Brussels, 06/02/2006 (Agence Europe) - European Commissioner for Education, Jan Figel, will be visiting the USA from 6 to 8 February to hold discussions with US counterparts on how to reinforce European-US cooperation in higher education and vocational training. The Commissioner will meet Margaret Spellings, the US Secretary for Education, Karen Hughes, the State Department Undersecretary for Public diplomacy and Public Affairs, as well as various education experts and representatives from the World Bank. The Commission pointed out that the European-US cooperation project, which began in 1995, has involved over 600 institutions and 3000 students in a wide range of disciplines, now needs renewing. Commissioner Figel' will be meeting Josette Shiner, the State Department Undersecretary for the Economy to discuss the preparation of the upcoming G8 Ministerial Meeting on Education that will be held in Russia. He will also exchange views with Susan Hockfield, the President of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, on the new EU initiative to create a European Institute of Technology. The Commissioner will focus on European cultural and language issues, in particular the evolving European identity and the role of the knowledge society as a response to the challenge of globalisation. The Commissioner's visit will also be the occasion to review education policy developments in the US and in the EU and discuss the opportunities arising from the Bologna Process. Mr Figel stated that “Globalisation of higher education is a reality and the USA and the EU are the two main actors on the world stage in this field...Our education cooperation programme with the US has been very effective at creating long-term links between our institutions and at equipping the participating students with the international knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in the global market place”.