Organised by Eurostat and Cedefop, the workshop will bring together representatives of National Statistical Institutes (NSIs), ICEs, researchers and developers on 19–20 October at Cedefop’s premises in Thessaloniki. The event will explore the latest trends in European labour market demand as reflected in online job advertisements (OJAs) and other relevant sources.

Discussions will focus on key aspects of the project, including the representativeness of OJAs in relation to vacancies in European labour markets; the assessment of existing web sources and identification of new ones; methods for improving the quality of collected data in near real time; and emerging trends in demand for new roles across the EU27 Member States, EFTA countries and the UK. Participants will also further examine the contribution of EURES vacancy data and discuss technical aspects of data collection, processing and analysis.

The workshop aims to take stock of current project developments, identify priority areas for improving OJA collection and classification pipelines, and generate insights through cross-country comparisons of the data and their representativeness of national labour markets. It will also provide an opportunity to further strengthen cooperation between Eurostat, Cedefop, EURES and the NSIs.

Participation in the event is possible by invitation only.

Die Europass Stakeholder Veranstaltung 2026 bietet den Rahmen, um die Potentiale von Microcredentials sowie digitalen Kompetenznachweisen in der europäischen – und vor allem in der österreichischen Berufsbildung zu diskutieren. Durch Fachinputs, Diskussionen und Praxisbeispiele werden Chancen, Herausforderungen und mögliche Umsetzungspfade aufgezeigt. Ziel ist es, ein gemeinsames Verständnis zu fördern und ein klareres Bild davon zu gewinnen, wie Microcredentials und European Digital Credentials for Learning (EDC) die Berufsbildung der Zukunft – besonders im Hinblick auf den Fachkräftemangel und Skills Gap - unterstützen können. Karin Luomi-Messerer hält die Einführung unter dem Titel "Microcredentials in Europa – Wo stehen wir bei der Umsetzung?" und nimmt an der Podiumsdiskussion teil.

In 2026, the Community Conference will explore how skills can shape a fairer, more resilient Europe. Across two days, it will be looked at how skills policies can support quality jobs, equal opportunities, and stronger democratic participation, bringing together voices from European institutions, policymakers, practitioners, and the EPALE community. On the first day will be explored how European skills policies can support competitiveness and inclusion, focusing on the recognition and portability of competences across borders, and on how upskilling and reskilling can help adults navigate the transitions brought by automation and AI. On the second day, the focus will shift to the role of adult learning in strengthening civic skills, critical thinking, and democratic participation, exploring how digital literacy and community-based approaches can empower adults to become active citizens. In-person attendance is reserved for invited participants, but the entire community is warmly encouraged to take part virtually.

In November 2026, Cedefop and the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) will organise the sixth Policy Learning Forum on upskilling pathways for all adults. Policy Learning Fora (PLF) on upskilling pathways are a series of policy learning events aimed at providing a platform for countries to share experiences and explore common challenges in upskilling adults. The Sixth Policy Learning Forum (PLF) on upskilling pathways will focus on understanding participation in adult training and discussing forward-looking approaches to supporting lifelong and life-wide adult upskilling.

The European Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Network invites organisations and individuals across Europe to contribute events and activities as part of European RPL Week 2026, taking place from 9–13 November 2026. European RPL Week will showcase Recognition of Prior Learning through a diverse programme of online and in-person activities designed to raise awareness, share practice, and support engagement with RPL across different sectors and communities. Deadline for contributions is the 30 September 2026. They can be submitted through this link.