This year, the Agency is celebrating its 20-year anniversary. It was created in 1996 as a Danish Government initiative. Following a three-year trial period, the member countries took over the Agency. At the launch conference, Margrethe Vestager, the then Danish Minister of Education, said:
- For a number of years, we have been striving towards realising a school for all – not an ordinary school where we seek to integrate pupils who are labelled as disabled, but a school which is organised in such a way that it is not necessary or justifiable to label or segregate any of the learners. I believe that all the European countries have this objective in mind, but none of us have achieved it yet. There are many barriers to overcome and many initiatives which have to be undertaken. Co-operation on and within the European Agency will further this process and give us strength in our endeavours, as well as inspire us to continue and not lose sight of our objective.
These were certainly visionary words during the last millennium, when the predominant focus was still on supporting learners with special educational needs so they could be ‘integrated’, rather than on adapting education systems to meet the needs of all learners.
A lot has happened since the Agency’s creation in 1996.
It is no longer an experiment: now, it is a permanent platform for collaboration between the ministries of education in its member countries. It is a recognised European body with a developed network within its member countries and firm collaborative relations with the other main European and international actors in the field of education.
Co-operation in the field of special needs education and inclusion is no longer sporadic, but has been systematised, taking into account member countries’ priorities as well as EU and international stated priorities for education.
The number of Agency member countries has grown steadily, from 17 at the start in 1996 to 29 in 2016, and more countries are knocking on our door.
It is rewarding to see that the idea that emerged 20 years ago has proved to be right and timely. What started out as nothing more than a great idea has developed into a truly European adventure, where member countries co-operate systematically and where the Agency plays an important role in helping them with information sharing, recommendations and guidance on how to improve their inclusive education policies and systems.