EU launches new education portal


5 Mar 2003

I want to move to France and study law – what’s the easiest way of finding out what my options are and what is available? I have to move to Sweden with my family – how am I going to find out about the school system for my children?

The answers to all these questions and more can be found through a new EU internet portal, www.ploteus.net, designed to connect people to detailed information on education and training in Europe.

This portal on learning opportunities throughout the EU, which means ‘navigator’ in ancient Greek, will be launched in Brussels by the European Commissioner in charge of Education, Viviane Reding, this afternoon.

“Moving country and learning abroad are no longer restricted to any particular age or social group. Lifelong learning is a priority for the European Commission and member states. I am proud that Ploteus brings added ease to find the necessary information to study and train in another part of Europe. I encourage all Europeans to make an intensive use of the Ploteus portal,” says Reding.

The portal itself is divided into a number of different sections: learning opportunities; education systems; exchanges; contacts; and moving to a country. One of the most useful functions of the portal will be to connect surfers to national education websites and providing lists of schools, colleges and other educational institutions. Here one can weigh up various options about studying anything from engineering in Finland, business in Spain or forestry in Austria.

By Lisa Deeney