Europe risks falling behind China and India because governments are doing too little to improve educational standards, upon which economic growth depends, the Lisbon Council for Economic Competitiveness and Social Renewal has reported.
Underinvestment in education and training in European countries, such as Germany and Italy, will result in economic freefall in the next decades, with Asia occupying the top position.
On current trends, Germany and Italy will find themselves with 50 per cent lower gross domestic product per head by 2030 than the UK and Scandinavian countries.
The only hope for the former is mass immigration, which would result in every second professional being a foreigner, with low-skilled jobs reserved for their own citizens.
While the rise of the Asian super-economy could be viewed as alarming, it is heartening that the report lists our education system as among Europe’s best.
Alan Corbett
Association of South East
Colleges, University of Reading
