The Head of the Education Department Villano QIRIAZI, represented the Council of Europe at the SDG4 High-Level Steering Committee Sherpa Group Meeting at UNESCO Headquarters ( 12-13 March 2026) .
Member of this high-level body, the Council of Europe actively contributed to defining the strategic theme for 2026–2027: building resilient education systems through stronger teaching professions, lifelong learning and inclusive digital transformation.
The Council of Europe brought concrete tools to the global table: its forthcoming White Paper on the Future of the Teaching Profession, the European Space for Citizenship Education, and its expertise on academic freedom and democratic culture.
A significant bridge between the 27th session of the Council of Europe Standing Conference of Ministers of Education and the global post-2030 agenda will be the presentation, at the Podgorica meeting, of UNESCO's work-in-progress on the Global Education Futures Outlook Beyond 2030. This working paper — prepared by UNESCO as part of the HLSC's Phase I foresight exercises — will assess the megatrends, risks and opportunities shaping the future of education globally: demographic change, technological transformation, climate and environmental pressures, threats to peace and democracy, and labour market shifts. Bringing together experts, researchers, thought leaders, civil society, youth and cross-sectoral actors, it will surface innovative scenarios and policy priorities for education beyond 2030. By inviting UNESCO to present preliminary findings of this Outlook to European Ministers in December 2026, the Council of Europe will create a timely and valuable opportunity: European perspectives, grounded in the Organisation's expertise on democratic culture, teacher empowerment and human rights, can feed directly into the shaping of the document before it is submitted to the HLSC for broader feedback and ultimately presented at the 2027 Global Education Meeting.
This exchange ensures that the European region's voice — and its distinctive vision of education as a foundation of democracy — is heard at the earliest stages of the global post-2030 reflection
Looking ahead, the Council of Europe and the European Commission will co-host the European regional consultation on the post-2030 global education agenda in the second half of 2027 — ensuring Europe's democratic vision shapes the future of education worldwide.
