28
Okt

Making Skills Recognition More Inclusive

How Can the Validation of Non-Formal and Informal Learning Better Serve the Most Vulnerable?

Veranstalter: European Competence Centre for Social Innovation

Making skills visible through the reco­gni­ti­on and vali­da­ti­on of non-formal and informal learning has been a long­stan­ding goal of European education, labour, and social policy. The European Social Fund (ESF) has been instru­men­tal in deve­lo­ping Validation of Non-Formal and Informal Learning (VNFIL) systems across Europe. However, these systems often remain out of reach for those with low or no formal qua­li­fi­ca­ti­ons, par­ti­cu­lar­ly people facing multiple, inter­sec­ting disadvantages.

The event will bring together ESF+ stake­hol­ders, NGOs, and Managing Authorities to assess how vali­da­ti­on is currently supported under ESF+ (2021–2027) and explore future direc­tions. Participants will also gain insights into how vali­da­ti­on has been inte­gra­ted into Germany’s Vocational Training Act and into Portugal’s Qualifica Programme.

To attend the meeting and receive the relevant infor­ma­ti­on, we kindly ask you to register using the REGISTRATION LINK by Wednesday 22 October 2025 COB.

10:00 – 12:00
Online
Webinar

März

2027



März
10–
11
09:00
Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany
Konferenz

The Making of Apprenticeships

Divergence, Experience, and the Transformation of Vocational Education & Training

Dietmar Frommberger & Christoph Porcher

The conference explores the making and remaking of apprenticeships as a global historical phenomenon, tracing how pre-industrial craft training evolved under industrialisation, state-building, and changing educational ideas. It focuses both on institutional change and on the lived experiences of apprentices, masters, and other actors, and invites contributions from all periods and world regions.


März
/Apr
31–
1
09:00
Graz
Konferenz

innovativ & exzellent – Berufsbildung als Zukunftsmotor

4. Grazer Berufsbildungskongress

PH Steiermark

Möglichkeit sich zu aktuellen Themen der Berufsbildung mit nationalen und internationalen Expert*innen auszutauschen.

Call for Papers offen bis 1.10.2026

Mai

2027



Mai
18–
20
10:00
Johannesburg, South Africa
Konferenz

7th Crossing Boundaries Conference

Learning Across Continents: Conversations in a divided world

VETNET

Topics:

  • How do we understand the role of VET in preparing young people for work when labour markets and workplaces are in flux nationally and internationally?
  • Is this changing the nature of VET and VET curricula? Is it raising new questions on work, labour markets and education? What is core to VET that is stable across different contexts?
  • Are systems looking more similar or more different from each other?
  • What are the main factors—such as workplace organisation, changing labour markets, changing enrolment in schools and universities, and the nature of economies that are influencing different aspects of VET provision—such as curriculum, governance, partnerships, enrollment patterns—in different countries?
  • How do we connect better as researchers, and use VET research to build connection?

Dates and timeline

  • Submission of abstracts: opens 15 October 2026, closes 15 November 2026
  • Notification of acceptance: 15 December 2026
  • Submission of full paper: 20 February 2027
  • Feedback to your paper: 31 March 2027. You will then have 10 days to make the necessaries changes.
  • Conference: 18-20 May 2027