Inclusive education is an essential basis for more inclusive and democratic societies, where citizens have equal opportunities, irrespective of their social and cultural origins or specific needs. The past three presidencies of the Council of the EU – the Italian, Latvian and Luxembourg – have strengthened cross-sectoral cooperation in the fields of employment, youth and research, aiming to promote more democratic societies.
The last meeting of the Luxembourg Presidency in the field of education was held in Luxembourg on 3 and 4 December 2015. Here the Agency was invited to present its work to the Education Committee of the Council of the EU, in particular the Agency’s position on inclusive education systems and the outcomes of the Inclusive Education: Take Action European Hearing that the Agency organised as one of the events of the Luxembourgish EU Presidency programme.
The Education Committee is the preparatory body of the Council of Ministers, preparing items for discussion by EU education ministers. A significant part of the Education Committee’s meeting was devoted to cooperation with key partners in the field of inclusive education – the Agency being one of them, along with the Council of Europe. Permanent Representatives of various EU member countries and applauded the Agency’s work in the field of promoting inclusion in education.
Representatives of the European Commission also expressed their wish to strengthen cooperation with the Agency and welcomed the broadening of the Agency’s aim and focus on raising the achievement of all learners.
For more information read the press release issued by the Luxembourg Ministry of National Education, Children and Youth.