The paper presents a comparative research project on pre-vocational education in secondary schools within seven European countries which is funded as a multilateral project within the European Lifelong Learning Program.

Regarding the EU-wide tension of increasing technical developments, proceeding automation as well as globalization, the three year EU - project “Fit for business – Developing business competencies in school” (“Fifobi”) aims to optimize economic education and to promote entrepreneurial spirit of young Europeans.

Therefore, Fifobi investigates the status quo of the forms and contents of economic and entrepreneurship education in public schools in seven different EU countries (Germany, Latvia, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Scotland and Hungary).

This comparative study, focusing on the last two years of the (general) compulsory education, is based on analyses of the relevant curricula and interviews with teachers and social partners. These analyses shall demonstrate the strengths and weaknesses in the particular school systems and finally lead to a publication of best practice approaches.

By learning from the mistakes and successes of other countries, the project Fifobi can have positive effects on the transition of young people from compulsory education into the labour market and on lifelong learning.

The interim results of the project are based on the curriculum analysis of each country as well as on the findings from Interviews with teachers in European compulsory schools.

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