ProjectsContact
ProjectsContact
06
Oct

Participation at CoP CoVEs Forum 2026 in Graz, Austria

By
0

From 7 to 9 September 2026, our Laboratory took part in the Community of Practice of CoVEs (CoP CoVEs) Forum in Graz, Austria, as part of the OVER SEES Project.

 

Dual Education and Training for Competitive Regions

This year’s theme, “Dual Education and Training for Competitive Regions”, focused on best practices from both vocational education and training (VET) and higher education. The aim was to explore how close cooperation between education and industry can build the skills that regions need to stay competitive.

The speakers came from every corner of the skills ecosystem: education institutions of all types, industry, governmental bodies and NGOs. Many shared lessons from CoVE projects, European University Alliances and national or regional initiatives.

Three days of keynotes, panels and workshops

The programme opened with a welcome day on Monday, 7 September, followed by two full conference days. It included:

  • keynote speeches and panel discussions with high-ranking experts in vocational and dual education
  • sectoral and transversal workshops on a wide range of topics related to vocational and dual education
  • study visits to companies, schools and universities in the Styria region

Study visits in Styria

Graz is Austria’s second-largest city and the capital of Styria, a region known for combining advanced industry with a rich educational landscape. The study visits gave participants a first-hand look at how dual education works in practice.

The visits covered a wide mix of institutions, including:

  • FH JOANNEUM, a university of applied sciences, with campuses in Graz and Kapfenberg covering applied research, smart production and health education
  • HTL BULME’s “Green Village”, a modern training centre for renewable energy technologies
  • LFS Grottenhof, Styria’s oldest agricultural and forestry school, with an organic teaching farm
  • the Styrian Chamber of Commerce (WKO Steiermark), with its Center of Excellence and Talent Center for skills assessment and career guidance
  • industry leaders Siemens and Anton Paar, showcasing apprentice training, work-integrated learning and precision manufacturing

 

Networking and knowledge exchange

The Forum proved to be an engaging and interactive experience. It offered excellent opportunities for networking, meaningful conversations and knowledge exchange on the future of education, training and skills development across Europe. For our Lab, it was also a valuable chance to connect the research of the OVER SEES Project with practitioners shaping vocational excellence on the ground.

 

We would like to thank CoP CoVEs for the opportunity and for the excellent organisation of the Forum. We are already looking forward to the next edition, which will take place in Athens in 2027!

Slides from the keynotes and workshops, along with the full programme, are available on the official Forum 2026 website.