2025 marked the 45th anniversary of Eurydice and the 10th anniversary of the Youth Wiki. Join us as we look back at the Networks’ impact and how they have helped shape education and youth policies across Europe.

A message from Sophie Beernaerts, Director, European Education and Culture Executive Agency

“2025 marked an important milestone for our Networks, as we celebrated both Eurydice’s 45th anniversary and the Youth Wiki’s 10th year. Since 1980, Eurydice has been a cornerstone for reliable, comparable information on education systems and policies across Europe. Together with the Youth Wiki, it continues to strengthen evidence-based policymaking and foster cooperation among European countries.

This lasting success results from a strong triangular collaboration between the Agency, the Networks and the Directorate-General for Education and Culture (DG EAC). Together, we ensure that the work produced remains relevant, impactful and fully aligned with the needs of decision-makers, researchers and educators across Europe.”

How the Networks began

Created in 1980, Eurydice set out to strengthen European cooperation and support evidence-based educational policymaking in eight countries. Today, it covers 40 European education systems and provides comparative studies on topics ranging from teacher salaries to student support systems.

The Youth Wiki followed in 2015, responding to the growing need for stronger cooperation in youth policy. As an online encyclopedia, it helps 34 countries learn from each other, collaborate and design youth policies that reflect young people’s priorities.

Both Networks are managed by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency, which implements Erasmus+ among other programmes, working closely with DG EAC to ensure their continued development and alignment with EU priorities.

Spotlight on educational insights: Eurydice

As education systems across Europe evolve rapidly, Eurydice continues to deliver clear, reliable and comparable insights that help policymakers navigate increasing complexity. Its online knowledge base, Eurypedia, for instance, describes the education systems of 40 countries and covers topics central to the European Education Area (EEA).

Eurydice’s analyses also shed light on how countries design and implement policies across the lifelong learning continuum – from early childhood education to adult and continuing learning. The highlights below showcase some of Eurydice’s recent work and demonstrate its relevance for policymaking.

Early childhood education and care (ECEC)

Affordable, high-quality ECEC is a basic right for all children. Eurydice’s third edition of Key data on early childhood education and care in Europe offers detailed information and examples of ECEC policies across Europe for policymakers, researchers and parents.

The report includes new indicators on inclusion, funding, staff working conditions and salaries. By helping countries develop accessible, inclusive and high-quality ECEC systems, it strengthens the foundations of lifelong learning, reduces inequalities and supports women’s participation in the workforce.

Improving basic skills

Eurydice’s 2025 report, Addressing underachievement in literacy, mathematics and science, provides a comparative overview of how European education systems are enhancing support for basic skills development.

The report supports the European Skills Agenda and the Union of Skills which highlight the urgent need to address underachievement in basic skills such as reading, mathematics, science and digital skills.

Entrepreneurship education

Entrepreneurship is one of the eight key competences for lifelong learning. Eurydice’s report Entrepreneurship education at school in Europe shows that many education authorities have strengthened regulations and programmes that give schools and teachers greater access to entrepreneurship-related training.

While progress is encouraging, the report also finds that entrepreneurial competences should be further embedded in school curricula to equip students, graduates and young people with skills for the labour market.

The Youth Wiki: where knowledge empowers youth policy

The Youth Wiki provides a European perspective that goes beyond national contexts, supporting evidence-based policymaking across the full spectrum of youth issues. One of its most recent flagship analyses – The situation of young people in the European Union, the companion piece to the EU Youth Report 2024 – identifies the key trends shaping young people’s lives today and exemplifies how the Youth Wiki turns knowledge into meaningful policy insight.

The highlights below show how the Youth Wiki’s work remains highly relevant in today’s evolving policy context.

Affordable housing for young people

A new report examining the challenges young people face in accessing housing – and the solutions implemented across Europe – is currently underway and will be published next year. By comparing national approaches and identifying effective policy measures, the study will offer concrete guidance to both EU and national authorities.

Access to housing is a core dimension of the European Affordable Housing Plan. This report will help spotlight where structural barriers persist and how public policies can better support young people in building stable, independent lives.

Integrating youth perspectives into policy

Youth mainstreaming means ensuring young people’s experiences and perspectives are reflected in the policies and programmes that affect them.

The Youth Wiki report on Youth mainstreaming, youth impact assessment and youth checks builds on the goals of the 2022 European Year of Youth by providing an overview of youth mainstreaming practices in 33 countries, showing where and how young people’s voices are taken into account at policy level.

Voices from our stakeholders

The success of Eurydice and the Youth Wiki is reflected in the perspectives of those who use their resources every day. Here is what two key stakeholders shared:

“ETUCE values Eurydice’s work on comparable data for teachers’ and school heads’ salaries and EEA objectives. Our members use and validate reports, share teachers’ perspectives and integrate findings nationally. Happy birthday, Eurydice – we look forward to continued cooperation!”

– Thomas Bouïssaguet, Campaigns and Communications Officer, ETUCE

“Being part of the Youth Wiki Network has strengthened our efforts to develop evidence-based youth policies in Türkiye and stay connected with European good practices. This year, as the Ministry of Youth and Sports, we were honoured to host the 14th National Correspondents Meeting in Ankara. Congratulations on the 10th anniversary of the Youth Wiki – we are proud to be part of this journey.”

– Alptekin Avşar, Youth Wiki Network Turkish National Correspondent

What’s next?

Look out for two new Eurydice reports – Digital Education in Europe and Citizenship Education at School – as well as the Youth Wiki’s forthcoming study on young people and housing.

Stay connected!

For updates on all upcoming publications and news from Eurydice and the Youth Wiki, subscribe to our newsletters Eurydice Voice and Eurydice Today.