This interdisciplinary book consists of three parts which examine the European Union policies on research and innovation, education and life-long learning, as well as the European Union Pillar on social rights and youth policies. In the first part, high-level experts analyze the European Research Area and its current enhancement, with emphasis on mobility and employability of researchers, especially in times of crises.

In the second part, the governance architecture of the European Education Area(s) is explored and the new objectives of the Bologna Process, as well as the EU institutional framework of the recognition of skills and qualifications, are analyzed. Life-long learning is also important for the individual development of human capital especially for socially vulnerable people who could also benefit from literacy policies and skills development. The second part concludes with the evaluation of the EU education and training policy based on social indicators in theframework of the EU 2020 Strategy.

In the third part, the book turns to Social Europe and the balancing between ordo-liberalism and ordo-socialism. It examines the EU Pillar of Social Rights and its impact on youth policies. It analyzes the EU youth policies e.g. on youth credit and their interaction with young people’s employment and education possibilities, with emphasis on the young people "not in education, employment or training" (NEETs).