Council of Europe
Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe

In 1994, the Council of Europe established the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe (CRAE) as consultative body to replace the former Standing Conference of Local and Regional Authorities. The Congress helps new members with practical aspects of their progress towards establishing effective local and regional government.

ENTO enjoys privileged relationship with the CLRAE, providing support to its assistance programmes with regard to training of staff and elected representatives of local and regional authorities (more…CE site, CLRAE).

 Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe
The Council of Europe is an intergovernmental organisation, which aims at protecting human rights, pluralist democracy and the rule of law. Established on 5 May 1949 by ten member States, the Council of Europe has now 47 member countries.

The Council of Europe should not be confused with European Union. The two organisations are quite distinct. The 27 European states, however, are all members of the Council of Europe.

The Palais de l’Europe in Strasbourg (France) is the Council of Europe’s headquarters

European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP)
Cedefop’s mission is to support development of European VET policies and contribute to their implementation.

Cedefop’s strategic objective is to ‘strengthen European cooperation and support the European Commission, Member States and social partners in designing and implementing policies for an attractive VET that promotes excellence and social inclusion’.

The strategic objective is supported by three medium-term priorities for 2012-14:

– Supporting modernisation of VET systems
– Careers and transitions – Continuing VET, adult and work-based learning
– Analysing skills and competence needs to inform VET provision

The medium-term priorities guide the activities of Cedefop’s annual work programmes and ensure continuity of work allowing the necessary flexibility to respond to changing needs.

Eurydice (Network on Education Systems & Policies in Europe)
The Eurydice Network provides information on and analyses of European education systems and policies. As from 2013 it consists of 40 national units based in all 36 countries participating in the EU’s Lifelong Learning programme (EU Member States, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Iceland, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland). It is co-ordinated and managed by the EU Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency in Brussels, which drafts its studies and provides a range of online resources.

European Training Foundation (ETF)
The European Training Foundation is a decentralised agency of the European Union based in Turin, Italy. It was established by Council Regulation No. 1360 in 1990 recast No. 1339 in 2008 to contribute to the development of the education and training systems of the EU partner countries. It became operational in 1994 in its premises of Villa Gualino. The ETF currently employs approximately 130 staff and has an annual budget of about 18 million €. Madlen Serban is Director of the ETF since 1 July 2009.

Our mission is to help transition and developing countries to harness the potential of their human capital through the reform of education, training and labour market systems in the context of the Eu’s external relations policy.

We base our work on the conviction that human capital development in a lifelong learning perspective can make a fundamental contribution to increasing prosperity, creating sustainable growth and encouraging social inclusion in transition and developing countries.

We recruit and deploy experts from multiple disciplines to handle complex and multidimensional topics in a team environment, in order to create new knowledge, insight and solutions.

 Centre for Research on Lifelong Learning (CRELL)
The Centre for Research on Lifelong Learning (CRELL) was established in 2005 in order to provide expertise in the field of indicator-based evaluation and monitoring of education and training systems and their contribution to the achievement of Community objectives specified in the Lisbon Agenda and more recently in the EU2020 agenda as regards this domain. CRELL combines expertise in the fields of economics, econometrics, education, social sciences and statistics in an interdisciplinary approach to research.

 Economics of Education in Europe (EENEE)
EENEE is a network of leading European centres and experts on economics of education. As an EU Think Tank, EENEE is sponsored by the [External Link] European Commission, Directorate General Education and Culture (DG EAC) and coordinated by the Ifo Institute. EENEE’s mandate is to give policy advice to the European Commission, to disseminate knowledge on the economics of education in Europe, and to further research in the economics of education in Europe.

 Network of Experts in Social Sciences of Education & Training (NESSE)
NESSE is a network of scholars working on social aspects of education and training. It was set up in 2007 after a Call for Tenders by European Commission’s Directorate General for Education and Culture. The Institut National de Recherche Pédagogique (INRP, France) is responsible for the coordination of the network. Professor Roger Dale (Bristol) is currently the network’s scientific coordinator.

NESSE’s mission is to advise and support the European Commission in the analysis of educational policies and reforms , and to consider their implications at national, regional and European level. NESSE also contributes to the dissemination of knowledge on social aspects of education and training.

 Directorate for Education and Skills (OECD)
The mission of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is to promote policies that will improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world.

The OECD provides a forum in which governments can work together to share experiences and seek solutions to common problems. We work with governments to understand what drives economic, social and environmental change. We measure productivity and global flows of trade and investment. We analyse and compare data to predict future trends. We set international standards on a wide range of things, from agriculture and tax to the safety of chemicals.

We look, too, at issues that directly affect the lives of ordinary people, like how much they pay in taxes and social security, and how much leisure time they can take. We compare how different countries’ school systems are readying their young people for modern life, and how different countries’ pension systems will look after their citizens in old age.

Drawing on facts and real-life experience, we recommend policies designed to make the lives of ordinary people better. We work with business, through the Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD, and with labour, through the Trade Union Advisory Committee. We have active contacts as well with other civil society organisations. The common thread of our work is a shared commitment to market economies backed by democratic institutions and focused on the wellbeing of all citizens. Along the way, we also set out to make life harder for the terrorists, tax dodgers, crooked businessmen and others whose actions undermine a fair and open society.

 United Nations, Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Putting quality education at the heart of development

Since its creation in 1945, UNESCO’s mission has been to contribute to the building of peace, poverty eradication, lasting development and intercultural dialogue, with education as one of its principal activities to achieve this aim. The Organization is committed to a holistic and humanistic vision of quality education worldwide, the realization of everyone’s right to education, and the belief that education plays a fundamental role in human, social and economic development.

Systèmes d’éducation et de formation en Europe

Pour vous informer plus largement sur les systèmes d’éducation et de formation en Europe.

 PLOTEUS – Portal on Learning Opportunities throughout the European Space

PLOTEUS vise à aider les étudiants, demandeurs d’emploi, les travailleurs, les parents, les conseillers d’orientation et les enseignants à trouver des informations sur les études en Europe. 

Sur ce portail vous trouverez des informations sur les possibilités d’apprentissage et les possibilités de formation disponibles dans toute l’Union européenne. Le site contient des liens vers des sites web des universités et des établissements d’enseignement supérieur, les bases de données des écoles et de la formation professionnelle et des cours d’éducation des adultes.

 Funding of Education in Europe 2000-2012 : The impact of the Economic Crisis

High quality education and training are essential if Europe is to make a speedy recovery from the most severe economic and financial crisis for 50 years. Qualified people with the right skills can boost the European Union’s economy by leading innovation and improving competitiveness. However, as a result of the financial and economic crisis, public finances in all Member States are under great pressure. Governments are seeking ways to reduce budget deficits and manage public debt without dismantling the foundations of sustainable growth. While no direct link can be established between the level of funding of the education systems and student’s learning outcomes, there is a general understanding that investing in high quality education and training should continue to be a priority.
Nevertheless, the sector is not immune to austerity measures, particularly in countries where the need for short-term fiscal consolidation is greatest.