Two key documents have recently been adopted that directly relate to measuring progress towards the achievement of the European Education Area (EEA) and defining the next steps: the Education and Training Monitor 2025 and the draft Council Resolution on the second cycle of the strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training. 

The Education and Training Monitor is the European Commission’s yearly assessment of EU education and training systems, tracking their advancement towards the seven EU-level targets established by the 2021 Council Resolution on the strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training under the European Education Area (EEA). The 2025 edition also addresses new target proposals put forward in the context of the Union of Skills. The main findings are as follows: 

• Tertiary attainment continues to rise, reaching 44.1% among 25–34-year-olds, but equity gaps persist across socio-economic groups and regions; 
• Outward graduate mobility remains low at 11%, far from the 2030 target of 23%, with credit and degree mobility not showing significant progress;  
• Inward mobility from non-EU countries is increasing, with an 18.2% rise since 2020, positioning the EU as an increasingly attractive study destination globally; 
• Despite an increase in absolute numbers of STEM students, the EU average sits at 26.9% of tertiary students in STEM, still 5 percentage points below the proposed 2030 target of 32%. 

In parallel, the draft Council resolution on the second cycle of the strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training towards the European Education Area (2026-2030) originates from the planned review of the 2021–2030 strategic framework, requiring the Council to reassess priorities and targets. This review was informed by the Commission’s interim evaluation, which identified areas where improvement is needed, while also confirming the strong added value of EU cooperation in the field of education and training.  

The resolution sets out the work programme for EU level cooperation in higher education over the next five years. It sets a renewed agenda to enhance the international dimension of higher education with a focus on competitiveness and inclusiveness, including updated mobility targets and reiterated commitment to continued work toward a joint European degree label. The text emphasises the importance of STEM education and flexible learning pathways, while calling for better evidence on graduate outcomes and the safeguarding of fundamental academic values.