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In contrast with European Union procedures to promote change in member states, the Council of Europe generally issues recommendations rather than legally binding conventions, recognising the enormous variations between its 39 members in eastern, western and central Europe.

The conference rapporteur, Nathan Deen of Utrecht University, will next month submit his report to the executive committee of the Council of Europe's ÖйúAƬ and research committee. The committee itself will consider the revised recommendations next March, and is likely to take a two-pronged approach, issuing draft recommendations to the European education ministers' conference next June, and to the council's decision-making body, its committee of foreign ministers, next September.

It seems set to take the unusual step of backing the recommendations by examples of good practice, and also holding an unprecedented follow-up conference in the year 2000 to monitor progress in widening access.

Delegates themselves are keen to establish European networks bringing together organisations which deal with student admissions and school-leaving certificates.