Brugge, Belgium | 26 May 2026: The 2nd Global VET Thematic Team Annual Event, titled “Skills for a Competitive Europe,” is being organised in Brugge, Belgium, from 26 to 28 May 2026, bringing together vocational education and training institutions, education stakeholders, public authorities and private-sector partners to discuss the future of skills development in Europe.

The three-day event, hosted by EfVET’s Global VET Thematic Team, aims to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness through skills development, innovation and international cooperation. The programme has been designed to promote dialogue, partnerships and project development among VET institutions and stakeholders working across the European skills ecosystem.

The event is taking place at Catholic Education Flanders, Centrum d’Abdij, Baron Ruzettelaan 435, 8310 Brugge-Assebroek, Belgium.

The theme “Skills for a Competitive Europe” reflects the growing importance of vocational education and training in preparing learners, workers and institutions for changing labour market needs. With rapid technological transformation, evolving industry demands and increasing global competition, VET systems are playing a crucial role in supporting employability, productivity and inclusive economic growth.

Through this annual event, the Global VET Thematic Team is focusing on how European VET institutions can become more internationally connected and better equipped to design collaborative projects. The event also highlights the role of public-private partnerships in building future-ready skills and improving institutional cooperation.

During the three-day programme, participants are expected to engage in activities that support institutional learning, networking and project creation. The event focuses on three major objectives:

Learning to internationalize competitively: Participants will explore strategies that can help VET institutions strengthen their global outlook, improve international partnerships and align training delivery with broader European and international priorities.

Networking with education peers and partners: The event provides a platform for VET leaders, educators, institutions and partner organisations to exchange ideas, discuss common challenges and identify areas for cooperation.

Creating international VET projects: A key component of the programme is to encourage participants to develop collaborative VET projects that can support innovation, mobility, capacity building and skills excellence.

The event programme includes plenary sessions, interactive workshops, school visits, guided tours and networking opportunities. These activities are structured to ensure both high-level discussion and practical collaboration among participants.

The plenary sessions are expected to provide policy and sector-level perspectives, while workshops will offer space for active participation and idea development. School visits and guided tours will help participants understand local education and training practices, while networking sessions will support partnership-building among institutions and stakeholders.

The annual event comes at a time when countries across Europe and beyond are placing stronger emphasis on vocational training, digital skills, green skills, workforce mobility and lifelong learning. Events such as this play an important role in connecting training institutions with policy priorities and labour market needs.

For VET providers, internationalisation is no longer limited to student mobility or institutional exchange. It increasingly includes joint curriculum development, industry-linked projects, digital collaboration, skills recognition and international partnerships that can improve learning outcomes and employment pathways.

The Brugge event is therefore expected to contribute to the wider conversation on how vocational education and training can support economic competitiveness while also ensuring that learners and workers are equipped with relevant, practical and future-ready skills.

The 2nd Global VET Thematic Team Annual Event in Brugge represents an important platform for strengthening cooperation across Europe’s vocational education and training landscape. By focusing on competitiveness, international partnerships and project creation, the event reinforces the growing role of VET institutions in shaping a skilled, innovative and future-ready workforce.

For the global skills ecosystem, such initiatives underline the importance of collaboration between education providers, public agencies and private-sector partners in building responsive and competitive training systems.