The EmpowerVET Project officially launched with its Kick-off Transnational Project Meeting (TPM) held in Essen, Germany, on 27–28 February 2025.
Partners from Germany, Spain, and Albania gathered for two days of strategic discussions, coordination planning, and the co-creation of the project’s shared vision:
Empowering vocational education through innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable digital learning.
A Strong Start for a Strong Partnership
Hosted by blinc eG, the project coordinator, the meeting brought together representatives from:
- blinc eG (Germany) – Lead Partner
- IES Ribeira do Louro (Spain)
- European University of Tirana (UET) (Albania)
- Shkolla Profesionale Elbasan (Albania)
The session opened with partner introductions and a dynamic exchange about the vocational education systems in Albania and Spain — highlighting similarities, differences, and opportunities for mutual learning.
Particular focus was placed on the dual education model, stonemasonry, manufacturing, and granite sectors — serving as examples of how practical training aligns with local labor markets.
Project Branding & Communication
Early collaboration focused on EmpowerVET’s visual identity.
Partners jointly selected the final logo concept (image from option two with the font from option one), ensuring a professional and modern visual profile consistent with Erasmus+ branding standards.
A shared Google Drive repository and mailing list were established to streamline communication and document management.
Research Design and Methodology
A major portion of the meeting centered on the structure and methodology of Work Package 2 (WP2) – the project’s research backbone.
Key deliverables and deadlines were confirmed:
- Research Design and Methodology: 30 June 2025
- EmpowerVET Research Report: 30 September 2025
- Contextualized Competence Frameworks: 31 October 2025
The consortium agreed on a Mixed Methods Research approach, combining desk research, quantitative surveys, and qualitative focus groups.
Each partner will analyze both their national context and one additional EU country to map best practices in entrepreneurship education within VET and ICT sectors.
Focus groups will engage stakeholders from:
- Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)
- Vocational Education and Training (VET) providers
- Local community projects and enterprises
The consortium emphasized sustainability and digital learning as cross-cutting themes throughout the research.
From Research to Action
Partners discussed the implementation of WP3 – Piloting and Transfer into EmpowerVET Courses, focusing on the Train-the-Trainer (ToT) activities to be held in Spain.
This program will target over 16 trainers from higher education, VET, and business sectors, focusing on:
- Sustainable Competence Development
- Design Thinking
- Creativity and Innovation Management
These trainers will then cascade the training within their institutions, running pilot courses that integrate competence-based learning with real-life entrepreneurship projects.
Key Strategic Decisions
Several structural and strategic elements were confirmed during the meeting:
- Sustainability and entrepreneurship will form the project’s thematic backbone.
- Digitalization will be used as a methodology to support innovative learning, rather than as a standalone goal.
- The Design-Based Collaborative Learning (DBCL) approach will guide pedagogical development — combining individual reflection with team-based prototype creation.
This blend of asynchronous (self-paced) and synchronous (collaborative) formats aims to foster both creativity and entrepreneurial mindset among learners.
Evaluation, Dissemination, and Next Steps
Partners reviewed internal evaluation procedures, reporting timelines, and dissemination responsibilities.
The European University of Tirana (UET) will provide templates for reporting, monitoring, and quality management.
The consortium also discussed the launch of the EmpowerVET website and newsletter, ensuring a consistent communication flow toward stakeholders and the wider VET community.
The next transnational meeting will take place in Spain (October 2025), where partners will present the first research results, plan the Train-the-Trainer implementation, and further refine the EmpowerVET competence framework.
A Collaborative Vision for Change
The Essen Kick-off Meeting marked not only the official start of EmpowerVET but also the beginning of a shared journey toward a more modern, sustainable, and connected vocational education system.
Each partner left the meeting with a clear roadmap — and a common belief that empowering teachers, students, and institutions through collaboration and digital innovation is the key to transforming VET across Europe and the Western Balkans.
