A new international initiative is bringing Europe and Southeast Asia closer together in the field of vocational education and training (VET). The VETXchange project, co-funded by the European Union, is building bridges between Hungary, Belgium, Greece, and the Philippines, promoting knowledge exchange, international mobility, and the sharing of good practices among VET institutions.
The VETXchange project was launched to address a shared challenge: while Europe faces a shortage of skilled professionals, many Filipino workers with high potential are employed in low-skilled positions abroad. By fostering collaboration between European and Philippine VET providers, the project aims to enhance education quality, skills recognition, and career opportunities for learners and professionals across both regions.
“VETXchange is not only about exchanging knowledge, it’s about creating lasting bridges between education systems, industries, and people,” said a project representative.
The project supports students and teachers in gaining international experience, while also strengthening institutional capacities and developing sustainable partnerships in the global VET landscape.
The project officially began with a kick-off meeting in Hungary, where representatives of all partner institutions met to align objectives and define a roadmap for cooperation. This event set the foundation for the project’s upcoming activities, which include study visits, stakeholder summits, job shadowing, and capacity-building workshops.
During October, partners visited Hungary, Greece, Belgium, and the Philippines, exploring local VET practices and sharing insights into how different education systems prepare learners for the evolving labour market. Each visit contributed to a broader understanding of how cultural and economic contexts influence vocational training and how global collaboration can help address these differences.
A key highlight of VETXchange is the VET Stakeholder Summit series, high-level events bringing together educators, industry representatives, and policymakers. These summits serve as platforms for mutual learning and strategic dialogue, focusing on how to internationalize VET systems and promote mobility between Europe and Asia.
Additionally, capacity-building workshops in Hungary help VET staff strengthen their internationalisation competences, implement mobility frameworks, and establish long-term partnerships beyond the project’s lifetime.
To ensure that the project’s impact extends beyond institutional cooperation, Local Bootcamps are organized in all four partner countries, Hungary, Greece, Belgium, and the Philippines.
These sessions bring together students, teachers, and professionals to work on real-world challenges, encouraging creativity, teamwork, and cultural understanding.
Through these activities, participants gain not only technical knowledge but also soft skills essential for working in a globalized environment.
The VETXchange project stands as a model for how education can bridge continents, combining policy, practice, and innovation to address shared challenges in workforce development.
Through cooperation, capacity building, and mutual learning, the project contributes to a more connected and competitive vocational education ecosystem.
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