Focus on the impact of the EU policies of migration and integration in Central European Countries
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Study / training in EU

Most sociologists consider education and vocational training a part of the socioeconomic sphere of migrants? integration into their host society. Integration in this sphere is characterized by acquiring the rights and status in the host country?s state institutions that are equal or similar to the rights and status enjoyed by the state?s nationals. Thus, in this process, migrants should be given an equal opportunity to participate in their host country?s welfare system. In regards to training and education in the European Union, this means that third-country migrants ought to have lawful access to preschool, elementary, secondary, and higher education systems that is comparable to EU citizens. However, the political, academic, and public discourse in Europe (similarly to the US and Canada) reveals that the relationship between immigration and host countries? welfare system is highly problematic. At the crux of the problem is the basic question whether immigration presents a burden or a contribution to the social and cultural systems of so called Western countries. This question encompasses a wide spectrum of issues ranging from questions such as: Are Muslim students and students from former Soviet Union in Polish and Czech schools an opportunity for locals to learn about non-EU cultural traditions, or are they a threat to well-established Western conventions? To questions such as pondering whether the notable increase of Vietnamese students in elementary and high schools across Central Europe represents a success marked by national and international ability to assist families in economic need with long-term relocation and settlement or a failure to secure larger benefits of the EU social welfare for EU nationals.

The enclosed Thomas Huddleston article Education and Higher Education for Third-Country International Students indicates that the other set of issues connected to the debate on education and immigration is why and how should third-country nationals be involved in the EU?s migration policy agenda. The recently issued ?Europe 2020? strategy directly addresses gaps in education system in the EU (e.g., reducing the average of early school leavers and low-achievers in math, science, and reading, or raising the share of 30-34-year-olds in higher education completion). With the increasing number of migrants, the essential question that the EU legislators now have to grapple with is how they are going to meet the overall education goals, taking into consideration the situation of foreigners and their children regardless their legal status. For example, the overall EU rate for ?early school leavers? is 14.1% and the ?Europe 2020?? target is 10%. The equivalent rate for third-country nationals is 33% (Huddleston 2013:1). If the EU is serious about closing the gap and bringing the average down, they have to put pressure on all member countries to fully integrate immigrant families into the educational system. This section of the Migration to the Centre project shows this process in making across the Visegrad Group countries.

Public debate: Education – Study – Migrations Study / training in EUSloveniapublic debates

27. 12. 13     This video is an edited record of the public debate “Education – Study – Migrations” which was organized by Ljubljana based NGO Peace Institute and took place on 17th December 2013 in Ljubljana. Main focus of this public event was the situation with study and education of migrants in Slovenia. Children of migrants often face segregation and are more likely to drop out of school early. Infe... »

Young immigrants on the Polish labor market Study / training in EUPolandpublic debates

23. 12. 13     This video is an edited record of the conference organized on 16 December 2013 by the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA) called „Discrimination of foreigners in Poland - Legal, social and economic context”. The third discussion panel organized within the “Migration to the Centre project” was devoted to the situation of young migrants entering the Polish labour market with a particular empha... »

Study / training in EU Study / training in EUPolandsummary texts

19. 12. 13 | Karolina Grot     As it was indicated by the MPG expert Thomas Huddleston, education is high on the EU’s agenda. The governments of EU Member States set two overall education targets for Europe’s strategy for jobs and growth. Among targets there are reducing early school leaving and raising the share of 30-34–year-olds completing third level education. Polish response to these goals is to implement the provis... »
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The project has been generously supported by the European Commission The "Europe for citizens" programme, International Visegrad Fund and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic.
EU
Funded by the Europe for
Citizens Programme
of the European Union
Visegrad Fund. Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Contacts:
Daniela Pěničková, project coordinator
Phone: (+420) 296 325 345, E-mail: daniela.penickova@mkc.cz

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