Choices made so far and reforms of education give us different perspective and results, but also present some common problems, weaknesses and shortcomings of interrupted or reorganized reforms.

European dimension of education

Adopting the resolution “European Dimension of Education: Educational Practice and Content of program” (1991) expanded process of development and specialization in European education. Need for introducing European dimension of education was imposed by prospective multicultural and multilingual European society which demands "understanding and tolerance between different national communities, ethnic or migratory origin". In such society work, learning and leisure will be influenced by daily movement of inhabitants, changes and communication. In order to apply faster changes in education, the Resolution defines elements that should be included as goals of education in European countries and the way of implementation in educational programs. The education goals need to include also necessity of mutual familiarity of European countries and nations. Education will help young people to accept their European identity, but this will not deprive them from their national, regional and local roots. According to the Resolution, all education fields in school programs can contribute European dimension of education and interpretation of basic educational concept. Young people need to be initiators and form Europe toward values which are result of their own inheritance. That is the essence of European dimension. Education of young people has to be orientated towards forming "Europe consciousness" based on common spiritual inheritance, humanistic bases and free culture inspired with European history. This means that goals of education which are the consequence of European dimension, include:

-         offer young people knowledge, competence and attitude necessary to be prepared for the main challenge of European society;

-         prepare young people for continual education and mobility, work and daily life in multicultural and multilingual Europe;

-         prepare young people to save common cultural inheritance and fulfill responsibilities they have as citizens of Europe.

European dimension includes innovation of goals, educational programs, different organizing of students and teachers and their exchange.

Directions for further development of education in Europe

Further develop of education, especially professional, and training system in Europe, received its main direction in of adoption of a document called the “White Paper about Education” (1996). The main goal was to harmonize education, training, employing and further development in Europe. The starting point of the “White Paper” are three main demands: that social integration, increase of employment and personal satisfaction are going to be compatible. According to this the “White Paper” has two main starting points:

- importance of education in Europe in contemporary technical and economical changes;

- directions towards producing highly educated people.

Since contemporary education systems brings many inflexibilities without links or possibilities for connection, especially when we talk about long-life education, the “White Paper” has a task to establish, as soon as possible, common blocks by building educated European society. The “White Paper” caused many activities, analysis and changes in system of high schools, professional education and training, for example in the field of long-life education. As part of this, a document named “Towards Europe of Knowledge”, has been brought up and it sets new ways of mutual actions of EU in education for period 2000 to 2006. All this has a general goal to develop life-long education, which means promotion of large access to education and permanent specialization and modernization. Gradual creating of opened and dynamic European education is the main principle and special attention will be given to three dimensions:

1.       Knowledge. In order to be able for active participation in process of changes European citizens will develop continual and gradual expansion of their knowledge.