As part of the European Commission’s consultation on recognition of study periods abroad, EFIL and EEE-YFU have drafted a policy paper outlining the current situation in Europe and putting forward policy recommendations. The findings summarised in the paper come from a study that will be published in summer, to which 22 AFS organisations and 5 YFU organisations have contributed. Here you can access an overview of recognition of school periods abroad in 27 countries.
Our input on this topic has been considered very valuable by the European institutions, and it is feeding into the European Commission’s proposal for a Council recommendation on promoting mutual recognition of higher and secondary education qualifications and study periods abroad , which will be released on 16th May with the first series of policy proposals aiming at contributing to an European Education Area.
In the meantime, Members of the European Parliament are more and more supporting our demands and are champions of the ‘Recognise Study Abroad’ campaign. Next to MEP Emilian Pavel who has been the driving force of the initiative, we welcome MEPs Julie Ward, Eva Waydell and Momchil Nekov . Thanks to this increasing support, the question for oral debate on Recognition of school study periods abroad has been submitted at the end of January, signed by 55 MEPs.
Moreover, MEP Pavel, with the support of MEPs Staes, Zdechovsky, Lybacka, Zver, Ward, Maydell, Kallas, Gardiazabal Rubial, Pietikainen, Costa, has now submitted a proposal for investing EU budget in a preparatory action to support the implementation of the upcoming Council recommendation which tackles also recognition of school study periods abroad. The European Parliament will decide on this budget investment at the end of August/beginning of September.
For more information: elisa.briga@afs.org