Comparative report
Foreword
Iliana Ivanova
Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth
The challenges of the 21st century, from climate change to the impact of Artificial Intelligence, require intense collaboration between the countries of the European Union. Central to this collaboration is improving the access to education and its quality within the European Education Area. Cooperative effort relies on a well-established evidence base, offering a platform for comparative analysis, shared learning, and the exchange of best practices.
At the heart of quality education are our educators: teachers, trainers, and school leaders. Yet, today, the teaching profession faces numerous pressures and is in dire need of both societal revaluation and recognition.
This year's Education and Training Monitor places a spotlight on the teaching profession, underscoring its critical role in advancing the European Education Area.
To tackle increasing teacher shortages and increase the appeal of the profession, it is imperative that EU education systems recognise and support teachers’ roles. This includes measures for recruitment and retention, comprehensive initial training and ongoing professional development, support during early career stages, and the creation of attractive career paths coupled with fair financial rewards. The teachers’ dashboard presented with this year’s Monitor, is a compass to navigate through these and other aspects of the teaching profession and helping to make it more attractive.
Furthermore, the Monitor evaluates the progress of EU countries towards the quantified targets agreed to shape the European Education Area. We see encouraging trends: young people in Europe are better educated than ever before, early school leaving is on a decline, and higher education participation rates have significantly increased across the EU.
However, challenges remain, particularly for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds who risk leaving the education system unprepared. Continued collective efforts are essential, guided by the pathways to school success, the digital education Council recommendations, and their policy strands.
Support for the teaching profession is also receiving attention through numerous policy initiatives. The Erasmus+ programme with its flagship initiative “Erasmus+ Teacher Academies” is at the heart of this joint work.
The European Commission remains committed to working closely with all relevant parties. I encourage you to join the discussion we are launching with this year’s Education and Training Monitor, aiming to design effective and innovative actions together.