Educational innovation and researchfrom an European policy perspective

Budapest 22 September 2011

Maruja Gutiérrez-Díaz

Ex- Senior Advisor European Commission

Directorate-General Education and Culture

Education and innovation in EU policies

• EU education and training programmes have been drivers for innovation since their start

• The first Socrates programme had a specific action for innovation, ODL and new technologies: Minerva

• Information Society programmes have given specific attention to education and training

• Since the adoption of the revised Lisbon Strategy, 2005, all calls for proposals under Education and Training programmes have included innovation as a priority

• Innovation and education have become first order priorities in European policies – Europe 2020

Europe 2020: A new political agenda

Three overarching priorities• Smart growth: developing an economy based on

knowledge and innovation. • Sustainable growth: promoting a more resource

efficient, greener and more competitive economy. • Inclusive growth: fostering a high-employment

economy delivering social and territorial cohesion

“Knowledge is the engine for sustainable growth. In a fast-changing world, what makes the difference is education and research, innovation and creativity”

Education in Europe 2020: One of seven flagship initiatives and a core element of three more

Smart Smart GrowthGrowth

Sustainable Sustainable GrowthGrowth

Inclusive Growth

Innovation ***

« Innovation Union »

Climate, energy and mobility

« Resource efficient Europe »

Employment and skills ***

« An agenda for new skills and jobs »

Education

«Youth on the move »

Competitiveness

« An industrial policy for the

globalisation era »

Fighting poverty

« European platform against poverty »

Digital society ***

« A digital agenda for Europe »

Recent EU actions for innovation in education

• Council Conclusions on Resolution on Creativity and Innovation in Education under SI presidency, 2008 (excellent background paper)

• European Strategic Framework for Policy Cooperation in Education, 2009: “fourth pillar” on creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship

• Focus of studies and reports on Knowledge Management for policy making (CEDEFOP, CRELL, Eurydice, IPTS)

• EIT (European Institute of Innovation and Technology, 2008, with a specific mission of strengthening the “triangle of knowledge” E+R+i

• European Year of Creativity and Innovation 2009, conferences and sets of good practices on innovation, education and design thinking

• EU Principles on Innovative Doctoral Training (ERA document)• Supporting growth and jobs – an agenda for the modernisation of

Europe's higher education COM (2011) 567/2

ET 2010

Strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training 

The long-term strategic objectives of EU education and training policies are:

• Making lifelong learning and mobility a reality;• Improving the quality and efficiency of education and training;• Promoting equity, social cohesion and active citizenship;• Enhancing creativity and innovation, including

entrepreneurship, at all levels of education and training.

•

Why a European Year of Creativity and Innovation?

• To raise awareness, and to celebrate and share Europe’s creative and innovative potential past, present and future

• To call for a better understanding of creativity and innovation and of their role for Europe’s social and economic competitiveness

• To stimulate debate and reflection on better policy making for creativity and innovation

The EYCI in retrospect

• Challenging settings– A time of crisis– Short preparation time– Lack of financial resources

but • A successful approach

– Future looking: the crisis as an opportunity– A people oriented, bottom-up initiative– A shared venture at European, national and

regional levels

EYCI main results: supporting better policy making

• EU initiatives– Creativity and innovation, including entrepreneurship, became one of

four first order priority for ET2020, the strategic framework for policy cooperation in education

• National initiatives– Several policy initiatives involving national governments and

parliaments were reported– Strong participation at national and regional level

• Manifesto of European Ambassadors• Stakeholders’ support:

– Private sector initiatives supporting EYCI objectives– Strong specific support from teachers and education actors

Manifesto European Ambassadors for Creativity and Innovation

1. Nurture creativity in a lifelong learning process where theory and practice go hand in hand.

2. Make schools and universities places where students and teachers engage in creative thinking and learning by doing.

3. Transform workplaces into learning sites. 4. Promote a strong, independent and diverse cultural sector that can

sustain intercultural dialogue. 5. Promote scientific research to understand the world, improve

people’s lives and stimulate innovation. 6. Promote design processes, thinking and tools, understanding the

needs, emotions, aspirations and abilities of users. 7. Support business innovation that contributes to prosperity and

sustainability.

Manifesto European Ambassadors for Creativity and Innovation

For a new understanding of public policy:

Action 1: Invest in knowledge

Action 2: Reinvent education

Action 3: Reward initiative

Action 4: Sustain culture

Action 5: Promote innovation

Action 6: Think globally

Action 7: Green the economy

Celebrating creativity and innovation

1000 events across Europe

A key strength: teachers’ support

• An important EYCI result is the online survey carried out by IPTS and Eurydice on how teachers in Europe perceive and understand creativity, and the relevance of creativity and innovation for schools

• Unprecedented level of answers: over 14.000 over four weeks• An impressive majority of the teachers surveyed (95%) believed that

creativity was a fundamental skill that should be developed in school • More than half of the teachers (57%) claimed they had received

training in innovative pedagogies. About 90% of respondents declared they would like to receive some further training

• Three quarters of respondents (73%) stated that they needed more institutional support

Creativity in Schools: A Survey of Teachers in Europe IPTS 2010

EYCI & eTwinning

• eTwinning is a successful EU initiative, which brings together close to 140.000 teachers, active in cooperation projects over internet (2020 active as of today)

• eTwinning hosts European wide communities of practice, developing peer learning via a variety of tools and activities:Teachers’ room, eT groups, Learning events…

• The EYCI was a year focused on innovation and creativity at schools, which has resulted in increased awareness and efforts on these areas

• eTwinning can now be described as a true pedagogical innovation lab and an effective dissemination platform

Modernisation of HE

Key policy issues for Member States and higher education institutions:

• “Stimulate the development of entrepreneurial, creative and innovation skills in all disciplines and in all three cycles, and promote innovation in higher education through more interactive learning environments and strengthened knowledge-transfer infrastructure”

Supporting growth and jobs – an agenda for the modernisation of Europe's higher education systems COM (2011) 567/2

What next?

1. Education Europe: the single programme for education, training and youth

• The Commission will propose a single programme for education, training and youth, with simplified entry points and management. It will focus spending on priorities such as quality and innovation in teaching, enhanced links with the world of work, and better recognition of skills gained through mobility.

• It will contribute to the Bologna 20% mobility target, focussing resources on: mobility opportunities based on quality and excellence […]; intensive cooperation and capacity-building partnerships across Member States and with global partners; specific initiatives to recognise and reward excellence in teaching, and encourage student entrepreneurs and innovative university-business cooperation.

What next?

2. Horizon 2020: the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation

• The new Horizon 2020 programme will cover all relevant EU research and innovation funding currently provided through the Seventh Research Framework Programme, the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme and other EU innovation initiatives, such as the EIT.

• Horizon 2020 aims to make EU funding more attractive and easier to access. It will ensure a high degree of policy coordination and maximise synergies between initiatives, and will enable simpler, more efficient streamlined funding instruments covering the full innovation cycle.

Five policy conclusions

1. Focus on research

2. Focus on cooperation1. Bring everybody concerned on board

2. Ensure articulation between public actors

3. Foster networking, including at international level

3. Invest in teacher training

4. Invest in communication and dissemination

5. Leverage the digital revolution for education

Thank you for your attention

marujagutierrezdiaz@gmail.com