The European Institute of Education and Social Policy (EIESP) is an independent education body with thirty years experience in the analysis of education and training policies in Europe. It is a non-profit organisation. The focus of its work is education policy in a European context. The EIESP has built up a solid reputation as an experienced, international and innovative partner in education policy design, management, reform and evaluation at European, national, regional and institutional levels. It has Journals in English and French (The European Journal of Education and Politiques d'Education et de formation), specialised in the evaluation and review of education and training policies and their dissemination.
Its strength lies is the capacity to make effective contributions to policy analysis and comparisons in a broad range of contexts. There is a specific concern for strategic planning for lifelong learning, in transition societies and at regional level, as well as within the EU member states. In all three categories there is a need for building bridges among practitioners, policy makers and researchers. This is the real strength of the Institute. Bridging depends on an iterative movement between action and reflection, thus between dissemination and action-research.
There is a need for an interface among conceptual analysis (unwrapping the theory), implementation (organisation and management) and reflection (publication and dissemination). These needs exist for the EU and its agencies, and for the large consortia implementing the different types of funding programmes (donor funding as well as community initiatives). The Institute has the ability to think, analyse and act in an objective manner. This combined with its dissemination capacity enables mediation between the actors in the field and the deciders.
It is the European focus of the Institute and its capacity to interpret other European systems and preoccupations, in terms comprehensible within the concepts and philosophy underpinning specific education and training systems that is appreciated. Continuing to reinforce that capacity will remain an integral part of the EIESP's strategy. The members and administrators of the EIESP are from several European countries and it is currently chaired by Alain Michel, Inspecteur Général in the French education system. The members of the editorial boards of the two journals represent a broad range of academic and policy interests from across Europe.
The mission of the EIESP is built around three pillars:
1. Strategy development
2. Evaluation
3. Dissemination
