Promoting students’ competencies and effective pedagogies for the 21st century in the German-speaking Community of Belgium

In 2023, the German-speaking Community of Belgium laid out an ambitious vision for its education system, designed to guide policy development until 2040 (“Bildungsvision 2040 – Meine Bildung. Meine Zukunft!”). This policy perspective draws on research evidence and the experience of international education systems to support the German-speaking Community in translating this vision into an actionable strategy and implementation plan. It focuses on two of the vision’s central priorities: Strengthening students’ foundational skills alongside “21st century skills” and promoting effective pedagogical practices in schools. The document has four sections: 1) A description of the German-speaking Community’s education system and ongoing reforms; 2) Students’ core foundations and competencies in the German-speaking Community; 3) A review of evidence on the design and successful implementation of 21st century curricula; and 4) Policies to promote effective classroom practices in a context of pedagogical autonomy.