The SIRIUS Watch 2026 report has been published, offering important insights into how European education systems support migrant and refugee learners.
Titled “Bridging the Gap: Strengthening Language Support and Multilingual Education,” the report draws on data from 16 EU Member States to present a comprehensive picture of the current state of language support in education across Europe.
Key Findings
The report identifies several critical challenges:
- Uneven access and quality — While language support exists in some form across Europe, the quality and accessibility of that support vary significantly from country to country.
- First and family languages remain sidelined — Support for learners’ first and family languages is still largely optional or dependent on individual projects, rather than being embedded within mainstream education systems.
- Inconsistent teacher training — Training for educators in multilingual and intercultural education is often voluntary rather than a mandatory part of professional development.
- Fragmented data systems — Inconsistent and disconnected data collection across countries limits the ability to design evidence-based education policies.
