The volume provides a comprehensive reference resource for education in the countries that joined the European Union between the signing of the Treaty of Nice to the present time: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. Many of these countries have previously been under the influence of the Soviet Union and are moving through transitional phases towards more western models. The chapters in this volume, written by regional experts, examine the educational heritage of these countries and how these education systems evolved in response to changing national needs, European agreements including the Treaty of Nice and The Bologna Process, and international evaluations such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). The chapters on Cyprus and Malta show the very special circumstances of these two Mediterranean islands and the international influences that have underpinned their developments in education.