Catalonia has built strong foundations for high-quality education, with high participation rates in education, expanding educational attainment, strong digital infrastructure, and sustained commitments to inclusion. Yet, the system also faces growing pressures. Declining student performance, persistent socio-economic disparities, and increasing pressures on the education workforce and system implementation pose important challenges for the future.
In a context of economic, demographic, and technological transformation, this report analyses key opportunities and challenges shaping education policy in Catalonia today. Drawing on OECD expertise, international comparisons, quantitative and qualitative evidence, school visits, and extensive stakeholder engagement, it provides an in-depth diagnostic of the education system and identifies practical pathways for improvement. The report explores four interconnected areas of the Catalan education system: equity and inclusion, teachers and school leadership, evaluation and assessment, and governance and funding. It analyses how policy design and implementation can better support student learning, strengthen professional capacity, improve decision making, and respond more effectively to diverse territorial and social needs.
Combining objective analysis with international evidence and comparative insights, this report will be of interest to policymakers, education leaders, researchers and practitioners interested in education reform, system improvement and inclusive growth in Catalonia and beyond.
