Hessen Open - Kelsterbach, 15. bis 17. Oktober 2004

ENGLISCH - Pratikerklasse 1

Future welfare and competitiveness ° are based on education. Higher ed-
ucation also ¼ plays a key role in ° the development of societies 
as a whole, not only economi½cally, but also democratical-
ly and socially. Education must ° be treated as a ¾ human right, not as 
a market good to be bought and sold. Ed°ucation should be free of any char-
1. Min. - 100 S.
ges, explicit or implicit. Finan°cial barriers should never be a rea-
son to abstain from higher ed¼uca°tion. Therefore the right of citizens to 
free higher education has to be ° included in the EU ½ founding trea-
ties. Education is and must remain ° the responsibility of the na-
tional governments. Therefore, the ¾ principle ° of subsidiarity has to be 
respected. Co-operation at the ° European le- 
2. Min. - 115 S.
vel has to be further developed, but ° the national governments must have the fi-
nal word on how they want their educa°tion to ¼ be developed. In the spirit 
of the Lisbon objectives, the Euro°pean Union must increase its funding 
for research and de½velopment. It will ° encourage its member states to invest 
in quality research and innova°tion systems. We need educa¾ted peo-
ple and top-quality research and de°velopment. These are the strengths of Europe 
and the basis of future econo-
3. Min. - 130 S.
mic success. It is also important ° to highlight that the regional co-op-
eration networks within the Euro°pean Research Area ¼ have to be 
supported and encouraged. Higher ed°ucation is not among the compe-
tences of the European Union ° and is ½ purely a national matter. The 
Bologna process, whose aim it is to ° create a European Higher Ed-
ucation Area by ¾ 20°10, is a fine example of Eu-
ropean co-operation, but it ° is also a fine example of Eu-
ropean co-op-
4. Min. - 145 S.
eration outside the EU framework. ° The Bologna process is a volun-
tary agreement between governments ° from across Europe, not limited to ¼ 
those already within the Europe°an Union. Higher education is 
not officially a competence of ° the European Union, but the Eu- ½ 
ropean Union certainly has a ° certain impact on higher educa-
tion. The most important impacts are the ° various student, post-graduate and ¾ 
teacher mobility schemes under the ° framework of SOCRATES such as Eras-
mus. Other important impacts are the ° Lisbon objectives. The goal for the Eu- 
5. Min. - 160 S.

- 2 -

ropean Union should be to become ° the most competitive and dynamic 
knowledge-based economy in the world, ° capable of sustainable eco-
nomic growth with ¼ more and better jobs and ° greater social cohesion. Other 
EU initiatives include the Diplo°ma Supplement and the European 
Credit Transfer System, which ½ have been in°tegrated into the Bologna pro-
cess. Since the European Union ac°tually influences higher edu-
cation on a European level, ° elec¾tions to the European Par-
liament also become a concern of ° educational organisations. 
The European Commission has the ° right to propose chan-
6. Min. - 175 S.
ges and take initiatives, but in most ° cases the European Parliament 
has a so-called right of codecision. ° This means that a pro°posal from the Com-
mission must also be ap¼proved by the ° European Par°liament. As the e-
lections to the European Parlia°ment are being fought ° on the national le-
vel, The National Unions of Students in ° Europe has formu½lated visions that 
its member organisations throughout ° the European ° Union could use in 
their national campaigns. These are more than just ° encouragement of ° their members to use 
their demo¾cratic rights and to vote. A ° student organisation can ask can-
didates and parties what their visions are ° with regard to education in the 
European Union and the student 
7. Min. - 190 S.
organisations can also formu°late their own visions. Students are the big-
gest group of stakeholders of the uni°versities and a vital part of the 
academic community. Therefore, ° they ¼ have to be part of all decision-
making procedures where universi°ties and students are concerned, regardless 
of whether it is on an institu°tional, national or European le-
vel. All ½ the actions of the Europe°an Union have to be based on the re-
spect of human rights, justice, equali°ty, democracy and freedom. Eco-
nomic growth within the Union must be°nefit all ci¾tizens. Growth has to be 
socially and ecologically sus°tainable. Social cohesion has to 
be at the heart of the process as a ° major objective. We need life-long learn-
ing possibilities.
8. Min. - 205 S.

Anzugebende Wörter Englisch P1

to abstain (2. Min.)				various (5. Min.)
subsidiarity (2. Min.)				SOCRATES (5. Min.)
Lisbon Objectives (3. Min.)			Erasmus (5. Min.)
top-quality … (3. Min.)			knowledge-based (6. Min.)
strengths (3. Min.)				cohesion (6. Min.)
European Research Area (4. Min.)		Diploma Supplement (6. Min.)
purely (4. Min.)				European Credit Transfer System (6. Min.)
Bologna process (4. Min.)			codecision (7. Min.)
European Higher Education Area (4. Min.)	The National Union of Students (7. Min.)
						campaigns (7. Min.)
stakeholders (8. Min.)
vital (8. Min.)
decision-making procedures (8. Min.)
regardless (8. Min.)

Beginn 4. Minute: …mic success. It is …

Anzugebende Wörter Englisch P1

to abstain (2. Min.)				various (5. Min.)
subsidiarity (2. Min.)				SOCRATES (5. Min.)
Lisbon Objectives (3. Min.)			Erasmus (5. Min.)
top-quality … (3. Min.)			knowledge-based (6. Min.)
strengths (3. Min.)				cohesion (6. Min.)
European Research Area (4. Min.)		Diploma Supplement (6. Min.)
purely (4. Min.)				European Credit Transfer System (6. Min.)
Bologna process (4. Min.)			codecision (7. Min.)
European Higher Education Area (4. Min.)	The National Union of Students (7. Min.)
						campaigns (7. Min.)
stakeholders (8. Min.)
vital (8. Min.)
decision-making procedures (8. Min.)
regardless (8. Min.)

Beginn 4. Minute: …mic success. It is …

Probeansage:
Education is a key issue for ° young people. But this is not the only 
concern of the European Parlia°ment when ¼ dealing with young people’s problems. 
The commitment to involve young people ° in the European integration 
process is mate ½ rialized in the ° different actions of the Youth Programme. Through 
its five central actions, the Programme gives ° many opportunities for ¾ mobi-
lity and active participation ° in the construction of the Europe-
an Union of the third millennium.