Global Civil Society & the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Goal 4: Quality Education

Quality Education


Progress towards quality education was already slower than required before the pandemic, but COVID-19 has had devastating impacts on education, causing learning losses in four out of five of the 104 countries studied.

Without additional measures, an estimated 84 million children and young people will stay out of school by 2030 and approximately 300 million students will lack the basic numeracy and literacy skills necessary for success in life.

In addition to free primary and secondary schooling for all boys and girls by 2030, the aim is to provide equal access to affordable vocational training, eliminate gender and wealth disparities, and achieve universal access to quality higher education.

Education is the key that will allow many other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be achieved. When people are able to get quality education they can break from the cycle of poverty.

Education helps to reduce inequalities and to reach gender equality. It also empowers people everywhere to live more healthy and sustainable lives. Education is also crucial to fostering tolerance between people and contributes to more peaceful societies.

To deliver on Goal 4, education financing must become a national investment priority. Furthermore, measures such as making education free and compulsory, increasing the number of teachers, improving basic school infrastructure and embracing digital transformation are essential.

Name Acronym Founded City HQ Country/Territory HQ Type I Type II

European Union of Jewish Students

EUJS 1978 D

European Union of Medical Specialists

UEMS 1958 Brussels Belgium D

European Union of Music Competitions for Youth

EMCY Vilnius Lithuania D

European Union of Private Higher Education

EUPHE 2018 Brussels Belgium D

European Union of School and University Health and Medicine

EUSUHM D

European Union Studies Center, New York

EUSC 1993 New York NY USA G

European Union Youth Orchestra

EUYO 1976 Grafenegg Austria F

European University Association

EUA 2001 Brussels Belgium D

European University at St Petersburg

EUSP 1994 St Petersburg Russia G

European University Centre for Cultural Heritage, Ravello

1983 Ravello Italy G g

European University College Association

EucA 2008 Brussels Belgium D

European University Consortium for Pharmaceutical Research

ULLA 1992 Leiden Netherlands D

European University Continuing Education Network

EUCEN 1991 Barcelona Spain F

European University for Well-Being

EUniWell 2020 Cologne Germany E

European University Foundation - Campus Europae

EUF-CE Munsbach Luxembourg F f

European University Information Systems Organization

EUNIS 1993 D

European University Institute

EUI 1972 San Domenico di Fiesole Italy F gj

European University of Culture

Amiens France N

European University of International Management and Business

EUM 2000 Belgrade Serbia G

European University on Responsible Consumption and Production

EURECA-PRO F

European University Sports Association

EUSA 1999 Ljubljana Slovenia D

European University, Belgrade

1983 Belgrade Serbia G

European Urban Knowledge Network

EUKN 2005 The Hague Netherlands F

European Urban Research Association

EURA 1997 Dortmund Germany D

European Values Study

EVS 1978 Tilburg Netherlands J

European Vascular Surgeons in Training

EVST 2006 Bordeaux France D

European Venture Philanthropy Association

EVPA 2004 Brussels Belgium D y

European Veterinary Dental College

EVDC 1998 Sem Norway D v

European Veterinary Parasitology College

EVPC 2003 Thessaloniki Greece E

European Violence in Psychiatry Research Group

EViPRG 1997 F v

European Virtual Institute for Speciation Analysis

EVISA Münster Germany D j

European Virtual Institute on Knowledge-Based Multifunctional Materials

KMM-VIN 2007 Brussels Belgium E j

European Virus Archive goes Global

EVAg Marseille France F

European Vision Institute Clinical Research Network

EVICR.net 2010 Coimbra Portugal F

European Vocational Training Association

EVTA 1996 Brussels Belgium D

European Voice Teachers Association

EVTA 1989 Chichester UK D

European Water and Wastewater Industry Association

Aqua Europa 1977 Brussels Belgium D t

European Weed Research Society

EWRS 1959 Doorwerth Netherlands D v

European Wergeland Centre

EWC Oslo Norway E g

European Work and Employment Research Centre

EWERC 1994 Manchester UK N

European Working Community for Food Inspection and Consumer Protection

EWFC 1991 Salbris France E

European Working Group on Drug Oriented Research

EWODOR 1986 Gavere Belgium E

European Working Group on Labour Law

EWLL 1998 Frankfurt-Oder Germany F v

European Workshop for Rheumatology Research

EWRR 1981 S c

European Workshop on Industrial Computer Systems

EWICS 1974 Munich Germany F t

European Wound Management Association

EWMA 1991 Frederiksberg Denmark D

European Writers' Council

EWC-FAAE 1977 Brussels Belgium F

European X-Ray Free-Electron Laser Facility

European XFEL Schenefeld Germany F g

European X-ray Spectrometry Association

EXSA 2004 Budapest Hungary D

European Young Academies

EYA J y

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