This handbook is a joint publication of the European Commission and of the OECD. Its aim is to inform policy makers in any country to decide on the most appropriate strategies for policies for career guidance in their countries in the education, employment and community sectors. The main part of the handbook is divided into 14 policy themes, organised in 4 sections:
+ Improving career guidance for young people
+ improving career guidance for adults
+ Improving access to career guidance
+ Improving policies and systems for career guidance.

Each policy theme is addressed as follows:
=Key problems/issues that need to be considered
=Questions that policymakers should ask in addressing those issues
=Options that policymakers can adopt to improve policies
=Some examples of effective responses.

The handbook was co-edited in 2004 by Richard Sweet, OECD, and John McCarthy, European Commission, based on material prepared by Prof Ronald Sultana and Prof Tony Watts. It is a staff working paper of the European Commission.

The Arabic translation of the Handbook was kindly facilitated by the Qatar Foundation. The editing of the Arabic version was kindly undertaken by Dr Aboubakr Badawi (Egypt).

This summary was translated by Dr Neruda Barakat, Skills and Career Centre, Tishreen University, Latakia, Syria.

An examination of policies for career guidance was one component of a European Union programme (MEDA-ETE) being implemented by the European Training Foundation to support education and training for employment in the Mediterranean region. It involved 10 Mediterranean countries. The research on career guidance policies produced country reports on which this comparative analysis is based. The report covers:

• the socio-economic context
• the drivers for change
• current provision
• policy issues
• ways forward.

It also presents country profiles and comparative statistics.