Why Eurydice?

The mission of the Eurydice network is to understand and explain how the different education systems in Europe are organized and function. The network provides descriptions of national education systems, comparative studies dedicated to specific topics, indicators and statistics.
Through its activity, the Eurydice network aims to promote understanding, cooperation, trust and mobility at European and international level.

What does Eurydice do?

Cosidering its specific mission, Eurydice has an important contribution to achieving the objectives assumed in the context of the "Europe 2020" Strategy and to the report analyzing the Bologna process on higher education.
The Eurydice network collects information regarding national laws, regulations in force, as well as relevant statistics. Other research results and outcomes of main international surveys add to, when appropriate, the analysis carried out within the network. These approaches make it possible to identify similar patterns and common trends, providing a basis for thinking about effective strategies in the field of education.

The Eurydice network provides information on:

• detailed description of education systems
• comparative thematic reports dedicated to topics of community interest
• factual reports regarding education - such as: structure of education systems, school and academic calendars, teaching time in each country, on education levels, comparison between teacher salaries, etc.

In order to produce the studies and analysis, Eurydice collaborates with the Council of Europe, Eurostat (Statistical Office of the European Communities), Cedefop (European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training), the Research Center for Long-Life Learning (CRELL), European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education (EADSNE), Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) etc.
All Eurydice publications are available free of charge on the Eurydice website or in printed form upon request.

History and context

In 1980, the Eurydice network was created at the initiative of the European Commission, a strategic mechanism established to support European cooperation in the field of education.
Since 2014, the Eurydice network has been included in the Erasmus+ programme, the European programme for education, training, youth and sport.
It is a Key Action 3 (Policy Support) for the Erasmus+ programme.
The Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) is responsible for managing and promoting the network and its publications.
The Eurydice network consists of 42 national units in 38 countries participating in the Erasmus+ program:
the 28 member countries of the European Union, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia (former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia), Iceland, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland and Turkey.