The OECD project on benchmarking higher education system performance provides a comprehensive and empirically rich review of the higher education landscape across OECD countries, and how well higher education systems are performing in meeting their education, research and engagement responsibilities. This country note draws on the evidence base of the project to review the performance of the higher education system in the Flemish Community of Belgium. Its purpose is to assist the Flemish Community in taking stock of where it stands in relation to other OECD member countries on different aspects of higher education and to provide input into national policy planning processes. The stocktaking exercise is supported with a scorecard of 45 indicators which highlights the Flemish Community's position within the OECD. This note also includes a scenario exercise to support future policy planning in the Flemish Community.

This policy profile on education in Belgium is part of the Education Policy Outlook series, which presents comparative analysis of education policies and reforms across OECD countries. Building on the OECD's substantial comparative and sectorial policy knowledge base, the series offers a comparative outlook on education policy by providing analysis of individual countries' educational context, challenges and policies (education policy profiles), analysis of international trends, and insight on policies and reforms on selected topics.

This case study explores the role of attainment targets as a means of systemic quality assurance in Flanders (Belgium), an education system whose governance structures and processes are characterised by high decentralisation and the participation of multiple actors. The analysis identifies a number of key issues in the design and implementation of the attainment targets, such as difficulties in creating a common understanding and participatory governance not leading automatically to teacher ownership of the attainment targets. Three processes that were particularly challenging included the deployment of a whole-of-system approach for implementation, capacity building and the creation of a culture of evaluation. For the future, it is essential to open up participation processes to a broad range of stakeholders. Furthermore, key stakeholders should join forces in setting a shared agenda, creating momentum in implementation and raising capacity across the system, especially in new modes of teaching and assessment.

The effective use of school resources is a policy priority across OECD countries. The OECD Reviews of School Resources explore how resources can be governed, distributed, utilised and managed to improve the quality, equity and efficiency of school education. The series considers four types of resources: financial resources, such as public funding of individual schools; human resources, such as teachers, school leaders and education administrators; physical resources, such as location, buildings and equipment; and other resources such as learning time. This series offers timely policy advice to both governments and the education community. It includes both country reports and thematic studies.

This commentary on Belgium is one of a series of country reports on vocational education and training (VET) in OECD countries, prepared as part of the Skills beyond School study. The series includes reviews, involving an in-depth analysis of a country system leading to a set of policy recommendations backed by analysis. The commentaries are simpler exercises than full reviews, largely descriptive but also including an assessment of strengths and challenges in the country system. The commentaries are designed to be of value as free-standing reports, but are also prepared so that they can become the first phase of a full review.

How can student assessment, teacher appraisal, school evaluation and system evaluation bring about real gains in performance across a country's school system? The country reports in this series provide, from an international perspective, an independent analysis of major issues facing the evaluation and assessment framework, current policy initiatives, and possible future approaches. This series forms part of the OECD Review on Evaluation and Assessment Frameworks for Improving School Outcomes.

The Country Background Reports provide in-depth analysis of context, key factors and policy responses in individual countries. They provide an invaluable source of information on evaluation and assessment frameworks and greatly facilitate the analysis developed within the OECD Review on Evaluation and Assessment Frameworks for Improving School Outcomes. The Review is using a comparative framework to help countries assess: (i) how to develop a coherent evaluation and assessment framework; (ii) how to strengthen the use of evaluation and assessment results to enhance school practices so student outcomes are improved; and (iii) how to facilitate the implementation of evaluation and assessment policies.

Learning for Jobs is an OECD study of vocational education and training designed to help countries make their VET systems more responsive to labour market needs. The Flemish VET system has a good range of vocational options at different levels. The system is underpinned by strong academic standards reflected in the performance of 15-year-olds and compulsory education up to age 18. Commendable attention is given to entrepreneurial training. Policy development is dynamic and evidence is used extensively in reforms. At the same time the system faces a number of challenges, including early tracking, weaknesses in literacy and numeracy skills among some students, and too many unqualified school leavers. The use of workplace training is very variable, and some training provision inadequately reflects labour market needs. The quality of career guidance in compulsory education could also usefully be improved.

Many adults in OECD countries have low language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) skills. The consequences of these low foundation skills span the economic, health and social well-being of individuals, families and communities. Investment in this sector of adult education is therefore crucial. This country report on Belgium examines the impact and implementation of different teaching, learning and assessment practices for adult LLN learners with a focus on formative assessment; the way innovative programmes address the very diverse needs and goals of this population; and the policies that support or hinder effective practice.

The report provides an overview of school leadership developments and issues in Wallonia, as a contribution to the OECD's Improving School Leadership Activity. It discusses the national context of schooling, the features of the school system, school governance and leardership, the attractiveness of school leaders' roles, and professional learning of school leaders in the country.

The report provides an overview of school leadership developments and issues in Flanders, as a contribution to the OECD's Improving School Leadership Activity. It discusses the national context of schooling, the features of the school system, school governance and leardership, the attractiveness of school leaders' roles, and professional learning of school leaders in the country.

This report outlines the key contextual social, economic and educational factors shaping the teaching workforce and the teaching career in the French Community of Belgium (FCB) in its Section 2. The section also tries to draw out what is distinctive about the teacher policy in the FCB. Section 3 identifies what the authors feel to be the main strengths of FCB policies, but also the challenges that the FCB education system faces in terms of teaching and the teaching career. The discussion addresses eight broad areas: system governance; initial teacher education; continuing teacher education; the labour market for teachers; career structure and incentives; teachers in the workplace; school leadership evaluation and accountability. Section 4 suggests priorities for future policy development. The suggestions draw heavily, but not exclusively, on promising initiatives that the team learned about during the visit and on projects that several players would very much like to see carried through. Section 5 has some concluding remarks.

This report explores, in its Section 2, the key contextual social, economic and educational factors shaping the teaching workforce and the teacher career in Flanders are outlined. That section also tries to draw out, from an international perspective, what is distinctive about the teaching workforce and teacher policy in Flanders using boxes to detail some of these distinctive features and innovations. Section 3 then identifies the main strengths of Flemish teacher policies, but also the challenges that the system faces. The discussion addresses eight broad areas: system governance and funding; initial teacher education; the labour market for teachers; career structure and incentives; roles and workloads; school leadership; evaluation and accountability; and teachers' professional development. Section 4 uses the analysis of these issues to discuss priorities for future policy development. Some of these concerns are fairly recent in origin, but others are more long-standing. The suggestions draw heavily on promising initiatives that the team learned about during the visit. Section 5 has some concluding remarks.

This review covers children from birth to compulsory school age and includes the transition period into primary schooling. In order to examine thoroughly what children experience in the first years of life, the review has adopted a broad, holistic approach to study early childhood policy and provision. To that end, consideration has been given to the roles of families, communities and other environmental influences on children's early learning and development. Particular emphasis has been laid on aspects concerning quality, access and equity, with an emphasis on policy development in the following areas: regulations; staffing; programme content and implementation; family engagement and support; funding and financing.

This review covers children from birth to compulsory school age and includes the transition period into primary schooling. In order to examine thoroughly what children experience in the first years of life, the review has adopted a broad, holistic approach to study early childhood policy and provision. To that end, consideration has been given to the roles of families, communities and other environmental influences on children's early learning and development. Particular emphasis has been laid on aspects concerning quality, access and equity, with an emphasis on policy development in the following areas: regulations; staffing; programme content and implementation; family engagement and support; funding and financing.

The constitutional structure and political framework in Belgium have undergone quite profound changes in recent years. The trend toward greater devolution and a stronger federal structure has introduced a new dynamic for tertiary education in Flanders. Directly, the national trend has meant an even greater lodging of decision-making, legal control, financing and administrative arrangements at the level of the Flemish government. Indirectly, the future development of the economy and well-being of the society will increasingly be the interest of Flemish government policy, including policy addressed toward tertiary education. Devolution of responsibilities from the level of government to that of institutions is proceeding concurrently. Thus both concentration and deconcentration of decision-making are taking place simultaneously.