25 October: Launch of SELFIE, a new tool to support digital teaching and learning in schools

The news:

On 25 October, Commissioner for Education, Youth, Culture and Sport, Tibor Navracsics, will unveil a new tool the Commission has developed to help all schools in the EU, Russia, Georgia and Serbia assess how they use digital technologies for teaching and learning. In the EU alone, the tool called will be offered to 76.7 million students and teachers in 250,000 schools on a voluntary basis. It is being launched in 24 EU languages with more language versions to follow.

The background:

SELFIE (Self-reflection on Effective Learning by Fostering the use of Innovative Educational Technologies) is one of the 11 initiatives of the Digital Education Action Plan presented by the Commission in January this year. The Action Plan aims to boost digital skills in Europe and support the innovative use of digital technologies in teaching and learning.

The Commission has worked in partnership with ministries of education and a community of experts on digital education from across Europe to develop the SELFIE tool. Partner institutions include the European Training Foundation, the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) and UNESCO’s Institute for Information Technologies in Education.

An early version of the tool was tested last year with 650 schools in 14 countries. This pilot produced 67,000 comments on how to further simplify and improve the tool – feedback that was integrated into the version launched now.

The event:

The launch is taking place today at a secondary school in Warsaw where the Commissioner is also attending the eTwinning annual conference. The Commissioner and the Polish Minister of Education, Anna Zalewska,are visiting the school to meet students and teachers and see how the school is embedding technology in learning.

The seminar can be followed on Europe by Satellite here.

The sources:

A press release in all EU languages and a factsheet will be available online at 12.00 on 25 October.

SELFIE website



EU-OSHA looks forward to a successful European Week for Safety and Health at Work 2018

Each year, the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) and its partners mark the European Week for Safety and Health at Work with awareness-raising events across the EU and beyond. This year’s theme, at the heart of an exciting range of activities from 22 to 26 October, is managing dangerous substances in the workplace.

We aim to benefit workers, management and the environment by conducting research, bringing together a wealth of practical help and raising awareness of the importance of actively managing dangerous substances.

Dangerous substances can be found in nearly all workplaces, with 38% of EU enterprises reporting that chemical or biological substances in the form of liquids, fumes or dust are present in their workplaces, according to EU-OSHA’s ESENER-2 survey. This European Week sees workers, managers and occupational safety and health (OSH) experts coming together to raise awareness of dangerous substances in workplaces, exchange best practices and promote effective workplace safety and health management.

EU-OSHA collaborates with an extensive network of national focal points, official campaign partners,  campaign media partners and OSH ambassadors from the Enterprise Europe Network. They work together to raise awareness during the European Week, organising many events, including conferences, competitions, training sessions, exhibitions and networking and good practice events.

Focal point activities include a good practice seminar in Croatia that focuses on how to work with dangerous substances and mixtures; meanwhile, companies in Finland will benefit from best practice exchange visits, and Romania is hosting events promoting OSH and social partner engagement; chemical safety is in the focus at seminars in Slovenia, Hungary, Poland, Latvia, Italy and Bulgaria.

Media partner activities include articles published by Gesunde Arbeit in Austria, the Foundation Center for Safety and Health in Bulgaria and a large coverage in social media all over Europe. In Macedonia events are held by Tutela every day of the European Week, ranging from company visits to trainings in schools.

Official campaign partner European Safety Federation runs a workshop on the new PPE regulation and the European Firefighters Unions Alliance organises a seminar on firefighters’ work environment and hazardous substances. Construction company Sando holds a conference on innovative prevention technologies.

Dr Christa Sedlatschek, EU-OSHA Director, commented: ‘Our ESENER survey shows that dangerous substances are present in all sectors, for example in traditional industries such as construction and manufacturing, with over 50% of companies in the EU affected, and agriculture, with 62 % of EU enterprises affected. We aim to benefit workers, management and the environment by conducting research, bringing together a wealth of practical help and raising awareness of the importance of actively managing dangerous substances’.

The current Healthy Workplace Good Practice Awards, run as part of the 2018-19 campaign, recognise organisations that actively manage dangerous substances. The competition is still open in many countries. Anyone who has been impressed and inspired by their organisation’s outstanding or innovative approach to dangerous substance management can contact their national focal point to discuss applying. If, on the other hand, they are still looking for advice on how best to manage dangerous substances at work, they can take advantage of EU-OSHA’s new database of practical tools and guidance.

EU-OSHA has also revamped its campaign toolkit for the 2018-19 campaign. It features many new examples of good practice and offers practical advice on running an effective campaign on any OSH subject, including dangerous substances.

Links:



Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the recent developments on the case of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi

Maja Kocijančič
EEAS spokesperson
+32 2 298 65 70
+32 498 98 44 25

After almost three weeks, facts are finally emerging, confirming that Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed in the premises of the Consulate General of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Istanbul on 2 October 2018.

The European Union expresses its deepest condolences to his family and friends and pays tribute to the memory of this respected journalist who was in direct contact for his work with many European institutions and organisations. We reaffirm our commitment to the freedom of the press and the protection of journalists across the world.

The emerging circumstances of Jamal Khashoggi’s death are deeply troubling, including the shocking violation of the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and particularly its Article 55. 

Therefore the European Union, like its partners, insists on the need for continued thorough, credible and transparent investigation, shedding proper clarity on the circumstances of the killing and ensuring full accountability of all those responsible for it. The memory of Jamal Khashoggi, the family of the journalist as well as his friends deserve justice.



Statement by Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on the passing away of former Dutch Prime Minister Wim Kok

It was with deep sadness that I learnt of the passing of Wim Kok, former Prime Minister of the Netherlands and my close friend.

Wim Kok was an extraordinarily skilful statesman. Throughout his long political career he achieved important social reforms and was a devoted European who fought for equality and civil rights in a way I truly admire. As Prime Ministers, we worked together on the launch of our single currency, the euro, and for a more social Europe.

My thoughts are with his wife Rita, his children, his grandchildren and all those who were close to him. He will be greatly missed.



Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the recent developments on the case of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi

After almost three weeks, facts are finally emerging, confirming that Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed in the premises of the Consulate General of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Istanbul on 2 October 2018.

The European Union expresses its deepest condolences to his family and friends and pays tribute to the memory of this respected journalist who was in direct contact for his work with many European institutions and organisations. We reaffirm our commitment to the freedom of the press and the protection of journalists across the world.

The emerging circumstances of Jamal Khashoggi’s death are deeply troubling, including the shocking violation of the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and particularly its Article 55. 

Therefore the European Union, like its partners, insists on the need for continued thorough, credible and transparent investigation, shedding proper clarity on the circumstances of the killing and ensuring full accountability of all those responsible for it. The memory of Jamal Khashoggi, the family of the journalist as well as his friends deserve justice.