Comparative Education Policy

Christa Rawkins International and transnational organisations have a growing influence on national education policies.  The EU needs to strengthen its position to avoid being left behind. Across the world, national education systems face the same key challenge: how to prepare students for an unpredictable, globalised future. The global governance of education therefore plays an increasingly significant role in international discourse. As such, international organisations have more and more influence; indeed, Jakobi (2009) refers to them as “the main drivers of educational change”.  In this increasingly populated and active educational landscape, what is the role of regional organisations? This post considers the European Union’s direct activity and influence upon the national education policies of community members and offers approaches to consolidating this position. While education has always been a national responsibility, some European-wide initi...

Amélie Reichmuth Over the last years, policy makers throughout OECD countries undertook numerous reforms (over 450 in 7 years!) aiming at improving their respective education systems in order to ensure both the equity and quality of education for all students. These reforms have taken various forms going from teacher training reforms (France and Nordics) to defining national priorities for education (Japan). More generally, what these reforms have in common is the fact that they focus on broad areas such as governance and funding (focusing on systems), school improvement and evaluation (focusing on schools), as well as the preparation of students for the future (focusing on students).  The core of the efforts so far has been concentrated around three pillars: 1. Preparing students for the future by investing in vocational education and training (VET, 29% of the reforms, see relevant reforms in Denmark, Belgium, Sweden, Hungary). 2. Improving schools by focusin...