DCU’s Dr Paul Downes Appointed to European Commission Expert Panel
Dr Paul Downes, Associate Professor of Education (Psychology) and Director of the Educational Disadvantage Centre, Institute of Education, DCU, has been appointed as a member of the European Commission’s European Education and Training Expert Panel.
The main task of the Expert Panel is to support the preparation of the European Union’s post-2020 Strategic Cooperation Framework for Education and Training.
Jointly, the new Erasmus programme, the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) & the European Regional Development Fund will serve as key EU funding mechanisms to support the Member States’ implementation of the post-2020 Education and Training Strategic Framework.
The Expert Panel will reflect on the grand challenges facing Europe and their impact on the education and training systems. It will produce specific thematic reports and an overall report to inform the Commission’s and EU Member States’ thinking regarding the post-2020 Education and Training strategy for the next decade.
The topics analysed by the Expert Panel are clustered in six thematic blocks, with a special focus on what is expected to influence the future of learning:
1. Demographic challenges (ageing population, migration flows);
2. Inclusion and citizenship (addressing social diversity, integration of migrants, need for critical thinking, disparity of values, addressing inequalities);
3. Technological change and the future of work (automation and artificial intelligence, uncertainty about future skills needs, need for creativity and entrepreneurship);
4. Digitalisation of society (lack of digital skills, challenges of exploiting digital tools, inequalities in access to digital resources);
5. Environmental challenges (environmental degradation, growing consumerism, barriers to sustainable development);
6. Investment, reforms and governance (competitiveness, role of non-state actors in societal provisions, changes in approach to teaching and learning).
The Expert Panel will, in particular, also highlight new insights in teaching and learning. A new post-ET2020 strategic framework will need to address challenges that are relevant to all stages of education and training.
Dr Downes is one of 18 experts selected after a public call and is the only Irish member of the expert panel. He is one of three experts specifically selected under the 'Inclusion and citizenship' thematic heading. Each panel member contributes to the development of all themes.
Speaking on his appointment, Dr Downes said: "I'm delighted and honoured to have been selected and look forward to contributing to this key process for addressing vital issues of inclusion and citizenship in Europe, as well as for the wider themes for the future of education systems and society in Europe. The new European Union funding allocations to be informed by the new framework offer a real opportunity to bring decisive supports for marginalised groups across Europe."
Dr Downes has led and co-authored 4 reports published by the EU Commission on themes of inclusion and wellbeing. He has led a 12-country study on access to education for socioeconomically-marginalised groups across Europe and research on ethnic minority parents’ inclusion for early school-leaving prevention across 10 European city municipalities.
He has given 18 official invited presentations from the EU Commission in the past decade on themes such as social inequalities, transitions, early school-leaving, school bullying and violence, multidisciplinary teams, cross-sectoral working, lifelong learning, equity, quality labels, wellbeing and school climate, inclusive education for minorities, migrants, and socioeconomically-excluded groups. This includes invited presentations/keynotes at five different EU Presidency conferences. He has been an advisor to the Commission’s School Policy Working Groups on Early School Leaving & Quality and Governance.
On 30th May 2018, the Commission adopted its proposal for the next Erasmus programme, with a doubling of the budget to €30 billion for the period 2021-2027. The new programme will provide learning and mobility opportunities to 12 million people, in comparison to 4 million people in the current programme. On the same date, the Commission also adopted its proposal for the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), which will put in practice the European Pillar of Social Rights, supporting programmes and projects responding to the challenges identified through the European Semester. The specific objectives pursued through the budget of €101 billion include improving education and training systems and promoting lifelong learning.