On 27 November 2024, the European Parliament approved the “von der Leyen II” Commission. The College of Commissioners is expected to take office on 1 December 2024. As previously reported, the currently joint portfolio of Iliana Ivanova, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth is split across three different Commissioners in the new college (for more details, see ACA Newsletter – Education Europe, September 2024).  

Endorsed as Vice-President for People, Skills and Preparedness, Roxana Mînzatu (Romania) will be responsible for skills and education, quality jobs and social rights, dealing with: 

• the European Education Area to support a common approach to skills;  
• the European Degree as a flagship for learning mobility and support for European Universities Alliances;  
• the attraction of skilled workers from outside the EU; and  
• the development of a new STEM Education Strategic Plan.  

In her earlier European Parliament hearing, Roxana Mînzatu addressed MEPs from the Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) and the Culture and Education (CULT) committees and presented her vision for the entrusted portfolio. While social issues are very high on her agenda, with initiatives such as a European Dialogue and a new Action plan on the implementation of the European Pillar for Social Rights, Roxana Mînzatu also highlighted education and Erasmus+ in her intervention.  

In particular, she has expressed support for stronger funding of Erasmus+ in the next multiannual financial framework (MFF), which should also be more inclusive and reach more beneficiaries from a vulnerable economic background, while stepping up vocational education and training (VET). She also highlighted her aspiration to improve funding synergies between different EU programmes, such as Erasmus+ and the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) in particular. 

Ms Mînzatu also aims to make the European degree a reality and ensure that the European Universities Alliance receive legal status, by increasing the number of universities joining the initiative and by offering a general recognised degree.  

The chairs expressed their dissatisfaction regarding the title of the portfolio, considering it does not reflect the need for focusing on quality jobs, and does not mention education.