On October 15th and 16th, the Challenger representative had the pleasure of joining the final event for the AIRinVET project in San Sebastian. This gathering, where three of the projects from the European Commission’s Forward-Looking Projects initiative met, was an invaluable chance for our project to connect with like-minded teams from AIRinVET and BARCOVE. By fostering collaboration among projects dedicated to applied Innovation and research in Vocational Education and Training (VET), the event highlighted the power of a shared mission to modernize and improve vocational training.

The event featured presentations from each project, showing the unique yet complementary approaches being taken to transform VET. Challenger’s mission— Empower VET students to solve problems in the local community and business by teaching them applied research approaches and connecting them to a network of role models and mentors. – aligned well with the themes explored.

Nataša Kristan Primšar actively participated in workshops and joined the live-streamed sessions, adding valuable perspectives. A live-streamed event was held on YouTube, featuring a series of insightful segments. The session began with a presentation by the Education, Audiovisual, and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), followed by discussions on the current state of innovation and research, addressing both the barriers and incentives for development in the VET sector. Presentations from the AIRinVET, BARCOVE, and CHALLENGER projects highlighted the innovative work taking place across Europe. The event concluded with a roundtable discussion that brought together project partners, invited experts, and representatives from companies, vocational training centers, universities of applied sciences, and consultancies. This diverse group offered a range of perspectives on the future of innovation and research in vocational training.

Overall, this event in San Sebastian was a great opportunity for us to draw inspiration from our counterparts, share the progress and lessons learned within the Challenger project, and explore new ways to collaborate.

The live-streamed panel IS AVAILABLE HERE.