Education, in addition to its general role and importance, is a crucial factor for the prospects of the economy. The mandatory levels of education build the foundations for the advancement of the skills and knowledge of the workforce. Tertiary education shapes the availability of the skilled manpower that is involved in the development of innovative products and services. Lifelong learning contributes in the further advancement and updating of the workforce’s skills, as technology and the needs of economy develop.
In addition, the broader economic conditions shape the way the education system functions. The Greek crisis, the fiscal tightening that followed, and the sharp increase of unemployment, especially of the young, have a significant impact on the education system, as well as on its relation with the labor market. In particular, the growing fleeing of graduates of higher education abroad (“brain drain”) deprives the country of valuable human capital.
Therefore, the analysis of the two-way relation between education and the broader economy in Greece is of high importance. The education system will affect decisively the structure of the post-crisis Greek economy. The appropriate institutional reform of the education system and its closer interconnection with the labor market and business activity, are necessary preconditions for building a new growth model, based on innovation and global competitiveness.
In this context, IOBE examines: i) the main characteristics of the education system in Greece and their development, by reference to international benchmarks and in comparison to other European countries; ii) the impact of the crisis, for different parts of the education system, after 2009; iii) the relation between education and the labor market; iv) the advancement of the digital and other new technologies in education; v) the shaping of policy for the education system. |
