In May, EUNEC members met at their yearly seminar, this time on 'Artificial Intelligence as a Tool for Enhancing Teaching and Learning: when and how is AI useful'. The seminar was hosted and co-organised the Conseil Supérieur de l'Éducation, de la Formation et de la Recherche Scientifique in Morocco
Education goals in Morocco went through at least two main phases. Up to early 2000s, the main challenge was to make access to basic education universal. Once the access challenge was overcome the quality of education took over in the Moroccan policy agenda, including reducing inequalities in students' access to quality teaching and learning as well as ensuring educational and social justice. Furthermore, recognizing the crucial role of teachers in education quality, enhancing the performance of teaching staff and the overall attractiveness of the teaching profession are top priorities to improve the overall quality of education.
Despite thirty years of policy and other efforts to attract and retain teaching staff, the teacher shortages in the Netherlands persist. The demand for teachers remains high, and the shortages are proving stubborn. The Dutch Minister for Primary and Secondary Education asked the Dutch Education Council to explore ways in which education can be provided in a context of the continuing shortage of teachers.
In 2023-24 members of EUNEC meet on a monthly base to exchange on teachers. Regional, national, European and international organisations are all putting this topic as priority on the agenda.
EUNEC members met again at their yearly seminar, this time on 'Towards effective stakeholder engagement in education policy making, in the countries and in the regions'. The seminar was hosted by the Education Council of Spain, and took place in Madrid on 9 and 10 May 2023. Participants from 14 countries and international organisations, CONFEMEN and Unesco, analyzed trends in advising education policy, tried to identify challenges and opportunities and discussed possible responses to enhance their resilience, exchanging experiences and practices from participating countries.
Congratulations to Mirjam van Leeuwen and Leen Van Heurck. Mirjam van Leeuwen, secretary director of the Dutch Education Council, will succeed Manuel Miguéns as president of EUNEC starting from 1st of June 2023. Leen Van Heurck, secretary general of the Flemish Education Council became secretary general of EUNEC in November.
After digital exchange sessions on how our councils and education systems dealt with the impact of the pandemic on education, and on the role of education councils for recovery, EUNEC members gathered again in a digital meeting to discuss about shifts in education policy due to the pandemic: are they becoming sustainable or not?
After two years of exclusively digital exchange, EUNEC members met again to reflect on the future of our education systems. The seminar was hosted by the Education Council of the Netherlands, and took place in The Hague on 15 June 2022. Participants from 12 countries (EU and Québec) analyzed trends shaping education, tried to identify challenges to education systems and discussed possible responses to enhance their resilience, exchanging experiences and practices from participating countries.
On 15 November 2021, EUNEC General Assembly members had a fruitful online exchange on how education councils can take up their role towards recovery after the pandemic.
