Lithuania to chair the European Schools system for the first time
Lithuania is preparing to assume the presidency of the European Schools system for a one-year term beginning this August. Today, a Handover meeting took place at the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, during which Lithuania officially took over responsibility for chairing the European Schools from Latvia.
“We accept the upcoming Lithuanian presidency of the European Schools as a great commitment to enrich this unique educational system, which has been operating for over 70 years. We hope that after Lithuania’s presidency, the European Schools system will become even stronger in its mission to provide high-quality multilingual, multicultural and inclusive education in a rapidly changing world,” said Raminta Popovienė, the Minister of Education, Science and Sport of Lithuania.
During its presidency, Lithuania will focus on reinforcing linguistic and cultural diversity within the European Schools. It also plans to share the country's best practices in the use of artificial intelligence tools, as well as contribute to the areas of educational support and inclusive education across the European Schools network.
The coincidence of Lithuania's presidency of the European Schools and of the Council of the European Union will open up broader opportunities to increase the visibility of the European Schools system.
The event also featured a welcome address from Andreas Beckmann, the Secretary-General of the European Schools. “The European Schools are a unique educational community, bringing together pupils, families, and staff from across Europe through a shared commitment to cultural diversity, excellence, and – most important to me – common values. The rotating national presidencies embody the democratic and collegial nature of our governance, ensuring that every Member State plays an active role in shaping the future of the system. This shared responsibility is one of the defining strengths of the European Schools and a powerful expression of European cooperation in education. As Secretary-General I warmly welcome Lithuania’s Presidency and its priorities. Reinforcing linguistic and cultural diversity and the promotion of smaller language sections are part of our ‘Mission and Vision’. For me, both aspects are essential to maintain the uniqueness of our school system and they are well-addressed in one of the Lithuanian Presidency’s priorities,” said A. Beckmann.
On this occasion, Lithuania’s logo for its presidency of the European Schools was unveiled. The logo is inspired by the work of Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis. “This genius Lithuanian artist, composer, and painter wrote that ‘Every human comes to Earth with the sun.’ These words have become the motto of Lithuania's presidency, representing a commitment to cherishing every pupil’s innate light, uniqueness, thirst for knowledge, and resilience,” said Rūta Stanaitienė, Lithuania’s representative on the Board of Governors of the European Schools.
The European Schools System Comprises Nearly 40 Schools
The European Schools are educational institutions governed by the EU Member States and provide multilingual and multicultural education. The European Schools system consists of 37 schools across 15 EU countries, attended by approximately 400 Lithuanian students.
European Schools offer three levels of education: nursery, primary, and secondary. Upon graduation, students are awarded the European Baccalaureate diploma, which is equivalent to the Lithuanian secondary school leaving certificate.
Lithuania will assume the presidency of the European Schools system on 1 August 2026, when Latvia concludes its term. This will mark the first time that Lithuania has chaired the European Schools. The
presidency will be implemented by the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport in cooperation with its partners, Vytautas Magnus University and Vilnius Lithuanian House.
Part of Lithuania’s presidency of the European Schools will coincide with the country’s forthcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which will begin on 1 January 2027.
Last updated: 19-06-2026
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