STUDY RequestedThet by the CULT Committee Education and youth in post-COVID-19 Europe – crisis effects and policy recommendations Policy Department for Structural and Cohesion Policies Directorate-General for Internal Policies PE 690.872 - May 2021 EN RESEARCH FOR CULT COMMITTEE Education and youth in post-COVID-19 Europe – crisis effects and policy recommendations Abstract This paper demonstrates that the COVID-19 pandemic posed unprecedented and multidimensional challenges to the education systems and youth sector, revealing the lack of preparedness in terms of crisis management and digital education responses, as well as reinforcing structural weaknesses of education delivery. Given that various sectors of education and the youth sector faced distinct challenges, there are valuable lessons to be learnt from policy responses and best practices across Europe. The common goal should be to build more resilient education systems, which are responsive and adaptive to future crises. This document was requested by the European Parliament's Committee on Culture and Education. AUTHORS Public Policy and Management Institute: Loes VAN DER GRAAF, Jekatyerina DUNAJEVA, Hanna SIAROVA, Radvile BANKAUSKAITE Research manager: Pierre HERIARD Project, publication and communication assistance: Anna DEMBEK, Kinga OSTAŃSKA Policy Department for Structural and Cohesion Policies, European Parliament LINGUISTIC VERSIONS Original: EN ABOUT THE PUBLISHER To contact the Policy Department or to subscribe to updates on our work for the CULT Committee please write to: [email protected] Manuscript completed in May 2021 © European Union, 2021 This document is available on the internet in summary with option to download the full text at: https://bit.ly/3eKdaO8 This document is available on the internet at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=IPOL_STU(2021)690872 Further information on research for CULT by the Policy Department is available at: https://research4committees.blog/cult/ Follow us on Twitter: @PolicyCULT Please use the following reference to cite this study: Van der Graaf, L., Dunajeva, J., Siarova, H., Bankauskaite, R. 2021, Research for CULT Committee – Education and Youth in Post-COVID-19 Europe – Crisis Effects and Policy Recommendations, European Parliament, Policy Department for Structural and Cohesion Policies, Brussels Please use the following reference for in-text citations: Van der Graaf et al (2021) ACKNOWLDGEMENTS The research team expresses its gratitude to the Ministries of Education, National Agencies, and DG EAC staff who have made themselves available to share their knowledge and experiences during COVID-19 with us. Their insights have significantly enhanced the value of the report. The research team is also grateful to Dr Jan Peeters, Dr Ramon Flecha, Dr Fernando Marhuenda, Dr Mark Brown and Dr Howard Williamson for their participation in the Expert Validation Workshop. Their feedback and suggestions to each dimension of the report were of great importance for the further development and completion of the study. DISCLAIMER The opinions expressed in this document are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the European Parliament. Reproduction and translation for non-commercial purposes are authorised, provided the source is acknowledged and the publisher is given prior notice and sent a copy. © Cover image used under licence from Adobe Stock. Education and youth in post-COVID-19 Europe – crisis effects and policy recommendations CONTENTS LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND GLOSSARY 5 LIST OF BOXES 9 LIST OF FIGURES 9 LIST OF TABLES 9 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 11 Purpose 11 Key findings and recommendations 11 Learning from the crisis and building resilient national systems 11 Improving EU funding programmes in the field of education and youth, and their responsiveness to the crisis 13 INTRODUCTION 15 1.1. Context and aims of the study 15 1.2. Rationale and scope of the study 16 1.3. Methodological and analytical approach 17 1.4. Limitations 20 TACKLING THE COVID-19 CRISIS: POLICY RESPONSES IN MEMBER STATES IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION AND YOUTH 21 2.1. Education systems and youth sector during the pandemic 21 2.2. Early Childhood Education and Care 26 2.2.1. Policy responses, challenges, and good practices in the first wave 27 2.2.2. Policy responses, challenges and good practices in the second wave 30 2.2.3. Reflections and areas of improvement: capacity to adapt, adequacy and efficiency of measures 32 2.3. School education 34 2.3.1. Policy responses, challenges and good practices in the first wave 35 2.3.2. Policy responses, challenges and good practices in the second wave 38 2.3.3. Reflection and areas of improvement: capacity to adapt, adequacy and efficiency of measures 41 2.4. Vocational education and training 43 2.4.1. Policy responses, challenges, and good practices in the first wave 44 2.4.2. Policy responses, challenges and good practices in the second wave 48 2.4.3. Reflections and areas for improvement: capacity to adapt and adequacy and efficiency of measures 50 2.5. Higher education 52 3 IPOL | Policy Department for Structural and Cohesion Policies 2.5.1. Policy responses, challenges, and good practices in the first wave 53 2.5.2. Policy responses, challenges and good practices in the second wave 62 2.5.3. Reflections and areas for improvement: capacity to adapt and adequacy and efficiency of measures 64 2.6. Youth policies and youth work 66 2.6.1. Policy responses, challenges, and good practices in the first wave 67 2.6.2. Policy responses, challenges, and good practices in the second wave 71 2.6.3. Reflections and areas for improvement: capacity to adapt and adequacy and efficiency of measures 72 IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 CRISIS ON EU ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMMES IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION AND YOUTH 75 3.1. Operation of EU programmes in the context of the pandemic 75 3.1.1. Overall approach and response of the EU 75 3.1.2. Erasmus+ programmes 76 3.1.3. European Solidarity Corps 78 3.2. Adequacy and coherence of the measures implemented at the EU level and by national agencies 80 3.2.1. Overall adequacy and coherence of EU-level measures 80 3.2.2. Erasmus+ programmes 81 3.2.3. European Solidarity Corps 82 3.3. Future planning: Considerations for the modernisation and improvement of EU education programmes 82 TOWARDS MORE RESILIENT EDUCATION AND YOUTH SYSTEMS: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 85 4.1. Resilience of national education systems: learning from the crisis and moving forward 85 4.1.1. Collaborative decision making during crises 85 4.1.2. Quality and accessibility of education 88 4.1.3. Support for students and their families 91 4.1.4. Funding and training 94 4.2. Improving EU funding programmes in the field of education and youth and their responsiveness to crises 96 4.2.1. Framework for ad hoc actions and unforeseen events 97 4.2.2. The European Union and youth 98 BIBLIOGRAPHY 101 4 Education and youth in post-COVID-19 Europe – crisis effects and policy recommendations LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND GLOSSARY Abbreviations AI Artificial Inteligence CEDEFOP European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 infection, known as Coronavirus disease CVET Continuing Vocational Education and Training DG EAC The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Education and Culture EACEA The Education, Audiovisual and Culture Agency of the European Commission EC European Commission ECEC Early Childhood Education and Care EdTEch Educational Technology EEA European Economic Area EiE Education in emergencies EQPR European Qualifications Passport for Refugees project ESC European Solidarity Corps ESN European Student Network ETUCE European Trade Union Committee for Education EU European Union GDP Gross Domestic Product HE Higher Education HEI Higher Education Institution IAU International Association of Universites ICT Information and communications technology 5 IPOL | Policy Department for Structural and Cohesion Policies IDPs Internally displaced persons ILO International Labour Organization IT Information Technology ITU Internatioonal Telecommunication Union KA1 Erasmus+ Key Action 1 KA2 Erasmus+ Key Action 2 KA3 Erasmus+ Key action 3 MOOC Massive Online Open Sources MS Member State NA Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps National Agency NEET Not in Education, Employment, or Training NGO Non-governmental organisation OECD Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Developmeny SEL Social and emotional learning SME Small and Medium Enterprises PCK Pedagogigal content knowledge PISA Programme for International Student Assessment PSS Psychosocial programming programming RAY Reasearch-based analysis of European youth programmes RCPH The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health ROI-orienter Return on Investment oriented career choices career choices 6 Education and youth in post-COVID-19 Europe – crisis effects and policy recommendations UK The United Kingdom UN The United Nations UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNICEF The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund VET Vocational Education and Training WPAY The World Programme of Action for Youth GLOSSARY Apprenticeship Systematic, long-term training alternating periods at the workplace and in an educational institution or training centre. The apprentice is contractually linked to the employer and receives remuneration (wage or allowance). (Cedefop) Digital The comprehensive