Eclose and SFHC team develop ToT guide for SIMBA in Malawi

With the project slowly coming to a finish we wanted to share with you the materials the TeSTED cosortium have developed. We are excited to share the Baseline Study for Early Detection of Early School Leaving. The study combines desk and field research from Austria, Bulgaria, Greece, and Romania, offering: ✔ Insights into the main causes of VET dropout (socio-economic challenges, lack of motivation, limited career guidance, family circumstances). ✔ Good practices from Germany’s dual education system and counseling initiatives. ✔ Perspectives from both teachers and students, highlighting the urgent need for early detection tools. 🎯 The findings will directly inform the development of the TeSTED Assessment Tool – designed to help VET providers identify early warning signs and offer tailored support to learners at risk. Why does this matter? Because every percentage point reduction in early school leaving translates into more opportunities for young people, stronger communities, and a better-prepared workforce for the future. 🙌 A big thank you to all project partners for their contributions to this important step toward inclusive, resilient, and student-centered VET. USLIP Iasi | BK CON | ipcenter.at GmbH | DAYANA-X | European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training (EVBB) | AKMI International #ErasmusPlus #VET #Education #EarlySchoolLeaving #TeSTED #SocioComp

As a national expert, I had a great pleasure to work two (three) unforgettable days with the VET-CONNECT national team in Mukachevo on September 29-30 💡 We started with inspiration from Bosnia and Herzegovina, thanks to international expert Ivona Čelebičić, and reflected on our own survey findings about VET-business coordination in Ukraine. Then came the field visits: 🏫 Mukachevo Professional Polytechnic College – a vibrant vocational school where we saw how partnerships come alive. 🏭 FISCHER Ukraine and Lika-Comfort – companies that shared how much stronger cooperation with VET schools can make local skills ecosystems. Back in the workshop room, we rolled up our sleeves: 📌 Pre-finalised the profile of the VET-Business Coordinator for Ukraine, building on BiH’s experience. 📌 Discussed the legal and policy frameworks needed to embed this role in our VET system. 📌 Outlined the training programme and first steps for recognition. We also took a moment for reflection – on what we saw, on the new Law, and on the road ahead. And yes, we even found time to visit the beautiful Castle Palanok for some well-deserved inspiration. Soon we’ll enter the new year with a completed Coordinator profile and a clear action plan – teaching and learning, discussing and delivering, moving forward in spite of everything. As a colleague from Austria said so well: “Ukrainian people teach us to live in spite of everything.” This project is exactly about that – living, creating, and building in spite of everything. The project is realised by OeAD-GmbH – Agentur für Bildung und Internationalisierung and European Training Foundation in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. #VET #WorkforceDevelopment #Ukraine #Partnerships #Skills

The University of Pretoria’s Dr Celesté Pretorius has been honoured with the Society of Radiographers of South Africa (SORSA) Award for Best Oral Presentation at the SORSA-IAFR 2025 Congress, held from 5–7 September 2025 at the Century City Conference Centre in Cape Town. Dr Pretorius presented her innovative research titled “Empowering Autonomy in Postgraduate Supervision: A Reflective Study on the Development of an Interactive Study Guide.” The presentation explored how a digital and interactive guide can transform postgraduate supervision by promoting learner autonomy, enhancing communication, and fostering reflective learning. The tool, described as both practical and empowering, includes stepwise templates, rubrics, and reflection frameworks. It also features a one-page “Road to Graduation” resource with QR codes that link students and supervisors directly to essential institutional documents and support systems. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dd6aicVX #HSUP #uphealthsciences #lifechangers

The Helvetas North Macedonia team is part of the 10 year anniversary Regional Workshop of DC dVET - Donor Committee for dual Vocational Education and Training in Durrës, Albania. Today they presented the case of how dual VET evolved in North Macedonia from a pilot initiative to a nationally recognized model chosen by every third VET student today. The presentation highlighted the rather unusual path and the key milestones: ✅ Joint efforts between government, schools, and companies to introduce structured work-based learning ✅ Development of tools and guidelines that connected classrooms with real-world practice ✅ Active engagement of the private sector in shaping training standards and mentoring 💡 The dual VET journey continues: now focused on quality, flexibility, and stronger connections between youth and the world of work. #DualVET #SkillsDevelopment #NorthMacedonia #EducationReform #WorkBasedLearning Helvetas Helvetas Eastern Europe Ivana Georgievska Boris Trimcev Katharina Walker

📈 EduData | Platform of educational, social, and economic indicators from KIX LAC countries EduData is the platform developed by the KIX LAC Hub and SUMMA, with the support of the Global Partnership for Education and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), that brings together educational, social, and economic indicators from 10 countries in the Caribbean and Central America. A unique space to access updated information, compare realities, identify strategies, and download key data that supports evidence-based education policy decisions. 🌎 Designed for public officials, teachers, school leaders, academics, students, and anyone interested in understanding the challenges and progress of education in the region. 👉 Discover EduData! The platform that is transforming access to educational data in the Caribbean and Central America: updated indicators, comparative analysis, and solid evidence to improve education. https://lnkd.in/daWwzAVF #RegionalPublicGoods #EducationalPlatforms #GPEKIX

👏 DC dVET - Donor Committee for dual Vocational Education and Training was honoured to welcome a delegation from Nigeria at Swisscontact, as part of their cooperation with the SKYE II project by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH. 🌍 The delegation included directors and representatives of business organisations for instance: - Mr. Engr. Jani Ibrahim, the National President of Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) - Mr. Ifanyi Christopher and Ms. Omuwomi Olumide Obidiran, Director and Deputy Director of the Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialist (NASSI) - Mr. Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, the Director-General (DG) of Nigeria Employers' Consultative Association (NECA)'   🗣️ We had a rich exchange on the role of the private sector in dual VET. Our colleague Linda Wanklin had the opportunity to present key resources from DC dVET (more here: https://lnkd.in/dJJWym_5), including: - Our key elements and success factors for dual VET in development cooperation - Our working tool for engaging the private sector - Our guide for organised business sectors on how to get involved in dual VET systems 💡 Based on these inputs, we discussed challenges Nigerian companies face in sourcing skilled workers, the importance of trust and cooperation as a foundation for making dual VET systems work, and the potential role of business organisations in certifying master craftspeople and training companies.   💌 Wishing the delegation continued inspiring insights and conversations on their study trip through Switzerland. LED - Liechtensteinischer Entwicklungsdienst; Austrian Development Agency; Direktion für Entwicklung und Zusammenarbeit; Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ); Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH   #DualVET #SkillsDevelopment #PrivateSectorEngagement #DCdVET #SKYEII #Swisscontact #Nigeria #VocationalEducation #DevelopmentCooperation  

Science is never something we should be scared of - it's something we should be prepared for." - Natasha Mazzoni, Portfolio Committee Member on Science, Technology and Innovation. Her powerful message highlights the urgent need for proper DSTI funding to ensure South Africa catches up in global research and development. Let's empower our youth to embrace science and technology, ensuring no South African is left behind without basic internet access. #ScienceForChange #YouthInSTEM #4IR #DSTI

Knowledge Sharing Campaign (KSC) KSC aims to empower African student diaspora and reverse brain drain by promoting excellence in education through technology. Knowledge Sharing Campaign (KSC) Next Einstein Forum (NEF) Club DPO Congo Brazzaville

The Centre for Advanced Training and Innovative Research (CATIR) has officially welcomed its first cohort of trainees from Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU)! A partnership between the Department of Science, Technology, and Innovation (DSTI), the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), and Thermo Fisher Scientific, CATIR is dedicated to strengthening South Africa’s scientific capacity and empowering the next generation of researchers with advanced skills in molecular science and laboratory management. This milestone marks the beginning of an exciting journey toward building a stronger, more innovative research ecosystem in South Africa. #ThermoFisherScientific #DSTI #SMU #CapacityBuilding #NextGenScientists

✨ EDU-LAB Featured at the International Scientific Conference on Lifelong Learning in Pristina ✨ On 18–19 September 2025, the Kosovo Pedagogic Institute (KPI) hosted the International Scientific Conference “Lifelong Learning: An Inclusive Approach from Early Childhood Education to Vocational Education and Training” in Pristina. Representing AAB College, Prof. Xhavit Rexhaj, coordinator of the EDU-LAB Horizon Europe Project, delivered a keynote lecture on “Challenges, Myths, and Reality in Kosovo’s Pre-University Education.” He presented the EDU-LAB project’s methodology and objectives, focusing on how barriers and enablers shape young people’s pathways through education and into employment. The keynote, followed by an engaging panel discussion, underscored the importance of evidence-based approaches to strengthen education systems and labour market integration. 📖 Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/ecWMyhJF ✍️ Subscribe for updates: https://lnkd.in/egj4XJH3 #EDULAB #HorizonEurope #Education #Employment #Research #LifelongLearning