Martí Parellada

Regional Disparities and Regional Convergence Problems in the EMU: Introduction

The Treaty of Rome signed in March 1957, which gave birth to the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community created in January 1958, hardly made mention of regional problems or economic disparities at regional level. These were considered then to be an internal problem of each country, so that possible policies for correction lay in the hands of the respective governments, but always respecting the advance towards free competition. In spite of the fact that the preface of the Treaty of Rome makes explicit reference to the reinforcement of the unity of the economies of the signatory countries, “harmonious development must also be assured, reducing the differences between diverse regions and the backwardness of the least favoured”, this idea was not adopted as an objective by the EEC, nor was any instrument or mechanism established to make its achievement possible.

The Non-University Sector in the Spanish System of Higher Education

Non-university higher education has played only a minor role in Spanish higher education. In order to understand the case better and to appreciate the characteristics of higher education in Spain, it might be useful to start by providing some remarks on the general system of education, particularly the role of universities within the overall framework. Education policies in European countries have undergone substantial changes over the last 20 years. Of course, such a transformation has very much depended on specific national characteristics as well as social and economic circumstances. In many aspects, the Spanish system of higher education differs from the main trends to be found in the principal European countries, such as France, Germany or Britain. This can be explained not only by the slower rate of social and economic development, but also by the difficulties that schools, other educational establishments and governments have had to face in order to overcome well-entrenched routines (Bricall 2000). In Europe the present situation has probably been the result of a long process of evolution that started many years ago due to the political and social changes of the 18th century. Prior to that century, the ultimate aim of institutions of learning was to prepare their students – admittedly very few in number – on their way to University. Everywhere, students or their families used to view learning as the obvious way to attain higher education, the University being only the end of their training. The highest level of education used to be higher education for a limited number of people alongside a huge number of illiterate persons. Since the 18th century primary education has become generalised and has reached everybody. Primary studies, and even the first years of secondary education, gradually came to be considered compulsory by European governments; and governments tried to ensure financial provisions for such a generalisation either directly or indirectly. That has been one of the consequences of modern times,

Governance Reforms from a European Perspective

This chapter summarises the rationales and impacts of the national reforms of the six countries selected (Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, the Netherlands and Portugal) and complements it with a literature review on reforms in these and other EU countries. The reforms emerge as having been inspired by endogenous processes – with or without a well-articulated national development strategy. The principal reform pillars are constants, but their relative weight differs. Likewise, the sequence of reforms varies significantly, and the implementation of their corresponding reform measures often follows a nonlinear course.

La relevancia de la educación universitaria de adultos para las políticas de mercado de trabajo

La formacion permanente desempena un papel fundamental en las politicas del mercado de trabajo en la UE. En el contexto de la creciente tasa de personas con estudios superiores y de cambios en los mercados de trabajo cualificados, las universidades han empezado a involucrarse en la educacion para adultos y en las politicas activas del mercado de trabajo. El articulo presenta los resultados de estudios de casos no representativos de programas universitarios de educacion para adultos realizados en siete paises europeos con especial atencion a las personas de mediana edad, quienes son cada vez mas vulnerables socialmente. Uno de los rasgos mas destacados de los estudios de casos fue la eficacia social de los programas universitarios de educacion para adultos desde el punto de vista del acceso a empleos y de la calidad de trabajo/vida. Los resultados de los estudios de casos junto con el analisis de los resultados de otros proyectos europeos de formacion permanente permitieron elaborar un esquema de las dimensiones esenciales de las universidades de educacion para adultos socialmente eficaces.