Principles of the "European Education Forum"

1. The first EEF took place in September 2003 at Berlinas an alternative to the European Higher Education Summit. It constitutes the basis for the next European education forums.

2. The aim of the EEF is to build up a European network including teachers, students, pupils, employees in the education sector, parents and different groups which is based upon a common call.

3. The EEF serves a platform to discuss questions referring to education policy, to develop alternatives and to prepare common actions.

4. The perspective of the EEF is to take European social dimensions of education more in consideration (e.g. justice in education, access to education, fringe groups, establishment of elites, etc. etc.). Education shall not only be discussed under the comprehension of state-run policy but introduce a distance which makes it possible to reveal contradictions and risks.

5. The target is to arrange a wide offer of seminars, debates and coordination-meetings for the educational section, which will be organized by every group in their own authority and this regardless their size and their

6. Groups, who are disregarded under the comprehension of state-run policy, shall especially be taken in consideration. Further the common and cross national protest shall be supported and promoted.

7. Groups, who disobey the democratic principles of the EEF and represent or approve racist, anti-Semitic, fascistic or sexist positions, are excluded.

8. The EEF is independent from parties, employers’ association and confessional associations.

9. The EEF is considered as an autonomous forum, but shall also serve as a bridge regarding time and content between the European Social Forums and it also includes those who doesn’t fell represented in the social forum movement and act outwards. On that respect it is a part of the social-forum movement and delegates representatives to the ESF-Preparation-Group.

10. According to the "charter of principles" of the WSF, the EEF adopts no common positions. All declarations and decisions are decided only by the groups, who signed the declaration/ agreed with the decision. The EEF is only affording the opportunity for a successful workout and coordination of the different positions.

11. The perspective of the EEF is to change the perception of education in society by critical reflection. Education must not support the reproduction of elites and creation of human capital for the utilization process. It should give people the possibility to emancipate, to self-realize and to finally overcome social constraints.

    First signatures:

    • Scudag-Netzwerk (Germany)
    • Unicobas L'Altrascuola Italia (Italy)
    • Emancipation/Ecole Emancipée Intersyndicale France (France)
    • StudentInnenschaft der Universität Bern -SUB- (Switzerland)
    • Alternative Liste Universität Bielefeld (Germany)
    • Landesausschuss der Studentinnen und Studenten (LASS) in der GEW Thüringen (Germany)
    • LandesschülerInnenvertretung Bayern (Germany)
    • LandesschülerInnenvertretung Nordrhein-Westfalen (Germany)
    • AStA der Bergischen Universität Wuppertal (Germany)
    • afb - Aktionsbündnis für Freie Bildung BUGH Wuppertal (Germany)
    • VSS-UNES (Switzerland)