European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education

Education leaders and practitioners from all over Europe, along with representatives from the European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education, gathered in Malta to learn from each other’s experiences and explore how school leaders and teachers can drive inclusive education forward. The European Commission hosted this peer-learning activity in May, as part of its Working Group on Schools. Over three days, participants took part in several workshops, school visits and presentations, exploring the challenges and strengths of different countries’ education policies and examining case studies from Malta.  The Agency showcased key resources, including its Profile for Inclusive Teacher Professional Learning https://lnkd.in/dneipg_5 and the Supporting Inclusive School Leadership self-reflection tool https://lnkd.in/dZxfdUSP Want to know more? Check out our website for all the details https://lnkd.in/ddP6sQa5 #EASNIE #InclusiveEducation #Education #EuropeanUnion #EuropeanCommission #ErasmusPlus #KnowledgeSharing #PeerLearning 

UNESCO has released a new report on a high-level policy debate held in March to mark the 30th anniversary of the Salamanca Statement.  The event took place in Paris and gathered education leaders from various countries to review the progress in inclusive education systems since the Salamanca Statement was adopted in 1994. The report summarises the event highlights, including a panel discussion featuring the Agency’s Assistant Director, Amanda Watkins. The panel explored the gap between policy and implementation across Europe and highlighted a positive shift towards the inclusion of all learners. Key recommendations emphasise the importance of continued collaboration among stakeholders and moving away from a deficit-based model of inclusion. Check out our website to learn more https://lnkd.in/edf7_Z5E and explore the full report on the UNESCO website https://lnkd.in/emeUUDfs  #EASNIE #InclusiveEducation #EuropeanUnion #EuropeanCommission #30Years #SalamancaStatement #UNESCO #ErasmusPlus #SchoolInclusion #EducationPolicy 

Data experts from Agency member countries gathered in Brussels in April for the annual European Agency Statistics on Inclusive Education (EASIE) workshop. As well as data tables and reports, the EASIE web area includes other outputs, such as methodology reports, key findings and information on out-of-school learners. View and download your country’s data and country reports on the EASIE web page https://lnkd.in/dPbtddM4 #EASNIE #InclusiveEducation #Education #DataCollection #EuropeanUnion #EuropeanCommission #ErasmusPlus 

A series of workshops has taken place in Ireland as part of the Fostering Inclusive Quality Education in Finland and Ireland project. This multi-country project is funded by the European Commission through the Technical Support Instrument (TSI) and implemented by the Agency and the Commission’s Directorate-General for Structural Reform Support (DG REFORM), alongside the Irish Department of Education and Finland’s Ministry of Education and Culture. It aims at promoting equity in education using a highly participatory approach. Approximately 90 stakeholders took part in the workshops, including government representatives, parent groups, NGOs, trade unions, school principals and teachers from across the country. Discussions covered all aspects of inclusive education, such as teacher training and school leadership, fostering constructive dialogue and gathering valuable feedback. The results of these discussions complemented the project team’s findings during the policy and legislation analysis of the Irish education system and will inform the next steps of the project. For more information on the project and the Agency’s TSI initiatives, visit the TSI web area https://lnkd.in/dCKtJ2g4  #EASNIE #InclusiveEducation #Education #Ireland #StakeholderEngagement #EducationForAll #EuropeanUnion #EuropeanCommission #ErasmusPlus 

The Agency is happy to announce the appointment of Dr João Costa as its new director from 1 January 2025. Dr Costa will take over from the current director, Dr Cor J. W. Meijer, who, after almost 20 years in the Director’s chair, will leave for a well-deserved retirement at the end of 2024. Dr Costa brings to the Agency a wealth of knowledge and experience in inclusive education, education policy and leadership. Until recently, he was professor of linguistics at Nova University, Lisbon. From 2015–2024 he worked in the Ministry of Education in Portugal, as Secretary of State for Education, Deputy Minister of Education and, from 2022–2024, as Minister of Education. The Agency warmly welcomes Dr Costa’s appointment and looks forward with confidence to working with him in the coming years. #EASNIE #InclusiveEducation #Education #EuropeanUnion #EuropeanCommission #ErasmusPlus 

The European Agency Statistics on Inclusive Education (EASIE) data tables and country background information for the 2021/2022 school year are now available from 16 Agency member countries. The EASIE activity supports equity and participation in inclusive education, aligning with international education objectives set by organisations such as the Council of the European Union and UNESCO.    The first data table presents data on access and placement of all children/learners in inclusive educational settings or otherwise. The second focuses on children/learners with an official decision of special educational needs.    Individual country reports including key indicators on enrolment and identification rates and a user guide are also available. For more information the 2021/2022 EASIE data tables, visit the Agency’s website https://lnkd.in/dW3VXAfE  #EASNIE #InclusiveEducation #Education #DataCollection #EducationPolicy #EuropeanUnion #EuropeanCommission #ErasmusPlus 

A series of stakeholder engagement activities have been completed in the Technical Support Instrument (TSI) EUROCH project in Italy, Portugal and Spain. The project is funded by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Structural Reform Support (DG REFORM) and it aims to promote equal access and combat regional disparities in implementing inclusive education provisions across the three countries. In total, over 190 persons, including Ministry representatives and national representatives, have participated in the fieldwork. Stakeholder engagement activities included working groups, peer-learning sessions and a study visit to Sweden. The fieldwork helped identify strengths and gaps in policy and practice, based on six common themes that emerged from a prior analysis of country priorities and reports. As a technical provider in the project, the Agency will use these insights to develop a set of recommendations and measures to enhance inclusive education in each country. These, in turn, will inform the preparation of individual action plans for each project country. For more information on the project and the Agency’s TSI initiatives, visit the TSI web area https://lnkd.in/dCKtJ2g4   #EASNIE #InclusiveEducation #Education #StakeholderEngagement #EducationForAll #Italy #Spain #Portugal #EuropeanUnion #EuropeanCommission #ErasmusPlus 

Over 50 country representatives gathered in Tallinn, Estonia, at the end of May for the Agency’s spring 2024 bi-annual meeting. These meetings bring together Agency member country representatives to exchange on inclusive education in their countries and to discuss current and future Agency work. The meeting was opened by Liina Pöld, Deputy Secretary General for General Education and Youth Policy in Estonia. She described developments in the Estonian education system since it became a member of the Agency in 2004, including how working with the Agency inspired Estonia to write the principle of inclusive education into law in 2010. During the meeting, the Agency provided updates on on-going Agency activities, including the Thematic Country Cluster Activities (TCCA) for focused collaboration across six clusters. Representatives participated in exchange sessions on cross-sectoral cooperation, classroom support and the evaluation of inclusion. For more information about the ongoing activities, visit the Agency website: https://lnkd.in/edzupUR2 #EASNIE #InclusiveEducation #Education #Estonia #EuropeanUnion #EuropeanCommission #ErasmusPlus Image: (L–R) Agency Director Cor J. W. Meijer, Estonian Representative Board member Piret Liba, Deputy Secretary General (General Education and Youth Affairs) Liina Põld, Agency Chair Don Mahon.

Policy-makers and researchers from all over Europe, along with representatives from education and youth organisations, the European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education and the European Commission gathered in Brussels to learn from each other’s experiences and exchange ideas on inclusive education.  The Agency hosted this peer-learning activity in March, as part of the Commission’s Working Group on Equality and values in education and training. Discussions centred around meeting learners’ diverse needs and crafting flexible support systems, including measures to overcome the barriers faced by learners in Ireland, Iceland and Poland.  Participants also had the chance to learn more about the Technical Support Instrument, discovering its various peer-learning opportunities, and enjoyed a fascinating visit to European Schools in Brussels. Want to know more? Check out our website for all the details  https://lnkd.in/dQAbQ7UD  #EASNIE #InclusiveEducation #Education #EuropeanUnion #EuropeanCommission #ErasmusPlus #KnowledgeSharing #Eurochild #COFACE Families Europe # EuropeanDisabilityForum #European Schoolnet 

The European Agency Statistics on Inclusive Education Cross-Country (EASIE) Report for the 2020/2021 school year is now available! Featuring data from all 31 member countries, the EASIE report sheds light on education systems and learners’ rights related to equity and participation in inclusive education. It includes detailed indicator tables on the enrolment and education of all learners, including those with special educational needs.  Explore the report and gain insights into the state of inclusive education across Europe. Visit the EASIE web area to learn more https://lnkd.in/dPbtddM4. You can also download the full report from the Agency’s website https://lnkd.in/d8k3J2uf #EASNIE #InclusiveEducation #Education #LearnersRights #DiversityAndInclusion #DataAnalytics #DataCollection #EuropeanUnion #EuropeanCommission #ErasmusPlus