The following press release was issued by the Stability Pact:

New steps in Education, Science and Research (Building Human Capital)

On 24 August 2007 a Declaration of Intent to Strengthen and deepen the Cooperation in Education, Science and Research with the aim to foster and build Human Capital in South Eastern Europe was signed in Alpbach, Austria. The declaration was signed by Claudia Schmied, Federal Minister of Education, Arts and Culture of the Republic of Austria; Christian Mihai Adomnitei, Minister of Education, Research and Youth of Romania; Johannes Hahn, Federal Minister of Science and Research of the Republic of Austria and was acknowledged by Erhard Busek, Special Co-ordinator of the Stability Pact on behalf of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe.

Dr. Busek underlined that the initiative is in line with the aim of increasing regional ownership of the Stability Pact and other initiatives, since after 8 years of successful leadership of Austria in the field of education and youth, the signatories agreed to switch the Chairmanship of the Task Force Education and Youth from Austria (currently chair) to Romania (currently co-chair), with immediate effect.

The signatories agreed to continue active engagement in the partnerships and activities initiated and lead by the Task Force Education and Youth of the Stability Pact as well as to widen the field of activities to the area of science and research in line with the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministers responsible for Education, Science and Research of South Eastern Europe, signed in Istanbul in May 2007, and the priority Building Human Capital of the Stability Pact and the Regional Co-operation Council.

The signatories also agreed to inform partners in the region covered by the initiatives ERI SEE (Education Reform Initiative for SEE) and SEE ERA.NET (South East European Research Area Network) about the decisions taken. The signatories agreed to contribute to the continuity of European dialogue in education and research in the region of South Eastern Europe and to invite the regional co-operation partners to participate in a regular regional co-ordination process on education and research “Building Human Capital”. The signatories of the Declaration, the Working Table I of the Stability Pact and the Bulgarian Presidency of the SEECP will intensively work on enhancing the co-ordination process in the field of Building Human Capital with a view of making a strong link between the Co-ordination Process and the Regional Co-operation Council.

For further information please contact Stability Pact's Spokesperson
Mr Georgi Gotev at the SP Secretariat in Brussels
(Tel: +32 2 401 87 25 or press@stabilitypact.org)

More about the Education and Youth Task Force at http://www.stabilitypact.org/education/default.asp:

The Task Force Education and Youth is a network of regional and international key actors in the field of education and youth. Within the Education Reform Initiative of South Eastern Europe (ERI SEE) its partners are international institutions, donors and the Ministries of Education of the South Eastern European countries represented by a network of Senior Officials.

In its work the Task Force Education and Youth strongly builds on existing institutional frameworks and expertise, as well as on regional ownership. Through an inclusive approach it supports the inclusion of the countries of South Eastern Europe into a wider European Area of Education.

The Morandum is available in its German version in the attachment.