Europeanizing the National Education Space? Adjusting to the Open Method of Coordination (OMC) in the UK

Abstract

This article examines the reception of the education Open Method of Coordination (OMC) in the UK as an aspect of Europeanization of national administrations. It addresses relationships between political and administrative actors in the process of responding to the education OMC. We argue that despite progress with institutionalization of the education OMC at the EU level, there is limited institutionalization of the education OMC at the national level. Against the backdrop of UK skepticism about engaging with the EU integration project, the interesting finding is the administrative strategies employed for deflecting EU influence on the national education space.

Keywords:

• Europeanization
• education policy
• OMC
• administrative strategies

Notes

¹ In 2010–2011, we conducted eight semi-structured interviews (50–90 min each) with European Commission officials in the DG Education and Culture (DG EAC), Directorate A (Lifelong Learning: Horizontal policy issues and 2020 strategy), and Directorate B (Lifelong Learning: Policies and programs). In the period 2010–2012, we conducted two semi-structured interviews (90 min) and had four extensive follow-up e-mail communications with two UK civil servants actively involved in the reception of the education OMC. In 2010, these were located in the Joint International Unit (JIU) and the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) in the UK. In 2012, these were in the Department for Education, UK.

² The UK civil service documents consist of the JIU Strategic Narrative 2010/2011 paper, the JIU Organisational Chart (May 2010), and a discussion paper produced by the JIU entitled “Open Method of Coordination—An opportunity for the UK in the field of education” (referred to as “OMC discussion paper 2010”). These were not public documents and we had permission to use them appropriately for research purposes.

³ We examined the following Progress Reports:

(a) European Commission (2005) Implementing the “Education and Training 2010” Work Programme—Report on the UK’s progress towards the Lisbon Objectives.

(b) European Commission (2007) Education and Training 2010—Report on the UK’s progress towards the Lisbon Objectives.

(c) European Commission (2009) Education and Training 2010—Report on the UK’s progress towards the Lisbon Objectives.

(d) European Commission (2011) Education and Training 2020—Report from the UK.

(e) European Commission (2013) Education and Training Monitor 2013: United Kingdom.

⁴ In England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, Level 4 qualifications correspond to Bachelor’s degree, Foundation degree, and the Higher National Certificate. This is part of the Qualifications and Credit Framework, which is the national credit transfer system. It came into existence in 2010, having replaced the earlier National Qualifications Framework. Scotland has a separate Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework.