Brussels: Public debate on the future of education in Europe

Source: European Commission (EC) i, published on Monday, March 30 2009.

The future of education in Europe will be in the spotlight on Monday, 30 March in the second Brussels Debate organised in the framework of the European Year of Creativity and Innovation 2009. The debate entitled “Beyond chalk and talk: Creativity in the classroom" is organised with European Policy Centre (EPC). It will take place at 17.00 in the Residence Palace and will be opened by Odile Quintin, Director General for Education and Culture, European Commission.

How can schools and universities foster the creative and innovative capacity of pupils and students, helping them to develop and use it throughout their life and in the future labour market? Today's new jobs, not to mention those of tomorrow call for new skills. New social needs call for new solutions. Odile Quintin, Director General for Education and Culture of the European Commission will focus on the challenges facing Europe’s education systems in meeting the skill needs of tomorrow and on the action the EU is taking to help young people develop their creative potential. Her intervention will be followed by a panel debate and an open discussion with Eduardo Marçal Grilo, Member of the Board of Trustees of the Gulbenkian Foundation, and former Minister of Education of Portugal, Alfons Sauquet, Dean of ESADE Business School, Barcelona and Dirk Van Damme, Head of Centre for Educational Research and Innovation, OECD.

The aim of the Year of Creativity and Innovation 2009 is to promote creative and innovative approaches in different sectors of human activity and contribute to better equip the European Union for the challenges ahead in a globalised world. During this Year a series of six debates are jointly organised by the European Commission and the EPC in Brussels. The first one on "knowledge society" was held on 16 February. The Debates will cover a wide range of topics connected to the Year and will provide a platform for reflection and exchange of ideas which can contribute to policy discussion on Creativity and Innovation.

The subsequent Debates will shift the spotlight towards other topics, such as the public sector, sustainable development, cultural diversity and creative arts and industries.

The Debates take place in the Polak Room at the Residence Palace, 155 Rue de la Loi. Each debate will be followed by a reception to enable the discussions to continue in another form. Please confirm your participation replying to this e-mail: info@epc.eu.

Official website of the European Year of Creativity and Innovation:

http://www.create2009.europa.eu/about_the_year/debates/2nd_brussels_debate.html