Enhancing quality through innovative policy and practice workshop
On 6-7 June, the final workshop of the Enhancing quality through innovative policy and practice (EQUIP) project took place in Lisbon, Portugal. This project supports and promotes a consistent, efficient and innovative embedding of the European standards and guidelines at the grassroots of European higher education. Focus groups in 2017 will review best practice and propose approaches to solving implementation challenges. The information gathered through EQUIP will contribute towards a study and recommendations to be published at end-2017. EI was represented by the Chair of the Higher Education and Research Standing Committee of EI/European Trade Union Committee on Education (ETUCE), Jens Vraa-Jensen, and Louise Hoj Larsen.
A new skills strategy for Europe
The ETUCE participated in several consultations by the European institutions, the working groups of EU member countries’ education ministries, employers’ organisations, stakeholders’ organisations and other trade union organisations on the European Commission’s policy package, New Skills Agenda for Europe, published on 10 June. The ETUCE outlined the possible impact of the initiative on teachers. The ETUCE is preparing the experts’ and statutory meetings of September which will discuss an efficient lobby by national teacher trade unions to influence the Novembers’ discussion of the EU Education Council. Agnes Roman represented EI/ETUCE.
Press release re TTIP
EI and the European Students’ Union (ESU) issued a joint news release urging Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiators to explicitly exclude education from TTIP during the 14th round of TTIP negotiations in Brussels, Belgium, on 11-15 July. EI was represented by David Robinson, Executive Director of the Canadian Association of University Teachers, and Louise Hoj Larsen.
OECD’s Higher Education Stakeholder Forum
On 17 June, the first Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Higher Education Stakeholder Forum took place in Paris, France. It discussed the OECD’s two projects on higher education: Benchmarking higher education system performance and In-depth analysis of the labour market relevance and outcomes of higher education. The forum is intended to become an annual event. EI was represented by the Irish Federation of University Teachers’ General Secretary, Mike Jennings, and Louise Hoj Larsen.
European Social Partnership
The Final Project Conference on European Sectorial Social Partners in Education promoting the potentials of their dialogue through knowledge transfer and training was held from 20-21 June in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. This initiative is spearheaded by the ETUCE and the European Federation of Education Employers (EFEE). Participants from ETUCE and EFEE’s member organisations sought to improve social dialogue at national and European level, strengthen the links between the national and European levels, improve the quality of education, and make the teaching profession more attractive. Alexandra Rüdig Ironside and Paola Cammilli represented EI/ETUCE.
European social dialogue
From 5-6 July, the ETUCE attended the joint conference of the European social partners on “Promoting and reinforcing the EU social dialogue”. Participants discussed the Quadripartite Statement on a New start for social dialogue which commits the Presidency of the European Council to urge governments to involve social partners in policy and law making, especially in the context of the European Semester. It also emphasises the key role of sectoral social partners. During the last nine months, the ETUCE actively contributed to this document, as part of the European Trade Union Confederation’s delegation representing the education sector. Paola Cammilli represented EI/ETUCE.
Condemnation of violation of education employees’ rights in Turkey
In Turkey, education employees, schools and universities have been targeted by the government’s wide-reaching purge since the attempted coup on 15 July. Around 15,200 teachers have been suspended, 21,000 private school teachers’ licenses have been revoked, and 1,500 university deans have been forced to resign. EI sent a message to Turkish President Erdogan, strongly protesting against the unlawful dismissal, suspension and persecution of education employees, in clear violation of their fundamental rights. EI finds it unacceptable that the current political climate is being used by public authorities in Turkey to justify the silencing of opponents. EI also related its deep concerns to the UN General Secretary, Ban Ki-moon.
Workshops on gender equality in Tajikistan
Two workshops on gender equality were organised by the EIAP for the Trade Union of Education and Science of the Republic of Tajikistan: from 17-19 July in Kurgantyube and from 20-22 July in Tursunzoda. These workshops highlighted gender equality, discrimination, and gender injustice - early forced marriages, discontinuing tertiary education, and domestic violence – in Tajik society. Participants designed action plans to integrate their learning in their workplaces. Jerome Fernandez represented EI at both events.