Commission urged to do more to create a 'learning society'
In two separate reports by MEPs, the European Commission has been urged to make more of an effort to catch up with the USA in terms of innovation and technological advance and to provide more funding in order to create a 'learning society'. In his report on the Commission's report 'Designing tomorrow's education: promoting innovation with new technologies', Greek MEP Alexandros Alavanos argues that a university area of knowledge should also be created by the European Commission. According to Mr Alavanos, such an assembly would foster partnerships between universities, thus facilitating the dissemination of common knowledge. In order to help combat social exclusion and enable certain regions to catch up in terms of economic development, Mr Alavanos also calls for a programme financed by the Structural Funds aimed at setting up a European educational network of information and communication technologies (ICT), which both public and private educational centr4s could join voluntarily. Particular attention should be paid to achieving universal access to new technologies, as well as to lower access charges, argued Mr Alavanos. Educational establishments should also be assisted through the production and dissemination of high quality educational software, a European Commission area of responsibility, the paper also argues. British MEP Roy Perry highlighted the case of the applicant countries, who need particular assistance in developing their education and training systems. Mr Alavanos also urged the Member States to take action, suggesting they provide tax incentives for suppliers of multimedia equipment and services who offer special rates to educational establishments. Mr Perry also called for acknowledgement by the Commission and Member States of the economic, political and cultural importance of lifelong learning. This was a point echoed by Mr Alavanos, who recommended the creation of electronic communication centres in local authority areas all over Europe. European Commissioner for Education and culture, Vivian Reding, was highlighting what the Commission plans to do in response to some of the issues raised by MEPs at the first eLearning summit, taking place in La Hulpe, Belgium on 10 May. One of the main projects in this area is the proposal to establish a European virtual centre of excellence. A feasibility study is going to be launched on this by Commissioner Reding this year. Looking at how to get the main forces in the development of European learning together, Ms Reding explained that it may be difficult to get a pole of reference like MIT's (Massachusetts institute of technology) Media Lab in the USA. '[But] I believe that it is possible to develop fruitful links between all the teams who are doing in the various locations pioneering work in preparing the technologies and teaching of the future,' she said.