Brussels - Minister of Education, Science and Sport Simona Kustec presented on Monday the priorities of the upcoming Slovenian EU presidency to her EU counterparts as the first Slovenian minister to do so. She said experience related to Covid-19 would be an important topic.

In education, youth and sport, the motto of Slovenia's EU presidency will be "health for knowledge, youth and sport", whereas health should be understood in the broadest sense, Kustec told the STA.

She believes education, youth and sports are the main elements of a healthy society and the wider system of each country and the EU. "At a time when it became clear how fragile and at the same time important these areas are, it is our job and responsibility to create a vision for the future."

Slovenia will in the second half of the year strive for the young to be heard, for everyone to obtain quality education and for the European model of sports, the minister said.

A special debate is also envisaged on the experience related to Covid-19 and adoption of measures that would help bring life back to normal and include the best practices of combined learning into future educational processes.

The European Commission is to give its recommendations on combined learning, addressing the issue of the consequences of Covid-19 for the future, at the end of June or the start of July.

Slovenia's presidency will strive to have this recommendation adopted at the ministerial level at the end of November.

Special emphasis will also be placed on the concept of life-long learning and micro qualifications. Another important topic will be the development of a common European university area, including the ambition to create an EU university degree, but Kustec expects no concrete results this year.

The minister also highlighted the importance of the digital transition and artificial intelligence. A ministerial to be held in Slovenia on 9 and 10 October will focus on the new role of education, digitalisation, AI and combined learning.

In sports, Slovenia will advocate for the European model and expects decisions on this to be adopted at the end of November.

Although this is not a new concept and has been discussed for more than two decades, this will be the first document on the matter at the EU level.

In September, a sports event will be organised in cooperation with Slovenian MEPs as part of the European Week of Sport.

Kustec presented Slovenia's priorities on Monday and today at the meetings of EU ministers in charge of education, youth and sports. She started her visit to Brussels by meeting representatives of the youth at a working breakfast.

She also met European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Mariya Gabriel.

She will present the priorities in research next week at a meeting of EU ministers in charge of research.