Towars a Supranational European Policy on Education: The European Dimension on Education

Dr. Alfonso Diestro Fernández Facultad de Educación (UNED, España)

GIPES (Grupo de Investigación en Políticas Educativas Supranacionales)

XV World Congress of Comparative Education Societies New times, New Voices

24-28 june 2013

Presentation Index

1.  Introduction!2.   Historical origin. 3.   EDE Convergences & divergences. 4.   EDE tendencies. 5.   Necessity to recognize EDE. 6.   Conclusion!

© Alfonso Diestro

Europe: two different context in the same continent

EU COE + © Alfonso Diestro

European Council (47) European Union (27)!

They share the same purpose and global aims!

Geopolitical European Context (EU + COE)

Copenhagen criteria

© Alfonso Diestro

Historical origin

The EDE emerges from the confluence of the educative policy of the COE and the EU

EU It first emerges from the Community (1973)

COE the signing of the Cultural European Convention (1954) and the periodic meetings (biannual) of the Standing Conference of European Ministers of

Education (1959). We have defined the historical-political development process of the

EDE through these two organizations from which it emerges.

© Alfonso Diestro

Historical route

This process is based on the analysis and the interpretation of different documents dedicated to this specific question in the EU and the COE. We can only emphasize the real ones which try to be a strategy or tool of action: -  EU European Commission Resolution about EDE (1988). -  COE Standing Conference of European Ministers of Education

Resolution (1991).

The rest are documents referring to intentional aspects of the process of deliberation between the institutions of each organization (the encouragement of European subjects at History and Geography schools, the promotion of an European community spirit, the fostering of exchanges among teachers and students, the learning of languages,...).

© Alfonso Diestro

Political documents devoted to the EDE  

European Union (EU)  European Council (COE) 

• Informes de Spinelli (1972), Janne (1973) y Dahrendorf (1974) 

• Programa de Acción (1976) 

• Comunicación de la Comisión (1978) 

• Informe del Parlamento Europeo P. 

Power (1978 y 1982) 

• Conclusiones del Consejo y de los Ministros de Educación (1985) 

• Informes y Resolución del 

Parlamento Europeo (1985 y 1987) 

• Resolución de los Ministros de 

Educación (1988) 

• Tratado de Maastricht (TUE, 1992) 

• Libro Verde de la DEE (1993) 

• Programa SÓCRATES y LEONARDO 

• Informe del Parlamento Europeo 

(2002) 

• Resoluciones del Comité de Ministros (1952 y 1954) 

• Resoluciones del Comité de 

Ministros 

• (1964, 1965, 1969 y 1976) 

• Recomendación del Comité de 

Ministros (1983) 

• Resolución del Comité de Ministros (1985) 

• Resolución de la Asamblea Parlamentaria (1989) 

• Resolución de la CPMEE (1991) 

• Grupo de expertos para la DEE (1991‐1996) 

• Programa Una educación secundaria 

para Europa (1991‐1996) 

• Programa de materiales pedagógicos para la DEE (1991‐

1996) 

• Programa Educación para la Ciudadanía (1997‐2000) (2001‐

2004)  

 

© Alfonso Diestro

Historical route

If we consider together this historical and political tendency and we understand it as an educational tendency of the Supranational European Policy on Education (EU + COE), we can emphasize six key factors and periods: -  Inspiration of the idea (COE, 1954-1971). -  Genesis of the concept (EU, 1971-1976). -  Blockade and reorientation (EU, 1976-1985). -  Maximum height (EU – COE, 1986-1991). -  Zenith (COE – UE, 1991-1996). -  Decline-dispersion-reorientation- almost disappearance (COE–EU

1996-2004). -  European year of Education through citizenship (2005).

© Alfonso Diestro

European Dimension on Education. Historical-political route.

UE COE

Etapas y número de documentos normativos dedicados a la DEE en la UE y el COE (1954-2004)

19911954

1971

1976

19851997

2004

50 años de la Convención Cultural Europea

0

3

6

9

12

15

19501955

19601965

19701975

19801985

19901995

20002004

2005

Inspiration Genesis

Blockade and reorientation Maximum height

Zenit

© Alfonso Diestro

EDE Convergences & divergences.

About the divergences UE - COE:!!

Economy vs. Culture-Identity-Heritage Social vs. Pedagogy-Politic

Factors Exogenous vs. Endogen Instrumental capacities vs. Attitudinal

Stronger normative setting vs. Softer link !

© Alfonso Diestro

EDE Convergences & divergences.

About the convergences UE - COE:!!

The European Space of Knowledge.!Authentication of degrees, certificates and competence.!

School links and exchanges.!Teachers´ training and motilities.!

Exchange of information and experiences (EURIDICE – EUDISED).!Conferences and competitions on the day of Europe at schools

(sensitizing)!Cooperation with central and oriental countries (PECOs)!

The learning of languages.!Long life Education and key competence.!

The working out of material and resources.!!© Alfonso Diestro

EDE tendencies

© Alfonso Diestro

EDE interpretation EU EDE interpretation COE Fitting quality factor of the educative processes in the national Educational Systems towards a European context.

Acting as an added value of the political action of the EU to the general purposes of education.

The tendency focuses on the peripheral elements of the SE and promotes a reform of the instrumental character from inside outwards.

It’s a recommendable option

Its a principle over which the educative action of the organization lays.

Responds to a new pro-European philosophy which is trying to get a total pedagogic renewal of politics and the European education systems. Its a new system of competence and intellectual approach which rest over the values and principles shared by all the European citizens.

The tendency promotes an improvement of the main elements from outside inwards, with an attitudinal character.

It’s a European necessity

Necessity to recognize EDE

EDE can never be either a new subject or educative content, a passing political fashion

or an attempt for establishing an excessive Euro-nationalism/

Euro-centrism.

It cannot confine itself to an only document or be an exclusive concept of the EU or COE.

When speaking about EDE, we cannot simplify and we have to

avoid short-term dogmatism and excessive optimism

© Alfonso Diestro y Javier M. Valle

Necessity to recognize EDE

It refers to the essence which soaks the Supranational European Policy on Education It arises to renew modern pedagogy in the pro-European philosophy of education and the driving force of the Supranational European Policy on Education. Without it, a real convergence to reach a narrower union among the peoples- which is the main aim of the EU and the COE-, is not possible.

© Alfonso Diestro

Necessity to recognize EDE.

Some of the aims of EDE are the following: •  To strengthen the sense of European identity among young people and make

them realize the value of citizenship. •  To prepare young people to take part in the economical, social and cultural

development of Europe. •  To make them conscious of the advantages, disadvantages and challenge

this means. •  To improve their knowledge, to favour the image of Europe, to in still them in

the meaning of cooperation. •  To offer opportunities to be able to improve the quality of education. •  To help young people for integration into the society and a better transition to

active life •  To favour the common principles and values, individual freedom and

Democracy.

© Alfonso Diestro

The EDE can be organised in four different areas of action (Pro-European competence: attitude and instrumental)

Necessity to recognize EDE.

© Alfonso Diestro

The curriculum and educative programmes

The initial and progressive training of teachers

Extraactivities (out-of-school) exchanges, linked

Ways of headship and management the institution

Scholar community

All the pedagogic programmes which try to introduce and favour the EDE, should pay special attention to three key elements to strengthen the image and the understanding of the idea of Europe in the new generations:   1.-European identity (Euro-global and opened to the world). The Europe of peoples and regions. 2.- Culture interaction (interculturalism) and joint in diversity, supported by social cohesion and equality among peoples and regions. 3.- European citizenship (political and legal status), active democracy.

Reinforce the image and understanding of the idea of Europe !

Necessity to recognize EDE.

© Alfonso Diestro

Necessity to recognize EDE.

The EDE refers to education for, to, on and about Europe, and it also refers to all the elements in the curriculum and school programmes (central and peripheral) of the European SE. Its action can be developed in the different scenes of formal and informal education of every stage under the learning paradigm of life learning. The EDE represents The European citizens´education (how to be, think and feel). It tries to get the EDE closer to citizens and to help them in the exercise of that active and critical citizenship. The EDE is complementary, converging and irreplaceable. Consequently, its character is inclusive, cosmopolitan and opened to the world.

© Alfonso Diestro

Conclusion

UE Valle (2006)

COE Diestro (2011)

© Alfonso Diestro y Javier M. Valle

European Dimension on Education