15/01/2024

Discover the education priorities of the 2024 Belgian Presidency

From 1 January to 30 June 2024, Belgium will hold the presidency of the Council of the European Union. This presidency is important owing to the timing, with the European elections in June 2024 in view.

 

When it comes to Education, The Belgian Presidency has set 4 priorities:

  • 1. Mobility
  • 2. Digital Education
  • 3. Evidence Informed Policy
  • 4. Promotion of Lifelong Learning.

 

It aims to ease mobility for learners and educators across Europe and initiate discussions on the forthcoming higher education package. Further efforts must be made to remove existing obstacles and barriers to all types of learning and teaching mobility, including issues relating to access, guidance, student services and recognition. In that regard, the Belgian Presidency will work on the adoption of a Council recommendation designed for updating the current EU learning mobility framework. This will promote learning mobility as an opportunity for learners and education staff in all sectors and at all levels of formal, non-formal and informal learning.

Digital education will be the topic of a closed European Policy Roundtable in the city of Ghent. The discussion will focus on the implementation of the two recently adopted Council Recommendations, addressing the improvement of digital skills and key enabling factors for successful digital education and training. Furthermore, privacy in the digital world and innovative technologies with a particular focus on Extended Reality will also be some of the key topics of this Policy Roundtable.

The work of the Belgian Presidency also ties in with the topic of lifelong learning, including themes such as: validation of prior learning, accreditation, and flexible pathways (i.a. micro-credentials). During a Conference on Evidence-informed Education, the role of educational research, the use of data and evidence in decision making processes will be highlighted.

The Presidency will review and refine youth strategies, including a Council resolution on youth work policy.

In the cultural realm, the Presidency will stimulate the digital transformation of cultural sectors and reinforce media freedom and pluralism.

Media literacy will be highlighted during an open conference on Media Literacy Matters focusing on showcasing and exchanging initiatives, tools, projects and practices on the future of digital and media literacy. The role of influencers will be highlighted.

In the field of sport, the Belgian Presidency will adopt the EU work plan 2024-2027 and discuss the role of non-organised sport and free physical activity within a European sport model.

 

Read the full Programme of the Belgian presidency

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