Vision & Objectives

Educational inequalities – i. e. systematic disadvantages and advantages in access to and uptake of education related to individual characteristics such as social background, gender, disability, or immigration history – remain deeply ingrained in European education systems. A profound reduction in educational inequalities implies raising the educational levels of individuals (belonging to disadvantaged groups) and the society as a whole, thus improving individual life chances and overall socio-economic and political sustainability of Europe. To achieve this, the Research and Innovation Action PIONEERED project is devoted to reverse the trend of educational inequalities across 9 European Horizon 2020 Member States.

The project is designed to provide research-informed policy measures and to identify pioneering policies and practices to enhance access to, uptake and completion of education both in formal and informal educational settings and at different stages of education

PIONEERED’s recommendations will be tailored to different stakeholders (i. e. engaging both researchers, political stakeholders and end users) and formulated at different levels (i. e. national, regional policy level as well as institutional, classroom, and individual level) to meet their different needs. Overall, the PIONEERED outcomes will contribute to the educational success of all students, and, in particular, of students from vulnerable groups who are perceived as being at risk of leaving school early, and future unemployment, while taking into account trajectories, intersectionalities and formal as well as informal education.