Continuing their long tradition of developing synergies, Cedefop and the European Training Foundation (ETF) held their biannual knowledge-sharing seminar on 16 December, with Cedefop experts briefing their ETF colleagues about their recent research.
Every year Cedefop and the ETF organise two joint thematic meetings, one in Thessaloniki and another one in Turin, to facilitate knowledge sharing and complementarity in their activities capturing current developments in their domain of interest. These meetings also serve the purpose of exploiting possibilities for further enhanced synergies with full respect to the two Agencies' linked but distinct mandates.
Returning back to normality after the meeting restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic, there was a physical seminar in June, and the next one was planned as a physical event in Turin. Due to bad weather conditions, though, a number of flights to Turin were cancelled and as a result the seminar turned to a last-minute virtual one.
The meeting was still a success with Cedefop's Stelina Chatzichristou presenting the Agency's research findings on ‘Skills for the green transition – realising VET’s potential’; George Kostakis, Cedefop's VPS team coordinator with the support of the ETF's Carmo Gomez discussed the ‘National implementation plans for VET: How countries address the European priorities in VET’; and finally, Loukas Zahilas, Cedefop Head of Department of VET and qualifications, presented the final results of one Cedefop's major projects, ‘Future of VET’.
The next Cedefop - ETF knowledge-sharing seminar is scheduled for June 2023, and the two teams are confident that the summer weather will ensure there will be a physical meeting next time around.
