Our participation in two events in Piraeus, Greece, 18-20.11.2025

prof. Antoaneta Kirova - Cluster Sofia Knowledge City

This article is a brief report on the participation of the Bulgarian partners in the INVETech - Project Ref nr. 101143958, ERASMUS-EDU-2023-PEX-COVE, in events in Piraeus, Greece on 18 - 20 November 2025, as a part of the implementation ot this project.

The events were organized by the project partner IDEC, a company specializing in business consulting, training services, and high-tech applications.

The November event marked the realization of the 1st CO.FUN LAB (Promoting European collaboration and making full use of European financial instruments).

The face-to-face CO.FUN Labs represented the second phase of the process initiated through the online training sessions with the primary objective of transforming the concept notes developed by each partner into structured and competitive project proposals, suitable for submission under relevant EU funding programs.

Several sessions in the format of four roundtables with simultaneous working discussions took place, where partners presented and refined project ideas, exchanged feedback, and identified potential partners from INVESTech network as well as other suitable partners outside the network. 

The event featured the IDEC Conference “Vocational Education in the Era of Artificial Intelligence and Climate Change” on the 20 th of November, dedicated to the close interconnection between Vocational Education and Training (VET) and the business sector, especially within the fields of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and industry, considering it a fundamental pillar for developing skills meeting the actual demands of the labor market. The speakers drew attention to rapid technological advancements, such as artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality, interactive learning systems, and educational data analytics, which are transforming the education landscape. The idea of аrtificial intelligence (AI) swift integration into the educational process, creating new opportunities while also presenting significant challenges, was shared by all the participants.

Another focus was the economic and technological development, requiring the development of green skills and the creation of new, sustainable professions.

At this juncture, Centers of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs) serve as hubs of innovation and skills development, establishing ecosystems that connect VET with the needs of both local and international markets. Supporting the objective of the Conference to become a focal point for educators, researchers, policymakers, and professionals to discuss the challenges and opportunities emerging in the new era of VET, the CSKC participants took an active part in the lectures, discussions, and workshops, highlighting best practices, innovative approaches, and strategies for strengthening vocational education and training.

The essence of the Conference was created within three main topics: centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVes) in Greece, skills development and connection to the labor market, and green transition and skills. The Bulgarian team was an active participant in the second session, “Centre of Professional Excellence in the ICT Sector - INVESTech Skills development and connection to the labor market”, with two remarkable presentations:

• Transnational cooperation for the promotion of excellence in Vocational Education and Training, by Milena Koleva, Cluster Sofia Knowledge City
• Hackathons for promoting innovation in Vocational Education and Training, by Milen Spasov, Technology school “Electronic Systems” – Sofia, Bulgaria.