Bilateral agreements

The Ministry of Education takes part in the negotiation of bilateral agreements and participates in cross-border working groups, in particular:

• Regions in action for Lifelong Learning (FREREF; Fondation des Régions européennes pour la recherche en éducation et en formation): FREREF is a platform for exchange and cooperation between policy makers and researches of European Regions
• Cross-border group on guidance (Groupe transfrontalier SPOS-PMS-CIO): this cross-border working group of guidance services cooperates in matters of
  • Informing teachers, pupils and families on possibilities of cross-border trainings
  • Favouring exchange between guidance staff in the Greater Region
  • Developing tools for orientation and guidance
  • Organising visits of companies in the view of the professional integration of pupils
• Karlsruhe 'Quattropôle' agreement (Accord de Karlsruhe): this agreement aims at facilitating and promoting cross-border cooperation between local communities and public bodies from France, Germany, Luxembourg and Switzerland while respecting local legislation and international engagements (e.g. yearly organisation of Luxembourgish courses in the neighbouring regions on the basis of yearly agreements)
• Joint declarations on the recognition of diplomas and educational levels with Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia (Déclaration commune sur la reconnaissance des équivalences de diplômes et de niveaux d'enseignement): in order to encourage young people's cross-border mobility and to facilitate the transition between different education systems, Luxembourg and the German Länder of Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia have established a list of equivalent diplomas and levels of education. However, the decision on recognition remains with the national authorities. The ministry of Education verifies if the linguistic competences of pupils who have attended school abroad are sufficient for their integration in Luxembourg’s education system
• Bilateral cooperation agreements in the fields of culture, education, science, mass media, youth and sports (Accords bilatéraux de coopération dans les domaines de la culture, de l’éducation, de la science, des mass médias, de la jeunesse et des sports): bilateral agreements that aim at establishing closer bilateral relations in the fields of culture, arts, education and sciences, mass media, youth and sports. They foresee various kinds of exchange programmes in order to facilitate contact between the participating countries’ inhabitants. The competence for bilateral agreements lies with the ministry of Culture (ministère de la Culture) and the ministry of Foreign Affairs (ministère des Affaires étrangères), while the ministry of Education is competent for the educational aspects
• Working group 'Education and training' of the Regional commission (Groupe de travail 'Éducation et Formation' de la Commission régionale): the cooperation of this working group concerns a large thematic field comprising economic, social and cultural aspects. The stakeholders know each other well and have realised joint projects for schools and companies; in particular the Schengenlyzeum (see article 13.1)
• Regional commission on education and training (Commission régionale de l’éducation et de la formation): the Regional commission on education and training approves the projects realised by the above-mentioned working group
• International association for the evaluation of educational achievement (IEA): the IEA organises international studies, such as the ICCS, as part of the implementation of the Europe 2020 strategy in the fields of social cohesion and democracy
• Expert group on active citizenship indicators: this expert group has been installed by the IEA to give an opinion on citizenship education and the ICCS study
• Task force for international cooperation on Holocaust education, Remembrance, and Research (ITF): the task force was created in 1998. In 2000, 45 governments signed the 'Declaration of the Stockholm International Forum on the Holocaust, Education, Rembrance and Research', which aims at keeping the Holocaust memory alive and preventing future genocides and crimes against humanity. Education plays a key role in this process
• European politics network for evaluation of education systems (REVA; Réseau européen des politiques d’évaluation des systèmes éducatifs): this network allows for exchange and cooperation on reforms and innovations concerning the evaluation and management of education systems of the participating countries
• Multilateral cooperation BeLDACH (Austria, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg): the network fosters the development of education quality, the exchange of best practices and provides mutual support for the implementation and evaluation of educational projects
• Asia-Europe meeting (ASEM).

Cooperation and participation in worldwide programmes and organisations

The ministry of Education takes part in several international programmes and organisation:

• Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD): founded in 1961, the OECD is an international organisation of 34 developed, democratic countries. The OECD conducts surveys, in particular the PISA study, that aim at measuring the performance of education systems of member States and regularly publishes statistics
• European Union: within the European Union, the ministry of Education takes part in the Council of the European Union, participates in the implementation of different projects in the framework of the working programme 'Education and Training 2020' and the Erasmus+ programme, intervenes in the domain of vocational education and training as well as special needs education
• European schools: European schools (écoles européennes) are official institutions that were created jointly by the governments of the EU member States. They provide common education for the children of EU staff. Other pupils may participate within certain limits. Currently, about 24 000 pupils attend 14 European Schools. Luxembourg has two European schools and participates in the councils, committees and working groups which ensure the management and financing of these schools
• Council of Europe: the Council of Europe is an international organisation of 47 member States of the 'Greater Europe'. It aims at promoting democracy and human rights, the European cultural identity and research on issues of Europe’s society
• UNESCO: UNESCO is a specialised agency of the United Nations that implements five large programmes on education, sciences, humanities, culture as well as information and communication. The ministry has for example participated in the UOE survey on the functioning, development and  efficiency of education systems.