International education experts Pasi Sahlberg, Finnish Education Expert, and Christine Blower, President of the European Trade Union Committee for Education and General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, to address the meeting.
Europe’s Education Ministers will today debate how to support the teaching profession to yield the best learning outcomes for students. The discussion will be chaired by Irish Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn T.D., in Brussels today, Thursday 16th May 2013.
This is the second and final Education Council to be held under the Irish Presidency- the first took place last February.
Ahead of the meeting, Minister Quinn said: “Ireland’s primary aim during our Presidency is to support sustainable jobs and growth across Europe, and to seek ways of restoring economic stability to the European economy. Education and training are vitally important in achieving this aim and I am looking forward to an engaging and productive Council meeting.”
Ministers will debate “Ensuring a teaching profession of the highest quality to underpin the achievement of better learning outcomes”. To ensure a lively and informative debate, the Presidency has invited two guest speakers: Pasi Sahlberg, Finnish Education Expert, and Christine Blower, President of the European Trade Union Committee for Education and General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers.
In addition, Ministers will adopt Council Conclusions on the social dimension of higher education. Other items on the agenda include an update on the ‘Erasmus for All’ negotiations and information on the Youth Employment Initiative.
Minister Quinn said: “I am delighted to build on last February’s very productive Council meeting. These assemblies enable Ministers across the EU to focus on the big policy issues facing us all and I am confident that today’s discussions will be beneficial for students and learners in all of the Member States.”
Ireland holds the Presidency of the Council of the EU until 30th June.
A number of legislative priorities in education have been identified for the course of the Presidency. These are:
· Regulation establishing "Erasmus for All”
· New Directive to amend Directive 2005/36 on the recognition of professional qualifications
· Regulation on the European Social Fund (ESF) and the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF)
· Decision on the Strategic Innovation Agenda of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) & Regulation amending 2008 Regulation which established the EIT.