As Advisory and Communication Partner of the LeadEx Interreg Europe project, EARLALL joined partners for the 10th Coordination Meeting on 11 September 2026, supporting preparations for the next stage of interregional learning and coordinating communication activities for the closing of the project’s third semester.
The online meeting brought the LeadEx partnership back together after the summer break to review ongoing activities and prepare for the upcoming Study Visit to Montenegro, taking place from 5 to 8 October 2026 in Budva and Kotor..
Preparing for interregional learning in Montenegro
The upcoming Study Visit will focus on inclusion, diversity and innovation in education, bringing together LeadEx partners and education stakeholders for institutional visits, workshops, presentations and peer-learning activities.
The programme will take participants to a secondary vocational school in Budva, the Faculty of Maritime Studies and a maritime high school in Kotor, as well as the Academy of Knowledge. Discussions throughout the visit will address topics including digital education, quality assurance and inclusive education.
A central element will be the presentation of Good Practices from LeadEx partner regions. Each partner will bring an example related to inclusion, diversity and excellence in education, creating an opportunity to compare approaches and consider how successful practices could be transferred or adapted to different regional contexts.
EARLALL will also contribute directly to the programme in Montenegro with a session dedicated to European tools for inclusive excellence, connecting the experiences emerging from LeadEx with the wider European education and training landscape.
Continuing the LeadEx learning journey
The meeting also looked beyond Montenegro to the next stage of the project. Partners agreed that the following LeadEx Study Visit will be hosted by Denmark from 20 to 22 April 2027, allowing preparations for the next interregional exchange to begin well in advance.
For EARLALL, the months ahead will combine communication, knowledge sharing and advisory support, helping partners turn the lessons emerging from LeadEx into experiences that can be shared across regions and connected with wider European discussions.
Read more here https://www.interregeurope.eu/leadex/news-and-events/news
On 16 September 2026, EARLALL hosted and co-organised the Final Conference of the WISE project, “Scaling Up Holistic Support for Refugee and Migrant Women Across Europe”, at the Delegation of the Basque Country to the European Union in Brussels. The hybrid event welcomed practitioners, policymakers, researchers, refugee-led organisations, project partners and stakeholders from across Europe, both in person and online, to reflect on the project’s results and, importantly, discuss how the WISE approach can be adapted, replicated and scaled up beyond the project.
Led by the International Rescue Committee Italy and funded by the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), WISE is implemented by a six-partner consortium comprising IRC Italy, EARLALL, Animus Association Foundation, Centro PENC, Laboratorio di Gruppoanalisi and SkillLab. The collaboration and expertise of partners across the consortium have been central to the implementation of WISE and were also key to shaping and delivering its Final Conference.
As the partner leading communication and scale-up activities, EARLALL has worked throughout WISE to increase the visibility of the project’s results, connect its experience with wider European networks and stakeholders, and create opportunities for exchange, knowledge transfer and replication.
Across the WISE partnership, stakeholder engagement has been an important part of the project’s implementation and outreach. Together, project partners mapped 268 public and civil society services, engaged 44 organisations, organised 8 co-design meetings and 46 Key Informant Interview meetings, and delivered 4 local dissemination workshops and 5 dissemination webinars, with the webinars reaching 74 stakeholders.
These efforts culminated in the WISE Final Conference, which gathered nearly 70 participants in person and online from across Europe.
Taking place as part of the European Skills and VET Week 2026, the conference provided an opportunity to reflect on the scale and impact achieved through WISE. More than 600 women and dependants were supported through the project; 51% received individual case management, 26% received one-to-one employment support and 60% participated in group activities. Among those receiving individual employment support, 55% completed their career goals and 42% used the project’s AI-powered skills-assessment tool. Mental health and psychosocial support was equally integral to the model: 75 women received individual psychological support in Italy, with 63% reporting that they were better able to recognise, express and cope with difficult emotions, according to data collected in June 2026.
Implemented in Italy and Bulgaria, WISE has piloted the Holistic Support Centre (HSC) model, bringing together individualised guidance, employment support, skills development, mental health and psychosocial services, cultural mediation and other forms of assistance within a gender-sensitive and trauma-informed framework.
The Final Conference provided an opportunity not only to reflect on the project’s results and lessons learned, but also to look ahead: how can holistic support models be sustained, adapted and replicated in different contexts across Europe?
Behind the results are individual integration journeys
Opening the conference, Noelia Cantero, Director of EARLALL and Communication and Scale-up Leader of WISE, reflected on why WISE has been particularly important for EARLALL.
She reminded participants that behind the project’s results and figures are individual stories of women rebuilding their lives, developing their skills and finding new pathways into education, employment and their communities. Every integration journey is also a lifelong learning journey, she stressed, highlighting the importance of carrying the lessons from WISE into wider European efforts to create more inclusive learning opportunities and labour markets.
The first conference session then turned to the results and experience of implementing WISE. Elisabetta Bianchin, WISE Project Coordinator and Programme Manager for Economic Wellbeing; Serena Leone, Senior Grants Manager; and Elena Lanteri, Integration Counsellor from IRC Italy, presented the impact of the HSC model and reflected on its core components for future adaptation and replication.
A central lesson emerging from WISE is that labour-market integration cannot be addressed in isolation. Women’s pathways towards employment and learning are closely connected with mental wellbeing, family responsibilities, language, previous professional experience and qualifications, access to services and the broader process of rebuilding their lives in a new country.
The WISE model responds to this complexity by bringing different forms of support together around the individual rather than treating each barrier separately.
From the model to practice: what does holistic support mean?
The Practical Panel, moderated by Olena Yakovets, Cultural Mediator at Centro PENC, moved the discussion from the overall project results to the day-to-day experience of delivering holistic support.
Maria Chiara Monti, President and Founder of Centro PENC; Alyona Tabunshchyk, Project Coordinator at Animus Association Foundation (AAF); Maria Tchomarova, Mental Health Expert at AAF; and Daria Rostirolla, Psychotherapist and Medical Anthropologist at Laboratorio di Gruppoanalisi, shared perspectives from the implementation of WISE in Italy and Bulgaria.
Their discussion explored how employment, mental health, trauma, gender and social integration intersect in the lives of refugee women, and why effective support needs to respond to these needs together.
The exchange also highlighted the importance of trust, safe spaces, cultural mediation, interdisciplinary cooperation, individualised support and strong local referral networks. Rather than offering a single pathway for every participant, holistic support requires services to respond to each woman’s circumstances, capacities and aspirations.
How can Europe scale up holistic support?
The second half of the conference shifted the focus from implementation to policy, sustainability and scale-up.
The Policy and Scale-up Panel brought together perspectives from European institutions, academia, refugee-led organisations, civil society and local social services.
Moderated by Elisabetta Bianchin, the discussion featured Aurélien Mornon Afonso, Policy Officer at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL); Ivanna Khodos (Shkolnitskaya), Founder and Executive Director of R.I.W.E. – Refugees International Women Empowerment; Professor Teresa Sordé Martí from the Autonomous University of Barcelona and CERI-M; Mosab Tato, Co-founder and Managing Director of Support Group Network Deutschland e.V. from Baden-Württemberg region (EARLALL member); and Christophe Marthoz, Advisor to the Director for Partnerships and Special Projects at the CPAS de Schaerbeek.
The discussion centred on a question that reaches beyond WISE: what is needed for successful social innovation to move beyond individual projects and become embedded in sustainable policies, partnerships and services?
Panellists explored the role that European funding, local and regional authorities, civil society organisations and refugee-led organisations can play in this process. The exchange addressed the importance of sustainable funding, cooperation across different levels of governance, evidence and knowledge transfer, as well as the value of organisations rooted directly in refugee communities.
The discussion particularly highlighted the contribution of refugee-led organisations in building trust and reaching people who may not engage with larger organisations or mainstream public services, alongside the need for effective cooperation between community-based organisations, public authorities and larger service providers.
Connecting WISE with wider European cooperation
The discussions on replication and scale-up also reflected connections already built around WISE through the EARLALL network and other European initiatives.
Baden-Württemberg, an EARLALL member region, was connected with WISE through the SALAM Interreg Europe project, bringing additional experience and perspectives on the sustainability and scale-up of support for refugees and migrants.
WISE has also benefited from exchanges with Centre-Val de Loire, another EARLALL member region, which contributed to the fourth WISE stakeholder webinar on the replicability of gender-sensitive and holistic approaches to refugee women’s integration. The region shared its experience and contributed to the discussion on how approaches such as WISE could be adapted and replicated by different types of organisations and public actors.
These connections demonstrate how EARLALL’s network has helped extend WISE beyond the project partnership, creating opportunities for mutual learning between regions, practitioners and European initiatives and supporting the continued exchange and transfer of promising practices.
Continue engaging with WISE
Although the Final Conference marked the closing stage of the project, there are several ways for stakeholders to continue exploring its results and connecting with the wider European discussion.
Join the ESF+ Community of Practice on Migrant Integration. During the Policy and Scale-up Panel, European Commission highlighted the ESF+ Social Innovation+ initiative, coordinated by the European Competence Centre for Social Innovation, as an opportunity for stakeholders to continue exchanging knowledge and experience beyond individual projects. Through its Communities of Practice (CoPs), it brings together stakeholders for ongoing peer learning, knowledge exchange and live meetings around key areas of social innovation. Stakeholders interested in continuing these exchanges can join the relevant CoPs and participate in their activities.
Follow WISE as a European good practice. The exchange will also continue through SALAM Interreg Europe, where WISE will be presented as a good practice during the webinar “European Good Practices for Migrant Labour Inclusion”, creating another opportunity to share its experience with organisations and regions working on migrant labour-market inclusion.
Explore WISE results and resources.
Add yourself to the WISE Stakeholder Database here and stay part of the conversation on strengthening holistic support for refugee and migrant women across Europe.
Project Title: WISE – Supporting Ukrainian Refugee Women’s Socio-Economic Integration and Wellbeing
Project number: ESF-SI-2024-UA-01-0032 – WISE
What can help Swiss vocational education and training engage more fully in European mobility and cooperation? A new study commissioned by Movetia identifies the barriers – and, importantly, the strategic levers that could help overcome them.
International cooperation has become increasingly important for vocational education and training (VET). As skills systems respond to the green and digital transitions, changing labour markets and the growing importance of transversal competences, cooperation across borders can provide valuable opportunities for mutual learning, innovation and professional development.
For Switzerland, this question is particularly timely. On 17 September, Movetia – Switzerland’s national agency for exchange and mobility and an EARLALL member – hosted the webinar “Strategic Levers for Swiss VET in Erasmus+”, presenting the findings of the new VETengage study conducted by the Swiss Observatory for Vocational Education and Training (OBS SFUVET). The study, led by Prof. Dr. Lukas Graf and Dr. Agata A. Lambrechts, examines why Swiss VET currently engages less extensively in European cooperation than several European counterparts and what could be done to strengthen that engagement.
The discussion comes at a significant moment. Switzerland is preparing for potential reassociation with Erasmus+, with the possibility of participation from 2027 onwards. At the same time, Swiss institutions currently have various, but more limited, possibilities to participate in Erasmus+ cooperation as institutions from a non-associated third country, supported where relevant through Swiss funding mechanisms administered by Movetia.
The VETengage study therefore asks a question that goes beyond programme participation: how can international cooperation become a more integrated part of Swiss VET?
Looking beyond a successful system
One of the study’s central messages is particularly relevant for the wider European VET community: the strength of a national VET system should not become a reason to look inward.
Switzerland has a well-established dual VET system, with strong links between education and the labour market. Yet the success and specificity of this model can also make international cooperation more difficult. Differences in the organisation of apprenticeships, institutional responsibilities and labour-market structures can make it harder to identify obvious European counterparts or demonstrate the immediate value of international mobility.
The study groups the challenges facing Swiss VET into three broad categories: contextual, demand-side and programme-related barriers.
Contextual barriers: when success can become isolation
The first set of challenges concerns the institutional and cultural environment in which Swiss VET operates.
The researchers point to a risk of complacency or inward-looking perspectives: when a VET system is widely recognised as successful, there can be fewer perceived reasons to search for solutions elsewhere. Yet international cooperation is not only about importing practices. It is also about comparing approaches, testing assumptions and identifying innovations that can complement existing strengths.
Structural differences create another challenge. Swiss dual apprenticeships do not always have direct equivalents in other European countries, while mobility can raise practical concerns for employers who rely on apprentices as part of their workforce. For SMEs and training companies in particular, releasing an apprentice or staff member for an international experience may entail real organisational and resource costs.
The study also highlights resource constraints and fragmentation, which can make it difficult for individual VET actors to develop and sustain international partnerships.
From “additional work” to strategic development
The second group of barriers relates to demand: the motivation, incentives and priorities of VET institutions, companies, teachers and learners.
A recurring issue is that internationalisation is not always embedded in an institution’s overall strategy. A teacher or VET professional may be interested in developing a mobility project, but without an institutional framework, international cooperation can be perceived as an additional responsibility rather than part of the organisation’s core mission.
The researchers also identify a potential mismatch between the benefits of mobility and the immediate needs of employers. International experiences can strengthen transversal competences, intercultural awareness, adaptability and other skills, but these benefits may be less immediately visible than occupation-specific technical competences.
For learners, meanwhile, hesitation and uncertainty can also influence participation. International mobility can offer significant learning experiences, but it requires students and apprentices to leave familiar environments and, in some cases, navigate practical and financial challenges.
These findings point towards an important shift in perspective: internationalisation needs to be connected more clearly to the concrete needs and priorities of VET institutions, learners and employers.
Erasmus+: opportunity, but also complexity
The third category concerns the programme environment itself.
Because Switzerland has not been associated with Erasmus+ since 2014, Swiss VET actors face additional complexity when participating in European cooperation. Swiss institutions can participate in selected Erasmus+ cooperation actions as partners from a non-associated third country, while Swiss funding mechanisms can support certain forms of participation. However, this can involve additional administrative processes and different funding arrangements compared with institutions from Erasmus+ programme countries.
Geography and partnership structures can also create friction. Finding European partners with sufficiently similar VET structures can be challenging, particularly for actors looking specifically for dual VET models.
For the researchers, however, these challenges should not be interpreted simply as reasons to wait for a future programme arrangement. Instead, they provide a case for building capacity now.
Ten strategic fields of action
The VETengage study moves beyond identifying barriers. Its central contribution is a set of ten strategic fields of action, bringing together 35 proposed levers based on empirical findings, document analysis, European VET research and interviews with relevant stakeholders.
Among the proposed approaches are:
- Adapting mobility formats to reduce productivity losses – for example through reciprocal job-shadowing or job-swap models and blended mobility.
- Building institutional capacity, including through explicit internationalisation strategies and stronger bridges between VET institutions and universities of applied sciences.
- Strengthening strategic networking to overcome isolation and build stronger relationships with European partners.
- Implementing federal mandates and curricular reforms that can provide a stronger foundation for international engagement.
- Creating tangible incentives and recognition, including possible quality labels for employers and supplementary qualifications linked to international experiences.
- Using strategic storytelling and needs-based framing, connecting international projects to concrete operational challenges faced by VET institutions and companies.
- Cultivating internal champions and peer advocacy, enabling experienced practitioners to encourage colleagues and organisations to engage.
- Strengthening support structures and administrative expertise, including mobility advisory services.
- Standardising guidance and reducing bureaucracy, making international cooperation easier to navigate.
- Building engagement progressively, allowing organisations to start with lower-risk forms of cooperation before moving towards more complex partnerships.
Taken together, these proposals suggest that internationalisation should not be treated as a single mobility project or as a question of funding alone. It is a capacity-building process involving institutions, companies, learners, policymakers and intermediary organisations.
Why this matters beyond Switzerland
From a European perspective, the Swiss experience raises a broader question: how can VET systems with strong national traditions remain open to international learning and cooperation?
European cooperation does not require national systems to become identical. On the contrary, some of the value of cooperation comes precisely from comparing different approaches and learning from different institutional contexts.
The study highlights the potential of larger transnational networks, including the European Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs), to connect VET providers with international industry partners and address shared challenges such as the green and digital transitions.
This is highly relevant to the wider European VET community. Skills challenges increasingly cross borders, while companies and labour markets operate across increasingly interconnected economies. Cooperation can therefore provide a space for VET systems to learn from one another while retaining their distinctive strengths.
For Switzerland, stronger European engagement could also create opportunities to connect international cooperation more directly with the country’s economic and skills priorities. The VETengage study argues that international engagement can contribute to transversal and future-oriented skills, support the green and digital transitions, and strengthen the long-term competitiveness of an export-oriented economy.
A strategic window for Swiss VET
The timing of the VETengage study is therefore significant. The potential future association of Switzerland with Erasmus+ creates an opportunity, but programme access alone will not automatically translate into stronger participation.
The findings suggest that preparation needs to happen at several levels: institutions need strategies and capacity; employers need meaningful incentives and practical solutions; learners need accessible and relevant mobility opportunities; and support structures need to make European cooperation easier to navigate.
In this sense, the study provides a roadmap not only for potential Erasmus+ participation, but for strengthening the international dimension of Swiss VET more broadly.
For EARLALL and its network of regional and local authorities and VET stakeholders across Europe, this is a particularly relevant discussion. European cooperation works best when different education and training systems can bring their own experiences, strengths and perspectives to the table.
The question is therefore not simply how Swiss VET can participate more in Europe, but how Europe can benefit from deeper engagement with Swiss VET – and how both can learn from one another.
The VETengage study offers an important contribution to that conversation at a moment when the European VET landscape is continuing to evolve.
Read the full VETengage study: VETengage – Strategic Levers for Swiss VET Engagement in Erasmus+ Cooperation Initiatives
How can Europe ensure that workers have the skills they need as jobs and technologies evolve? This question brought researchers, policymakers and experts together in Naples on 10–11 September for the TRAILS Conference on Occupational Mismatch and Skill Shortage.
Hosted by the University of Naples Federico II, the conference explored how technological transformation, demographic change and labour-market transitions are affecting workers’ careers and the relationship between education, skills and employment.
The event brought together research from universities, research institutes, central banks and international organisations, with discussions ranging from digital skills and teleworking to vocational education, job displacement, labour mobility and human capital allocation.
Understanding the changing world of work
The conference highlighted that skills shortages and occupational mismatch are complex challenges. They are not only about whether workers have the right qualifications, but also about whether their skills are effectively used, whether they can move between jobs and regions, and whether education and training systems respond to changing employer needs.
Presentations examined how technological change is reshaping workers’ careers, how training can help people adapt to changing job requirements, and how factors such as housing costs and geographical mobility can influence access to employment opportunities.
The discussions also highlighted the importance of addressing inequalities in the digital transformation of work, including differences in access to advanced digital tasks and opportunities for career progression.
Supporting young people and strengthening vocational pathways
A keynote lecture by Professor Pierre Cahuc (Sciences Po) focused on “Job Search Assistance for Vocational Students.” The research explored how providing job-search support during education can help students prepare for the transition into employment.
The presentation underlined the value of helping young people identify their skills, understand labour-market opportunities and develop practical job-search strategies — particularly when they may not have access to strong professional networks.
The conference also devoted a policy panel to dual vocational education and training, bringing together Konstantinos Pouliakas (CEDEFOP), Sandra McNally (University of Surrey) and Samuel Bentolila (CEMFI), under the moderation of Ferdinando Giugliano (CEPR).
The panel discussed the contribution of apprenticeships and vocational education to school-to-work transitions, while also stressing that the quality and relevance of training opportunities are essential. Retraining and upskilling must respond to actual labour-market needs and remain accessible throughout people’s working lives.
Connecting skills policy with the future of work
The discussions in Naples also reflected on the growing role of artificial intelligence and digital technologies. As tasks and occupations evolve, workers and employers need opportunities to develop new skills, while policymakers need reliable evidence to understand where support is most needed.
A key message emerging from the conference was that skills policy cannot be separated from wider labour-market and regional policy. Mobility, job quality, education choices, training provision and access to opportunities all influence how effectively people and economies can adapt.
The conference provided a valuable opportunity to connect research findings with policy discussions relevant to education and training stakeholders across Europe.
For the TRAILS project, the event marked an important moment in bringing together research and policy perspectives as the project moves towards its final phase.
The discussions reaffirmed the importance of lifelong learning, strong vocational pathways and better connections between education, skills and employment in building more inclusive and resilient labour markets.
EARLALL has joined STEMMING- Green Innovation: Agentic AI and Quantum-Secure STEM Talent for Smart Solar Europe, a new European project bringing together 13 organisations from across Europe to strengthen STEM education, innovation and entrepreneurship.
Led by the University of L’Aquila, the consortium brings together universities, research and technology organisations, industry and European networks, including EARLALL as the European Association of Regional and Local Authorities for Lifelong Learning.
STEMMING is part of Cohort 5 of the EIT Higher Education Initiative (HEI) under EIT RawMaterials. The project focuses on developing interdisciplinary skills at the intersection of green technologies, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies and software competences, with a particular focus on Europe’s smart solar ecosystem.
Building STEM talent for the green and digital transitions
On 10 September STEMMING consortium came together for its virtual kick-off meeting, marking the start of collaboration between partners and introducing the project within the wider EIT Higher Education Initiative ecosystem.
Launched in 2021 under Horizon Europe, the EIT HEI Initiative aims to strengthen higher education institutions as drivers of innovation and entrepreneurship. Its fifth cohort includes 35 projects from 49 countries and 552 organisations, creating a broad European community for collaboration, experimentation and knowledge exchange.
Within this framework, STEMMING will connect advanced STEM knowledge with entrepreneurial and transversal competences. Entrepreneurship training delivered through the project will align with the European EntreComp framework, while other European competence frameworks can complement this approach in specific technical and sustainability-related areas.
During the kick-off, partners also explored training and capacity-building opportunities available through the EIT HEI ecosystem, including support related to entrepreneurship and intellectual property, as well as resources for connecting project partners, participants and start-ups across Europe.
Connecting universities with regional ecosystems: EARLALL’s role
A key part of EARLALL’s role in STEMMING is to help ensure that the project’s impact extends beyond the participating universities and reaches regional education, skills and innovation ecosystems.
EARLALL will support connections between higher education institutions and regional stakeholders, help align STEMMING activities with regional Smart Specialisation priorities, and contribute to making the opportunities created by the project inclusive and accessible to under-represented groups.
EARLALL will also bring its experience in gender mainstreaming and inclusive regional policy. STEMMING aims for at least 35% participation by women and will monitor gender representation across participation, mentoring, internships and start-up creation.
Through its wider network of regional and local authorities, EARLALL will support the transfer and replication of successful STEMMING approaches beyond the project consortium, connecting project results with regions and lifelong learning ecosystems across Europe.
By bringing together higher education, emerging technologies, entrepreneurship and regional cooperation, STEMMING offers an opportunity to develop the talent and skills needed for Europe’s green and digital transitions while ensuring that innovation is connected to regional needs and accessible to a more diverse group of learners.
On 10 September 2026, EARLALL joined fellow members of the Gender Equality Task Force in Brussels for the “Europe Is You: Young Feminist Leadership and the Institutions Within Reach” panel at the European Committee of the Regions.
The panel brought together perspectives from the European Commission, the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), the Civil Society Organisations’ Group of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), and the European Women’s Lobby, alongside young feminist leaders and civil society representatives.
The discussion came at an important moment for the EU’s gender equality agenda. In 2026, the European Commission introduced its new Gender Equality Strategy 2026–2030 and Roadmap for Women’s Rights, setting out priorities for advancing gender equality across the EU.
The new Strategy also connects these ambitions with the EU’s commitments under the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Nearly five decades after its adoption, the question is not only how to reaffirm these commitments, but how to turn them into tangible change.
This is where lifelong learning has an important role to play. Education and learning can help challenge gender stereotypes, influence educational and career choices, strengthen access to skills and employment, and support participation throughout people’s lives.
What does the data tell us?
The EIGE Gender Equality Index 2025 shows that progress has been made, but equality remains far from achieved. The EU scores 63.4 out of 100, and at the current pace, full gender equality remains at least 50 years away. Participants also stressed that gaps in gender-disaggregated data make it more difficult to understand inequalities and develop effective responses.
For lifelong learning, the Index’s Knowledge domain is particularly relevant. While attainment and participation score 78.7, segregation scores only 41.8, highlighting persistent gender differences in fields of education and the pathways leading from learning to employment.
The My Voice, My Choice European Citizens’ Initiative provided a concrete example of the power of civil society mobilisation. Its work on access to safe abortion across Europe demonstrated how citizens can bring issues onto the European agenda and push for an institutional response. Participants also highlighted the importance of involving young people and youth organisations meaningfully throughout policymaking, rather than only once decisions have been taken.
Connecting gender equality with care careers
Discussions on women’s health and reproductive rights also connect with another challenge relevant to lifelong learning: the strongly gender-segregated care sector.
This link will be explored further by the Gender Equality Task Force for Lifelong Learning during the European Week of Regions and Cities through the workshop “Rethinking Care Careers: Gender, Skills and Wellbeing for Stronger Regions.”
The session will look at how regional policies, education and training can help challenge gender stereotypes in care careers, strengthen inclusion and wellbeing, and contribute to more sustainable and attractive career pathways.
For EARLALL, the message is clear: moving from promises to change means embedding gender equality not only in dedicated equality policies, but also across education, skills, employment and lifelong learning.
On 8-9 September 2026, EARLALL joined Creative Skills Week 2026 in Brussels, bringing together representatives of Europe’s cultural and creative sectors, policymakers, education and training actors, industry and regional ecosystems to explore how creative skills can contribute to wider societal challenges.
Co-organised by EIT Culture & Creativity, CYANOTYPES and Creative Futures Academy, in collaboration with the Creative Pact for Skills, CREDEX and GreenCCIrcle, this year’s programme addressed questions ranging from regional skills partnerships and new approaches to learning to rural development and measuring the wider public value of culture and creativity.
From European skills agendas to regional implementation
For EARLALL, a particularly relevant discussion focused on how local and regional ecosystems can translate European skills agendas into concrete partnerships and implementation models.
The session brought together perspectives from the European Commission, ERRIN and several European regions and regional skills partnerships, including the member of EARLALL – Basque Country, Stuttgart Region, Region Skåne, southern Italy and Amsterdam.
One of the challenges highlighted was that not every region has a regional skills strategy, while effective policymaking also depends on gathering evidence from education and training providers and connecting it with regional priorities.
Examples presented during the discussion demonstrated different ways of building these ecosystems. In Region Skåne, cooperation brings together universities, competence centres, cultural and creative industry clusters, popular education institutions, cultural organisations and municipalities. Priorities include knowledge exchange between academia and industry, innovative business models, digital and green skills, and diversity. Future ambitions include combining academic micro-credentials with industry-relevant learning and strengthening European cooperation between regional skills partnerships.
Other examples illustrated bottom-up cooperation between VET providers and non-formal learning organisations, regional responses to the digital transformation of cultural heritage, and partnerships connecting technological change with education, training, diversity and territorial attractiveness.
These discussions strongly reflect EARLALL’s approach to lifelong learning as an ecosystem, where regional authorities can connect education and training with employers, communities and other territorial actors while adapting European priorities to local realities.
Learning through experimentation
Creative Skills Week also provided space to rethink how skills are developed and how organisations learn.
Drawing on four years of experimentation, a CYANOTYPES workshop explored lessons emerging from project pilots across Europe. Rather than focusing only on successful outcomes, participants examined organisational blind spots, mistakes and changing perspectives, considering how creative competences can be translated into meaningful organisational change.
Another session looked at regenerative rural futures through culture and creativity, exploring how cultural tourism and cross-sector cooperation can connect culture, local economies and territories. The discussion emphasised place-based approaches rooted in local identity, entrepreneurship and collaboration between different sectors.
Looking beyond economic indicators
The final day turned to another fundamental question: how should Europe measure the value created by culture and creativity?
The discussion highlighted the limitations of relying solely on traditional economic indicators. Culture and creativity can also contribute to innovation, social cohesion, democratic participation, wellbeing and resilience – dimensions that require broader approaches to evidence and impact assessment.
For EARLALL, the discussions across Creative Skills Week reinforced the importance of connecting skills development, creativity and regional ecosystems. Regions are well placed to bring together education and training providers, businesses, cultural organisations, communities and policymakers, creating partnerships that turn European ambitions into learning opportunities and tangible impact at territorial level.
The TRAILS – Enabling data analytics for actions tackling skills shortages & mismatch, EU-funded project consortium gathered in Naples on 9 September 2026 for its sixth plenary meeting, hosted by the University of Naples Federico II, ahead of the Conference on Occupational Mismatch and Skill Shortage, which took place on 10–11 September.
With the TRAILS project approaching its final months, the meeting offered an important opportunity for partners to review progress across the work packages, discuss remaining activities and deliverables, and agree on priorities for the final phase leading up to the project’s conclusion in March 2027.
A key focus of the meeting was how the evidence and knowledge generated by TRAILS can be translated into practical recommendations and made useful for policymakers, stakeholders and other actors working on skills shortages and mismatch.
Partners discussed developing a series of policy briefs on key themes emerging from the project’s research, including training and inclusion, matching skills to labour-market needs, skills development, and mobility. The briefs will connect TRAILS research findings with concrete policy challenges and actionable recommendations for relevant decision-makers and beneficiaries.
The final months of the project will also see the completion of several important research and technical outputs, alongside the continued development of the TRAILS platform, which will bring together project results and analytical tools.
As part of the plenary discussions, Alicia Gaban, representing EARLALL, presented the progress and achievements in TRAILS dissemination and communication activities.
The presentation highlighted the important progress made in raising the project’s visibility and strengthening engagement with relevant stakeholders throughout the project. Among the key achievements discussed were the successful publication and dissemination of press releases, the continued growth of TRAILS’ social media presence, the production and distribution of project newsletters, and ongoing efforts to reach and engage stakeholders at European, regional and local levels.
These activities have helped to increase awareness of the project’s work and ensure that TRAILS research and results reach audiences beyond the consortium itself.
EARLALL’s contribution to the research and experimental work is particularly important in connecting the project with regional and local stakeholders, helping to bring the discussion on skills shortages, skills mismatch, education and labour-market needs closer to the realities faced by territories and their communities.
As the project moves into its final phase, dissemination and stakeholder engagement will remain a key priority, with the consortium focusing increasingly on communicating the project’s findings and supporting their uptake.
The plenary meeting took place at an important moment for TRAILS. Several major deliverables are scheduled for completion between October 2026 and February 2027, while the final policy, dissemination and exploitation activities will continue into March 2027.
The meeting therefore represented an important step towards consolidating the project’s results and ensuring that the knowledge generated by TRAILS can have an impact beyond the lifetime of the project.
The plenary was followed by the Conference on Occupational Mismatch and Skill Shortage in Naples, which brought together more than 40 participants at MUSAP, Palazzo Zapata. The conference offered an opportunity to discuss the challenges addressed by TRAILS with a wider community of researchers, policymakers and stakeholders and to connect the project’s work with the broader European debate on skills and labour-market transformation.
For EARLALL, the continued engagement in TRAILS represents an opportunity to strengthen the role of regional and local perspectives in European discussions on skills, while ensuring that project knowledge is communicated effectively to stakeholders and can contribute to future policy and practice.
On 8 September 2026, EARLALL joined WISE project partners for an online coordination meeting to review the final stages of the project and prepare for the upcoming WISE Final Conference in Brussels.
Partners discussed the status of the project amendment, ongoing reporting and deliverables, and the work still to be completed in the coming months. The planned no-cost extension will allow WISE activities to continue until 31 December 2026, providing additional time to finalise project outputs and consolidate the work carried out by partners.
The meeting also provided an opportunity to review progress on key project resources, including the Holistic Support Centre Model Toolkit, which has been further developed following feedback from the project exchange visit and technical review. Partners coordinated the remaining review and approval process for the project’s final tools and deliverables.
Looking ahead, partners discussed the next WISE Community of Practice, which will provide space to reflect on project conclusions, transitions in local activities and lessons learned from implementation.
Preparations for the WISE Final Conference, taking place in Brussels on 16 September 2026, were also discussed. Partners reviewed outreach, participation and practical arrangements for the hybrid event, which will bring together stakeholders to explore the project’s results and the potential to replicate and adapt holistic support approaches for refugee and migrant women in different contexts
For EARLALL, the coming weeks will be particularly important for bringing the project’s experience into a wider European discussion on how integrated and holistic support can strengthen the social and economic inclusion of refugee and migrant women.
Explore WISE project factsheet and project results
Learn more about the WISE Project here..
Learn how to establish a Holistic Support Centre by watching our WISE webinars.
On 31 August, EARLALL President Madeleine Jonsson met with Tuscany Regional Minister Alberto Lenzi at the headquarters of the Region. The institutional meeting provided an opportunity to discuss the region’s main priorities in employment, vocational education and training, skills, technological innovation and labour market transitions.
The meeting also offered an opportunity to explore prospects for strengthening Tuscany’s political presence within the EARLALL network and to exchange views on shared European priorities. Discussions covered lifelong learning, vocational education and training, apprenticeships, skills development and the challenges associated with increasingly complex labour market transitions. Particular attention was also given to the impact of artificial intelligence on education and training systems, as well as on production systems and the future of work.
A key part of the discussion focused on the implementation of the GOL Programme (Guarantee of Employability of Workers) in Tuscany. The region presented its Regional Implementation Plan (PAR Toscana), highlighting the role of employment services, coordination with training provision, and upskilling and reskilling measures designed to support individuals in navigating labour market transitions.
Following the institutional meeting, President Jonsson visited a Public Employment Centre in Florence, part of ARTI, Tuscany’s Regional Agency for Employment. The visit provided an opportunity to gain a direct understanding of how regional public employment services operate and how they support individuals through guidance, personalised pathways and access to training and employment opportunities.
The exchange with ARTI staff focused on the organisation and functioning of regional employment services and their role in connecting active labour market policies, skills needs and training provision. It also highlighted the importance of effective coordination between regional and national measures in supporting people through transitions in the labour market.
The programme continued with a session dedicated to Digital GOL and upskilling and reskilling pathways, with the participation of the GOL Digitale Firenze partnership, led by Cosefi. The discussion explored how employment services, training providers and individual learners can work together to respond to evolving skills needs, particularly in relation to digital competences.
The visit concluded with reflections on possible areas for future cooperation and exchange within the EARLALL network. Tuscany’s experiences offer valuable insights for regions across Europe facing common challenges related to skills shortages, digitalisation, lifelong learning and labour market transitions.
As regions continue to play a central role in connecting education, training, employment and economic development, exchanges such as this one remain essential for mutual learning and cooperation across Europe.
EARLALL has been contributing to the development of the forthcoming European Committee of the Regions (CoR) opinion “Skills for the Future”, led by rapporteur Karolien Grosemans. Following an invitation from the SEDEC Commission, EARLALL held a bilateral meeting with the rapporteur and her team on 26 August 2026, ahead of the stakeholder consultation on 31 August, which EARLALL also joined. These exchanges provided an opportunity to highlight the strategic role of regional and local authorities in shaping Europe’s skills agenda in the context of rapid technological change and the rise of AI‑driven labour markets.
The opinion is expected to be presented and put to vote at the CoR Plenary in October 2026, scheduled around 12 October, marking the final step before its formal adoption. EARLALL’s early engagement ensures that regional perspectives are fully reflected in the text ahead of this decisive moment.
After the bilateral meeting, EARLALL submitted a concise set of illustrative examples drawn from member regions, structured around three pillars we consider essential for a future‑proof skills strategy: (1) Provision of STEM/AI skills, (2) Inclusiveness, and (3) Territorial skills ecosystems.
A snapshot of regional innovation across Europe
The examples shared with the rapporteur demonstrate the breadth of regional action across Europe. They include advanced STEM and AI‑related training models such as the Basque Country’s Tknika system—where “8 technological monitoring nodes and 19 specialisation areas translate emerging tech trends into curricula”—and Tuscany’s industry‑driven ITS Academies. They also highlight inclusive approaches like Västra Götaland’s rural higher‑education access through Campus Dalsland and Brittany’s decentralised tiers‑lieux apprenants. Finally, they showcase robust territorial governance structures, from Baden‑Württemberg’s Alliance for Lifelong Learning to Brittany’s multi‑tier CTEFI committees and Vestland’s Kompetanseforum Vestland. Together, these examples illustrate how regions are already delivering the skills needed for the AI era while ensuring territorial cohesion and coordinated lifelong learning ecosystems.
EARLALL’s message to the CoR
Across all contributions, EARLALL emphasised a clear point: Skills for the future cannot be reduced to curriculum content or AI literacy alone.
The three pillars presented to the rapporteur underline that:
- Regions are key innovators in STEM/AI provision.
- Territorial fairness and access are essential to ensure no community is left behind.
- Skills ecosystems and multi‑stakeholder governance are indispensable for effective lifelong learning.
EARLALL will continue supporting the rapporteur’s work as the opinion advances toward its adoption at the October Plenary, ensuring that regional and local authorities remain recognised as essential actors in Europe’s skills transformation.
In 2026, EARLALL celebrates 25 years of cooperation, exchange and lifelong learning across Europe.
To mark this milestone, EARLALL is continuing its 25th Anniversary Campaign: “25 Years of Regions Learning Together”, a campaign celebrating the people, regions, partnerships and projects that have shaped the network over the past 25 years—and looking ahead to the future of regional cooperation in education and skills.
25 years of regions learning together
EARLALL was founded in 2001 by nine regional governments, united by a shared ambition: to strengthen the role and voice of regions in European education and training policies.
Twenty-five years later, cooperation remains at the heart of EARLALL’s work.
Throughout the anniversary campaign, we will highlight how regions, local authorities, education and training organisations and European partners have worked together to exchange practices, develop projects, strengthen skills ecosystems and contribute to lifelong learning across Europe.
🎥 Watch the anniversary video
25 Years of Regions Learning Together – EARLALL 25th Anniversary Video
Voices from the EARLALL Network
At the centre of the campaign are the voices of the EARLALL network.
Over the coming months, we will share short video testimonials from EARLALL members, associate members and partners, reflecting on their experiences with the network, the value of European cooperation and the impact of working together.
Watch the Voices from the EARLALL Network playlist
These voices represent the diversity of the EARLALL community and the many perspectives that have contributed to its development over the years.
25 Years of Impact
The campaign will also take a look back at key moments in EARLALL’s history.
Through our 25 Years of Impact series, we will revisit important milestones, projects, partnerships and developments that have contributed to the network’s journey since 2001.
Across Our Regions
EARLALL is a network of territories, and the anniversary campaign will bring those territories into the story.
Throughout the autumn, we will share videos, photographs and other visual content from our members, showcasing learning environments, projects, people, skills initiatives and activities taking place across Europe.
From regional institutions and training centres to learners and local communities, these stories will show lifelong learning in practice and in different regional contexts.
Projects and cooperation
European cooperation has always been an important part of EARLALL’s work.
The campaign will therefore also highlight projects and partnerships that demonstrate what can be achieved when regions and organisations join forces.
From exchanging practices and developing new approaches to working together on European projects, these stories illustrate how cooperation can translate into concrete opportunities and stronger regional learning and skills ecosystems.
Explore EARLALL’s European projects
Looking towards the next 25 years
While the anniversary provides an opportunity to look back, it is also a moment to look forward.
The challenges facing regions and communities continue to evolve. Skills needs are changing, lifelong learning is becoming increasingly important, and cooperation between regions and European partners remains essential.
As we approach our Annual Meeting and anniversary celebrations in December.
Join the celebration
Follow EARLALL on LinkedIn featuring testimonials, milestones, regional stories, projects and reflections from across the network.
This anniversary is not only about celebrating an organisation. It is about celebrating a network—the regions, local authorities, organisations and people who have contributed to 25 years of cooperation, exchange and lifelong learning.
25 years of Regions Learning Together.
And the next chapter is only beginning.