Ambassadors tackling early leaving from VET

EU Member States

Dr Vjollca Blakaj
Prime Education
Austria
Herr Rene Halla
Jugend am Werk Steiermark GmbH
Austria
Frau Michaela Meier
Jugend am Werk Steiermark GmbH
Austria
Herr Kurt Streitenberger
ASEP - Austrian Senior Experts Pool
Austria
Herr Koen Bastiaens
City of Antwerp - Education Policy
Belgium
Dr Alexia Peyser Alciaturi
Bureau international en éducation et formation - BIEFOR
Belgium
Frau Bozhana Mihaylova
Creativity
Bulgaria
Frau Ivana Bacovic
URBACT Expert, ISS Sustainability and Social Responsibility Committee
Croatia
Frau Suncica Stanic-Gluhinic
People's Open University Varazdin
Croatia
Herr Marios Efthymiou
OTI Group
Cyprus
Fräulein Anna Michael
YOUTHShare Project _CARDET NGO
Cyprus
Dr Sotiris Themistokleous
Center for Social Innovation - CSI
Cyprus
Herr Martin Majcík
Masaryk university
Czechia
Frau Martina Nemcova
Careers Guidance Centre of the Zlín Region
Czechia
Frau Anne Henriksen
Ungdommens Uddannelsesvejledning UU Vejle - Youth Guidance Centre
Denmark
Herr Carsten Steen Nielsen
NLP Aalborg/Center for Unges Livsmestring
Denmark
Antonio Gennarelli
EVBB - European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training
Europe
Giulia Meschino
European Vocational Training Association - EVTA
Europe
Herr Daniel Soldan
Generation
Europe
Frau Sotiria Tsalamani
European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training (EVBB)
Europe
Fräulein Tanja Halttunen
Axxell Utbildning Ab
Finland
Herr Jussi Kajander
Luovi Vocational College
Finland
Herr Kari Saarelma
Stadin ammattiopisto
Finland
Herr Minh Huy Lai
Generation: You Employed Europe, Inc.
France
Herr Marian Liviu
IFPA Bourgogne-Franche Comté, Institut de Formation et Promotion des Adultes
France
Herr Nicolas Noilhan
Lycée Charles Poncet
France
Herr Anis Saidi
Unicef Consultant
France
Dr Sabine Beck
Institute for Vocational Training, Labour Market and Social Policy
Germany
Prof Viola Deutscher
University of Mannheim
Germany
Prof Peter Weber Weber
University or Research Centre
Germany
Herr Panagiotis Anastassopoulos
EfVET National representative of Greece
Greece
Frau Chrisoula Arcoudis
University of Athens
Greece
Frau Sofia Arvanitidou
Public Institute of Vocational Institution (IEK Lemnos)
Greece
Frau Terpsi Danavassi
Ministry of Education Greece
Greece
Herr Georgios Giotopoulos
Patras Public Experimental Vocational Training Institute
Greece
Fräulein Theodora Gkeniou
Evening Vocational Upper Secondary School of Serres
Greece
Frau Vana Karagianni
ENSO Hub
Greece
Frau ANASTASIA KARASARIDOU
EKEDIM THEOCHAROPOULOS
Greece
Dora Katsamori
NCSR-D, EWC
Greece
Herr Dimitris Kiriakos
DIEK Aigaleo
Greece
Frau Georgia Politaki
Career Counselor at KEK IDEA
Greece
Frau Christofili Tsiami
5th evening Vocational School of Thessaloniki
Greece
Frau Elisavet Tsiblidou
Center for Differential Diagnosis, Diagnosis and Support (KE.Δ.Δ.Υ.)
Greece
Frau Eszter Szegedi
Tempus Public Foundation
Hungary
Herr Előd Tóásó
TSzC Mikes Kelemen
Hungary
Herr Jason M. Cotter
Presentation College
Ireland
Dr Paul Downes
Institute of Education, Dublin City University
Ireland
Frau Aoife Murtagh
Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board
Ireland
Herr Finian Robbins
Laois Offaly Education and Training Board
Ireland
Dr Mauro Battuello
Fondazione Piazza dei Mestieri "Marco Andreoni"
Italy
Frau Elisabetta Buono
IIS G. Brotzu di Quartu S. Elena (CA) 09045
Italy
Herr Luca Calligaro
ENAC Ente Nazionale Canossiano
Italy
Dr Giovanni Crisonà
cscs.it / skillman.eu
Italy
Frau Daniela de Gregorio
National Research Council - Institute for Studies on the Mediterranean
Italy
Prof Roberto Franchini
ENDO-FAP, Ente Nazionale Don Orione
Italy
Frau Monica MANO
Youth4Youth
Italy
Dr Maria Rosaria Nese
Fondazione Alario per Elea-Velia Onlus
Italy
Dr Francesco Pisanu
Autonomous Province of Trento, Department of Education and Culture
Italy
Dr Elena Ragazzi
CNR-Ircres (Research Institute on Sustainable Economic Growth)
Italy
Dr Egle Celiesiene
Lithuania College of Democracy
Lithuania
Herr Malcolm Micallef
MATSEC Support Unit - University of Malta
Malta
Frau Yvonne Vanneste
The Dutch Expertise Center for Youth Health (NCJ)
Netherlands
Frau Anita Streich
Zespół Szkół Gastronomiczno-Hotelarskich
Poland
Prof Mario Brun
Centre for Innovation and Development in Education and Technology
Portugal
Frau Maria Manuel Casal Ribeiro
Câmara Municipal de Lisboa
Portugal
Frau Luísa Dornellas
Câmara Municipal de Lisboa/DMRH/Training and Development Department
Portugal
Herr Luis Mesquita
Escola de Segunda Oportunidade de Matosinhos
Portugal
Frau Hélia Moura
Directorate General of Education- Ministry of Education
Portugal
Frau Ana Ribeiro
AEVA - Escola Profissioanal de Aveiro
Portugal
Frau Fernanda Torres
INETE - Instituto de Educação Técnica
Portugal
Prof Baltaretu Cerasela
Colegiul Auto Traian Vuia
Romania
Dr Larisa Ile
Tourism Teachers and Mentors Association Edu4Tourism
Romania
Frau Mereuta Laurentia Mariana
AEPADO - European Association for the Defense of Human Rights
Romania
Dr Gabriela Neagu
The County School Inspectorate of Constanta
Romania
Dr Alena Minns
Digital Coalition – The National Coalition for Digital Skills and Jobs of the Slovak Republic
Slovakia
Herr Juan Acosta
Municipality of Mengibar
Spain
Herr Oscar Boluda
Escuela Profesional Xavier
Spain
Dr Juan Bosco Camón Herrero
Adult Education Center Alto Guadalentín
Spain
Herr Jaime Carmona López
Government of Valencia, Spain
Spain
Herr Jordi Castillo
Spain Secretary General Xarxa FP - European VET Mobility Network
Spain
Dr Juan Manuel Escudero
University of Murcia
Spain
Frau Alicia Esparcia
Valencian Institute for the Youth
Spain
Herr Christian Esteva
Centre4education
Spain
Herr Santiago García
EfVET
Spain
Herr Alfredo Garmendia
Centro San Viator
Spain
Frau Begonya Gasch
El Llindar
Spain
Frau Neus Gómez Matarán
Barcelona Provincial Council - Education Department
Spain
Dr Mariateresa González
University of Murcia
Spain
Dr Sofia Leitao
Rinova
Spain
Prof Fernando Marhuenda
Universitat de València
Spain
Herr Raúl Martínez
IES PUERTA BONITA
Spain
Dr Oriol Martinez Peiruza
Institut Barri Besòs
Spain
Dr Oscar Mas
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Spain
Prof Lluc Mas Pocoví
Conselleria d'Educació i Universitat
Spain
Sr. Francesc Meseguer
Noima
Spain
Frau Nayra Moreno
Sergio Alonso Foundation
Spain
Dr Patricia Olmos Rueda
Autonomous University of Barcelona
Spain
Prof Miguel Ortega Caraballo
Institut Castellet
Spain
Sra. Gloria Alicia Ortiz Molina
Colegio CIDE
Spain
Maria Josep Pérez Benavent
Departament d'Educació (Generalitat de Catalunya)
Spain
Herr Jordi Plana
Barcelona Provincial Council
Spain
Marta Robert Prius
Spain
Dr Francesca Salva Mut
University of Balearic Islands
Spain
Herr Guillaume Thureau
Asociación española de Escuelas de Segunda Oportunidad (E2O)
Spain
Herr José María Usón Claver
Fundación Federico Ozanam
Spain
Frau M.Isabel Vila
Regional Ministry of Education_Catalonia
Spain
Frau Maria Inmaculada Vitaller-Iranzo
Generalitat Valenciana
Spain
Prof Joanna Giota
Gothenburg University
Sweden

Other

Dr Jaagz Bajaj
UNESCO
Albania
Frau Valentina Chanina
European Forum of Technical and Vocational Education and Training - EfVET
Europe
Herr Abdi Kurt
sequa - TAMEB Project
Türkiye
Herr Paride Contin
Continental Automotive
United Kingdom
Herr Russell Hogarth
Creative Communities Group. University of central Lancashire
United Kingdom

Dr Irene Psifidou
Ambassadors network coordinator
Email

Are you passionate about making vocational education and training (VET) more inclusive, engaging, and fair for all learners? Join Cedefop’s European Network of Ambassadors Tackling Early Leaving from VET — a dynamic community of professionals driving positive change across Europe.

About the Network
Created by Cedefop in 2017, this European network brings together policy makers, learning providers, researchers, experts, and practitioners committed to reducing early leaving from VET at national, regional, and local levels.
Our Ambassadors come from diverse professional backgrounds — from ministries and VET institutions to companies offering work-based learning, guidance centres, public employment services, social services, youth organisations, and initiatives supporting NEETs (young people not in employment, education, or training).
As an Ambassador for tackling early leaving, you will:

Connect and collaborate with peers across Europe through exclusive Cedefop webinars and high-level European events.
Stay informed and inspired with the Cedefop Ambassadors Newsletter, featuring the latest insights, good practices, and policy updates on inclusion and early leaving prevention.
Contribute your expertise to Cedefop’s VET Toolkit for Tackling Early Leaving and VET Toolkit for Empowering NEETs — sharing inspiring practices, publications, and innovations from your context.
Shape the future of VET in Europe by participating in online discussions, seminars, and collaborative initiatives that strengthen inclusion and prevent early leaving.

Why Join?
Be part of a vibrant European community where knowledge, experience, and passion come together to make a lasting difference. As an Ambassador for tackling early leaving, you’ll amplify your impact, gain visibility for your work, and contribute to building stronger, more inclusive VET systems across Europe.
Join us and help empower every learner to succeed in VET — and beyond.

VET toolkit for tackling early leaving

Ambassadors tackling early leaving from VET

EU Member States

Other

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