Country report

1. STEM education

Participation in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) tertiary education programmes could be improved, especially by engaging more women in these fields. In 2023, the share of tertiary students enrolled in STEM subjects was 27.4% (EU average: 26.9%), below the proposed EU 2030 target of 32%. At 31.6%, the share of female students is below the EU average (32.2%) and the proposed EU target of 40%. In 2023, 23.1% of all PhD students were enrolled in ICT (EU: 3.8%), far above the proposed EU 2030 target (5%). The University of Luxembourg launched a campaign called ‘Girls in SciTech: Building a Future for Girls in Science and Technology’ to encourage greater female participation in scientific and technological careers. In addition, the campaign ‘Women and Girls in Science’, co-funded by the government and the National Research Fund, aims to empower girls and foster diversity in research through mentoring schemes and awareness-raising activities. The University has also expanded its interdisciplinary STEM programmes, notably in digital engineering, data science and computational sciences, to better align higher education with emerging labour market demands.

Luxembourg has launched several STEM-related VET initiatives, which provide a good basis for further policy efforts. Enrolment in STEM fields in medium level VET, which stood at 27.7% in 2023, is well below the EU average (36.3%) and the proposed EU2030 target (45%). 16.9% students were female, above the EU average (15.4%), but far from the proposed EU 2030 target (25%). Since the 2024/2025 school year, the Digital Sciences course has been implemented across the entire lower secondary cycle in and a preparatory course, named “Coding” was introduced in primary schools. For continuing VET, Luxembourg’s Digital Learning Hub (DLH) focuses on digital skills and provides training in areas such as coding, cybersecurity and blockchain for young people, jobseekers and professionals. In 2024, DLH offered a total of 372 training courses and recorded 6 975 registrations. Launched in September 2024, Luxembourg’s Skillsbridges initiative, part of the Recovery and Resilience Plan, addresses labour market needs through targeted continuing VET programmes for up- and re-skilling. Current and upcoming courses focus on areas such as artificial intelligence, digitalisation and renewable energies, and will target up to 800 participants per year.

A language-free learning programme is offered to all ECEC classes to foster mathematical skills. “MaGrid” is a tablet-based application offering a variety of training tasks focused on fundamental mathematical concepts for preschoolers. It was developed at the University of Luxembourg, then the Ministry of Education, Childhood Education and Youth bought licences for it and distributed it to all ECEC classes in 2021. “MaGrid” has a language-neutral design: tasks are explained by short videos using images instead of texts. The tool supports interactive, individual learning with real-time feedback and records students' activities, helping teachers and parents monitor progress and observe improvements over time. While it can support all learners, it is especially useful for helping reduce language barriers for learners who speak a different language at home than at school. The tool is designed not only for children from any linguistic background but also for those with special educational needs.

2. Early childhood education and care

Participation in early childhood education and care (ECEC) is high but makes only a moderate impact on learning outcomes. In 2024, 56.6% of children under the age of 3 participated in formal childcare, which is one of the highest rates in the EU and well above the EU average (39.3%). In 2023, 96.0% of children from the age of 3 participated in formal ECEC, above the EU average (94.6%) and reaching the EU-level target (96%) for 2030. Traditionally, children aged 1-4 are offered language development activities in French and Luxembourgish to ensure that all children learn the common language before starting school in Luxembourg’s multi-lingual society. However, the language of instruction in primary schools is German, which poses challenges on children who are not familiarised with it. To address this language gap, Luxembourg will allow families to choose whether their child learns to read and write in German or in French from 2026/2027 onwards.

Luxembourg invests heavily in extending access to ECEC facilities and improving service quality. The expansion primarily occurred in collective ECEC settings (services d’éducation et d’accueil, SEA), mostly within the private sector (SEA commerciaux), while the number of places in state-subsidised facilities (SEA conventionnés) remained largely stable. In contrast, the number of places provided by childminders within the non-formal education sector declined from 2 164 in 2021 to 1 839 in 2023. The 2023–2028 government programme plans to further strengthen the early years of education by improving staff-to-child ratios, expanding full-time ECEC services across all municipalities and introducing an additional ECEC professional in classrooms for the age group 4-5. New staff members will work alongside teachers to better tailor instruction to children's developmental and learning needs (MENJE, 2025a). Additionally, a work-based training programme in French for educators at Ecole nationale pour adultes (ENAD) will start in 2025/2026 for people with at least 12 months of experience in the socio-educational field (MENJE, 2025a).

3. School education and basic skills

The national school system sets high linguistic standards for pupils, who are increasingly diverse. In Luxembourg, German is used as the main instruction language, Luxembourgish as a complementary vernacular language and French is introduced in grade 2 (at age 6). The number of students speaking Luxembourgish as their first language is decreasing – in 2023/2024 fewer than one-third of primary school students spoke it (MENJE, 2024). While demanding for all, this trilingual system poses particular challenges for students who speak neither German nor Luxembourgish at home. These students consistently perform worse in maths, (Lenz & Schiltz, 2025), largely due to their insufficient prior acquisition of German. First-grade students speaking only French or Portuguese at home score lower in German and in Luxembourgish listening comprehension, irrespective of their socio-economic background (Figure 1). In its 2025 country-specific recommendations, the Council of the EU recommended that Luxembourg takes measures to improve performance and ensure equal opportunities in schools, including by adopting a national school quality framework and an external school evaluation system, and by adapting teaching to the needs of disadvantaged students and those from various linguistic backgrounds (EU Council, 2025).

A law to extend the French literacy was adopted and the number of European Public Schools (EPS) is increasing. In response to Luxembourg’s strong linguistic diversity, four primary schools tested in 2022/2023 an initiative providing literacy education in French. Unlike the traditional model, which assumes Luxembourgish as the child’s first language and requires a switch to German for reading and writing, the pilot starts directly with French. In the conventional pathway, French is in the curriculum as an oral subject at age 6 and as a written subject at age 8. In July 2025, after a scientific evaluation, that also involved the regional school boards, teachers, parents and pupils, the government adopted a draft law to extend the French literacy option from 2026/2027. Another way Luxembourg addresses its high linguistic diversity is by expanding the number of its European public schools (EPS). The EPS are international, tuition-free and state-run schools that follow the European School curriculum, culminating in the European Baccalaureate (EB). Pupils choose between English, French or German as their main language of instruction, instead of following the traditional trilingual system. Currently there are only six EPS but in July 2025 the Ministry of Education, Children and youth announced that in 2028 seventh EPS will be open in Schifflange and accommodate almost 1000 students. Two other EPS are also expected to open in the near future to address steadily rising demand for this type of education, particularly in the south of the country (Lenz & Schiltz, 2025). Initial studies on EPS (University of Luxembourg, 2023b) show promising results – students perform better in mathematics, repeat grades less often and are less likely to change education tracks, though performance varies by subgroups. However, the composition of students in EPS is different than in the schools following the Luxembourgish curriculum, as students tend to have higher socio-economic background, which partly explains higher educational outcomes.

Students’ digital skills have improved but they continue to show large performance gaps. Luxembourg belongs to the few European countries whose eighth-graders’ digital skills have improved since 2018, to an average score of 493.7 in 2023, compared to the EU average of 496.8 (Figure 2) (European Commission, 2024). The share of underachievers (44%) has approached the EU average (43%) but is still far above the EU target of less than 15% by 2030. Recent measures reinforcing digital sciences in primary and secondary education as of 2020/2021 may have contributed to the overall improvement. However, performance gaps are the largest in Luxembourg between students with parents in lower-level occupations and their peers with parents in higher-level occupations (59.0 points; EU average: 40.9 points). The country actively supports digital skills development, including a critical reflection on the use of mobile devices and the risk associated with excessive screen time. In this context the government has introduced a ban on the use of mobile phones in primary schools and prohibited during lessons in all secondary schools in an effort to support better screen-life balance. The ban does not concern digital technologies designed for learning.

With the rate of early leavers from education and training at 7.8% in 2024, Luxembourg already achieved the EU-level target. However, this figure should be treated with caution due to the limited sample size and the low reliability of 2024 data for Luxembourg. According to national data, the proportion of people aged 16-24 who left education and training without completing upper secondary education was 8.2% in 2023/2024 (MENJE, 2025c). Most people (72%) are aged 18 or more when they drop out of school. The share of 16-year-olds among all dropouts halved since 2022/2023, from 14.2% to 6.7%, probably due to recent preventive measures. Boys are 50% more likely to drop out of school than girls (61% vs 39%). Grade repetition remains a strong indication for dropping out: in 2023/2024, 84.1% of students who dropped out had repeated a school year once or more. Another frequent reason for interrupting school in vocational education and training is not finding an apprenticeship place by November of the school year, which is required for pursuing a professional programme.

Luxemburg is diversifying learning pathways to prevent or remedy early school leaving. As of 2026/2027, the end of compulsory education will increase from 16 to 18 years. This will allow young people at risk of leaving education without a qualification to continue their schooling in various settings according to their needs. One such option is following a programme in one of Luxembourg’s four Social-Vocational Insertion Centres (Centres d’insertion socio-professionnelle, CISP). These centres offer long-term personalised support to young people: the programme ‘Relance’ for those aged 12-16 and ‘Reconnect’ for those aged 16-24. The aim is to help young school dropouts, or those at risk of dropping out, reintegrate into the education and training system, by helping them develop self-sufficiency, socio-emotional stability as well as their basic, academic and workplace skills. In addition, the National Youth Service (Service national de la jeunesse – SNJ) identifies young people who are at risk of dropping out of school or have already dropped out and contacts them individually to give them guidance.

4. Vocational education and training

VET attracts a high share of students and generally leads to solid employment prospects. In Luxembourg, almost 6 out of 10 students in medium-level education follow programmes with a vocational orientation (59.2% in 2023 vs an EU average of 52.4%), reflecting the attractiveness of this pathway. Although only around one third of recent VET graduates (34.5% in 2023) had experienced work-based learning, well below the EU average (64.6% in 2023, 65.2% in 2024), recent VET graduates in Luxembourg had an employment rate of 80.0% in 2023, which corresponds to the EU average (81.0% in 2023, 80.0% in 2024).

Luxembourg is reinforcing educational and vocational guidance. In 2023, a new law changed the organisational structure of guidance in secondary schools, expanding the School Guidance and Integration Unit's role to include support for new students. The unit oversees the guidance process from lower secondary education to VET pathways, including guidance into higher studies or post-secondary VET. In 2024, the Maison de l’Orientation continued to provide individualised guidance to young people for their educational and professional future. Meanwhile, the Service de l’Intégration et de l’Accueil (SIA) continued to provide personalised support for newly arrived students and their families and the Service national de la jeunesse (SNJ) contacted school dropouts to assess their needs and help them reconnect with the labour market or further education.

Luxembourg is continuing its upskilling and reskilling initiatives for jobseekers and has introduced vocational training for young refugees. ADEM continuously develops training programmes to assist jobseekers in developing their skills, including basic digital skills. It also cooperates closely with all professional chambers to develop specific training programmes or to reserve spots in the professional chambers’ regular CVET offer. The Skillsbridges programmes, which were launched in September 2024 by the Ministry of Education, Children and Youth, aim to provide short, labour-market-relevant up- and reskilling courses, where up to half of all places are reserved for jobseekers. In September 2024, an Initial Vocational Education and Training (IVET) offer was introduced for refugees aged 18-25 who lack the required language skills for regular IVET. Ten vocational capacity certificate (CCP) programmes, combining intensive language and practical training, were offered at National Centres for Continuing Vocational Training (CNFPCs), aiming to improve the employability and long-term integration of young, non-qualified migrants.

5. Tertiary education

Luxembourg ranks among the EU leaders in tertiary attainment. 63.8% of 25-34 year-olds hold a tertiary degree, compared with the EU average of 44.2%. Within this group, women outnumber men by 9.9 percentage points (EU: 11.2). Attainment levels are particularly high among the foreign-born population, at 70.3% vs 53.8% for those born in Luxembourg. Among those born abroad, the share is greater for people from outside the EU (72.4%) than for those from other EU countries (69.0%). The employment rate of recent tertiary graduates slightly decreased since the previous year, standing at 86.1% in 2024, close to the EU average of 86.7%.

The University of Luxembourg stands out for its strong international appeal. Study programmes at the University of Luxembourg are bilingual, trilingual (French, German and English) or entirely in English, which attracts international students. In 2023, 80.7% of Luxembourgish higher education graduates had studied abroad, well above the EU average of 11.0% and the EU target of 23%. This reflects both the mandatory mobility requirement for bachelor’s degree at the University of Luxembourg and the availability of state scholarships to students even when studying abroad. Luxembourg also stands out with the rate of graduates (26.8%) who completed secondary education abroad, while obtained their degree in Luxembourg.

Luxembourg introduced new study programmes in education. In addition to the University’s existing four-year Bachelor’s degree in Education Science, a new one-year Bachelor’s degree in Education was launched in 2023/2024. It targets graduates who already hold a degree in a field related to primary education. The new programme aims to equip teachers for work in multilingual and multicultural school settings. In 2024/2025, the University of Luxembourg also introduced three new education-related master’s programmes: School Management and Development, Educational Development, and Inclusive Education and Accessibility. They are designed for primary school teachers with a higher education diploma who are already employed in the Luxembourgish school system. Offered part-time and alongside professional duties each programme lasts two years.

6. Adult skills and learning

Despite good overall results in adult education and training, the participation of older workers and low-skilled people in learning programmes has room for improvement, and skills mismatches are on the rise. The proportion of people who had participated in adult learning over the previous 12 months rose to 45.2% in 2022 (compared to 42.6% in 2016), well above the EU average (39.5%). While still 17.3 percentage points below the national target (62.5% by 2030), Luxembourg was nevertheless closer to reaching the EU 2030 target (60%) than the EU average. When broken down by education attainment level, labour status, gender and age, adult learning results show that Luxembourg is generally in line with or above the corresponding EU averages.

Nevertheless, three facts stand out: higher educated individuals are three times more likely to participate in adult training than lower educated ones (60.4% vs 20.0%); the participation of unemployed adults in learning was remarkably high (39.9% vs EU 28.8%); the participation of older workers in adult learning was slightly below the EU average (29.0% vs EU 29.9%), but much lower than Luxembourg’s overall adult learning average. Furthermore, in 2023, the share of individuals aged 16-74 with at least basic digital skills was above the EU average (60.1% vs 55.6%) although down from 63.8% in 2021. Macroeconomic skills mismatches across all levels rose to 26.8% in 2024, significantly above the EU average (19.2%), and 80% of small to medium-sized enterprises report difficulties in finding workers with the right skills.

Luxembourg has launched several upskilling and reskilling initiatives to increase participation in adult learning and tackle skills mismatches, with a particular focus on skills for the digital and green economy. The Skillsbridges training programme, addressing skills mismatches in key sectors through short vocational courses in areas such as artificial intelligence, digitalisation and renewable energies (see also the STEM in VET section, above). Other initiatives include the Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition, a one-stop shop for news, training and job opportunities, which now has a community of over 15 000 individuals and organisations, and ADEM’s JobInsights.lu, providing real-time statistical data on job openings and labour market trends, as well as required qualifications and skills. The National Portal on Lifelong Learning contains information on public and private providers of training and career guidance, financial support, skills assessment and validation. Luxembourg has also integrated green skills into its VET programmes over the past few years, offering courses on waste management, the circular economy and energy efficiency. This includes new IVET programmes such as smart buildings and energies, and technician qualifications in related fields. The National Centres for Continuing Vocational Education and Training (CNFPC) and partner agencies provide short courses on green skills, supporting both the public and private sectors.