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Network of experts on the social dimension of education and training (NESET) 2018

Social inclusion, in and through education and training, is of the utmost importance when it comes to laying foundations for the development of more prosperous and more cohesive European societies. All Member States face challenges in ensuring equal access, quality and effective governance within all levels of education, from early childhood education and care (ECEC) and compulsory schooling through to vocational education and training (VET), higher education, and adult learning. Action is necessary to advance European-level policy development and cooperation in education and training, in order to support Member States’ efforts to modernise and improve their education systems, and to make them more equitable and inclusive.

PPMI has mapped and created a network of experts working on the social dimension of education and training (NESET II), which in 2018 united 55 members and 86 affiliated experts. NESET II is an advisory network of experts that provides reliable, independent and rigorous scientific support, country-specific expertise and advice to the European Commission, in relation to the equity and social aspects of all types and levels of education and training. 

The main NESET II outputs delivered during the year 2018 included analytical reports, the annual conference, answers to the ad hoc questions, the ongoing mapping of experts working on social aspects of education and training, as well as website maintenance. The Network also continued to provide support to the DG EAC by taking part in DG EAC key knowledge providers meeting.

Regarding the reports, the Network prepared two long thematic reports to strengthen the European Commission’s knowledge-base in selected policy areas: an analytical report on ‘Teaching media literacy in Europe: evidence of effective school practices in primary and secondary education’ and a double-length Analytical report ‘Role and place of ECEC in integrated work, benefitting vulnerable groups, such as Roma’. Also, the response to the ad hoc question on ‘The links between education and active citizenship/civic engagement’ has been prepared. 

On November 22, NESET II in cooperation with EENEE  and the European Commission held the third annual conference, this time under the title ‘Strengthening Common European Values through Education. What does the Evidence tell us?’. The one-day conference held in Brussels was a major event gathering more than 100 participants working in the field of education and training. As every year, it aimed to encourage broader dialogue between policy makers and researchers at the EU and national levels, and offered a wider ground for information exchange.