This newsletter contains articles in French and English on events relating to educational policy in various European countries. Part 1 contains an essay on the essential aims of education and a suggestion for incorporating work and study in university education. Part 2 includes the following news items: Austria's school education act; Belgium's…

A new system in which French higher education policy is evaluated through the policies of each institution is described. Characteristics of the French university and university system are examined, the national evaluation committee's structure is outlined, and the logistics of the evaluation process are discussed. (MSE)

Describes the present state of the Basque language within the educational field in Spain and France. The article also discusses legislative issues, the number and geographical distribution of speakers of the language, the population's linguistic attitudes, and the different models of bilingual education and its results. (Author/SED)

The French situation, in which the proprietary and upper-level secondary schools may contain a large number of "high-risk" or marginally qualified students, and proposed solutions to the problem, are described and discussed. (MSE)

The recent Savary Law is regressive and political in a time when the French university system is already overburdened by economic crisis, declining enrollments, recent government mandates favoring research over higher education, poor manpower and curriculum planning, and inappropriate facilities. (MSE)

A comparative study of policies and practices for accountability in French and English schools is presented. Growth of central government influence and teacher autonomy are common elements. However, the constraints on teachers (formal in France and informal in England) do not necessarily cause more freedom or accountability in England. (MSE)

Examines French higher education in terms of Michel Crozier's theory that views the French as torn between two conflicting desires: to maximize personal autonomy and to assure an ordered and orderly environment. Participation on all levels in the university system is described. (AMH)

Explores alternative arrangements for adult access to higher education in England and Wales, France, and Germany, and examines the impact of such arrangements on the relationship between the state and higher education. Draws on Weiler's theory of compensatory legitimation to explain why the noise about such policy innovations is louder than the…

Efforts to reform education in France include proposed changes in teacher education and the teaching profession that are met with a range of responses from skepticism to hostility. The reactions leave the government little room for movement. (MSE)

Presents an overview of policies and practices related to the parent-school relationship in nine countries including Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Considers reasons for involving parents in schools, discusses two types of parental participation in education, and offers…

Examines whether European educational reforms of the past three decades had the intended effect of reducing the impact of social class on educational achievement. Concludes that the modest decline in class inequality suggested by the odds ratio is offset by continuing social selection within the increasingly diverse structure of post-secondary…

This collection includes a series of reports presenting the main results of a project to identify trends in continuing education and training in eight countries throughout Western Europe. The following reports are included: "Synthesis Report," by Hilary Steedman; "Belgium," by staff at the Office National de l'Emploi;…

This document analyzes, compares, and evaluates foreign student policies of governments and higher education institutions throughout the Western world and it also provides an extensive bibliography of materials on this topic. After a brief introductory chapter providing definitions and delineating categories of policy issues, the following topics…

Traces the history of the advances and setbacks experienced by proponents of sign language in France and in the United States from the 18th century to the present. (AM)

Three structural divisions between private and public sectors of higher education are compared: mass private and restricted public sectors; parallel public and private sectors; and, comprehensive public and peripheral private sectors. The private sectors are contrasted in terms of state authority, financial constraints, the student marketplace or…