European research, innovation and education

April 30, 2024

Open Access Government places the spotlight on research, innovation and education policy in Europe, with a particular focus on the European Education Area

In Our October 2023 edition, we enjoyed an editorial by Marc Lemaître, Director-General for Research and Innovation of the European Commission, who shed light on empowering research careers and reinforcing the European Research Area (ERA).

We really appreciate this article, where we find out how Europe is using research and innovation to make science and technology better for people and the planet. This is when the global landscape is constantly evolving, and we face challenges in the environment, health, defence, and digital technology, Lemaître explained.

European Research Area

The ERA is the heart of building a vibrant and interdisciplinary European research ecosystem. It desires that research, researchers and knowledge can move freely within this domain. “The ERA sets the stage for a new era of European research, where innovation knows no boundaries and researchers thrive. It is an opportunity for collective progress, a chance to celebrate research, and a call to shape the future together,” Lemaître concludes in the exclusive piece. (1)

Research leadership and policy in Europe

The Directorate-General for Research and Innovation is responsible for EU policy in the fields of research, science, and innovation to promote growth and jobs, plus address our most pressing societal challenges. This European Commission department’s leadership and organisation consists of Iliana Ivanova (European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth), Marc Lemaître (Director-General), Signe Ratso (Deputy Director-General) and Joanna Drake (Deputy Director-General). (2)

The responsibilities of Commissioner Ivanova are extensive and include working together with the Member States to create a real ERA, spearheading the Commission’s efforts to make the European Education Area (EEA) a reality by 2025, making sure Horizon Europe runs smoothly, and ensuring there’s enough money to go around for cutting-edge research and breakthrough ideas, including via the European Innovation Council. (3)

In President von der Leyen’s mission letter to Iliana Ivanova, the desire for Ivanova to build a proper ERA where all national and European efforts pull together is expressed. The mission letter also says that Ivanova must continue implementing the EEA to make it a reality by 2025 in close collaboration with regional and national authorities. (4)

European Education Area

It’s fitting we now examine in detail the EEA, which brings together a wide range of stakeholders, including the European Commission, MEPs, the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU, government officials from the Member States, school leaders, educators, innovators, and learners. The EEA seeks to provide a learning environment not restricted by borders.

“To facilitate and further promote cross-border learning mobility, we need to make sure the right conditions are put in place, obstacles removed and incentives provided,” Commissioner Ivanova explained during her speech on the EEA midterm review in October 2023.

After public consultations, the Commissioner highlighted the importance of increasing the mobility of students, teachers and employees in all areas of education and training, youth and sports, in formal, informal and non-formal settings. This goal is possible thanks to Erasmus+, which now includes an Inclusion and Diversity Strategy to make the programme more inclusive and accessible for everyone.

“At the same time, we must address the remaining obstacles to the automatic mutual recognition of qualifications and outcomes of learning periods abroad, so that institutions can work together more and more, following our efforts through the European Strategy for Universities,” the Commissioner underlined.

Do you know that out of the 50 EU Universities Alliances funded by the Commission through Erasmus+, more than 430 higher education institutions are based in 35 countries? They’re creating solutions that can be applied to the entire higher education system. These partnerships will help turn the idea of a joint European degree into a reality, which is one of the Commission’s top priorities.

Learning mobility is a crucial enabler for high-quality, inclusive learning, but teachers, trainers, and school leaders also play an essential role in shaping the European Education Area.

“They are on the ground, making sure curriculum is delivered and that learners develop well. Yet across Europe we find fewer and fewer of these fundamental professionals. We need to support the profession, improving teachers’ well-being and careers,” the Commissioner explained.

Many teachers are saying they need help with training and career opportunities, and that’s why the Commission is working on a set of guidelines to help countries create their own career frameworks. National career frameworks will diversify professional paths for educators, trainers and school administrators.

Let’s return to mobility, where the Commission works hard to improve teacher mobility. But it doesn’t end there. For example, in March 2023, the Commission established a group of experts to investigate how schools can create better learning environments and promote good mental health. It will help the Commission develop evidence-based policies and guidance to create a holistic, school-wide approach to well-being.

In 2022, the Commission published two sets of guidance documents to assist teachers and educators in addressing disinformation and digital literacy, as well as the ethical use of artificial intelligence and data. These tangible results, in addition to others, contribute to a more cohesive and cooperative European Union.

Finally, when it comes to citizenship, we need to use our education collaboration not only to provide basic skills and abilities to all but also to teach European citizenship and celebrate and protect the values that drive us to collaborate, the Commissioner highlighted in her October 2023 speech. (5)

Looking ahead: European research, innovation and education

Don’t we look forward to Europe continuing to harness research and innovation to improve science and technology to benefit society and the environment? We hope that the EEA indeed provides a learning environment unrestricted by boundaries.