-level delegations from 43 European States, as well as Mexico and the European Union, have been discussing ‘Governance and Quality Education’.
The platform and ethical code are part of a five-point plan agreed by Ministers today to ensure access to an education of quality for every pupil and student in Europe and beyond, including Roma and other vulnerable and disadvantaged children.
The platform would provide training, codes of conduct, accreditation and quality assurance and a space to share best practice.
The ministerial Conference be dedicated to governance and quality education and highlight contemporary challenges in the implementation of governance and quality standards based on the vision of the Council of Europe.
This 24th Session provided ministers with the opportunity to focus on the roles and responsibilities of public authorities and gain knowledge and share effective results of policies, local contribution and international co-operation in ensuring good governance and quality education for all.

Final Declaration on the theme of Governance and Quality Education, adopted on 27 April 2013 in Helsinki, Finland

Programme

Speeches - Opening Session

• Opening speech from the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Mr Thorbjorn Jagland
• Opening speech from the Chairmanship of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers, Ms Roser Suñé, Minister of Education of Andorra
• Opening speech from the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Mr Jean-Claude Frecon
• Opening address by Mr Jukka Gustafsson, Minister of Education and Science of Finland
• Opening address by Mr Eero Heinäluoma, Speaker of the Parliament of Finland
• Opening address by Ms Androulla Vassiliou, European Commissionner responsible for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth.

Press release.