Advancing towards a global movement for vocational excellence

"Never doubt that a small group of committed citizens can change the world." With these words, ETF Director Pilvi Torsti opened the second and final day of the conference marking the end of the second phase of the EU-funded Internationalising Vocational Excellence (IntVE) project, and paving the way for the third phase.

Held in Torino on 12-13 March, the event gathered 100 participants from 30 countries across three continents. The discussions were intense, focusing on the future of the vocational and training (VET) sector and the European Union’s role as the leading international donor in the education sector.

A key focus of the conference was to take stock of the progress made in advancing vocational excellence, a concept gaining traction in both EU policy and international practice.

Closely aligned with European Commission priorities, the ETF—working alongside three key European VET organisations (EfVET, EVBB, and EVTA) and various international partners—has fostered a strong global movement of Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs), driven above all by dedicated professionals committed to innovative education methods.

Strengthening networks: from local initiatives to global partnerships

This growing network of engaged and active citizens is committed to making VET more inclusive, future-proof, and responsive to the needs of local communities. At the same time, it takes a strategic approach by addressing major global trends reshaping labour markets, ensuring that this bottom-up approach has a broader and lasting impact.

Through the ETF’s Network for Excellence (ENE), strong and dynamic partnerships have been established among CoVEs across dozens of countries in Europe and beyond. “We have brought almost 350 institutions into the network, and our ambitious—yet achievable—goal is to reach 500 by the end of the year,” said Fabio Nascimbeni, human capital development expert at the ETF. 

The events were not just a self-referential celebration of excellence. "Previously, we used to say that CoVEs are drivers for the improvement of VET systems while building effective skills ecosystems; now we have raised the target—we see them as engines driving VET reforms at the national level," said Georgios Zisimos, Head of Human Capital Development Policy Advice Unit at the ETF. "Seeing you all here reminds me of the efforts we've made and the results we've achieved over the past two years."

Yet the connection between EU-level initiatives and national policies remains crucial, as highighted in the presentation by Cedefop’s Anastasia Pouliou, expert on qualifications and credentials in the future of VET. She provided a historical perspective on 30 years of EU policies on VET, using metaphors to illustrate two fundamental and deeply interconnected dimensions: excellence and inclusion.

"Vocational schools excelling in specific fields, assessed through the ETF's ISATCOVE tool, are represented in the ENE network across almost every continent," said Jolien van Uden, ETF senior expert on innovative teaching and learning and coordinator of IntVE and of the cluster on vocational excellence.

The ISATCOVE tool, a self-assessment instrument developed by the European Union with ETF expertise, features 577 indicators across 23 criteria. Built on previous tools like ENESAT (2020-2024), “ISATCOVE goes beyond evaluation—it serves as a catalyst for international partnerships,” said Doriana Monteleone, human capital development statistician at the ETF. After completing their self-assessment, schools can identify areas of complementarity with others in the network, fostering meaningful collaborations.

This is a crucial aspect, as the EU has invested over €400 million in Erasmus+ proposals for CoVEs during the 2021-2027 period and plans to expand its efforts in vocational education and training (VET). Last week in Brussels, the launch of the Union of Skills reaffirmed the European Commission’s strong commitment to the sector, as highlighted in a presentation by Andrea Leruste, Deputy Head of Unit at the European Commission's Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL).

"I recently took on this role, and when I first saw ISATCOVE, I thought 'Wow, that’s really a lot of indicators!' But being here, I see its practical impact. I’ll take home a sense of curiosity about the services developed by the ETF and the members of its steering committee in vocational excellence," she said.

Sharing best practices: international perspectives on Vocational Excellence

What new services, beyond ISATCOVE, are we talking about? The ETF has just launched several initiatives, including an e-library on vocational excellence, two knowledge packages focused on partnership-building and a Cookbook on vocational excellence.

The latter, "A Taste of Vocational Excellence: International Recipes for Skills Development," gathers best practices—referred to as 'recipes'—from 11 countries, ranging from Canada to Morocco and Georgia to Singapore. It also highlights how the concept of excellence is highly context-dependent yet still transferable and scalable.

Participants explored this idea further in five dedicated workshops, each aimed at identifying the right ingredients to 'bake' vocational excellence. Through discussions on innovation, digitalisation, green skills, inclusivity, and entrepreneurship, they worked to find the perfect recipe for success—combining key tools such as governance, funding, and internationalisation with a broader set of ingredients, from career guidance to applied research.

Just as in cooking, different methods were used—some started with a roundtable before breaking into smaller groups, while others were divided into subgroups and later reconvened to blend their ideas into a cohesive final outcome. Yet exchanges proved enriching on multiple levels: geographically, bridging perspectives from the EU and its neighbouring regions, and institutionally, bringing together policymakers, stakeholders, and local actors working directly with learners and beneficiaries.

The exchange of experiences among countries was a central pillar of the discussions, with representatives and education providers from both EU Member States and ETF partner countries sharing insights on their national approaches to vocational excellence. Greece, Spain, Slovenia, Italy, and France presented innovative models of CoVEs, while Jordan, Moldova, and North Macedonia highlighted their ongoing reforms and challenges in aligning VET systems with evolving labour market needs. 

"We’re bringing here our modest perspectives on VET reform in our country,” said Galina Rusu, State Secretary at the Ministry of Education and Research of Moldova, yet underrating the huge progress achieved in the Republic of Moldova over the last decade.

Marija Rashkovska from North Macedonia highlighted the value of EU tools such as ISATCOVE: "We had our own government-led self-assessment, but ISATCOVE has allowed us to take a significant step forward. We are now striving for certification in our CoVE."

Other shared experiences built upon previous dialogues from the first-ever Winter Camp on Vocational Excellence in Nova Gorica in February, where participants from Egypt and Türkiye had already engaged in cross-border knowledge sharing. For both, it was their first time in such an international environment, making it even more exciting to bring back new perspectives.

International collaboration was further reinforced by the presence of key global partners actively supporting the internationalisation of VET. The ILO, UNESCO-UNEVOC, ENABEL, and CoPCoVEs contributed to discussions on aligning policies, capacity-building initiatives, and funding mechanisms to enhance vocational excellence worldwide. ENABEL, the Belgian development agency, showcased its work in integrating VET strategies into broader development policies and presented tools like ISATCOVE in new contexts, such as sub-Saharan African countries.

The role of European VET associations was also pivotal in shaping the discourse. Giulia Meschino from EVTA, Paolo Nardi from EfVET, and Theodor Grassos from EVBB emphasised the importance of structured cooperation to enhance the scalability of vocational excellence. "We often complain that despite the progress, VET is still perceived as a second choice. We don’t need to compete for resources with higher education—VET should be a choice, a peer among others," said Grassos.

Their contributions complemented the presence of other key stakeholders, including EURASHE, EUproVET, and EUCEN, all committed to strengthening synergies between education providers, industry, and policymakers, as well as fostering economies of scale between higher education and higher VET institutions. 

Building the future: the importance of recognition and the road ahead

Aligning EU-level strategies with national, regional, and community needs remains essential in ensuring that vocational excellence is not just an aspiration but a reality across Europe and beyond—achieved by stepping beyond natural comfort zones through mutual trust.

Closing the event, Monteleone announced a milestone moment for the ETF and herself as an internal pioneer of the initiative—the first pilot certification for CoVEs built on ISATCOVE self-assessment. The first five awarded organisations, including two from Spain, two from Italy, and one from Slovenia, mark a tangible step toward the structured recognition of vocational excellence.

The awards were officially presented by ETF's Director Torsti, alongside Zisimos and van Uden, who reflected on the way forward. Their concluding remarks emphasised the ETF’s and the EU’s role in facilitating long-term impact but also highlighted how partners themselves have transitioned from beneficiaries to active shareholders of the initiative, collectively shaping the future of vocational education. A global movement is forming; now it's time to keep it going and make it grow.