Education

Tackling EU child poverty through Child Guarantee

Based on figures from 2016, nearly 26.4% of children across the EU are experiencing, or are at risk of experiencing, poverty or social exclusion. But the EU has one potential policy development to deal with this worrying trend, write Joanna Hofman and Katie Stewart.

A place for children in the EU’s budget

Last week, the Commission announced a budget that ‘’protects, empowers and defends’’. But who exactly are we protecting empowering and defending? Not Europe’s children nor their counterparts in the developing world. Children are not even mentioned in this proposal.

Schools of tomorrow – building and transforming skills for a digital world

Europe’s bid to lead the digital and advanced technology trend will be lost if the EU and national governments don’t take steps to make skills development in digitisation their priority. Digital skills need to be conveyed at all levels and in all forms of education to ensure Europe’s global position, writes Martina Dlabajová.

Europe, pay your trainees!

Offering internships and traineeships to young people without real prospect of employment and adequate remuneration violates the original nature of these instruments, writes Brando Benifei.

Two years after the Brussels attacks, the terrorist threat remains very real

Returning foreign fighters, along with home-grown radicals, are heightening concerns that further attacks could be afoot. Dr. Demir Murat Seyrek and Amanda Paul argue there is room to beef-up security measures without creating a “police state” and maintaining respect for individual rights and liberties.

A European education area: How to make it work for Europe

In line with Emmanuel Macron's speech and discussions at the recent Social Summit in Gothenburg, let's puts education at the heart of a more social and prosperous Europe, argue Michael Gaebel and Thomas Jorgensen.

Tackling youth unemployment and the skills gap

EU and business leaders are very keen to address the high levels of youth unemployment and the emerging skills gap across Europe by offering young people opportunities to play an active role in the European economy, writes Stefan Crets.

We have to rethink what ‘educated’ means in a post-truth world

It used to be fairly easy to explain what it means to be educated: it involved schooling, and the more schooling you had, the better educated you became and the more opportunities you had. But things are now more complex, writes Stavros N. Yiannouka

Entrepreneurship education: Unused potential so far

In September 2015, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on promoting youth entrepreneurship. Nearly two years later, MEP Michaela Šojdrova is disappointed with the lack of progress made by the European Commission.

Kosovo needs a new beginning

In Kosovo, far too much time has been spent on issues like border demarcation. Delivering peace instead of war is one thing but that is not enough when young people want a good education and their parents want jobs, warns Kosovar politician Kadri Veseli.

March for Science: Is the basis of the knowledge society being eroded?

After years of sluggish advance, the house of world economics looks generally strong. However, those who ensure the knowledge base for growth, the scientists and researchers, face threats to their system, writes Thomas Jorgensen.

Not so wunderful: Germany’s fear of homeschooling

Home education is a right recognised by international human rights. And yet, Germany fails to honour these agreements, writes Alexandra Tompson.

How Erasmus+ could benefit refugees

The European Commission’s Erasmus+ mid-term review must consider how to harness the potential of the scheme in addressing Europe’s shifting realities. Providing grants to refugee students and academics is one way to start, writes Michael Gaebel.

Jobs and skills to cement democracy in post-Arab Spring Tunisia

Opportunity is the bedrock of a stable democracy. EU support for innovation and education in Tunisia will benefit the whole of North Africa, as well as the EU itself, write Imed Hammami and Pier Antonio Panzeri.

In it for the long run: Education as an immediate emergency priority

Refugees spend an average of 20 years away from their homes, in the “limbo” of temporary shelters with only basic provisions. Education is vital to building a sense of normality and ensuring these years are not wasted, writes Nicholas Rutherford.

An economy of, by and for the people

Europe’s economy has clearly seen better days. Facing great technological and societal change, it is marred by a sluggish recovery and a lack of investment, write Reinhard Bütikofer and Philippe Lamberts.

Refugee crisis: Education aid is only a click away

Countries hosting refugees are doing what they can to manage the influx of school-aged migrant but thinning resources make it difficult to accommodate every child’s requirements. Education technology can help fill that gap, writes Sébastien Turbot.

ECJ decision triggers crisis of social protection system in UK

The EU has spent years building a safety net for the most vulnerable children in society, but the UK’s decision to cut child benefits may not save any money, but could lead the whole system to unravel, writes Jana Hainsworth.

Welfare systems should be fair and promote solidarity between generations

In a Europe, with a growing gulf between the “haves” and the “have nots”, we are witnessing that welfare systems are creating what they should overcome: inequality. The purpose of a welfare system is to act as a safety net for everyone, but this is no longer happening, writes Allan Päll.

Web accessibility will now be the law of the land in Europe

On Tuesday (3 May), after a long night of negotiation, and after more than three years since its proposal, it was agreed that web accessibility will now be the law of the land in Europe. This is a victory not only for persons with disabilities, but all of us, writes Dita Charanzová.

Paving the way for women in technology

To mark International Girls in ICT Day 2016, we are calling for greater efforts to close the gap between aspiration and achievement for young women around the world, writes Sylvie Laffarge.