Structures of the education and initial training systems in the European Union

In general, the present report follows the approach used for the 1991 version of the publication but is more extensive, firstly with regard to the countries it covers and secondly with regard to the content for each country. It now includes 17 countries - the 15 Member States of the European Union (including Austria, Finland and Sweden as of I January 1995) plus the EFTA/EEA countries, Iceland and Norway. It provides information on the administration and structure of all levels of education and initial vocational training. Brief information has been added on higher education and on the initial and in-service training of teachers and their status. As in the previous edition of the document, all countries have been dealt with in a broadly similar way, in order to facilitate comparison between them. Nevertheless, care has neen taken to represent the particularities of the different systems. In almost all cases the first chapter comprises brief information on the country concerned, the basic principles affecting the education and training systems, the distribution of responsibilities and more detailed information under the headings: administration, inspection, financing, private education and advisory bodies. In some countries, information pertaining to initial vocational training has been integrated under these headings and in othersi t appearsa s a separateh eadinga t the end of the first chapter. In exceptional cases, it has not been possible to adhere to this pattern, but the information provided is comparable. Some information on major reforms is also included.