Education and the European Social Contract

A European social contract is possible—if the discussion shifts from who has the right to act to who can help. Education is a striking example of Europe’s paradox: the areas that interest its citizens most—education, health, social protection—are those where EU institutions have the least competence. Yet while the main policy responsibility and funding instruments are at national or regional level, the key global trends in education and the reforms they require call for a strong effort from both the EU and its member countries: an extraordinary expansion of the demand for higher education and new skills; a renewed interest in the interaction between technology, education, and society, driven by the advancement of data analysis and artificial intelligence; and a growing concern about the role of education in reducing inequality and social exclusion. Education has a great future—but it will not be education as we know it; the credibility of Europe’s social contract will rest on its capacity to build and communicate the case for change and to articulate a guiding vision for twenty-first-century learning.