The Education, Youth and Culture (EYC) Council of the Council of the EU brought together education, culture, youth and communication Ministers on 15-16 November to discuss current decisions on the higher education and culture agenda. Highlights from the meeting in the realm of higher education include: • a political agreement on a draft recommendation for the establishment of a European Qualifications Framework (EQF), a recommendation that was approved by the European Parliament in October  (see ACA Newsletter – Education Europe October 2007). Formal adoption will occur when the text has been finalised in all Community languages; • several Resolutions were adopted: Education and Training as a Key Driver of the Lisbon Strategy and New Skills for New Jobs; • a general approach to the Decision to extend Erasmus Mundus to 2013, including several changes to the new programme (see ACA Newsletter – Education Europe July 2007) was established an will be the basis by which the Slovenian Presidency will begin its readings on the Decision in conjunction with the European Parliament in the upcoming year; • a discussion on modernisation of universities was held, resulting in a draft Resolution that was subsequently taken up by the Competitiveness Council which met later in the month (reported on in a separate article this month) Press release of Council meeting