Jan Figel

The Hon. Jan Figel Former Deputy Prime Minister of Slovakia speaking at The Symposium on Cultural Diplomacy in the EU 2013

Jan Figel
European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth
In office 1 January 2007 – 1 October 2009
Preceded by	Himself (Education, Training, Culture and Multilingualism)
Succeeded by	Maroš Šefčovič
European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Multilingualism
In office 22 November 2004 – 1 January 2007
Preceded by	Viviane Reding Dalia Grybauskaitė (Education and Culture)
Succeeded by	Himself (Education, Training, Culture and Youth) Leonard Orban (Multilingualism)
European Commissioner for Enterprise and Information Society
In office 1 May 2004 – 22 November 2004
Preceded by	Erkki Liikanen
Succeeded by	Günter Verheugen (Enterprise and Industry) Viviane Reding (Information Society and Media)
Personal details
Born	20 January 1960 Čaklov, Czechoslovakia
Political party	Christian Democratic Movement
Spouse(s)	Mária Figeľová
Alma mater	Technical University of Košice Georgetown University University of Antwerp

Jàn Figel was born on January 20, 1960 in Slovakia. He is a Slovakian politician who served as European Commissioner for Education, Training, and Culture from 2004 to 2009, as well as being the Vice-President of the National Council of Slovakia.

Biography

Jan Figel started working as a research and development scientist for ZPA Prešov in 1983. In 1990, he joined the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH). He was elected as Deputy and then served in the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council of Slovakia in 1992. A year later, he entered the Slovakian delegation to the Council of Europe. From 1995 to 2000 Figel lectured in international relations at Trnava University.In 1998, Jan Figel was appointed State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and led Slovakia’s negotiations for the accession to the European Union till 2003. He served as Slovakian representative within the European Convention in charge of the drafting of the European Constitution. In 2002, he came back to his Slovakian national office as the chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council. In 2004, he was appointed European Commissioner for Education, Training and Culture and served until 2009 in the Prodi and Barroso Commissions. Jan Figel resigned from the Commission in 2009 following his election to the head of the Slovakian Christian Democratic Movement.

Education

Jan Figel studied power electronics at the Technical University of Kosice and graduated in 1983

Learn more

Jan Figel Lecture: XXI Century World - Towards Conflict, Balance or Unity?

ICD Highlights 2013

External Links: References

European Commission