The renewal of education's civic mission, education in times of emergency and crisis, and harnessing the potential of digital transformation in education are the main themes of the 26th Council of Europe Standing Conference of Ministers of Education held in Strasbourg on September 28-29. The conference brings together Ministers of education and high-level officials from 43 member states of the Council of Europe who are expected to launch the new Council of Europe Education Strategy 2030 and adopt five resolutions reaffirming the critical role of education in promoting democracy, human rights, and the rule of law; recognising the need for decisive action to address global challenges; strengthening the Council of Europe's education implementation mechanisms, and focusing on the democratic future for all learners.
The conference will discuss a number of proposals, namely, the development of a new framework convention to create a "European Space for Citizenship Education", a pilot toolbox for ensuring education rights in emergencies, the launch of the European Year of Digital Citizenship Education in 2025, and the start of work on an instrument on the use of artificial intelligence systems in education systems. The conference seeks to help to implement the conclusions of the 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government, the Council of Europe 2030 Strategy, the Secretary General's Strategic Framework, and the United Nations 2030 Agenda.
The conference will be opened on 28 September by Deputy Secretary General Bjorn Berge and Minister for Education and Science of Latvia Anda Čakša. Further key addresses will be delivered by French Minister of National Education and Youth Gabriel Attal, Minister of Education of Slovenia Darjo Felda and UNESCO's Assistant Director-General for Education Stefania Giannini. Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić will deliver the closing address on 29 September.
