The teaching profession in Europe : practices, perceptions, and policies

Is the teaching profession an attractive career choice nowadays? What are teachers' working conditions? How are teachers trained for their job? Is transnational mobility popular among them? The European Commission and the Council of the European Union have recently emphasised the need to improve teachers' education, strengthen their continuing professional development, and enhance the attractiveness of the profession. In this context, the Eurydice report 'The Teaching Profession in Europe: Practices, Perceptions, and Policies' analyses the relation between the policies that regulate the teaching profession, and the attitudes, practices, and perceptions of teachers. The report focuses on almost two million lower secondary education (ISCED 2) teachers employed in the 28 Member States, as well as in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, and Turkey. It is based on Eurydice and Eurostat/UOE data, as well as on a secondary analysis of TALIS 2013, combining qualitative and quantitative evidence. This 'Eurydice Highlights' provides a snapshot of some of the most important findings of the report, with a special focus on the transition from education to the teaching profession, continuing professional development, transnational mobility, teacher demographics, and working conditions.