Baden-Württemberg
(Board Member)

Ministry of Education, Youth & Sports in Baden-Württemberg

Baden-Württemberg’s Ministry is in charge for the regional education-system (subsidiarity). With a staff of 380 people, it is responsible for the following policies and services:

General school system, basic education and private school system.
Vocational Education & Training (VET).
Teacher education, pedagogical seminars, teacher’s training and examination regulation.
Science & research in education
Communication of educational information and educational guidance
Long-distance teaching
Interregional & international cultural affairs
Early childhood education and Kindergarten
Youth and sports.

The Department 45 “Further education/Lifelong Learning” is responsible for all activities and initiatives which support Lifelong learning as the ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated pursuit of knowledge for either personal or professional reasons. The department was the initiator and moderator of the Alliance for Lifelong Learning with more than 50 educational associations and partners in further education.

Shaping Europe

Baden-Württemberg lies at the very heart of Europe. With a population of just under 11 million and as the number one region for innovation, Baden-Württemberg is larger and has more economic muscle than many of the European Union’s sovreign member states. As a significant region, Baden-Württemberg is helping to shape the face of Europe – with Minister-President Winfried Kretschmann.

We need a stronger Europe to overcome the current issue of national debt and the Euro crisis. This is why we are fully behind a strong European Union based on solidarity. EU structural policies are exerting a positive outcome on the state level. We are putting our weight behind ensuring that things stay that way.

To steer Europe towards a successful future, the EU’s role needs to be redetermined. Baden-Württemberg aspires to be a part of the development process which will shape the future of the European Union. From the viewpoint of the State Government, one thing is clear: It is only with a stronger Europe that it will be possible to avert the crisis and safeguard the weight of Europe’s position in the global community for the future.

Many members of the public hold a critical view of the European Union. The State Government intends to shape its European policy through active exchange with its citizens. Using a broad-based workshop process, we have sought dialogue with members of the scientific community and with society as a whole in a process which has produced valuable impetus for our European program.