Eurydice, Youth Wiki

Youth Wiki

PHOTO: DANUTA MATLOCH

In 2014, the Eurydice network was included in the Key Action 3 of the Erasmus+ Programme. As a result, the supporting role of Eurydice in the implementation of the European Union’s policy in the field of education and training was emphasised more strongly than in previous years. Information developed by the network is also used by Erasmus+ beneficiaries who are preparing for international mobilities

Support for reforms

The Eurydice Network was established in 1980. In the past, it formed a part of the Socrates (1995–2006) and Lifelong Learning programmes (2007––2013). From 2014, it is a part of the Erasmus+. The mission of the network is to provide those responsible for education systems and policies in Europe with reliable information and analyses that will support their decision making. Between 2014 and 2020, the framework of this co-operation was determined by two key strategies of the European Commission: Education and training 2020 and Europe 2020. Over 40 years, the Eurydice network has published comparative reports and provided annual updates of information on various aspects of the operation of education systems in European countries. In the years 2014–2020, the focus of the Eurydice Network was on education at every stage of life: from early years (early childhood education and care), through school years (subject teaching with a particular focus on languages, reducing early school leaving), to university studies (modernisation of higher

education, situation of students in Europe). More general topics were also developed (integration of migrants and refugees, civic and digital education, situation of teaching staff, financing of education). Polish Eurydice Unit has prepared five reports, including a publication on teachers’ working time in Europe.

Eurydice’s task was also to provide the most up-to-date information for comparative reports. An important element of the work was preparing sets of indicators published in the European Commission’s Education and Training Monitor and descriptions of national education systems, published in the National Education Systems database. The descriptions were edited on the basis of common recommendations, which allows users to compare the situation in different countries. All descriptions have been made available in English and some – like the Polish one – in national languages.

In 2015, the European Commission launched a new tool. Youth Wiki is an online encyclopaedia on youth policy in Europe that supports decision makers in this field. It presents the most important issues concerning the lives of young people. In the near future, large resources of Youth Wiki will be used for implementation of the tasks set out in the EU Youth Strategy for 2019–2027. It stresses that in order to provide young people with the best possible education and to facilitate their entry into the labour market, appropriate legislative action based on evidence and research is needed.

The Youth Wiki platform draws on Eurydice’s experience and it has also been included in the Erasmus+ Key Action 3. In an encyclopaedic form, it develops knowledge on issues related to: domestic youth policies, volunteering, employment and entrepreneurship, social inclusion, social and political participation, health, creativity and culture, education and training, global youth situation, the labour market and youth work. Entries take form of statistical summaries, results of national youth research and analyses of legal acts.

The Youth Wiki database is developed by national correspondents from 29 countries. The project has resulted in the creation of a very broad base, which covers 37 countries and regions of Europe. The data is presented in a way that allows easy comparison of information and use by policy makers and researchers for legislative and analytical purposes.

At the end of the 2014–2020 Erasmus+ framework, the Foundation for the Development of the Education System became involved in promoting the effects of the two initiatives. In June 2019, employees of the Polish Eurydice Unit and Youth Wiki organised a joint information seminar dedicated to discuss the possible forms of using outcomes of both initiatives in education policy and practice.

Eurydice in Poland published over 50 reports covering education priorities of the European Union

Youth Wiki virtual database includes policies from 37 European countries and regions

2014 “Eurydice – understanding education in Europe” is the title of the first conference organised by the Polish Eurydice Unit, which serves an opportunity to present the network as a rich source of information about

European systems of education. The programme website in Polish is launched

2015 Eurydice Poland Facebook profile is created. The interest in the results of the latest research exceeds the wildest expectations of the team. In the same year, the European Union launches the Youth Wiki project

2016 Polish Eurydice Unit is 20 years old. On this occasion, throughout the year, the network makes available on its website a tab presenting an overview of the published reports covering the topics that were most frequently discussed

2017 Eurydice’s website enjoys great popularity. It is visited by almost 19,000 users per year.

Poland joins the countries that contribute to the Youth Wiki platform. The database is constantly updated with new information

2018 Youth Wiki becomes   the first international online encyclopaedia of youth policy – all contents, so far offline, have been made available online

2019 the first Eurydice and Youth Wiki joint seminar brings together representatives of administration, academia, NGOs and all those interested in education and youth policy

2020 Polish Eurydice Unit prepares new publications on, among other things, inequalities, the teaching profession and adult education