3s Annual Review 2025
Throughout the year, we keep all interested readers up to date on the wide range of topics and national and international projects we are involved in via our website and LinkedIn. At the end of the year, the team brought together our key events and project highlights and noted that these are not only valuable within their respective research and policy fields, but can also be clearly presented along the lines of the Union of Skills. This European Union strategic framework aims to better connect skills, qualifications and learning pathways across education sectors, life stages and national borders. Its core objectives include high-quality and inclusive education, better use of existing skills, transparency and portability of skills, and targeted support for the green and digital transition.
Excellence and inclusion in VET
Excellence and inclusion in vocational education and training in Europe
In 2025, 3s continued to support key European actors – in particular Cedefop and the ETF – in analysing and further developing approaches to excellence and inclusion in vocational education and training (VET).
The first publication within the Cedefop project “VET Excellence and Inclusion for the 21st Century” was published recently. It analyses how European VET systems have addressed the two core education policy objectives of excellence and inclusion over the past 25 years.
The study is the first of three sub-studies and forms part of Cedefop’s long-term research strategy on the future of vocational education and training and continuing vocational education and training in Europe. 3s also led the preceding projects and continues to follow and shape this thematic strand.
Contribution to the Union of Skills: Evidence-based further development of the concept of “inclusive excellence” as a guiding principle of modern skills systems; strengthening high-quality, permeable and labour-market-relevant VET provision; and contributing to the development of a new EU strategy for vocational education and training to make it more attractive, innovative and inclusive.
Link to Cedefop study “Excellence and inclusion in VET”
Skills portability
Impact assessment of the Skills Portability Initiative
In 2025, 3s together with Ecorys began work on an impact assessment of the European Skills Portability Initiative. The focus is on how skills and qualifications can be made more usable across countries and systems. While the public consultation is currently under way, many further activities are planned for 2026.
Contribution to the Union of Skills: Supporting mobility, transparency and the efficient use of existing skills.
Link to the project description
Validation and recognition of skills in focus
Alongside the European perspective, there is also a need to develop new models at national level. An Austria-wide expert event brought the validation and recognition of non-formal and informal skills back to the centre of the education policy debate.
Contribution to the Union of Skills: Strengthening alternative learning pathways and improving the visibility of existing skills.
Skills shortages and skills mismatch
Completion of the Horizon Europe project Skills2Capabilities
For three years, we worked in a high-level consortium on various aspects of how qualification systems across Europe can respond to skill mismatch in their labour markets. By the end of the year, all deliverables are going to be completed, and numerous publications are already available or forthcoming. An initial summary can already be read here.
Contribution to the Union of Skills: Linking skills development with labour market and education policy governance.
Evaluations in higher education
On behalf of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Women, Science and Research and the Federal Ministry of Education, 3s carried out an evaluation of the minimum study performance requirements introduced at universities and university colleges of teacher education in the 2022/23 academic year. This evaluation was completed in 2025. In November 2025, a further evaluation of the introductory and orientation phase at universities commenced on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Women, Science and Research.
Contribution to the Union of Skills: Meeting skills needs by producing a sufficient number of well-qualified higher education graduates.
Governance, financing and evidence for skills systems
Cedefop conference: Financing adult learning
A European conference organised by Cedefop focused on public (co-)financing options for adult learning. 3s contributed valuable findings from several studies conducted in recent years, ranging from individual learning accounts to training funds.
Contribution to the Union of Skills: Strengthening the structural foundations for lifelong learning.
PIAAC – In-depth analyses of adults’ basic skills
The results of the 2022/23 PIAAC survey showed stagnating or declining basic skills among adults in many of the countries surveyed. International analysis of the data is still ongoing. For the Austrian expert report, 3s contributed two chapters, focusing on the role of workplace learning and on links with the structure of education and training provision.
Contribution to the Union of Skills: Providing data for evidence-based decision-making in upskilling and reskilling.
Regular upskilling and reskilling
Micro-credentials
In 2025, 3s supported conceptual work on micro-credentials as a flexible instrument for recognising and bundling learning outcomes across education sectors.
Contribution to the Union of Skills: Supporting modular, portable learning pathways and improving the permeability of qualifications.
Pact for Skills – supporting partnerships
3s supported the implementation and accompaniment of Pact for Skills initiatives with analytical and conceptual expertise.
Contribution to the Union of Skills: Strengthening sectoral partnerships and coordinated investment in skills.
Link to the project description
Green and digital skills for the twin transition
Green skills in ESCO and the AMS skills classification
In 2025, 3s made a key methodological contribution by systematically identifying green skills in ESCO. Building on this, green skills were also made visible in the AMS skills classification and in the career information system (BIS), for which we provide editorial support.
Contribution to the Union of Skills: Concrete operationalisation of the green skills agenda in matching and information systems.
Link to the project description
AI market study
Digital skills were addressed across many of our projects. A particular focus was placed on the development of continuing training provision in the rapidly growing field of artificial intelligence through an Austrian market study. We are currently also evaluating innovative outreach projects within the Digital Überall initiative, which recently received the European Digital Skills Award 2025.
Contribution to the Union of Skills: Evidence on key digital skills for education, the labour market and continuing training.
Low-threshold skills information for learners and workers
BIS kompakt – the simplified AMS career information system
In addition to the stronger integration of green skills classification mentioned above, BIS was continuously further developed. Among other things, a compact and particularly user-friendly version of the AMS career information system was created, allowing users to identify suitable occupations and apprenticeships based on their interests and skills with just a few clicks.
Contribution to the Union of Skills: Improved access to skills information for broad target groups.
Outlook
In 2026, 3s will continue to actively support the further development of European and national skills systems – from excellence and inclusion in vocational education and training to green and digital skills, as well as governance, financing and information issues. With strong analytical depth and a close link to practice, we will continue to contribute to the implementation of the Union of Skills.
As in 2025, we will also approach the themes of work, occupations and education from a cultural perspective. Following the successful first edition, we will be hosting the 2nd Vienna Labour Film Festival in 2026. If you are affected by winter weather or the New Year blues, you may want to mark your calendar already: 18–22 May 2026 – we very much hope to see you at the cinema.
