European Trade Union Committee for Education

On 18 March 2026, the  Educational Leadership Network Europe (ELNE) gathered around 80 representatives of the leaders (ETUCE, EFEE, EPA, OBESSU, ESHA) and partners of the network and other stakeholders for an in‑depth dialogue with the European Commission on collaborative leadership in the  European Education Area (EEA). Moderated by Agnes Roman (ETUCE), the meeting highlighted ELNE’s mission to strengthen collaborative school leadership as a foundation for high‑quality and equitable education systems and for the implementation of the EEA. 

Monika Kepe (DG EAC) opened the discussion with an overview of the progress and future direction of the EEA. Participants reflected on findings from the  Education and Training Monitor 2025 and confirmed that citizenship education and digital skills remain their priority EEA targets for their countries or institutions. They underlined the need for stronger cooperation between ministries and stakeholders to tackle major challenges, including education reforms, teacher working conditions, inclusion and the impact of social media. 

Géraldine Libreau (DG EAC) then addressed the  conditions and types of collaborative leadership models in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC). Participants agreed on the importance of improving the quality of and investment in ECEC and pointed to barriers of effective collaborative leadership in their countries such as lack of communication, lack of leadership training, staff shortages, insufficient time, and weak social dialogue, along with persistent funding gaps. They rated collaboration between education stakeholders and public authorities at an average of 3.6/5, showing some progress but clear room for improvement.  

In the final intervention, Sophia Queckenberg (DG EAC) presented the Commission’s work on  whole‑school approaches to sustainability in schools and the role of leadership for long‑term cultural change. Participants of the webinar underlined that despite strong public support for climate education, progress is slowed by ineffective cooperation between ministries and relevant stakeholders due to funding shortages, top‑down policy design, and lack of leadership training. Participants identified community engagement, professional development and pedagogical approaches as the most effective entry points for strengthening sustainability in schools. They also noted that, although sustainability is gaining visibility, it remains less prioritised than digital skills in many countries.  

Agnes Roman concluded that the discussions across all presentations delivered a unified message: advancing the European Education Area depends on structured, genuine collaborative leadership at every level of the education system. Stakeholders emphasised that the European Commission plays a key role in reminding Member States that meaningful cooperation and strong social dialogue with teachers, students, school leaders, parents, education employers and researchers must underpin all education reforms.