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AGENCY eBULLETIN December 2013
Dear Readers,
This autumn has been extremely busy for the Agency. In November the Agency hosted the ‘Inclusive Education in Europe – putting theory into practice’ conference, a successful event with over 170 participants and a lot of opportunities for debating key issues of inclusive education. At the end of November the Agency participated in and co-organised the ‘Modern Technologies in Inclusive Education’ conference, together with the Polish Ministry of Education. The growing role of ICTs in inclusive education is high on Agency member countries’ agenda.
This year was also busy with preparations for the new multi-annual work programme for the period 2014–2020. The focus of our work continues to be on inclusive education, the examination of effective provision for learners with special educational needs and the implications for policy and practice.
Finally, in 2014 the Agency turns 18 and we celebrate this anniversary with a complete renewal. The Agency will continue its activities under a new name: European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education. The change will be reflected in a new logo, as well as on the web and in the format of our publications.
Thank you for your continuing interest in the Agency’s work. For more information visit the project web areas and follow our news on http://www.european-agency.org/news
Wishing you peaceful holidays and a very happy 2014,
Sincerely,
Cor J.W. Meijer
Director
European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education
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New Agency name
First of January 2014 the European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education will change its name to: EUROPEAN AGENCY FOR SPECIAL NEEDS AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION.
The new name reflects that the Agency in its work is increasingly focusing upon inclusive education and is aiming to support the implementation of European and international policies for inclusive education, particularly the European Council strategic objectives and the UN Convention of 2006.
By referring to both ‘special needs’ and ‘inclusive' education, the new name implies that the Agency has a focus upon special needs and is concerned with the development of effective and sustainable inclusive education systems.
The name change also captures that the Agency’s plans to be more actively involved in significant changes in countries as reflected in the Agency's 2014–2020 work programme, in which there will be increased emphasis upon implementation and providing countries with tools and policy recommendations in the field of inclusive education.
The Agency's website url, logo, registration number and bank information will remain the same so therefore technically the change is simple and straightforward.
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International Conference in Brussels
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Putting theory into practice: a key theme for the Inclusive Education on Europe conference that took place in Brussels on 18 November.
The Agency’s International Conference on ‘Inclusive Education in Europe – key messages: putting theory into practice’ was held in Brussels on 18 November 2013. The event was a success with more than 170 participants attending the conference.
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The presentations of the five keynote speakers addressed the following five key messages of the conference, which then were discussed is separate working groups:
- As early as possible
- Inclusive education benefits all
- Highly qualified professionals
- Support systems and funding mechanisms
- Reliable data
The attendance and contribution of high level ministry representatives from French and Flemish speaking communities of Belgium, Lithuania, Poland, as well as representatives from European institutions ensured a very productive policy panel.
Policy Panel pictured (from left to right): Per Ch Gunnvall, Agency Chair; Pierre Mairesse, DG Education and Culture, European Commission; Tadeusz Sławecki, Secretary of State, Poland; Pascal Smet, Minister of Education, Belgium; Genoveita Krasauskiene, Vice Minister of Education, Lithuania; Gaëlle Chapelle, Cabinet of Marie-Martine Schyns, Minister of Education, Belgium French Speaking Community; Cor J. W. Meijer, Agency Director
For more information on the conference and the working group sessions, download the conference agenda.
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The use of ICTs in inclusive education - high on Poland’s and the Agency’s agenda
On 26 November Cor J.W. Meijer, Agency Director met with Polish Secretary of State for Education Tadeusz Sławecki in Warsaw. Poland has been an active member country of the Agency since 2006, a period in which educational opportunities for students with special educational needs have been increasing. Mr Sławecki and Mr Meijer discussed possibilities for strengthening co-operation between the Ministry of National Education and the Agency in the field of inclusive education.
Elzbieta Neroj, Agency representative for Poland, Cor J.W Meijer, Agency Director and Tadeusz Sławecki, Polish Secretary of State for Education
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The meeting took place in the framework of the international conference on Modern Technologies in Inclusive Education, organised by the Polish Educational Research Institute, the Ministry of National Education and the Agency. The use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in inclusive education is high on the agenda of Agency member countries. The Agency presented the international context and the outcomes of past and ongoing projects on this topic: i-access, ICT for Inclusion and ICT for Information Accessibility in Learning.
Representatives of academia, international organizations and NGOs, local governments, educational supervisors, school leaders, teachers and professionals working in schools and special educational centres attended the conference.
Presenters and participants at the meeting discussed about how ICTs allow to achieve better results in learning and engage more students in the educational process. International and Polish examples of good practice were presented how ICT helps in improving the quality of education of all students and in building an inclusive information society. The conference also discussed practical ways to use ICT and their benefits in inclusive education and in young people’s social life and networking.
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