ETBI Chief to Chair European Education Conference in Brussels

Michael Moriarty, the current President of the European Federation of Education Employers (EFEE) and General Secretary of Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI), will today chair a key education conference in Brussels. The Plenary Meeting of the European Sectoral Social Dialogue in Education (ESSDE) brings together European education sector trade unions and employers’ bodies to address a range of educational and training issues.

Among the topics covered will be the European sectoral social dialogue model, promoted and facilitated by the European Commission since 1998 as a central structure and mechanism for consultation, joint initiatives and negotiation.[1] The conference will also examine the new structure of the European Commission under President Jean-Claude Juncker and learn about European Funding opportunities for the European education partners, with a particular focus on the Youth Employment Initiative. ETBI’s Pat O’Mahony, Education Research Officer at ETBI, will be discussing the skills and competences of teachers and school management required to increase quality in education. The meeting will also review the joint ESSDE Work Programme for 2014-2015.

The ESSDE comprises the European social partners in education: the European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE) and the European Federation of European Employers (EFEE). The ESSDE was launched in June 2010 and membership of both organisations represents a wide variety of national organisations across Europe, and continues to expand. EFEE reflects the diversity of education employers in Europe: national ministries, regional and municipal authorities associations, state agencies and associations of school leaders.