Communication from the Commission A coherent framework of indicators and benchmarks for monitoring progress towards the Lisbon objectives in education and training
Date: 2007-02-21
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU statistics, action programme, data collection, education policy, educational system, project evaluation, vocational training

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 21.2.2007 
COM(2007) 61 final 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION 

A coherent framework of indicators and benchmarks for monitoring progress towards 
the Lisbon objectives in education and training 

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COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION 

A coherent framework of indicators and benchmarks for monitoring progress towards 
the Lisbon objectives in education and training 

1. 

INTRODUCTION  

Policies  for  Education  and  Training  form  an  important  part  of  the  EU’s  Lisbon  strategy. 
Heads of States and Government asked for "not only a radical transformation of the European 
economy,  but  also  a  challenging  programme  […]  for  modernisation  of  social  welfare  and 
education  systems".1  In  2002,  they  set  the  objective  of  "making  [European]  education  and 
training systems a world quality reference by 2010".2 

As  their  contribution  to  the  Lisbon  Strategy,  Ministers  for  Education  adopted  common 
objectives for the improvement of education and training systems and a work programme to 
achieve  these  objectives,  known  as  the  Education  &  Training  2010  programme.3  It  is 
implemented through the open method of coordination and indicators and benchmarks play an 
important  monitoring  role  and  provide  support  to  the  exchange  of  experiences  and  good 
practices. 

Thus a comprehensive set of indicators and benchmarks4 has been developed and constantly 
improved  as  a  basis  for  the  preparation  of  annual  progress  reports5  as  well  as  the  Joint 
Commission/Council  reports  to  the  Spring  European  Councils.6  This  set  of  indicators 
complement  the  structural  indicators7,  which  monitor  progress  towards  the  overall  Lisbon 
objectives. 

The Council in May 20058, made the following request to the Commission, with an invitation 
to report back by the end of 2006: 

–  "[To] assess progress made towards the establishment of a coherent framework of 
indicators and benchmarks for following up on the Lisbon objectives in the area 
of education and training, including a reconsideration of the suitability of existing 
indicators for monitoring progress." (op. cit.) 

The Commission was further invited to report on the development of new indicators in areas 
such as the impact of ICT on teaching and learning, the labour market outcomes of mobility, 
and the social background of tertiary students. 

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4 
5 
6 

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Presidency conclusion, Lisbon, paragraph 2.  
Presidency conclusions, Barcelona, paragraph 43. 
Joint Interim Report of the Council and the Commission: “Education & Training 2010: the success of 
the Lisbon strategy hinges on urgent reforms (2004) 
Council Conclusions of 7 May 2003. 
Latest issue was published in May 2006, SEC(2006) 639. 
See  2006  Joint  Education  Council/Commission  Report  on  the  implementation  of  the  Education  & 
Training 2010 work programme OJ C79/1 - 1/4/2006. 
SEC(2004)1285-2. 
Council conclusions of 24 May 2005 on New Indicators in Education and Training (2005/C 141/04). 

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This Communication accordingly proposes a framework of indicators and benchmarks for the 
follow-up of the Lisbon objectives in the area of education and training, which is coherent and 
for the first time fully reflects the more detailed objectives within Education & Training 2010 
(section  2).  In  addition,  it  also  covers  objectives  related  to  the  convergence  of  higher 
education  structures  within  the  "Bologna  process",  and  the  "Copenhagen  process"  in 
vocational  training.  It  outlines  a  statistical  infrastructure  from  which  the  indicators  can  be 
derived  (section  3).  It  invites  the  Council  to  adopt  the  framework  as  a  basis  for  providing 
strategic guidance and steering to the Education & Training 2010 strategy (section 4). 

2. 

THE  FRAMEWORK  OF  INDICATORS  AND  BENCHMARKS  FOR  MONITORING 
PROGRESS TOWARDS THE LISBON OBJECTIVES. 

Indicators  and  benchmarks  are  key  elements  of  evidence-based  policy  making  and  the 
monitoring of progress essential to the Lisbon process. They provide the tools for: 

–  Statistical underpinning of key policy messages;  

–  Analysing progress towards Lisbon objectives, both at the EU and national levels; 

–  Identifying examples of good performance which could be subject to peer review 

and exchange; 

–  Comparing  EU  performance  with  that  of  third  countries,  such  as  the  US  and 

Japan. 

The  present  framework  of  29  indicators  (annexed  below)  and  5  benchmarks  has  served  to 
monitor  progress  towards  13  detailed  objectives  during  the  period  2004  -  2006.  However, 
there have been ongoing changes to the framework, both to improve its quality and to reflect 
the development of the strategy. 

There is now a need to identify a new framework which fully reflects the political priorities of 
the Education & Training 2010 strategy as it has developed. It is proposed that for the future 
indicators and benchmarks are structured by reference to eight key policy domains identified 
within the strategy. These are: 

2.1. Improving equity in education and training;  

2.2. Promoting efficiency in education and training;  

2.3. Making lifelong learning a reality;  

2.4. Key competencies among young people;  

2.5. Modernising school education,  

2.6. Modernising vocational education and training (the Copenhagen process);  

2.7. Modernising higher education (the Bologna process);  

2.8. Employability. 

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This new framework will be supported by a more concentrated set of 20 core indicators and 
indicator areas (see table at the end of this section) supported, as before, by additional context 
indicators where necessary. This will mean that the core indicators will in the future operate at 
a  higher  level  of  generalisation  than  before.  However,  by  using  context  indicators  where 
needed, there should be no appreciable loss of detail in assessing progress as compared with 
the  existing  framework.  The  proposal  draws  on  the  work  of  the  Eurydice  European  Unit, 
Cedefop  and  CRELL  of  the  Joint  Research  centre  in  Ispra9  as  well  as  the  advice  of  the 
Standing Group on Indicators and Benchmarks.  

2.1. 

Improving equity in education and training.  

The  need  to  ensure  that  European  education  and  training  systems  are  both  efficient  and 
equitable  was  recently  reiterated  by  the  2006  Spring  European  Council.10  As  emphasised  in 
the Communication of Efficiency and Equity, to investigate equity in education and training 
means  to  analyse  the  extent  to  which  “individuals  can  take  full  advantage  of  education  and 
training, in terms of opportunities, access, treatment and outcomes.”11 The Council adopted a 
benchmark  on  early  school  leavers,  thereby  acknowledging  the  central  importance  of  this 
equity  dimension  for  the  effective  participation  in  lifelong  learning  and  in  today’s 
increasingly competitive societies. Moreover, specific issues such as the promotion of gender 
equality, the integration of ethnic minorities, the inclusion of disabled persons, the reduction 
of regional disparities etc. need to be monitored. 

The core indicators participation in pre-school education (1)  12, special needs education (2) 
and  early  school  leavers  (3)  will  be  used  to  monitor  progress.  Besides  this,  the  equity 
dimension  will  be  analysed  by  breaking  down  data  by  sex,  age  and  socio-economic 
background  of  learners.  A  composite  indicator  on  stratification  of  education  and  training 
systems (13) based on qualitative data from Eurydice will be used to analyse the impact of the 
structure  and  institutional  differentiation  of  education  and  training  systems.  13  Work  on  the 
development  of  a  composite  indicator  on  equity  will  be  initiated.  Core  indicators  for  this 
policy area: 1, 2, 3, and 13.  

2.2. 

Promoting efficiency in education and training.  

The importance of making best use of resources has been expressed in the Communication on 
investing efficiently in education and training (2003),14 the Joint Interim Report (2006)15 and 
the Council Conclusions of March 2006.16 Most recently, the Communication "Efficiency and 
equity in European education and training systems"17 showed that improving efficiency does 

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Centre  for  research  on  lifelong  learning  –  based  on  indicators  and  benchmarks  (Ispra,  I)  The  Joint 
Research Centre. 
European Council 23-24 March 2006, Presidency Conclusions, par.23 
Communication from the Commission to the Council and to the European Parliament. Efficiency and 
Equity in European education and training systems Com (2006) 481 
Please refer to table at the end of section 2. 
EURYDICE, Key Data on Education in Europe 
Com (2002) 779 final of 10 January 2003 
Modernising Education and Training in Europe: a vital contribution to prosperity and social cohesion in 
Europe, Official Journal C 79/1 of 1 April 2006. 
23/24 
Brussels 
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/ec/89013.pdf 
Op.cit. COM (2006) 481. 

Conclusions, 

Presidency 

European 

Council 

March 

2006, 

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not have to compromise the equity of education systems, but that improvements of efficiency 
and equity can go hand in hand. 

The global indicator on investment in education and training (19) remains important. Special 
attention will be paid to private and public investment and to investment in higher education 
which is relatively under-funded compared to global competitors.  

However, investment indicators alone do not cover efficiency of investment, which has to do 
with the ratio  of  input to output or outcomes. Methodological and conceptual developments 
with the aim of creating composite indicators on efficiency of investment will be undertaken 
in cooperation with CRELL. Core indicator for this policy area: 19. 

2.3.  Making lifelong learning a reality.  

Lifelong  learning  is  crucial,  not  only  for  competitiveness,  employability  and  economic 
prosperity,  but  also  for  social  inclusion,  active  citizenship  and  the  personal  fulfilment  of 
people living and working in the knowledge-based economy.18 

Participation in education and training takes place in a variety of environments and through a 
variety of means including ICT. To complete at least upper secondary education is considered 
indispensable  for  a  professional  career  and  for  full  participation  in  lifelong  learning.  The 
Council  has  adopted  a  benchmark  for  at  least  85%  of  young  people  to  complete  upper 
secondary  education  by  2010.  Up-dating  and  improving  the  skills  of  adults  were  also 
highlighted by the Council by the adoption of a benchmark of 12.5% of the adult population 
to participate in lifelong learning by 2010.19  

Monitoring progress in making lifelong learning a reality will be covered by core indicators 
on participation of adults in lifelong learning (16), and on adult skills (17), which will allow 
for the analysis of access and participation levels as well as the skills levels for various age 
groups of the population. The indicator on upper secondary completion rates of young people 
(9) will monitor the European Benchmark and the preparedness of young people to participate 
in lifelong learning. Core indicators for this policy area: 9, 16 and 17. 

2.4. 

Key competences among young people.20  

In 2000 the Lisbon European Council concluded that a European framework should define the 
new  basic  skills  as  a  key  measure  in  Europe’s  response  to  globalisation  and  the  shift  to 
knowledge-based  economies.  The  Barcelona  European  Council21  reiterated  the  need  to 
improve  the  mastery  of  basic  skills.  In  2002  the  Council  adopted  a  Resolution  on  Lifelong 
Learning22  and  “the  new  basic  skills”.  The  Commission  has  adopted  a  Recommendation  on 

18 
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and 

Training 

Presidency Conclusions, Lisbon, 23/24 March 2000 
Council  conclusions  of  5/6  May  2003  on  Reference  Levels  of  European  Average  Performance  in 
134/02).http://europa.eu.int/eur-
Education 
lex/pri/en/oj/dat/2003/c_134/c_13420030607en00030004.pdf 
Key  competences  are  here  understood  as  those  competences,  which  all  individuals  need  for  personal 
fulfilment and development, active citizenship, social inclusion and employment. 
Presidency 
http://ue.eu.int/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/ec/71025.pdf 
Council Resolution on lifelong learning of 27 June 2002, Official Journal C163/01 of 9.7.2002 

(Benchmarks). 

Conclusions, 

Barcelona 

(2003/C 

March 

15/16 

2002, 

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Key  Competences  for  Lifelong  Learning23  which  identifies  eight  competences  as  most 
relevant for life and work in a knowledge-based society.24  

Acknowledging  the  importance  of  acquiring  basic  skills,  the  Council  adopted  a  specific 
benchmark in this field, namely to decrease the percentage of low-achieving 15-year-olds in 
reading literacy in the European Union by at least 20% compared to the year 2000. 

Core  indicators  cover  the  following  key  competences:  literacy  in  reading,  mathematics  and 
science (4), language skills (5), ICT skills (6), civics skills (7) and learning to learn skills (8). 
Core indicators for this policy area: 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. 

2.5.  Modernising school education.  

The Lisbon conclusions identified curriculum25 and organisational matters26 as key issues to 
be addressed within the Lisbon strategy. The Council suggested that tools such as school self-
evaluation are important and underlined the need to support training in the management and 
the use of such instruments. 27  

Improving  the  quality  of  initial  Teacher  Education  and  ensuring  that  all  practicing  teachers 
take  part  in  continuous  professional  development  have  been  identified  as  key  factors  in 
securing the quality of school education.28 

Monitoring progress in this field will be covered  by  core indicators  on early school leavers 
(3),  school  management  (10),  schools  as  multi-purpose  local  learning  centres  (11),  and  the 
professional  development  of  teachers  and  trainers  (12).  Information  on  organisational 
structures of school education will be provided by Eurydice.29 Core indicators for this policy 
area: 3, 10, 11 and 12. 

2.6.  Modernising vocational education and training.  

The  Copenhagen  process30  for  enhanced  co-operation  in  vocational  education  and  training 
suggests  that  reform  and  investment  should  be  focused  on  (among  other  issues):  improving 
the image and attractiveness of the vocational route for employers; increasing participation in 
VET; and improving quality and flexibility of initial vocational education and training.  

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27 

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Proposal for a Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council on key competences for 
lifelong learning; COM(2005) 548 final of 10. 11.2005 
Communication  in  the  mother  tongue,  communication  in  the  foreign  languages,  mathematical 
competence  and  basic  competences  in  science  and  technology,  digital  competence,  learning  to  learn, 
interpersonal, intercultural and social competences and civic competence, entrepreneurship and cultural 
expression 
A  European  framework  should  define  the  new  basic  skills  provided  through  lifelong  learning  – 
Presidency Conclusions (Lisbon 2000). 
Schools and training centres, all linked to the Internet, should be developed into multi-purpose learning 
centres accessible to all. Presidency Conclusion Lisbon (2000). 
Recommendation  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  12  February  2001  on  European 
cooperation in quality evaluation in school education .(Official Journal L 60 of 01.03.2001). 
See  Common  European 
http://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/2010/doc/principles_en.pdf 
See for instance Key Data on Education in Europe 2005. 
European  Commission  Achieving  the  Lisbon  goal:  the  contribution  of  VET:  Final  report  to  the 
European 
1-11-04 
Commission 
.http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/policies/2010/studies/maastricht_en.pdf 

for  Teacher  Competences 

and  Qualifications : 

Principles 

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Monitoring  progress  in  this  area  will  be  covered  by  the  core  indicator  on  upper  secondary 
completion  rates  of  young  people  (9)  (broken  down  by  the  vocational  stream).  The  point  at 
which  initial  vocational  education  and  training  is  available  within  the  structure  of  the 
education  and  training  system  will  be  analysed  through  the  indicator  on  stratification  of 
education  and  training  systems  (13).  The  context  indicator  on  participation  in  continuing 
vocational  education  and  training  will  allow  for  the  analysis  of  the  role  of  enterprises  as 
regards  the  participation  of  their  employees  in  continuing  vocational  training  and  its 
financing. Core indicators for this policy area: 9 and 13 

2.7.  Modernising higher education.  

Modernising  higher  education  is  crucial  to  the  EU’s  objective  of  becoming  a  competitive 
knowledge-based economy.31  

The  Commission  has  emphasised  that  the  European  higher  education  sector  is  relatively 
under-funded  compared  with  our  global  competitors.32  Given  the  important  role  of 
universities  in  European  research,  the  EU's  goal  of  investing  3%  of  GDP  in  R&D  by  2010 
would  imply  higher  investment  in  university-based  research.33  The  Commission  has  also 
proposed  a  benchmark  to  devote  at  least  2%  of  GDP  (including  both  public  and  private 
funding) to a modernised higher education sector by 2015." 

The Council has set as a European Benchmark  an increase of 15% in the number of maths, 
science and technology graduates by 2010. 

The  Bologna  process  plays  an  important  role.  The  objective  of  the  Bologna  process  is  the 
creation  of  a  European  Higher  Education  Area  (an  objective  set  for  2010)  in  which  the 
mobility of university students and workers with higher educational attainment levels will be 
made easier as a consequence of a common Bachelor – Master – PhD degree structure.  

Monitoring  progress  in  this  field  will  be  covered  by  core  indicators  on  higher  education 
graduates (14), cross-national mobility of students in higher education (15) and investment in 
education and training (19). Core indicators for this policy area: 14, 15 and 19. 

2.8. 

Employability.  

Increasing employment rates is among the most important success criteria within the Lisbon 
strategy.34  Concrete  goals  have  been  set  by  consecutive  European  Councils  on  overall 
employment  rates,  employment  rates  of  older  workers,  and  employment  rates  of  women.35 
The  importance  of  employment  was  strengthened  in  the  re-launch  of  the  strategy36 
Educational  level  and  key  competences,  which  include  entrepreneurship,  are  the  main 

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Informal European Council in Hampton Court (October 2005); Communication “European values in the 
globalised  world  –  contribution  of  the  Commission  to  the  October  Meeting  of  Heads  of  State  and 
Government” COM (2005) 525. 
Mobilising the brainpower of Europe: enabling universities to make their full contribution to the Lisbon 
Strategy” COM (2005) 152. 
See  "More  research  and  innovation  –  investing  for  growth  and  employment:  a  common  approach", 
COM (2005) 488 of 12 October 2005. Part of investments in R&D goes to the overall investments in 
higher education institutions. 
Presidency Conclusions, Lisbon (2000). 
See for instance Presidency Conclusions, Lisbon (2000) 
Presidency Conclusions, Brussels (2006) 

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determinants  of  an  individual’s  employability  an  adaptability  throughout  life.37  A  key 
indicator for monitoring progress in the field of employability will be educational attainment 
of the population (18) and adult skills (17). These indicators will be analysed in conjunction 
with  returns  to  education  and  training  (20).  Further  data  are  foreseen  on  entry  of  young 
people  into  the  labour  market38.  Work  on  the  construction  of  a  composite  indicator  will  be 
initiated. Core indicators for this policy area: 17, 18 and 20. 

2.9. 

Conclusion 

The above section of this Communication has led to the identification of 20 core indicators, 
which are coherent with identified political priorities within the Education & Training 2010 
strategy. The Council is invited to adopt these 20 indicators for providing strategic guidance 
and steering for the strategy.  

20 Core indicators for monitoring progress towards the Lisbon objectives in education 
and training  

1)  Participation in pre-school 

12)  Professional development of 

education  

teachers and trainers  

2)  Special needs education 

13)  Stratification of education and 

3)  Early school leavers 

4)  Literacy in reading, mathematics 

and science 

5)  Language skills 

6)  ICT skills 

7)  Civic skills 

8)  Learning to learn skills  

9)  Upper secondary completion rates 

of young people  

10)  School management  

11)  Schools as multi-purpose local 

learning centres  

training systems 

14)  Higher education graduates 

15)  Cross-national mobility of students 

in higher education 

16)  Participation of adults in lifelong 

learning 

17)  Adults’ skills 

18)  Educational attainment of the 

population  

19)  Investment in education and 

training 

20)  Returns to education and training 

Nine  core  indicators  (1),  (3),  (4),  (9),  (14),  (15),  (16),  (18)  and  (19)  already  exist  and  have 
been used in monitoring the follow-up of the Lisbon objectives in education and training. The 
remaining  11  core  indicators  refer  to  areas  where  developmental  work  is  ongoing. 
Consequently, the coherent framework of indicators is still in the process of being set up. This 
tool  is  complemented  by  the  following  five  European  benchmarks  for  2010  adopted  by  the 

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European Higher Education in a world-wide perspective SEC(2005) 518. 
Ad hoc module of the Labour Force Survey in 2009 

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Council,  which  will  continue  to  be  essential  tools  for  monitoring  progress  of  the  Lisbon 
objectives  in  the  field  of  education  and  training39.  Several  of  these  benchmarks  play  an 
important role as targets under the EU employment strategy. 

1)  No more than 10% early school leavers  

2)  Decrease of at least 20% of the share of low-achieving pupils in reading literacy 

3)  At least 85% of young people should have completed upper-secondary education 

4)  Increase of at least 15% in the number of graduates in mathematics, science and 

technology, with a simultaneous decrease in gender imbalance 

5)  12.5% of the adult population should participate in lifelong learning  

3. 

DATA  SOURCES  SUPPORTING  THE  COHERENT  FRAMEWORK  OF  INDICATORS  AND 
BENCHMARKS 

Data supporting the above framework of indicators and benchmarks comes from the European 
Statistical System (ESS) (section 3.1) and, as requested by the Council, from new surveys to 
be  launched  or  from  other  international  surveys  where  European  data  needs  have  been 
considered (section 3.2). 

The  ESS  adheres  to  the  European  Statistics  Code  of  Practice  as  referred  to  in  the 
recommendation of the Commission on the independence, integrity and accountability of the 
national  and  Community  statistical  authorities.40  It  is  desirable  that  all  data  used  in  the 
coherent framework comply with the provisions in this code. 

3.1. 

Indicators based on data provided by the European Statistical System (ESS) 

The  statistical  infrastructure  needed  for  the  production  of  data  within  the  ESS  is  a 
combination  of  several  data  sources  (surveys  and  administratively  collected  data)  and 
common  instruments  and  methodologies  (manuals,  classifications,  registers,  definitions, 
concepts etc.). Appropriate national infrastructures which are able to deliver harmonised data 
are essential for ensuring comparability as the EU statistical production relies on the national 
statistical systems. 

There are a number of specific sources at EU level which provide information on education 
and training, which can be divided into two groups.  

Firstly, there is the annual UNESCO/OECD/Eurostat (UOE) collection of data related to the 
formal  education  systems  in  the  Member  States  (enrolments,  graduations,  personnel, 
education finance, etc.); the 5-yearly Continuous Vocational Training Survey (CVTS) which 
collects information on training at enterprise level; and the 5-yearly Adult Education Survey 
(AES) which will provide information on adult learning patterns (household survey) covering 

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40 

Op.cit.  Council  Conclusions (2003). Indicators  to  support these  five benchmarks  are  integrated  in  the 
coherent tool of 20 indicators outlined in the Communication  
Com(2005)217  The European  Statistical  Code of Practice is  based on  15  principles.  Government  and 
statistical  authorities  in  the  EU  commit  themselves  to  adhering  to  the  principles  fixed  in  this  code 
covering the institutional environment, statistical processes and outputs.  

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the  following  indicators  of  the  framework:  participation  in  pre-school  education  (1),  ICT 
skills  (6),  higher  education  graduates  (14),  Cross-national  mobility  of  students  in  higher 
education (15), participation of adults in lifelong learning (16) and investment in education 
and training (19). 

Secondly, these specific surveys are complemented by general sources of information such as 
the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and the EU Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC, 
forthcoming).  Such  surveys  provide  information  on  education  and  training  which  can  be 
linked  to  socio-economic  variables.  Furthermore,  ad-hoc  modules  linked  to  the  surveys 
explore information on education but at more irregular intervals. Other specific sources (ICT 
household  and  enterprises  surveys)  provide  data  on  specialised  topics  or  as  background 
elements.  These  sources  provide  data  for  the  indicators:  early  school  leavers  (3),  ICT  skills 
(6), upper secondary completion rates of young people (9), participation of adults in lifelong 
learning  (16),  educational  attainment  of  the  population  (18)  and  returns  to  education  and 
training (20). The possibility to collect data on special needs education (2) will be explored. 

Moreover, ESS sources provide a large number of indicators describing educational systems 
in terms of inputs, processes, outputs and outcomes. Such contextual indicators give a more 
detailed and complete picture of country performance and are used for further enhancing the 
analysis. They are published at regular intervals by Eurostat. 

Eurostat  and  the  ESS  are  always  concerned  to  maintain  the  quality  of  statistics,  notably 
through the recognition and identification of fields where improvement and further work are 
needed. The UOE data collection is currently undergoing a quality review that will lead to a 
multi-annual planning for improvements. 

In  order  to  secure  the  provision  and  quality  of  data  for  the  production  and  development  of 
statistics on education and lifelong learning the Commission has proposed a regulation.41 This 
framework  regulation  sets  out  the  domains  to  be  covered,  quality  requirements  as  well  as 
some implementing measures. As soon as this regulation is adopted, the Commission intends 
to initiate specific Commission implementing acts covering the UOE data collection and AES. 

There  is  a  rapidly  increasing  interest  in  getting  internationally  comparable  data  at  national 
level.  A  number  of  countries  are  therefore  developing  statistical  infrastructures  in  terms  of 
register  systems  and/or  longitudinal/panel/cohort  survey  instruments  to  be  better  able  to 
produce information at school and student level including over time. 

Such developments are followed at the European level with the objective of eventually being 
able  to  use  the  information  coming  from  such  national  systems  at  an  aggregate  level.  At 
student  level,  such  new  developments  would  allow  a  better  follow  up  of  students'  "career", 
and  at  the  level  of  educational  establishment  (including  school,  universities,  etc.)  it  could 
improve  the  possibilities  for  establishing  reliable  sampling  frames  as  well  as  serving  as  a 
source for some basic information about school systems which could be used at an aggregate 
European level. These initiatives within the ESS are to be encouraged by the Commission in 
the  context  of  the  indicators:  school  management  (10),  schools  as  multi-purpose  local 
learning  centres  (11),  professional  development  of  teachers  and  trainers  (12),  and 
stratification of education and training systems (13)]. 

41 

Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and the Council concerning the production and 
development of statistics on education and lifelong learning – COM(2005)625 

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3.2. 

Indicators based on data produced outside the European Statistical System  

The  ESS  cannot  provide  the  statistical  infrastructure  for  all  the  indicators  demanded  in  the 
Council  conclusions  of  24  May  2005  or  for  the  framework  of  indicators  and  benchmarks 
presented in this Communication.42 

The  Eurydice43  action  and  Cedefop  produce  contextual  data  and  indicators  supporting  the 
framework  presented  in  this  communication.  This  data  is  produced  in  cooperation  with 
Eurostat.  

OECD is constructing indicators on literacy in reading, mathematics and science (4) through 
the  PISA  survey44  and  is  co-ordinating  developmental  work  on  a  number  of  new  indicators 
(see below). 

Specific  surveys  are  presently  being  prepared  by  the  Commission  in  two  distinct  areas: 
foreign language skills and learning to learn skills of young people. In both cases the Council 
requested detailed survey proposals to be presented to the Council. 45 

–  In the area of language skills (5), the Commission has proposed the modalities for 
the  development  of  tools  to  gather  data  to  feed  the  European  Indicator  of 
Language  Competence.46  On 
the 
the  basis  of 
Conclusions of the Council (May 2006)47, the Commission has set up an Advisory 
Board of national representatives.  

this  Communication  and 

–  In  the  area  of  learning  to  learn  skills  (8),  the  “European  Network  of  Policy-
Makers for the Evaluation of Education Systems” has evaluated the feasibility of 
implementing  existing  methodologies  in  a  cross-country  pilot  survey.  A 
Recommendation on the development of a survey instrument has been submitted 
to the Commission. The Commission will now set up the appropriate management 
structures for the development of the survey instrument and for the pilot project, 
expected to take place in 2007. 

As requested by the Council in its Conclusions of May 2005, the Commission has set up co-
operation arrangements with international organisations in a number of areas.  

–  In the area of the professional development of teachers (12), the Commission is 
co-operating  with  the  OECD,  which  is  currently  preparing  a  survey  on  teachers, 
which will cover their professional development.  

–  In the area of adults’ skills (17), the Commission has, in close co-operation with 
Member States identified EU data needs. At present it is being examined whether 
these  data  needs  could  be  covered  by  a  survey  focused  on  adults’  skills 
measurement  which  is  under  preparation  by  the  OECD,  or  whether  a  new  EU 
survey should be developed.  

42 
43 
44 
45 
46 
47 

OJ (2005/C 141/04) 10.6. 2005.  
The European Eurydice unit and the network of national Eurydice units. 
Programme for International Student Assessment. 
Op. cit. Council conclusion (May 2005). 
“The European Indicator of Language Competence” COM (2005) 356 1/8 2005. 
Council conclusions on the European Indicator of Language Competence (2006/C 172/01). 

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–  In the area of civic skills (7), the Commission is co-operating with Member States 
to  identify  data  needs  and  to  prepare  a  European  module  in  the  forthcoming 
International  Civics  and  Citizenship  Education  Study  (ICCS),  which  will  be 
carried  out  in  2008/09  to  cover  the  needs  relating  to  education  for  active 
citizenship. 

It  is  clear  that  the  coherence  of  the  statistical  infrastructure  and  the  possibility  of  ensuring 
comparable data across countries depend on the participation of all Member States in surveys 
co-ordinated  by  other  international  organisations.  Insofar  as  feasible,  the  Commission  will 
ensure  that  data  are  produced  in  accordance  with  the  European  Statistics  Code  of  Practice 
resulting  data  quality. 
guidelines 

that  will  also  be  used 

in  assessing 

the 

4. 

CONCLUSIONS  

The Council is invited to: 

–  Endorse  the  framework  of  indicators  for  measuring  progress  towards  the  Lisbon 

objectives and in particular 

–  To  express  a  continuing  full  support  to  the  development  of  the  new  indicators 

needed within the coherent framework  

–  To encourage the improvement of the ESS data collections which should continue 
in close cooperation with Member States through the relevant statistical working 
groups. 

Member States are invited to: 

–  Participate  fully  in  surveys  for  the  development  of  new  indicators  identified 
within  this  framework  and  to  cooperate  with  the  Commission  to  ensure  the 
implementation of these surveys. 

The Commission will: 

–  Present detailed survey proposals to the Council before the launch of major new 

surveys. 

–  Report  back  to  the  Council  in  early  2007  on  progress  made  in  preparing  for  a 
European survey on Foreign Language competences of young people in view of a 
Council conclusion on next steps. 

–  Report  back  to  the  Council  in  2008  on  the  implementation  of  the  coherent 
framework  of  indicators  and  on  the  participation  of  Member  States  in  the 
development of new indicators to satisfy EU data needs. 

–  Launch work in co-operation with Member States on the feasibility of defining a 
EU benchmark on devoting at least 2 % of GDP to a modernised higher education 
sector by 2015.  

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–  Report  back  to  the  Council  before  2010  on  the  follow-up  in  the  EU  and  by  the 
Member States of the five European benchmarks for 2010 together with proposals 
on the role of benchmarks beyond 2010.  

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ANNEX  

LIST OF 29 INDICATORS USED FOR MONITORING PROGRESS IN THE FIELD OF 
EDUCATION AND TRAINING UP TILL NOW (2003-2006) 

(The indicators for measuring the 5 education benchmarks are in bold) 

1. Age of teachers (% of teachers aged over 50 by primary, secondary) 

2. Number of young people 

3. Ratio of pupils to teaching staff 

4. Completion of upper secondary education 

5. % of students with low reading literacy proficiency (PISA)  

6. Performance in reading of 15 year olds (PISA)  

7. Performance in mathematics of 15 year olds (PISA)  

8. Performance in science of 15 year olds (PISA)  

9. Participation in education and training of initially low qualified people 

10. Students enrolled in MST as a proportion of all students 

11. Graduates in MST as a % of all graduates  

12. Total number of tertiary MST graduates (growth) 

13. Number of graduates in MST per 1000 inhabitants 

14. Public expenditure on education 

15. Private expenditure on educational institutions 

16. Enterprise expenditure on continuing vocational training 

17. Total expenditure on educational institutions per pupil, in PPS 

18. Total expenditure on educational institutions per pupil, compared to GDP 

19. Participation in lifelong learning, population 25-64, all, low 

20. Participation in continuing vocational training, all enterprises 

21. Participation in continuing vocational training, training enterprises 

22. Participation rates in education, students aged 15-24 

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23. Share of early school leavers in population 18-24 

24. Distribution of pupils by number of foreign languages learned 

25. Average number of foreign languages learned per pupil 

26. Inward/outward mobility of teachers and trainers, Erasmus+ Leonardo 

27. Inward/outward mobility of Erasmus students and Leonardo trainees  

28. Foreign tertiary students as a % of all students enrolled, by nationality 

29. Percentage of the students of the country of origin enrolled abroad 

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