In order to fulfil societal functions as qualification, allocation and integration (Fend 1974), education needs to provide skills, knowledge and competencies held relevant by teachers and school representatives, students and parents, and employers. Curricula and qualifications represent institutionalised agreements on relevant education differentiated according to age and occupation.

GOETE analyses how education is being given relevance by different societal actors and how these relevances are negotiated with individual learners. This implies relating economic, institutional and biographical perspectives as well as the comparative analysis of such constellations.

The Thematic Report on Relevance of Education has been published and can be downloaded here: