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EDUCATION POLICY
Co-operation in the field of Education
18.1 In order to define the action required in educat-
ion the Council decided to establish an Education Com-
mittee composed of reprenentatives of the member States
and of the Commissission (OJ No. C98, 20 August 1974).
The Committee was requested to report to the Council
before the end of June 1975.
18.2 The Education Committee held its first meeting
on 18 October 1974 at which it was agreed that each
member State would prepare material on the follow-
ing areas
inter alia.
(a) promotion of closer relations between educational
systems in Europe
(b) compilation of up-to-date documentation and
statictics on Education.
(c) increased co-operation between Institutes of High-
er Education.
(d) improved possibilities for academic recognition of
diplomas and periods of study
(e) encouragement of the freedom of movement and
mobility of teachers, students and research workers in
particular by the removal of administrative and social
obstacles to the free movement of such persons and by
the improved teaching of foreign languages.
The Committee will meet each month until its report
is completed.
Mutual Recognition of Academic Qualifications
18.3 The Council on 6 June 1974 also adopted a
Resolution concerning the promotion of work on the
mutual recognition of academic qualifications (para-
graph 18.4 Third Report).
18.4 The Draft Directives on the Mutual Recognition
of Degrees and Diplomas which are at present before the
Council were discussed at a meeting in Dublin in No-
vember 1974. The meeting was attended by represen-
tatives from Government Departments and from the
Committee representing the Universities and other ap-
propriate Institutional Interests in Ireland (paragraph
18.5 Third Report).
The European University Institute, Florence
18.6 At the Council on 6 June 1974 the Ministers for
Education expressed their satisfaction with a report by
the Chairman of the Preparatory Committee on the
progress of work on the establishment of the Institute
and on the tasks to be accomplished before its opening.
It
is expected
that
the
first
eight
academic
appointments to the staff of the Institute will be made
early in 1975 and that they might commence their work
in Florence in October 1975 so as to have courses etc.
prepared for the entry of the first students in 1976.
18.7 The Irish Government has taken the steps necessary
to adhere to the Convention. This will be effected as
soon as the proceess of ratification has been completed
by the six original member States which will probably
be in early 1975. It will then be possible for the High
Council of the Institute to hold its first meeting.
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