Cedefop newsletter no 155

October

2025

16 October 2025

More than a job: citizenship education in initial vocational education and training

In an era defined by rapid technological change, complex global challenges, and the persistent threat of misinformation, the European Union is deepening its commitment to safeguarding democracy and fostering lasting prosperity. At the heart of this drive lies a crucial realisation: vocational education and training (VET) i...

This core belief is central to major EU policy initiatives, including the Union of Skills initiative and its Action Plan on Basic Skills, which highlight citizenship as what Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu describes as ‘the fifth basic skill’. This focus is reinforced by the Herning Declaration, which explicitly calls for fostering citizenship competence in initial VET (IVET) to achieve increased competitiveness and quality jobs. The Commission’s new Media Resilience Programme also strengthens this agenda by placing media literacy at the centre of Europe’s response to disinformation.

Launching the three-year study

To operationalise this priority, Cedefop launched a three-year study, hosting the first meeting of its advisory group on citizenship education in IVET on 18 September 2025. This group, which brings together policy-makers, social partners, researchers and international organisations, confirmed that the research is timely and necessary, and provided feedback on the initial literature review findings. The study will examine how citizenship competences are fostered in both school- and company-based settings, identify effective practices, and propose guidance for policy and practice across Europe.

VET: a pathway to a fulfilling life

VET is a key stage for shaping the political identities and civic disposition of 43% of Europe’s youth (ages 15-19). Citizenship education is vital for democracy, equity, and employability, developing essential skills such as teamwork, critical thinking, and problem-solving – competences increasingly demanded by the modern labour market.

Crucially, citizenship competence must be viewed not merely for its instrumental benefits for employability, but as an essential right for VET learners. VET should promote a balance between the technical skills sought by industry and the holistic learning required for active participation in both the workplace and wider society. By promoting citizenship education, VET ensures that students are prepared for fulfilling lives, equipped to contribute meaningfully beyond the 9-to-5.

Fostering inclusive and democratic societies

Strong communities require engaged citizens capable of constructive dialogue and critical thought, which is indispensable in a world marked by polarisation. Citizenship competence includes the ability to act as responsible citizens, based on an understanding of social, economic, legal, and political structures. Experts particularly underlined the need to strengthen media literacy and embed global citizenship.

The advisory group emphasised that integrating citizenship must involve both companies and schools. Furthermore, equity is a key theme; because IVET often attracts more diverse learners, including migrants, providing civic support is both urgent and potentially highly impactful. Good practice examples, such as Malta’s Encounter project on service learning and Sweden’s workplace-based democracy schools, highlight practical ways to embed citizenship education.

VET students, exposed to pluralistic learning environments, demonstrate a higher inclination toward non-institutional civic practices like volunteering and community engagement. By promoting inclusive learning, VET helps shape more equal and inclusive societies, where individuals can reflect and work with others to improve their situation.

The study – expected to deliver evidence and a strategic guide for EU VET policymakers and providers in 2027 – is now moving into field research, starting with pilot work in Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Portugal. Further case studies will follow in Romania, Czechia, Estonia and Italy.

Ultimately, the goal of this heightened EU focus, supported by a major Cedefop study, is to ensure VET learners – the future workforce and citizens of Europe – are fully included in democratic participation, fostering peace and securing a competitive future for all.

11.00 - 11.05	Introduction Antonio Ranieri, Head of Department for VET and Skills, Cedefop
11.05 - 11.25	Learning in enterprises, messages from the ETLS Giovanni Russo, Expert in skills and workplaces, Cedefop
11.25 - 11.35	Q & A
11.35 - 12.20	Panel discussion Moderator: Jasper van Loo, Coordinator, Department for VET and skills, Cedefop Steve Dhondt, Senior research scientist TNO, Professor at K.U.Leuven Pär Lundström, Senior Policy Advisor, The Swedish Installation Federation Juan José Luis Delgado, Policy Adviser, industriAll European Trade Union Dominik Sobczak, Deputy Head of Unit, DG Research and Innovation, European Commission
12.20 - 12.30	Q & A and Final remarks

14:00 - 14:15	Welcome and introduction	Juergen Siebel (Cedefop Executive Director) and Ivailo Kalfin (Eurofound Executive Director)
14:15 - 14:40	How SMEs go digital	Jasper van Loo (Department coordinator at Cedefop) and Franz Eiffe (Research manager at Eurofound)
14:40 - 15:15	Panel conversation	Moderated by Jasper van Loo Valentina Guerra (Policy Director at SMEUnited) Ants Sild (Lecturer-Consultant BCS Digital skills academy, Estonia) Thomas Oberholzner (Director of KMU Forschung, Austria) Dr. Mairéad Nic Giolla Mhichíl (co-ordinator of the DigiAdvance Project)
15:15 – 15:30	Policy pointers and take-aways	Sara Riso (Senior research manager at Eurofound) and Jasper van Loo

Organiser	Cedefop
In cooperation with	The Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU
Format	Physical
Participant profile	Stakeholders from the Permanent Representations of Member States to the EU, representatives from the European Commission and the European Parliament, European Social partners for education, Brussels-based stakeholders working on active citizenship.
Working language	English

Monday, 8 December 2025
9.30-10.00	Participant arrival and registration
10.00-10.15	Opening remarks Marie Juel Bech Nielsen, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Children and Education, Denmark Jürgen Siebel, Executive Director, European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop) Chair: Irene Mandl, Head of Department for VET and qualifications, Cedefop
10.15-10.55	Session 1. Promoting inclusive citizenship education and active participation in society Dmitrijs Kuļšs, expert in VET systems and policies, and key competences, Cedefop: Citizenship education in IVET: initial findings from Cedefop study Allan Kortnum, Director of Herningsholm Vocational College, Denmark: Skills city – a concept and campus designed to promote community, diversity, and democratic engagement among youth in VET Moderator: Irene Mandl, Head of Department for VET and qualifications, Cedefop
10.55‑11.10	Coffee break
11.10-11.50	Session 2. Panel discussion Policy perspectives – setting the framework for active citizenship in VET Anna Banczyk, European Commission, Head of Unit Vocational Education and Training, Skills Portability, Cedefop (EMPL.B.3) Marie Juel Bech Nielsen, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Children and Education, Denmark Michaela Franke, Research Administrator, Directorate for Citizens, Equality and Culture, European Parliament Q&A Moderator: George Kostakis, Coordinator, Department for VET and qualifications, Cedefop
11.50‐12.50	Session 3. Panel discussion Making it happen – practices that empower active citizens in VET Kristina Aaltonen, DLI – Danish Teacher Trade Unions Sabina Casini, senior adviser, BDA – German Employers, BusinessEurope Carlo Frising, Chambre des salariés Luxembourg, European Trade Union Confederation Allan Kortnum, Director of Herningsholm Vocational College, Denmark Erika Somlyay, Lifelong Learning Platform – European Civil Society for Education Q&A Moderator: George Kostakis, Coordinator, Department for VET and qualifications, Cedefop
12.50-13.00	Closing remarks Irene Mandl, Head of Department for VET and qualifications, Cedefop
13.00-14.00	Reception hosted by the Danish Presidency of the European Union

^{Cedefop has worked on qualifications frameworks since 2003, contributing to the design and implementation of the}^{European Qualifications Framework}^{(EQF) in cooperation with the European Commission, Member States, and other key partners.}

^{The European inventory of NQFs, is published biennially in close collaboration with the EQF Advisory Group, the European Commission and the}^{European Training Foundation}^(ETF).

Cedefop newsletter

Cedefop has worked on qualifications frameworks since 2003, contributing to the design and implementation of the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) in cooperation with the European Commission, Member States, and other key partners.

The European inventory of NQFs, is published biennially in close collaboration with the EQF Advisory Group, the European Commission and the European Training Foundation (ETF).

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^{Cedefop has worked on qualifications frameworks since 2003, contributing to the design and implementation of the}^{European Qualifications Framework}^{(EQF) in cooperation with the European Commission, Member States, and other key partners.}

^{The European inventory of NQFs, is published biennially in close collaboration with the EQF Advisory Group, the European Commission and the}^{European Training Foundation}^(ETF).