Brussels, 16/05/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 16 May, the Council adopted conclusions on the social dimension of higher education. Its document places emphasis on the need for member states to have high quality training and teaching systems that are not only effective but also accessible to all. Too many capable students are still excluded from higher education due to their socio-economic situation, a lack of support and guidance and other obstacles. This situation increases with unemployment, social exclusion and wastage of human capital. The conclusions suggest that member states should adopt measures to ensure that non-traditional learners and students from disadvantaged backgrounds have easier access to higher education and are more numerous in completing their studies. This is in the context of the objective set by the 2020 strategy on education to bring the proportion of qualified people benefiting from higher education to a minimum of 40% . (IL/transl.jl)