01/04/2003

A new Internet portal providing information on education and training in the European Union was officially launched during the Informal Meeting of the Ministries for Education in Athens (1-2 March 2003), by Vivian Reding, Commissioner for Education. PLOTEUS ( Portal on Learning Opportunities Throughout the European Space), which in ancient Greek means "navigator", constitutes an EU initiative divided into the following sections: Learning opportunities, education systems, exchanges, contacts and moving to a Country.

The first section provides access to national education websites, through lists of schools, colleges and other educational institutions. The users will have the opportunity to narrow down their research by selecting the country, the language, the subject and the level of education.

The section on education systems will focus on providing detailed information about the national education and training systems. By selecting the country and the level of education, the interested parties will acquire information on the structure of education, the recognition of foreign diplomas and qualifications, the tuition fees and the opportunities for grants.

The exchange concerns the participation in European exchange programmes, giving pupils and students the opportunity to study abroad for a fixed amount of time during the course of their studies.

The section on contact details includes various guidance centres throughout Europe. The users can contact experts directly, by selecting the country, the region and the level of education they are interested in.

Regarding a move to a country, the portal provides important practical information about the history and the characteristics of the new destination, the legal framework for studying and working, the cost of living, the tax and social security issues, etc.

On the occasion of the launch of the PLOTEUS portal, the EU Commissioner for Education, Viviane Reding, underlined that "moving country and learning abroad are no longer restricted to any particular age or social group. Lifelong learning is a priority for the European Commission and the member states. I am proud that PLOTEUS does bring added ease to finding the necessary information to study and train in another part of Europe".

It is also noted that another portal containing the European database on jobs opportunities is already in existence. The EURES portal ( European Employment Services) aims at informing workers about job opportunities and working conditions throughout Europe and facilitating the free movement of European citizens.

Internet addresses
PLOTEUS portal
http://www.ploteus.net

EURES portal
http://www.europa.eu.int/eures

Source: European Commission