Formation Continue du Supérieur

Teachers are vital for young people to develop their talents and acquire the knowledge and skills they need in a rapidly changing world. Continued teacher education which allows teachers to cope with these challenges is thus of high importance. Despite the fact that there more than 28 different teacher training systems in place across the EU, the European Parliament in its resolution of September 2008 on the improvement of teacher education quality (P6_TA(2008)0422) stressed that in essence these challenges are common to all Member States. The resolution, taking into account the Commission’s communication COM (2007) 392 final and its attached impact assessment SEC (2007) 931 addressed 36 proposals to Council, Commission, the Member States, OECD, Unesco and the Council of Europe. Key proposals were: more and better quality teacher education, and recruiting best candidates as priorities for all education ministries; promoting continuous and coherent professional development for teachers throughout their careers; regular opportunities for all teachers to update their skills and qualifications (qualifications should be recognised in all Member States); need for transnational exchange of experience; particular attention be paid to new teachers’ initial induction; mentoring programmes; composition of teaching workforce at all levels should represent social and cultural diversity within society; teachers’ participation in critical reflection; ensuring teaching is an attractive and fulfilling profession with good career prospects. The European Commission’s 2013 Education and Training Monitor report (p. 33) found out that continuing professional development is now considered a professional duty in 28 education systems. However only in 8 of them it is clearly linked to promotion. During the 2014 Greek Presidency of the Council the subject will be re-assessed.

The European Parliament has closely followed the developments in the field, which is also reflected by a considerable number of questions to Commission and Council. This is a selection of the most recent ones. In the framework of its communication on “Rethinking Education” (see Library Keysource) the Commission introduced an evaluation of the present situation (SWD (2012) 374 final) and the Greek Presidency anounced in its programme (p.55) that it “… will build on the European Commission’s presentation of April 2013, following the Conference held by the Irish Presidency on “The Professional Identity of Teacher Educators” with the aim of adopting relevant Council Conclusions at the June 2014 Education and Youth Council“.

Overviews

Improving the quality of teacher education – Summary of EU legislation on the European Commission’s website

Key Data on Teachers and School Leaders in Europe / Eurydice, 2013 – Factsheet presenting the study and providing a link to the fulltext.

Teachers’ professional development: Europe in international comparison: an analysis of teachers’ professional development based on the OECD’s Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) / Jaap Scheerens for the European Commission, Luxembourg 2010

Teacher Education and Training in the Western Balkans / Eurydice, 2013

The European Parliament’s DG IPol (PolDep B) is preparing a study on the “Outlook of Primary Teacher Training in Europe” which is foreseen to be published in April 2014 (anounced in the PolDep B’s February newsletter)

Analysis

OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) collects information from teachers and schools about their working conditions and the learning environments. It covers in particular initial teacher education and professional development; appraisal and feedback for teachers; the school climate; school leadership; and teachers’ instructional beliefs and pedagogical practices. The final survey is due in April 2014. The project has been running since 2008 and is covering 33 countries – a number of intermediate results have already been published. You may find them on the respective OECD pages.

Teachers in Europe – Main Trends, Issues and Challenges / Vlasta Vizek Vidović and Vlatka Domović. in: Croatian Journal of Education, (2013) vol. 15, Sp.Ed. 3, p. 219-250

Developing High‐Quality Teachers: teacher evaluation for improvement / Looney, Janet. in: European Journal of Education – Research Development and Policies (2011) vol. 46, is. 4, p. 440-455

Key Competences in Europe: Opening Doors For Lifelong Learners Across the School Curriculum and Teacher Education / Jean Gordon et al. 2009: The study was commissioned by DG EAC of the European Commission and undertaken by a consortium led by CASE (Center for Social and Economic Research, Poland). It provides a comparative overview of policy and practice concerning the development and implementation of key competences in the education systems of the EU’s 27 Member States. In particular, the study assesses the implementation of the 8 key competences contained in the European Reference Framework of Key Competences in primary and secondary schools across the EU as well as the extent to which initial and in-service education and training of teachers equips them with the necessary skills and competences.

Learning to Teach and its Implications for the Continuum of Teacher Education: a Nine-Country Cross-National Study / Conway, Paul; Murphy, Rosaleen; Rath, Anne and Hall, Kathy. School of Education, University College, Cork, IE, 2009 [comparing Ireland, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Finland, New Zealand, Singapore, the United States and Poland].

Teacher education policy in Europe : a voice of higher education institutions / Brian Hudson and Pavel Zgaga (eds.) Brian Hudson and Pavel Zgaga. Faculty of Teacher Education, Umeå and Center for Educational Policy Studies, University of Ljubljana, 2008.

How the best performing education systems in the world come out on top / Michael Barber, Mona Mourshed. McKinsey, 2007

Stakeholder views

The European Commission runs a webpage on “The Teaching Professions” where it presents studies, policy papers and official EU documents (e.g. Council conclusions of 2007, 2008 and 2009). Among others you may find “Literature review: Quality in Teachers’ continuing professional development.” / Francesca Caena, European Commission, June 2011 and a Study of the feasibility of a long-term school education staff mobility action / Eurydice, 2013. The Commission also launched the “Opening up Education” initiative (see the roadmap as well as the Library’s keysource on intranet / internet), which includes issues of teacher education.  The issue is also monitored in the “Education and Training Monitor“, particularly in chapter 3.3 of the 2013 report, p. 33-34

The Association for Teacher Education in Europe (ATEE) is a non-profit European organisation, composed by individuals and institutions. They publish the European Journal of Teacher Education and provide policy views on relevant issues.

The European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE) is the teachers’ social partner at European level and a defender of teachers’ interests to the European Commission. ETUCE was established in 1977. Their views are published in the publications section of the website, the most recent document on teacher education dates to 2008: “Teacher Education in Europe. An ETUCE Policy Paper“

Teacher Education Policy in Europe (TEPE) is an academic network with the goals to advance research in and on Teacher Education, increase mobility and extend the European dimension in Teacher Education and enhance quality through the renewal of evaluation cultures in Teacher Education. Their latest position paper dates from 2007.

Unesco’s 2014 Mobile Learning Week was focussed on teacher education as “teachers are the pillars of education systems and their involvement is crucial to the viability of ICT in education efforts.” Unesco also maintains a section on teacher education.

Statistics

Key data on education in Europe 2012. Eurostat, 2012. In particular chapter E on teachers and management staff (p. 109 ff)

Eurostat statistics tables: Pupil/teacher ratio in primary education / Teaching staff / Pupil/Student – teacher ratio and average class size (ISCED 1-3) / Teachers (ISCED 0-4) and academic staff (ISCED 5-6) by age and sex / Teachers (ISCED 0-4) and academic staff (ISCED 5-6) by employment status (full-time, part-time, full-time equivalence) and sex / Teachers stays abroad (ISCED 0-4, Erasmus Programme) as % of academic staff (ISCED 5-6)

The Unesco Institute for Statistics (UIS) provides a core set of teacher indicators based on its administrative data collection. This includes traditional indicators, such as: trends in teacher numbers; pupil-teacher ratios; and data on trained teachers.

OECD TALIS (see above) survey raw data and technical guides

EU Programmes and Projects

Teacher education is part of the Education and Training 2020 – Strategic framework (ET2020).

Mobility of teachers is supported via the Erasmus+ programme.

Partnerships between education and training and social partners are not an option but inevitable to prevent skills mismatch and having people not in employment, education or training (NEETs), argued Cedefop Director James Calleja at the Greek EU Presidency’s flagship conference on vocational education and training (VET). The conference, held on 26 March in Athens, gave participating Member States an opportunity to get acquainted with successful VET policies and practices which tackle skills mismatches, focusing on how work-based learning can meet contemporary challenges. More...

To find out more about the skills needed for jobs and how they are used, as well as about skill mismatch, Cedefop has started collecting data for the first European Skills Survey. Around 50,000 adult employees across all the European Union’s 28 Member States will be surveyed precisely to find out the extent of skill mismatch and how it can develop during someone’s career.
Most of the skills you need for your current job you will develop in the first five years of working in it. After that, although you will continue to learn, the pace of learning slows down. This, of course, varies from job to job. More...

This paper has been commissioned by the European social partners ETUC, BUSINESSEUROPE, CEEP and UEAPME, in relation to external expertise on “Skills needs in greening economies”.
It serves to underline the important role played by trade unions, employers’ organisations and individual employers in supporting the Europe 2020 strategy’s goal of turning the EU into a smart, sustainable and inclusive economy capable of delivering high levels of employment, productivity and social cohesion. It explores a selection of different and emerging models of social partner participation and engagement in the transition towards a low-carbon economy. It is based on the four priorities of the 2002 Framework of Actions for the lifelong development of competencies and qualifications:

• identification and anticipation of competencies5 and qualification needs;
• recognition and validation of competencies and qualifications6;
• information, support and guidance; and
• mobilising resources for the lifelong development of competencies.

Links

• Skill needs in greening economies

Les pénuries de compétences ne sont pas une cause de chômage; la main-d’œuvre européenne la plus qualifiée est gaspillée.
La crise économique et financière mondiale a engendré un taux alarmant de chômage et de sous-emploi dans de nombreux pays de l’Union européenne (UE). Et pourtant, les enquêtes montrent encore que plus d’ un employeur sur trois a du mal à pourvoir les emplois vacants. La dernière enquête européenne sur les entreprises, réalisée au printemps 2013, a montré que près de 40 % des entreprises dans l’ensemble de l’Union ont du mal à recruter du personnel ayant les compétences demandées. En 2010, d’après une enquête Eurobaromètre, environ 33 % des employeurs considéraient que la pénurie de candidats ayant les compétences demandées constitue le problème principal du recrutement. En 2013, une enquête réalisée par Manpower faisait aussi apparaître qu'en moyenne, sur un échantillon de 17 États membres, plus de 25 % des employeurs déclarent avoir des difficultés à recruter. Environ 34 % de ces mêmes employeurs évoquent le manque de compétences techniques, 19 % estimant que les candidats ne possèdent pas non plus les compétences liées au lieu de travail. De nombreux employeurs et décideurs politiques considèrent que ces problèmes sont dus à une mauvaise préparation des jeunes diplômés, ainsi que des autres travailleurs. Selon eux, l’inadéquation endémique des compétences dans les économies européennes serait responsable des taux élevés de chômage. Toutefois, on constate que des facteurs autres que les déficits de compétences sont principalement responsables de la hausse du chômage et, en même temps, de la difficulté à pourvoir certains emplois vacants. Télécharger Les pénuries de compétences ne sont pas une cause de chômage; la main-d’œuvre européenne la plus qualifiée est gaspillée.

Skill deficits do not cause unemployment; Europe’s most talented workforce is being wasted, argues Cedefop's latest briefing note.
Unemployment in many European Union countries is alarmingly high. Yet, surveys still find that firms have problems filling vacancies.
Many argue that this is because young graduates and other workers are ill-prepared and the lack of the right skills is responsible for Europe’s high rates of unemployment.
However, there is evidence that factors other than skill deficits are mostly responsible for rising unemployment coexisting with unfilled job vacancies.

Links

• Download the briefing note.

VET-Alert - Just published on Vocational Education and Training - March 2014 issue

Cedefop's "VETAlert" for March 2014 is now available for download:
http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/EN/newsletter/vetalert-newsletter.aspx

VETAlert is a monthly selection of publications on vocational education and training available from Cedefop’s bibliographic database VET-Bib.

IAU has released the 21st issue of the HEEFA Newsletter. Stay better informed about the IAU project on how higher education (HE) can help to reach the United Nations' Education for All (EFA) initiative - the HEEFA project - and related news. The HEEFA Newsletter includes information about the project and EFA but also on how you can advance higher education for EFA through calls of participation and upcoming events. HEEFA subscribers are +1100 and growing.
Subscription is free of charge here.

Have information you want to share? Write to Nadja Kymlicka and it will be published in next HEEFA Newsletter.

Muscat- Campus France and Education Zone will offer students career planning advice at GHEDEX 2014 taking place from 22nd-24th April 2014 at the Oman International Exhibition Centre. Campus France and Education Zone will support GHEDEX 2014 as Silver Sponsors. Oman's leading Global Higher Education Exhibition is organized by OITE Trade Fairs.
"Campus France welcomes prospective students to GHEDEX 2014 and encourages them to explore their options for study in France. Representatives from Espace Campus France Mascate will be on hand at the exhibition to assist students and help them identify suitable programs, comply with visa regulations and other administrative requirements that must be taken care of prior to their arrival in France. We will also enlighten students on the process of securing scholarships from the French Government" says Ms. Sandie Luberne, Espace Campus France Mascate
Campus France Agency is a public institution in charge of promoting higher education and managing the reception and international mobility of students, researchers, experts and guests. Thanks to its global network of 180 Campus France Espaces, the agency informs international students about French higher education, guides them on their choice of training, helps them complete their application form and gain a visa.
"Education Zone (Ezone) consultants are dedicated to counsel students from the UAE & Gulf countries looking to study abroad as well as seeking advice on career planning. We recruit on behalf of many prestigious universities, colleges, schools and educational institutes worldwide. Moreover, Ezone consultants can place young learners in summer camps abroad that specializes in various fun, academic activities e.g. sports, sciences, arts, filmmaking. We also offer various scholarships and new degree programs students" says Mr. Suad Alhalwachi, Managing Director, Education Zone.

Ezone (accredited by Ministry of Higher Education UAE) is recognized throughout the region as one of the most dynamic 'Study Abroad' companies that provides school students and university graduates with the exciting opportunity to study abroad. Ezone primarily deals with New Zealand educational institutions, but also has an extensive partner network within the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, Europe and Far East Asia.

Oman's preferred higher education exhibition-GHEDEX, falls under the patronage of the Ministry of Higher Education and will see accredited national, international, local and regional colleges and universities highlight the latest developments in the field of education to students, parents and visitors.  

Colleges, universities and companies wishing to sign up for the event may visit the website at www.ghedex.om/2014/ to carry out application procedures or know more about GHEDEX 2014 or contact Mr. Alawi Almurazza at 00968 99886681/ alawi@oite.com