European Identity - Individual, Group and Society - HumanitarianNet

114 EUROPEAN IDENTITY. INDIVIDUAL, GROUP AND SOCIETYGrundtvig: Adult education and other educational pathways(lifelong learning).Lingua: Foreign language teaching and learning.Minerva: Information and Communication Technologies in education.Observation and innovation of educational systems and policies.Joint Actions with other Community programmes.Accompanying measures to finance other activities which are notenvisaged within the frameworks of the previously described actions.In the second article of the decision of the European Parliament andCouncil which establishes the 2 nd phase of the Socrates Programme, it isindicated that its goals are geared towards the accomplishment of thefollowing aims: to contribute to quality education and to promotelifelong learning.The European prospect in the field of education aims not as muchat the elaboration of lab designs as at the promotion of transnationalprojects capable of producing significant changes in students, teachersand centres alike, participating in the Comenius and Erasmus Actions,as well as important changes in the remaining sectors of society, ifparticipating in Grundtvig.Furthermore, the Socrates Programme contains Actions which areconsidered transversal because they are in some way present in theother programmes, although they can be said to have their ownidentity and, in fact, they are officially announced on a yearly basis.These Actions are: Lingua, geared towards the acquisition of languagesand Minerva, directed to the enhancement of Information andCommunication Technologies (ICT) in education.The Socrates Programme also bears in mind technicians andmanagers in charge of the correct and efficient running of educationalsystems. To contribute to this achievement, the so-called Arion Actionwas established. It is important to highlight the official announcementof Common or Joint Actions. In the projects related to this Action, theaspects or institutions belonging to the three programmes (Socrates,Leonardo da Vinci and Youth) must be taken into consideration.The signing of bilateral agreements between the European Commission´sDG for Education and Culture and member States (throughNational Agencies) becomes absolutely necessary for the developmentand administration of such programmes.The funds destined to education are distributed to States by theCommission according to the population each of the Actions addresses.Spain follows the same policy with regards to its seventeen AutonomousRegions, given the existing decentralization of responsibilitiesregarding educational issues.