The governing body of the European Schools is composed of the Ministers of Education of each of the Union countries, normally represented by senior civil servants from the Ministries of Education or Foreign Affairs, together with the representative of the EU Commission and the representative of the European Patent Office. A representative designated by the Staff Committee (from among the teaching staff ) and a representative of the parents designated by the Parents’ Associations are also members of the Board of Governors.
The mandate of the Board of Governors covers educational, administrative and financial matters. When it is not in session, its powers are exercised by its officially appointed Secretary-General.
See the Rules of procedure for the Board of Governors and the Statute of the Secretary-General and the Deputy Secretary-General in the
Basic texts. The Preparatory Committees
Matters for discussion and decision by the Board of Governors are first studied by a number of preparatory committees of which the most important are:
The Joint Teaching Committee
Inspectors and directors, together with representatives of teachers, parents and pupils and a representative of the European Commission and the European Patent Office, examine proposals concerning the organisation and curricula of the schools. Detailed preparation is done by numerous sub-committees.
See the Rules of procedure for the Joint Teaching Committee in the
Basic texts.
The Budgetary Committee
Financial experts from the Member States examine the financial implications of educational proposals and the budgets of individual schools and of the General Secretariat in Brussels. The European Commission and the European Patent Office are also represented on the BC.
See the Rules of procedure for the Budgetary Committee in the
Basic texts.
The Boards of Inspectors
Supervision of the education provided by the schools is conducted by two Boards of Inspectors, one for the primary and nursery sections and one for the secondary section. One Inspector from each country sits on each Board.
The Inspectors regularly visit classes, issue directives to heads and teaching staff, meet periodically for discussions and submit proposals concerning syllabuses, teaching methods and evaluation to the Board of Governors.
See the Rules of procedure for the Boards of Inspectors in the
Basic texts.
The Administrative Boards
Each school has an Administrative Board chaired by the Secretary-General. Its other members are the director of the school, the representative of the European Commission, two elected representatives of the teachers, two representatives of the Parents’ Association, a representative of the AAS and, at the European School of Munich, the representative of the European Patent Office.
Bodies which have signed an agreement with a school and have at least 20 pupils on roll also have the right to be represented on the Administrative Board.
Administrative Boards deal with matters concerning the management and administration of the schools, draw up budgets and superintend the spending of allocations. They have the responsibility for overseeing all aspects of day-to-day life in the school and for ensuring its efficient functioning.
See the Rules of procedure for the Administrative Boards and other explanatory texts in the Basic texts.
The Directors (Headteachers) and the teachers
Each head is appointed by the Board of Governors for nine years. There are generally two deputy heads, one for the secondary section and one for the primary and nursery sections. They are also appointed for nine years. Heads and deputies are appointed directly by the Board of Governors. All full time teachers are seconded by their national governments for a period up to nine years.
See also the Legal basis of the European schools for the service regulations of the staff : teachers, directors, administrative and ancillary staff in the
Basic texts.
The Staff Committee
Each school elects annually two representatives of the teaching staff (one primary, one secondary) to form a European School Staff Committee which is represented on the Board of Governors, in the Preparatory Committees and on the Administrative Board of each school. See Article 22 of the Convention defining the Statue of the European Schools and Article 8 of the Regulations for Members of the Seconded Staff of the European Schools in the
Basic texts.
The Parents’ Association
This plays an important role in various committees and working groups in the schools. The views and suggestions of parents concerning the organisation of the schools are put forward via their elected representatives on the Administrative Board and the Education Committee of the school. They are also represented on the Board of Governors and in the Preparatory Committees.
The Pupils’ Committee
At the beginning of each school year, a Pupils' Committee (PC or CdE) is elected in each school's secondary cycle. The Pupils' Committee represents the best interests of all the pupils of its school. It is a non-profit organisation, democratically elected, independent, and recognised by the school community and the different official bodies of the European Schools.
Election Procedures of the Pupil's Representatives within the European School System: see Basic texts.
Informational video:
Student representation in the European School system
CoSup
CoSup (Conseil Supérieur des Elèves) is the representative organisation for all secondary pupils of the European Schools. Each school's Pupils' Committee elects 2 CoSup representatives, who attend 4 meetings a year.
CoSup voices the concerns, interests and visions of the pupils at the highest levels of European School management, including the Joint Teaching Committee, Budgetary Committee and Board of Governors.
CoSup also supports and coordinates the Pupils' Committees with their work in every possible way, through cooperation and integration.
Instagram: @es.cosup | Email:
ES-COSUP@student.eursc.eu
Statute of the Conseil Supérieur des Elèves: see
Basic texts.
The Financial Controller
Statutory provisions :
Article 20 of the Financial Regulation provides for the appointment by the Board of Governors of a financial controller, who may be assisted in his duties by one or more assistant financial controllers, also appointed by the Board of Governors.
Article 13 of the Regulations for Members of the Seconded Staff provides that the financial controller and the assistant financial controller shall perform the duties assigned to them under the provisions of the Financial Regulation. Their salaries are specified in Annex III to the Regulations for Members of the Seconded Staff.
The Board of Governors created the post of financial controller from 1992 and created a post of assistant financial controller from 1994 (ARBG, 29 & 30 October 1991, 27 & 28 April 1993 and 15 & 16 October 1996).
See the Financial Regulation and the Regulations for Members of the Seconded Staff in the
Basic texts.
The Complaints Board
In the European Schools system, the Complaints Board, an independent administrative court, represents the judiciary. Learn more about it here.
