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education system

Soviet mentality brakes Lithuanian educational reform

In front | FEATURE
University of Sciences, Vilnius (Photo: Jorden Van der Ven)

The educational system has changed as many times as the capital of Vilnius has changed hands – the current system is as young as the independent country, and much criticised

by Marc Serena // 05/11/07

PANORAMA

Bad European universities

Non-existent courses in Italy, freezing toilets in France, everyone having to sit on the floor in Germany, bribery in Lithuania. A trip around the universities of the EU

by Anna Castellari // 07/11/07

FOCUS
First day at kindergarten (Photo: MekongVirus/ Flickr)

Kindergarten tactics

Go back to work, have more children, and we'll look after every third child, says the new daycare reform in Germany, a country with one of the lowest birth rates in Europe. But conservatives aren't happy

by Lisa Schwer // 18/09/07

FOCUS
Learning that gay marriages are possible (Photo: Jaume d'Urgel/ Flickr)

Classes in citizenship: controversy in the classroom

The Spanish government is set to introduce compulsory classes in citizenship. The law has been blighted by controversy and critics even before some schools have incorporated the subject into their curriculum

by Judith Argila // 18/09/07

School holidays end in the west

Millions of European students are (almost) heading back to their desks

by Elisa Marengo // 18/09/07

ANALYSIS
(Photo: GA)

Hands off Greek universities!

The Greek government has approved a series of reforms intended to modernise its university system, including the opening of private institutions and placing a limit on the maximum study period. However, the students are protesting

by Giovanni Angioni // 10/07/07

The EU's Mr. Erasmus (Photo: European Commission)

Don't fear the Polish plumber

Integration must happen in-situ, with your neighbours - not with Brussels, says Slovak Ján Figel', European Commissioner for Education, Training and Culture

by Jane Mery // 05/02/07

FOCUS
The film 'Prinzessin' (Photo  Astrid Groborsch)

Girls hit cinema screens

Films about girls in the suburbs are all the rage in Europe

by Prune Antoine // 27/10/06

INTERVIEW

Travelling with insider tips

Take an alternative trip around Brussels with our private guide, Stephane Lambert. Together we discover the hidden corners of the European capital.

by Marc Serena // 18/10/06

DEBATE
Does Great Britain need more faith-based schools? (Hector Ferniza, Flickr)

Education and Islam: keeping the faith

Are state faith schools a viable solution to integration problems in Europe?

by Chris Reynolds // 18/09/06

One country, one language

The European Commission wants to improve young Europeans’ grasp of foreign languages. However, EU member states find it difficult to implement concrete measures

by Ramona Binder // 18/09/06

Pupils in the british school in Warsaw playing chess (The british school, Warsaw)

Free schooling for expat children

Firms in Poland increasingly fund the bilingual education of expats’ children. But financial problems and contract negotiations impede access to exclusive international schools

by Inga Pietrusiska i Natalia Sosin // 18/09/06

FEATURE

Poor education levels spur reading programmes in Spain

In Andalusia, a new school year has just begun. Town councils strive to introduce and fund more innovative efforts to promote reading

by Fernando Navarro Sordo // 18/09/06

INVESTIGATION
London mosque in White Chapel (Ermiyas Mekonnen)

Squabbles and wrangles in the Muslim world

Despite a population of 15 million Muslims in Europe, stereotypes are still strong: Islam = terrorism. Muslim organisations fail to tackle the identity crises that destabilise their communities

by Prune Antoine // 13/09/06

FOCUS

Spain: Between bombs and calls for freedom

192 deaths and thousands of injuries was a harsh wake up call for Spain. On March 11, the country started their fight against Jihadist terrorism

by Carmen Rengel Ramos // 13/09/06

NEWS
Some use the army, others the police (Bosco)

Europe’s anti-terror alert systems are out of tune with each other

The planned terror attacks uncovered in London are putting the alert systems of every European country to the test. Find out how these work and which alert levels are currently in place.

by Fernando Navarro Sordo // 12/09/06

PANORAMA

Escalating threats and anti-terrorist measures

In response to escalating violence and fear, Europe has equipped itself with a real arsenal to counter threats

by Emanuela Ruse // 11/09/06

The 12th Sarajevo Film Festival (FFS)

From siege to silver screen

The 12th Sarajevo Film Festival, which ended on August 26, featured a packed programme of challenging films, revealing the remarkable

renaissance of filmmaking in the Balkans.

by Grégory Mounier // 06/09/06

FEATURE
Illegal immigrants demonstrate against deportations in France (Amir Karma Flickr)

Translating threats: Chinese immigrants fight to stay in France

Nicolas Sarkozy vowed to step up deportations of illegal immigrants to 25,000. A network of teachers fights to defend pupils and their families

by Clea Caulcutt // 05/09/06

INVESTIGATION

Purchase power beats flower power on canals

Once a favourite of the flower power generation, living on a canal boat has become a privilege for the young and affluent. Today modern houseboats are not longer dingy eccentric dwellings for the marginal, but fully equipped modern pads

by Karolin Schaps // 28/08/06

PORTRAIT
Ian Van der Kooye, the new face of Dutch politics (NB)

Lux Voor: the changing face of politics

Neither coalition nor legal organisation, the ‘Lux Voor’ movement, founded in March 2006, radically questions contemporary Dutch politics. We take a look at this flourishing network

by Nicolas Baker // 28/08/06

On the bumpy road to Europe? EU enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn chats with Miroljub Labus, the Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia (EU commission)

Membership brinkmanship in the Balkans

For years we promised to accept the Balkan states’ bid to enter the EU. As politicians slow down the integration process, the region is further destabilised

by Jens Tönnesmann // 01/08/06

FEATURE
News travels slowly on the Congo river (Hugo Rami/IRIN)

A vote for a piece of soap

In the interior of the humid Congo basin, amid corruption and endemic poverty, the preparations for the elections on the 30 July were a huge challenge

by IRIN // 31/07/06

ANALYSIS
Kinshasa: Remind me why we are voting again? (David Hecht/IRIN)

War, peace and a ballot box

The Congolese people voted for a president and parliament in the first democratic elections in the country for decades. In a country ravaged by conflict, the election process faced some tough challenges

by Mathilde Gérard // 31/07/06

Dieudonné Kabongo, the Congolese European (CP)

Dieudonné Kabongo: lethal comedy

As the former Zaïre prepares to have its first democratic elections in 45 years, Congolese-born comedian Dieudonné Kabongo talks about Africa and the disillusionment of young immigrants who try their luck in Europe

by Célia Pascaud // 29/07/06

EU double-dealings fuel conflict in Middle East (Francesco Morello)

Europe and the Middle East: brothers in arms

Though European governments have been quick to criticize the escalation of violence in the Middle-East, the EU still sells weapons to Israel and Lebanon. Europe needs to strengthen its arms trade Code of Conduct

by Thomas Jackson // 27/07/06

Building Europe one step at a time (EP)

Why Europe should dare to be dull

Over a year after the French and Dutch referenda said no to the constitution, commentators continue to talk about a ‘crisis.’ Yet the European project is alive and well. Andrew Moravcsik tells us why

by Andrew Moravcsik // 25/07/06

ANALYSIS
The changelings lives on (John Bauer)

The times are a chang(el)ing

For centuries, stories of changelings have circulated in Europe. What could explain the similarity of these tales of human babies being snatched, and being replaced by changelings – elven babies with unquenchable appetites?

by Joshua Craze // 24/07/06

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An (un)official paper about the recent change in Estonian - Russian high schools

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