In the past seventy years, education and training have evolved from side issues of political cooperation to political priorities of the EU. For three decades within this period, they were promoted implicitly to enable the mobility of workers in the internal market. Later on, a European dimension of education and training has developed through mobility and cooperation programs and through the lifelong learning discourse. Today, a European policy space of education and training is unfolding, which the EU is coordinating by the means of soft governance arrangements.

Published in 1998, Education and training in the European Union is a policy area aiming to enable young people to experience the ‘reality of Europe’ through various forms of cooperation, including training periods in firms in other member states, university courses in the Community countries and exchanges. This book examines why the Community decided to take actions in the field of education and training, what the extent of this involvement is, and how the future may affect EU decisions on education and training. It argues that the logic of the EU involvement in education and training derives from both economic and political considerations; that the extent of this involvement has not so far been very significant but is growing; and that the pace of political integration will ultimately condition the Community’s competence in the field of education and training.

This publication examines the development of European co-operation in education and vocational training policy, focusing on five key time phases: the post-war period from 1948 to 68; the founding years of the European Community during 1969 to 1984; the years 1985 to 1992 which saw the development of major programmes such as Erasmus and the progress towards enshrining education policy in the Maastricht Treaty; the emergence of the knowledge-based society and lifelong learning during 1993 to 1999; and the period 2000 to 2005 where education and training has been placed at the centre of the EU's economic and social strategy for 2010.

« Understanding todays' Vocational Education and Training (VET) systems requires a comprehension of the rise and development, i.e. of the foundations of topical VET. This book is one of the first publications providing a comparative view of this development in Europe. Apart from older roots, the evolution of VET systems are one trigger of the modernization of economy, society and education itself. The 28 contributions, including countries like Austria, Britain, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Lithuania, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland of renowned authors and experts in this field are organized in three sections: Concepts which are discussing theoretical approaches towards this phenomenon. Cases which stress specific developments of VET in a certain country or region and Challenges which are contextualizing the historical perspective in a topical policy context. »--

Focusing on the accumulation of human capital from two perspectives, through formal education and then professional training, this book provides a summary of the characteristics of education and training in Europe and also asks key questions about the problems with the current educational and training systems.

This volume examines the EU’s changing educational context and its challenges. Based on an extensive survey of more than 2000 European Studies courses in 30 European countries, it maps and analyses the features of teaching methodologies as they emerge from both disciplinary as well as interdisciplinary curricula. It presents a series of case studies on some of the most-used innovative teaching tools emerging in the field such as simulation games, e-learning, problem based learning, blended learning, and learning through the use of social networks. Based on the contributors’ own experiences and academic research, the book examines both strengths and possible pitfalls of these increasingly popular methods. The book’s critical approach will inspire educators and scholars committed to improving the teaching methods and tools in the area of European Studies and other programmes of higher education facing similar challenges.

This book aims to provide a wide ranging analysis of the educational challenges posed by the treaty signed in Maastricht in 1992. It brings together an international group of specialists in the fields of educational theory, philosophy of education, politics of education, comparative education, and gender equal opportunities. Focusing particularly on pedagogic issues, it is essential reading for those engaged in educational research, for students of education, and for those working with European Union institutions.