Cedefop newsletter

Participants were informed about the overall status of teacher interviews, as well as their country-specific progress, highlighting key strengths, challenges, and response patterns. The meeting provided space to discuss practical solutions to improve participation and data quality, drawing on stakeholder experience across countries.

The programme features well-placed and knowledgeable speakers and stakeholders engaged with lifelong guidance policy, research and policy analysis, training, programme management, implementation and practice. Opportunities for strengthening collaboration and partnership are explored to help develop policies, systems, and services across Europe.

There are increasing demands on lifelong guidance as a policy instrument for supporting learning, employment and social inclusion, and preventing exclusion.

Participants will examine how the framework will help structure collaboration and serve as a practical tool for policy and systems development and helping stakeholders to jointly clarify expectations for service users and learners. Engaging panels, roundtables and plenary presentations will explore lifelong guidance in the context of changes in the labour market and society, internationally and within Europe, that continue to reshape what guidance systems are expected to deliver.

#Lifelongguidance #Careerdevelopment

The 10th CareersNet annual meeting brings together network independent experts in Thessaloniki on 13 May to exchange knowledge and strengthen collaboration on lifelong guidance policies and systems. Organised alongside the forum Launching the new lifelong guidance framework (12–13 May), it offers valuable opportunities for interaction and peer exchange within the community. Network experts are encouraged to attend both events to fully benefit from the programme.

Participants will engage in peer exchange, follow-up discussions and collaborative activities, sharing national practices, research, and experiences. The Meeting activities will include:

• Follow up discussions and activities from the Day 2 January 29 meeting guided by the key themes of the framework for lifelong guidance policies and systems.
• Sharing views, national and local practices, Cedefop and member research and other activities.
• presenting plans for the Call for papers on changing expectations for quality in lifelong guidance amid evolving transformations, as well as presenting Lifelong guidance Inventory sections relevant to the topic.

The meeting aims to strengthen the CareersNet community, support knowledge building and identify common priorities, opportunities, and challenges for guidance systems. Discussions will build on previous exchanges and contribute to ongoing cooperation and policy development across the skills ecosystem.

Participation is by invitation only for CareersNet members.

In this forum, ReferNet members will have the opportunity to discuss issues related to vocational education and training (VET), skills and qualifications, improve their knowledge by sharing information on recent developments in national policies and systems while at the same time hear and learn about the VET system of Germany. The first of this year’s partnership forum will take place on 18 and 19 March 2026 in Budapest, Hungary.

We warmly thank the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training - (Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung), (BIBB), home of the ReferNet Germany team for hosting the event.

ReferNet is a network of institutions across Europe representing the 27 Member States, plus Iceland and Norway. The network provides Cedefop with information and analysis on national vocational education and training, skills and qualifications. National partners also disseminate information on European VET and Cedefop’s work to stakeholders in the EU Member States, Iceland and Norway. ReferNet publications can be accessed through the ReferNet page on Cedefop’s website.

Running until 2027, the study aims to generate evidence and identify good practices to support policy-making and implementation, in line with the Union of Skills initiative and the Basic Skills Action Plan, which emphasise the importance of civic knowledge and competences for democratic resilience.

The second meeting of the advisory group will take place on 27 May 2026 and will focus on discussing preliminary field research findings in the pilot countries: Czechia, the Netherlands, Norway and Portugal.

Building on the success of the 2025 research conference ‘Using data from the web to shape next-generation labour market and skills analysis’ organised in cooperation with Eurostat's Web Intelligence Hub, Cedefop and Eurostat are pleased to announce the 2026 follow-up event –including a new call for abstracts– which will take place on 28-29 May 2026 in Thessaloniki.

The insights and findings shared during the event will enhance our understanding of how web data can be leveraged for labour market and skills intelligence, helping to shape the future of research in this evolving field. As with the previous edition, the conference will provide a valuable platform for community building, fostering new collaborations, knowledge exchange and idea generation, while strengthening networks among experts committed to advancing labour market monitoring and skills foresight. 

Register now using the link below. Participation is subject to confirmation by the organisers.

On 29 and 30 June, Cedefop organises in its premises in Thessaloniki the conference: the skills nexus between productivity and job quality: strengthening foundations for a competitive Europe. Participants will discuss how companies and institutions can translate investment in skills and workplace learning into higher productivity and better job quality. The conference will also address the impact of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, on jobs and organisations.

Participants will engage in keynote speeches, panel discussions and interactive sessions. These will explore how skills development and workplace learning link to technological change and productivity, including transition towards Industry 5.0 and the role of workplace learning cultures.

Sessions will address topics such as upskilling in EU workplaces, future skills needs, and the impact of automation and digital technologies on jobs. Group discussions will look at leadership, organisational support for learning, and how job tasks evolve with digitalisation.

The programme includes exchanges with social partners, government representatives and experts. It encourages dialogue and the sharing of practices across sectors and countries.

Insights will draw on findings from Cedefop’s European Training and Learning survey (ETLS). Which provides unique insights into the drivers and contextual factors affecting workplace learning among EU citizens.

The conference will contribute to identifying practical approaches and policy priorities to help organisations adopt human-centred approaches to technological innovation.

Register now using the link below. Participation is subject to confirmation by the organisers.