Education ministers from the EU member states will be meeting up during the Thursday Council on 15 February in Brussels to discuss the European Summit conclusions of 14 December (see EUROPE 11927). They are also gearing up for the orientations debate on the future of the Erasmus + programme but will not be tackling the most sensitive issues.
It should be recalled that the conclusions adopted by the Heads of State and Government on 14 December involved a whole chapter focusing on education. They called for: mobility and exchanges to increase; the development by 2024 of around 20 "European universities" (EU level university networks based on a "bottom down" approach, which will help students obtain a diploma by combining studies in several EU countries and which will contribute to the European universities' international competitiveness); strengthen language learning to ensure that more young people speak at least two European languages in addition to their mother tongue; help create the conditions for a "European student card".
The meeting on 15 February is expected to help ministers tackle all these concrete initiatives. In total, the Bulgarian Presidency is planning two different orientation debates: one on Erasmus + and the other on specific initiatives included in the conclusions of 14 December (including the levels of priorities). The informal dinner will focus on enhancing cooperation in the areas of education and higher education, in view of building inclusive, cohesive and innovative societies.
Improving Erasmus +
The Erasmus + programme covers education, training, youth and sport. It has a budget of €14.7 billion for the 2014-20 period. It provides a possibility of carrying out study or internship/apprenticeships for higher education students and those in professional education and training.
In the context of the current reflections on the future of the programme, the Bulgarian Presidency will be asking ministers about what measures to take to: (1) encourage wider participation in the programme (particularly in peripheral regions and those with socio-economic delays, as well as individuals from all socio-economic horizons and smaller scale organisations); (2) help strengthen Europe's capacity to innovate, as well as attract and reintegrate our most brilliant brains in the future; (3) enhance synergies between Erasmus + and other instruments.
The note it prepared, however, does not make any reference to the two most sensitive issues, namely: exchanges with the United Kingdom after Brexit and the funding of the programme after 2020 (see EUROPE 11947). It should be pointed out that the Commission is planning on adopting a communication soon, following the mid-term review for the Erasmus + programme and its predecessors. (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)