The quality of teacher education in many countries is below average: there are too many teachers without (the right level of) formal education, there is no such thing as compulsory refreshing or continuous professional development, and the level of training is generally too low, especially in the field of primary education. These characteristics make that teacher training courses are no “serious” study/career option for most of the brighter students, which leaves the current schools with the, though often very enthusiastic, lesser able. And here we have a vicious circle.

In order to break through this trend, CBE assists both school boards and institutes of teacher education (primary, secondary, and vocational) to improve their quality on the basis of a shift of responsibilities. Schools get, due to their practical experience and their clear views of the current needs, a stronger vote in de design of the curriculum and the didactic principles of the courses. Institutes of teacher education, on the other hand, get to play a more important role in the design and realization of the life-long-learning-curriculum. CBE plays a vital role in bringing together these new “partners in education”, and assists them in building new strategic alliances to improve the quality of teacher education, based on a combination of the latest scientific knowledge and practical experience.