The education ministers of the G8 countries gathered in Moscow on 1^st and 2^nd June to discuss the agenda set by the Russian government. Russia, which holds the G8 presidency this year, has identified global energy security, fighting infectious diseases and education as its presidency’s top priorities. With regard to education, the main focus of the Russian presidency is on:

• increasing the quality of education;
• improving access to literacy;
• social and cultural adjustment of migrants through education;
• mutual recognition of degrees issued in different education systems.

The Education Ministers addressed, besides the above topics, the need to develop comprehensive systems of lifelong learning, the importance of achieving high standards in mathematics, science and technology and foreign languages for society to embrace innovation and the importance of sharing best practices in order to help all countries build effective, innovative and inclusive education systems.

During a meeting with the press, Russia’s President Putin said that, in relation to the issue of quality education and diplomas recognition, the Russian presidency is proposing to create an international centre that would evaluate different education systems by comparing the "amount of knowledge that students receive". The main task of this centre will be to certify graduates’ qualifications and to provide them with access to the international labour