Bulgaria's EU Council Presidency to focus on skills for the future

Bulgaria has taken over the Presidency of the European Council for the first half of 2018. The presidency chairs meetings at every level of the Council, helping to ensure the continuity of the EU's work. Bulgaria’s key priorities for the next six months are the future of Europe and young people, the Western Balkans, security and stability, the digital economy and skills for the future.

Bulgaria sees skills for the future as a way of achieving a competitive, flexible and successful Europe. Young people must have opportunities to learn and develop skills as an investment in the future.

“We will continue to promote EU common values through education, including social inclusion” says Mimi Daneva, Chief Expert in International Cooperation at the Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science, and a member of Bulgaria’s presidency team. “There will be an update of the key competences for lifelong learning, in line with the new realities: digitalisation, entrepreneurship, civic competences, formal and non-formal learning. The focus on vocational education is promoting attractiveness, making it a first choice.”

Apprenticeships will be on the agenda through the future orientations of the Erasmus+ programme, which will be the main subject of discussion at the Education, Youth, Culture and Sports Council in February. This aligns with the European policy priority to strengthen links with business and employers. “The entire education and training sector needs to work on this”, continues Ms Daneva. “That’s why we see more of a focus being placed on apprenticeships and practical education and training.”

More: https://eu2018bg.bg/en