Thank you for joining us!
Date: 4 March 2026
Time: 9.30 – 16.45
Location: Brussels Marriott Hotel Grand Place, Rue Auguste Orts 3-7, 1000 Bruxelles
Overview - Thank you for a great event together!
On 4 March, the European Learning Platform project (EULEP)’s final conference, “VET = Excellence³”, was held in Brussels. The event brought together policymakers, VET providers, businesses and skills stakeholders to explore how business-oriented continuous VET can drive excellence and innovation across Europe. Participants discovered the key results of this Centre of Vocational Excellence, implemented in eight European countries, and gained insight into the Centre of Vocational Excellence initiative which has i.a. developed and tested business-oriented training modules in artificial intelligence, virtual reality and social innovation in eight European countries.
Event Gallery
Conference Agenda
| 9.00 – 9.45 | REGISTRATION |
| 9.45 – 10.00 | Opening session: Business needs for a lifelong skilled workforce Ben Butters, CEO Eurochambres |
| 10.00 – 10.15 | The EULEP project in a nutshell A short project insight |
| 10.15 – 11.05 | I. Business skills needs in the digitalisation context A short presentation of the EULEP market analysis, followed by a moderated debate. Moderator: Anna Pajarón, Terrassa Chamber of Commerce and Industry, ES Speakers: Minas Kyriacou, CEO Ascanio, CY, Neslihan Ülkü Aktas, Trainer, TOBB ETÜ, TR Sebastien Bondoux, Digital Consultant, Var Chamber of Commerce and Industry, FR Jasmin Naghmouchi, E-learning Expert, AT |
| 11.05 – 11.35 | COFFEE BREAK AND NETWORKING |
| 11.35 – 12.30 | II. How to respond to businesses skills needs A short introduction into the EULEP training paths and learning platform followed by a moderated debate. Moderator: Mitchell Peters, ORCID Researcher, Open University of Cataluña, ES Speakers: Marco Damiano, Skills and Active Labour Policies Service Unit, Dintec, IT Alain Heureux, Member of the Executive Committee, BECI, BE David Enrich, Software Engineer, ES Toms Ezerietis, Ogres Technical School, LV Guntram Bechtold, CEO Stars Media IT, AT
Videos: Italy (AI & VR) and France (trainings) |
| 12.30 – 14.00 | LUNCH BREAK AND NETWORKING |
| 14.00 – 14.45 | III. Digitalisation ecosystems – how can they help SMEs’ digitalisation A short introduction into EDIHs and their role for fostering digitalisation & innovation and how they contribute to EULEP, followed by an exchange of views. Moderator: Edmar Freire, Project Manager, GIP FIPAN, FR Speakers: Salih Can Şire, Project Development and International Trade Manager, Adana Chamber of Commerce and Industry – EDIH, TR Katerina Loizou, Project Manager at DiGiNN EDIH, CY Ilenia Tinnirello, Professor at University of Palermo and scientific coordinator of EDIH I-Nest, IT
Video: Belgian VET promotion |
| 14.45 – 15.30 | IV. VET skills ecosystems and their contribution to local economic development A short presentation of the partners “VET Council / Clusters” activities, highlighting local/regional/national specificities and an exchange of views. Moderator: Marta Mencía González, Education Officer, Terrassa City Council, ES Speakers: Luca Boetti, Expert and Project Manager, IFOA, IT Louise Cartuyvels, VET Council Coordinator IBEFE Brussels, BE Aoife Byrne, Attaché, Permanent Representation of Ireland to the EU, IE |
| 15.30 – 16.00 | COFFEE BREAK AND NETWORKING |
| 16.00 – 16.30 | V. Centres of Vocational Excellence – lessons learned & the way forward A short presentation of the overall results of the project and the lessons learned followed by an exchange of views on the way forward. Moderator: Birgit Arens, Senior Project Manager Eurochambres, BE Speakers: Francesca Ludovisi, Researcher, INAPP, IT Romain Goura, Head of International Department, GIP FIPAN, FR Seval Iskender, EU Affairs and International Projects Coordinator, TOBB, TR |
| 16.30 – 16.45 | CONCLUSION AND END OF EVENT |