Alongside the students, teachers and parents that play a role in all education systems, labour market actors such as employers and unions are critically important. Nationally and regionally the involvement of the authorities and social partners helps to ensure that the overall design of the system, the content of programmes, and the mix of training provision meet labour market needs. Some degree of consensus among the different stakeholders is important, but needs to be balanced by effective leadership to ensure that consensus does not become a formula for inertia, with a multiplicity of stakeholders each holding an effective veto on necessary reforms.