2012-01-10
The European Sectoral Social Dialogue in Education (ESSDE) was launched, under the Articles 154-155 of the TF-EU Treaty, in 2010, after four years of setting-up process carried out by the ETUCE and, from early 2009 onwards, with the EFEE. The first meeting of the ESSDE was in June 2010.
As part of the process of applying for recognition as sectoral social partners in Education, ETUCE and EFEE had agreed on a joint work programme in 2009 for the years 2010 and 2011. The first work programme contained three themes and six topics.
The themes were: quality in education; demographic challenges; and the Education and Training process beyond 2010.
The topics were: the contribution of Education to solving the current economic crisis; stress, violence and harassment; public/private education developments; the promotion of social dialogue; and mapping selected issues of the different countries’ education systems.
Outcomes of social dialogue under the first work programme
The European social partners in education agreed two texts, at the second meeting of the ESSDE in January 2011: -
The first was sent to all members of the EU Council for Education and Culture and to the relevant people in the EU institutions. The second was made available to all social partners in education and its implementation will be the subject of an evaluation in 2013.
The European social partners in education also set up three working groups (WGs) on specific topics:
Each of these working groups met three times in 2010/11 and each presented reports of their activities to the plenary meeting of ESSDE on 25 October.
During 2010/2011 the European social partners in Education worked together on 3 projects focussing on specific topics:
During 2012/2013, the following projects are expected to be carried out and are linked with the ESSDE.
The context for the 2012/13 joint Work Programme
It is common ground between the European social partners in Education that the current economic and social situation in Europe remains critical; that Education, Training and Research must be at the heart of solutions to Europe’s difficulties; and that the Education social partners therefore have a joint interest in the safeguarding and promotion of our shared values. The European social partners in Education will consequently continue to keep in close and frequent contact to ensure that where it is appropriate to do so they lobby the Commission and others jointly.
Table of Work Programme 2012-2013
The joint work program for 2012/2013 combines continuation of work already started and new work. The table below summarises the themes, methodology, schedule and possible outcome for both the work to be continued and the new work. The work to be continued has a determined schedule. The new work has a schedule to be jointly determined in the course of 2012 (except the outcome of the project on (Self) Evaluation of schools and teachers, which probably will end half 2013. Some of the new work is a permanent process.
| THEMES | METHODOLOGY | WHO | SCHEDULE | EXPECTED OUTCOME |
| Professional Qualifications Directive (2005/36/EC) |
Engage in joint lobbying on the subject of the Professional Qualifications Directive and the possible impact on national standards for teacher qualifications that might arise from current proposals for reforming the Directive |
ETUCE and EFEE secretariats under supervision of the ESSDE Steering Committee |
By the end 2011 |
A joint letter to the Education and Culture Commissioner |
| 2012-2013 | -Follow-up of the developments regarding the Directive -Possible further joint action |
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| Quality in education |
Continue the work on the issue of how to implement a culture of evaluation accepted by all stakeholders in education through the project Self-evaluation of schools & teachers as instruments for identifying future professional needs”- Peer learning experiences (to be applied for by EFEE in February/March 2012 with ETUCE as a partner) |
ESSDE WG1 | June 2012 WG 1 meeting |
Kick-off meeting of the project on (Self) Evaluation of schools and teachers |
| ESSDE SC | September 2012 |
Briefing of first results of the WG 1 project on Evaluation |
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| ESSDE Plenary |
October 2012 | Briefing on midterm outcome of WG1 project on Evaluation |
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| Demographic challenges |
Continue the work on the |
ESSDE WG2 | September 2012 |
Proposal of action |
| ESSDE SC | September 2012 |
Examination and possible approval of the WG proposal |
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| ESSDE Plenary |
October 2012 | Adoption of an ESSDE outcome advising on good practices for recruitment and retention in the education sector. |
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| Higher education and research |
- Continue the work on the coverage of Higher Education and Research by the ESSDE - Deepen the reflexion on the question “what makes up an attractive career in Higher Education and Research?” with a focus on three specific issues: - gender equality - mobility - how to create a supportive environment for early stage researchers? |
ESSDE WG3 | March 2012 | Continuation of the 2010/2011 work |
| ESSDE WG3 | June 2012 | Final report from the WG | ||
| ESSDE SC | September 2012 |
Examination and possible approval of the WG proposal |
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| ESSDE Plenary |
October 2012 | Decision on whether and on what basis there is a viable agenda and sufficient representativity on both sides for a longterm European social dialogue for Higher Education and Research. |
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| Sector Skills Council |
Joint project launching a feasibility study for a European Skill Council for the Education Sector |
ETUCE and EFEE |
2012 | Assessment of the feasibility of a European Skill Council for the Education Sector |
| Work related Stress violence and harassment |
Consideration of the application of the crosssectoral agreements to the circumstances of Education, with a view to improving the teaching and learning environment by identifying and promoting good practices and encouraging positive relationships among key stakeholders in Education. |
ESSDE Social Partners |
2013 – process to be determined |
Agreed guidelines, joint position statements or other outputs to be decided by the European social partners in Education. |
| Promotion of Social Dialogue |
Joint consideration of how to promote national social dialogue including the further development of the sectoral social dialogue in education |
ESSDE Social Partners |
2012/2013- permanent |
Agreed guidelines, joint position statements or other outputs to be decided by the European social partners in Education. |
| Lifelong Learning | Joint evaluation of the implementation of the joint guidelines on Lifelong Learning that were agreed in January 2011 |
ESSDE Social Partners |
2013 – process to be determined |
If necessary, follow-up joint action on the guidelines |
| Public/Private developments in education |
Policy building for each side of the social partners on public/private developments in education |
ETUCE and EFEE separately |
2012/2013– process to be determined |
Respective policies on public/private developments. Possible launching of a discussion between the social partners on the issue. |
Additional information
In 2012-2013, the social partners will arrange with the European Commissions in order to secure that each side will benefit from interpretation during the separate sessions of all meetings.