Brussels, 18/07/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Monday, Portugal, which has held the presidency of the European Council since 1 July, presented its priorities in education and culture to the European Parliament. Education Minister Maria de Lurdes Rodrigues said that lifelong learning had to be central if Europe was to meet the challenges it was facing, such as the ageing of the population, increasing migratory flows, unemployment and uncertainty linked to developments in the labour market. She also highlighted the importance of education, especially language learning, in helping immigrant populations integrate. On the Lisbon objectives, Ms Rodrigues said there was greater effort being made to bring about convergence in education, but felt that the process had not delivered the hoped-for results. There would have to be further effort to go beyond the 2010 objectives, continuing to use the open method of coordination. The Portuguese presidency will hold several conferences, on, for example, teacher training, schools' new roles, and informal and formal learning, she said. The two main priorities in higher education, for which Minister Mariano Gago is responsible are, firstly, the reform and modernisation of universities, and, secondly, increasing students' and lecturers' mobility, largely through the relaunch of the Erasmus programme. The Portuguese presidency believes it is essential to set new ambitious objectives for universities. Several member states have already set about reforming higher education, and it would be useful to share experience, Mr Gago said. Student mobility is one of the main building blocks of the construction of Europe by citizens, he went on. This year's celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Erasmus scheme will be the opportunity to discuss the challenges of the programme and the need to broaden the social base of student mobility on Europe so that young people from all backgrounds can benefit from mobility. Mr Gago also intends to launch a discussion on the second Erasmus Mundus programme, presented by the Commission last week. Following these presentations, several MEPs called on the ministers to remain vigilant on a number of issues. Vasco Graça Moura (EPP-ED, Portugal) highlighted the clause in the Erasmus Mundus programme, which seeks to send back to their home country those foreign students who have completed their courses, while other countries of the world, the United States, for example, do not raise this question. Hannu Takkula (ALDE, Finland) pointed out that a longer term view had to be taken, and the objectives for 2020 should already be under consideration. Christa Prets (PES, Austria) then asked what importance the Portuguese presidency was going to give to the European Qualifications Framework, which was already bearing fruit in several member states. The danger of seeing a brake put on student mobility because of budgetary restrictions was raised by both Ms Prets and Doris Pack (EPP-ED, Germany). Viorica Moisuc (Identity, Tradition, Sovereignty, Romania) expressed concern about a decline in teacher training and called for a debate on the quality of, and performance in, school curricula. She also spoke of the problem of recognition of member state qualifications in neighbouring states.
Culture Minister Isabel Pires De Lima then set out her programme. She said she saw 2007 as the starting point of a new cycle, after the Spring summit, which, for the first time, officially recognised the importance of the cultural sector industries for the realisation of the Lisbon objectives. She will grant particular importance to the Commission communication on the role of culture in the European integration process, which sets priorities for consensus among member states and allows for a new work agenda with assessment of the results to be set. Portugal will hold a forum on this matter in Lisbon on 24-26 September, and the results will be sent to political leaders who may wish to adjust their action plans in their light. Closer cultural relations between the European Union and other regions of the world, in particular Asia, will also be a Portuguese priority. Ms De Lima will also launch an awareness-raising campaign in preparation for “2008, Year of Inter-Cultural Dialogue”. As part of this campaign, a debate will be held on the key points that this initiative represents for the various member states. MEP Mr Graça Moura stressed the importance of reflection on inter-cultural dialogue and highlighted the need to protect Europe's cultural heritage, which has been endangered by technological development. He felt that the UNESCO Convention sought only to protect French interests and was not a response in itself. Hannu Takkula spoke of the need to protect linguistic minorities, such as the Roma, and called for ideas on how funding for culture could be increased. Ruth Hieronymi (EPP-ED, Germany) said a fair balance had to be found between protecting cultural diversity and protecting the economic imperatives for culture. (il)