Minister for Education and Science, today opened a historic EU Presidency Conference in Dublin Castle entitled Towards 2010

8 March 2004

Mr Noel Dempsey, T.D, Minister for Education and Science, today opened a historic EU Presidency Conference in Dublin Castle entitled Towards 2010 - Common Themes and Approaches in higher education and vocational education and training in Europe. The conference has been organised by the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland with the assistance of the Further and Higher Education and Training Awards Councils on behalf of the Departments of Education and Science and Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

It brings together representatives from Member States and the accession countries, international organisations, policy experts and social partners across the education and training sector, including the Directors General of Higher Education, the Directors General of Vocational Education and Training and the members of the Bologna Follow Up Group. The Director General for Education and Culture of the European Commission, Mr Nikolaus Van der Pas, will also participate.

The conference aims to examine common themes and approaches concerning quality, credit, transparency and recognition of qualifications and frameworks of levels of qualification, with the aim of furthering a common approach across the education and training sectors in Europe. The conference will present research in relation to emerging developments and themes in Europe in this area which has been commissioned by the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland.

In his opening address, the Minister for Education stressed the importance of a common approach to quality and qualifications policy across the further and higher education and vocational training sectors if mobility and quality for lifelong learners is to be assured. In highlighting the importance of developing a European framework of levels of qualification, the Minister said

“The issue of quality is widely accepted as being the cornerstone of education and training and considerable efforts are underway to develop this dimension in both vocational education and training and in higher education. It is timely to consider how the approaches and understandings in each area can be mutually informed and supportive so as to build overall trust and confidence in all elements of education and training.”