Driving Education Policy Forward: IAU Participation in the Council of Europe’s CDEDU
As part of ongoing engagement in global and regional education policy dialogues, the IAU was pleased to participate in the recent meeting of the Council of Europe’s sub-group on higher education policy, a body working under the Steering Committee for Education (CDEDU). The meeting, held in Brussels and Leuven, brought together representatives and experts to prepare for the upcoming CDEDU plenary and to advance discussions on the future of higher education in Europe. The IAU was representated onsite by Secretary General Hilligje van’t Land.
This Sub-Group operates under the Steering Committee for Education (CDEDU), where IAU participates with observer status. By contributing to these exchanges, the IAU brings the perspectives of the global higher education community into European policy dialogues, reinforcing the importance of building education systems that are inclusive, democratic, and resilient.
The Role of the CDEDU
The Steering Committee for Education (CDEDU) is the main intergovernmental platform guiding the Council of Europe’s education programmes. It develops education policies and guidelines and supports implementation of practices anchored in the Council of Europe’s core values.
The Education Programme aims to help member states build democratic, quality, inclusive, and corruption-free education systems, within the framework of the European Cultural Convention and the Lisbon Recognition Convention.
Under its 2024–2027 mandate, the CDEDU is implementing the Education Strategy “Learners First – Education for today’s and tomorrow’s democratic societies”, adopted in September 2023 by the Standing Conference of Ministers of Education. The Strategy prioritises three pillars:
Renewing the democratic and civic mission of education
Enhancing the social responsibility and responsiveness of education
Advancing education through a human rights-based digital transformation
Key Topics of the Sub-Group
The Sub-Group on Higher Education Policy meeting addressed a number of pressing issues for the future of higher education, including:
Strengthening the ENIC-NARIC networks for improved recognition of qualifications across borders
Higher education and AI, with a focus on opportunities and challenges for governance, teaching, and learning
The European Qualifications Passport for Refugees, supporting displaced persons to access education and employment
The forthcoming Council of Europe Student Rights Charter, to strengthen student rights across Europe
Efforts to counter fraud through the ETINED platform, fostering integrity and transparency in education systems
The democratic mission of higher education and future forums, including the upcoming Global Forum 2025
These exchanges, combined with insights from member state representatives, provide IAU with valuable understanding of evolving perspectives and priorities in the European higher education landscape.
Towards a New Convention on Automatic Recognition
A major outcome of the meeting was the CDEDU’s decision to launch the drafting of a new Convention on the Conditions of Transparency and Quality for Automatic Recognition of Higher Education Qualifications in Europe. This landmark initiative aims to create binding conditions that will make automatic recognition feasible across the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).
By requiring the implementation of key Bologna Process tools—such as national qualifications frameworks, the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), the Diploma Supplement, and strong quality assurance mechanisms—the Convention will strengthen legal certainty for qualification holders and support greater mobility. It will also promote transparency, trust, and quality as the foundation for mutual recognition agreements, reducing barriers for students and graduates navigating recognition pathways.
To prepare the draft text, a Committee of Experts on Automatic Recognition of Qualifications (CE-AR) will be established in 2026 with broad participation from interested countries. This new Convention will complement the Lisbon Recognition Convention and reinforce commitments made at EHEA Ministerial Conferences and in the 2018 EU Council Recommendation on promoting automatic recognition.
Insights from KU Leuven
The meeting also included a site visit to KU Leuven, where participants explored how the university advances its social and democratic mission. KU Leuven shared its whole-institution approach to sustainability, solidarity, and inclusion—an approach that illustrates how higher education institutions can align global values with local action.
IAU’s Contribution as Observer
Through its observer role in the CDEDU and participation in the Sub-Group on Higher Education Policy, IAU is able to:
Ensure that higher education institutions’ perspectives are represented in European policy debates;
Exchange expertise and good practices with policymakers and peer organisations;
Contribute to shaping education systems that uphold democracy, human rights, inclusion, and academic integrity.
This engagement also strengthens IAU’s ability to connect global higher education institutions with regional policy developments, fostering dialogue and cooperation across borders.
More on the Sub-Group meeting
More on the CDEDU and the Council of Europe’s Education Strategy
List of CDEDU participants and observers
