European Commissioner for Education, Training & Culture
Encyclopedia
The Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth is a member of the European Commission
. The current commissioner is Androulla Vassiliou
.
The portfolio is responsible for policies in education and training
, youth
, sport, civil society
, culture, translation
, interpretation
and relations with the Office for Official Publications of the European Communities.
was approved by the European Parliament
in 2004 as the European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Multilingualism
. This was enlarged since the Prodi Commission
with the addition of training and multilingualism (The Directorate-General
is still just Directorate-General for Education and Culture
).
However when Romania joined the European Union on 1 January 2007 responsibility for multilingualism was handed over to the new Romanian commissioner, Leonard Orban
. In its place the portfolio now also includes youth
, sport and civil society
. Figeľ describes his position is very orientated to "the citizens and their quality of life".
The Commission has become increasingly active in education. The ERASMUS programme
, which was established in 1987, is a student exchange programme promoting mobility of students between European universities. The Bologna process
aims to create a European Higher Education Area
where academic qualifications can be recognised across Europe. The European Institute of Technology
is a proposed research university.
relations.
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
. The current commissioner is Androulla Vassiliou
Androulla Vassiliou
Androulla Vassiliou is a Cypriot and European politician who was the European Commissioner for Health, confirmed by the European Council on 3 March 2008...
.
The portfolio is responsible for policies in education and training
Training
The term training refers to the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and competencies as a result of the teaching of vocational or practical skills and knowledge that relate to specific useful competencies. It forms the core of apprenticeships and provides the backbone of content at institutes of...
, youth
Youth
Youth is the time of life between childhood and adulthood . Definitions of the specific age range that constitutes youth vary. An individual's actual maturity may not correspond to their chronological age, as immature individuals could exist at all ages.-Usage:Around the world, the terms "youth",...
, sport, civil society
Civil society
Civil society is composed of the totality of many voluntary social relationships, civic and social organizations, and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society, as distinct from the force-backed structures of a state , the commercial institutions of the market, and private criminal...
, culture, translation
Translation
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Whereas interpreting undoubtedly antedates writing, translation began only after the appearance of written literature; there exist partial translations of the Sumerian Epic of...
, interpretation
Interpreting
Language interpretation is the facilitating of oral or sign-language communication, either simultaneously or consecutively, between users of different languages...
and relations with the Office for Official Publications of the European Communities.
Current commissioner
Commissioner Ján FigeľJán Figel
Ján Figeľ is a Slovakian politician, previously European Commissioner for Education, Training & Culture. His area of responsibility also covered sport, youth, and relations with civil society.-Early career:...
was approved by the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
in 2004 as the European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Multilingualism
Multilingualism
Multilingualism is the act of using, or promoting the use of, multiple languages, either by an individual speaker or by a community of speakers. Multilingual speakers outnumber monolingual speakers in the world's population. Multilingualism is becoming a social phenomenon governed by the needs of...
. This was enlarged since the Prodi Commission
Prodi Commission
The Prodi Commission was the European Commission in office between 1999 and 2004. The administration was led by former Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi.-History:...
with the addition of training and multilingualism (The Directorate-General
Directorate-General
A Directorate-General is a branch of an administration dedicated to a specific field of expertise.* The European Commission: Commission Directorates-General are each headed by a European Commissioner;* The European Patent Office: EPO Directorates-General;...
is still just Directorate-General for Education and Culture
Directorate-General for Education and Culture (European Commission)
The Directorate-General for Education and Culture is a Directorate-General of the European Commission.The Education and Culture Directorate-General’s mission has three main aspects:* Building a Europe of knowledge...
).
However when Romania joined the European Union on 1 January 2007 responsibility for multilingualism was handed over to the new Romanian commissioner, Leonard Orban
Leonard Orban
Leonard Orban is a Romanian independent technocrat who served as the Commissioner for Multilingualism in the European Commission, the executive body of the European Union . He was responsible for the EU language policy and was the first Romanian Commissioner and the first member of the Commission...
. In its place the portfolio now also includes youth
Youth
Youth is the time of life between childhood and adulthood . Definitions of the specific age range that constitutes youth vary. An individual's actual maturity may not correspond to their chronological age, as immature individuals could exist at all ages.-Usage:Around the world, the terms "youth",...
, sport and civil society
Civil society
Civil society is composed of the totality of many voluntary social relationships, civic and social organizations, and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society, as distinct from the force-backed structures of a state , the commercial institutions of the market, and private criminal...
. Figeľ describes his position is very orientated to "the citizens and their quality of life".
The Commission has become increasingly active in education. The ERASMUS programme
Erasmus programme
The Erasmus Programme , a.k.a. Erasmus Project is a European Union student exchange programme established in 1987...
, which was established in 1987, is a student exchange programme promoting mobility of students between European universities. The Bologna process
Bologna process
The purpose of the Bologna Process is the creation of the European Higher Education Area by making academic degree standards and quality assurance standards more comparable and compatible throughout Europe, in particular under the Lisbon Recognition Convention...
aims to create a European Higher Education Area
European Higher Education Area
The European Higher Education Area was launched along with the Bologna Process' decade anniversary, in March 2010, during the Budapest-Vienna Ministerial Conference....
where academic qualifications can be recognised across Europe. The European Institute of Technology
European Institute of Technology
The European Institute of Innovation and Technology is a public European institute which was established on 11 March 2008. It was set up in order to ‘address Europe's innovation gap’, and is the EU's flagship education institute designed to assist innovation, research and growth in the European...
is a proposed research university.
List of commissioners
The previous portfolio to the current was Culture, merged with Audiovisual policy and EPEuropean Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
relations.
| Name | Country | Period | Commission | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Viviane Reding Viviane Reding Viviane Reding is a Luxembourgian politician, currently serving as European Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship. Before starting a professional career as a journalist for the leading newspaper in Luxembourg, the Luxemburger Wort, she obtained a doctorate in human sciences... |
 Luxembourg |
1999–2004 | Prodi Commission Prodi Commission The Prodi Commission was the European Commission in office between 1999 and 2004. The administration was led by former Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi.-History:... |
| 2 | Dalia Grybauskaitė Dalia Grybauskaitė Dalia Grybauskaitė is the current President of Lithuania, inaugurated on 12 July 2009. She had previously been Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, Finance Minister, and European Commissioner for Financial Programming and the Budget... |
 Lithuania |
2004 | Prodi Commission Prodi Commission The Prodi Commission was the European Commission in office between 1999 and 2004. The administration was led by former Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi.-History:... |
| 3 | Ján Figeľ Ján Figel Ján Figeľ is a Slovakian politician, previously European Commissioner for Education, Training & Culture. His area of responsibility also covered sport, youth, and relations with civil society.-Early career:... |
 Slovakia |
2004–2009 | Barroso Commission Barroso Commission The Barroso Commission is the European Commission that has been in office since 22 November 2004 and is due to serve until 2014. Its president is José Manuel Barroso, who presides over 26 other commissioners... I |
| 4 | Maroš Šefčovič Maroš Šefčovič Maroš Šefčovič is a Slovak diplomat and the current European Commissioner for Inter-Institutional Relations and Administration... |
Slovakia |
2009–2010 | Barroso Commission Barroso Commission The Barroso Commission is the European Commission that has been in office since 22 November 2004 and is due to serve until 2014. Its president is José Manuel Barroso, who presides over 26 other commissioners... I |
| 5 | Androulla Vassiliou Androulla Vassiliou Androulla Vassiliou is a Cypriot and European politician who was the European Commissioner for Health, confirmed by the European Council on 3 March 2008... |
 Cyprus |
2010 onwards | Barroso Commission Barroso Commission The Barroso Commission is the European Commission that has been in office since 22 November 2004 and is due to serve until 2014. Its president is José Manuel Barroso, who presides over 26 other commissioners... II |
See also
- Directorate-General for Education and Culture
- ERASMUS programmeErasmus programmeThe Erasmus Programme , a.k.a. Erasmus Project is a European Union student exchange programme established in 1987...
- European Institute of Innovation and Technology
- Lux Prize for European Cinema