Ministry of Education and Research

Summary of the report of the Inquiry on increased internationalisation of higher education institutions.

Vocational education and training, ministerial meetings and panel discussions on women’s leadership – these are some of the programme points when Minister for Upper Secondary School and Adult Education and Training Anna Ekström visits Latvia and Lithuania on 15–17 January.

Sexuality education and reproductive health on the agenda when Minister for Education participates in launch of UNESCO’s new handbook for sexuality education during visit to South Africa and Zambia on 12–16 January.

One of the Swedish Government’s gender equality policy sub-goals is that men’s violence against women must stop. With reference to #metoo, the following lists some examples of implemented and forthcoming measures to counteract sexual violence, harassment and assault.

The #metoo movement in Sweden strongly demonstrates that more needs to be done to combat sexual harassment and sexual violence in workplaces and society at large. The Swedish Government requires all employers to take responsibility for a secure work environment. In the area of work environment and discrimination there are already many tools and relevant legislation, but the power and size of the petitions show that there are deficiencies in compliance with the regulations. For this reason, Minister for Employment Ylva Johansson and Minister for Gender Equality Åsa Regnér have met with the labour market and union partners, and several ministers have in recent weeks convened meetings with heads of government agencies and business leaders in order to focus on the responsibility of employers to counteract sexual violence and harassment.

The focus will be on the Swedish space industry as State Secretary Karin Röding and a Swedish business delegation visit the European Space Agency (ESA) in the Netherlands on Thursday 7 December.

Urban planning, life sciences, top-class higher education institutions and a meeting with a Nobel laureate – several interesting topics will be on the agenda when Helene Hellmark Knutsson, Minister for Higher Education and Research, travels to the United States on 27–29 November.

The Prime Minister, together with the EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has invited to a social summit focusing on the promotion of Fair Jobs and growth, in Gothenburg on Friday 17 November. Heads of State and heads of Governments together with other EU-member ministers will be in place.

Media representatives are welcome to take part when EU ministers meet in Södertälje to discuss the role of education and training in challenges facing the labour market. Minister for Upper Secondary School and Adult Education and Training Anna Ekström will host the meeting.

High-level international meetings, education projects for Indian school children, women’s education and skills supply – these are part of the programme for Minister for Upper Secondary School and Adult Education and Training Anna Ekström when she visits India on 1–3 November.