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Equity of the European Educational Systems. A set of indicators.


File number :
IST-ISC-08e

Bibliographic reference :
Commission européenne (2003). L’équité des systèmes éducatifs européens : un ensemble d’indicateurs. Direction générale de l’éducation et de la culture. Projet Socrates. [En ligne].
<http://europa.eu.int/>
Consulté le 20 septembre 2005

Abstract :

Research Context
As part of the Socrates project, in July 2003 the Directorate-General for Education and Culture at the European Commission published a text entitled Equity of the European Educational Systems. A set of indicators. This publication is the final report of a research project designed to develop international indicators of equity in educational systems.

The report presents these indicators to spark the debate on educational justice. The indicators presented provide avenues for solutions that could help answer emerging questions on inequalities experienced by individuals and groups with regard to educational systems. The educational systems of all the European Union countries, along with those of Norway and Switzerland, were analyzed and compared.

Indicators
Based on a conceptual framework and guidelines, the 29 developed equity indicators of educational systems were grouped into four categories:
* Context of educational inequalities
* Educational process inequalities
* Educational inequalities
* Social and political effects of educational inequalities
Many tables present comprehensive information on the 29 indicators for most countries at issue.

Reading Equity Indicators
Reading the indicators helps evaluate the equity level of the various educational systems based on different criteria. The indicators enable 1) measuring the scope of inequalities in educational systems; 2) identifying the educational advantages in the various countries; 3) assessing whether the educational systems amplify or reduce social and economical inequalities; and 4) assessing to what extent educational inequalities affect underprivileged students.

An indicator such as the educational level of the adult population is a cultural resource that reveals the nature of equity in an educational system. Among the European Union countries, there is widespread disparity with respect to this indicator, since more than 80% of adults in Germany and Denmark completed upper secondary education, whereas this rate reached only 35% in Spain and 21% in Portugal.

Although each educational system has its strengths and shortcomings, it seems that some systems are less fair than others with regard to most of the criteria. Thus, comparing educational systems proves to be an interesting means of assessing their equity levels.



Links :
http://europa.eu.int/

Key Words :
International Indicators, Social Inequalities, Equity Indicators, International Comparisons, PISA, Socrates Project, Educational Justice, Educational Systems, Educational Policies, School Environment

Monitored Countries :
European Union, Norway, Switzerland