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A ‘common currency in the education sector’ was how Federal Minister Elisabeth Gehrer today, Wednesday, described the new European Qualifications Framework (EQF), which documents and makes comparable the qualifications of individual citizens. At the Conference of Education Ministers in Vienna, Gehrer also intends to expand the excellent scientific contacts and cooperation with the countries of the Western Balkans. Minister Gehrer also stressed that the preparations for setting up a flagship institute in Austria were now on the right road. “Commissar Figel’ will present his plans on the European Institute of Technology on 16 March. It is important to use this window of opportunity”, she said.

Minister Gehrer called the EQR a “great success story for Europe”. The European Qualifications Framework was a splendid development and “an important step in the direction of greater mobility”. With this new system, employers in other Member States will in future know what skills a person has on the basis of a diploma obtained in Austria.

“Education is the key to more growth and prosperity in Europe”, Gehrer declared, and referred to Austria’s education initiatives in the countries of the Western Balkans. Austria’s initiative would not only bring more stability and security to the whole region, but in the long term also make Austria’s neighbours competent trading partners. The “Pact for Education with the Balkans” goes hand in hand with the continuing development of Austria’s research relations with the Balkans. Among other things, it is planned to set up a steering platform in Vienna to improve project coordination. This plan has also been welcomed by Research Commissioner Potocnik.

Concerning the proposed European Institute of Technology, Gehrer said the plans for a flagship institute in Klosterneuburg were a good basis for a centre of research excellence in Austria. We have already made a written application. Europe will not wait for us, she continued.

In the run-up to the conference, Minister Gehrer said that promoting mobility and developing European exchange programmes was an important task for Austria. In 1995, 75 000 people throughout Austria took advantage of the opportunity for a school exchange, a period of vocational training or for a term of study at a university abroad. With returns of 135 million euro, Austria received back from the EU more money than flowed from Vienna to Brussels. In view of these developments, Gehrer concluded: "The common European education area is on the way”.