Making sure that Europe’s six million teachers have the essential competences they require in order to be effective in the classroom is one of the keys to raising levels of pupil attainment; encouraging teachers to continue developing and extending their competences is vital in a fast-changing world.

The demands made on teachers, school leaders, and teacher educators are increasing and changing. They are called on to play a key role in modernizing education. To do that, they need to develop their own knowledge and skills. Initial education and continuous professional development of the highest quality, and access to support throughout their careers are both essential.

The European Commission works with EU countries to raise standards of teaching and teacher education by:



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