The GREENOVET conference on "Vocational Excellence for a Green Europe" was held on June 5-6, 2024, at the FH JOANNEUM in Graz, Austria. This event attracted a diverse range of attendees including policymakers, educators, researchers, and representatives from vocational training institutions, as well as experts in green technology and sustainable development. 

Our team reported the following highlights from this interesting conference:

The conference began with registration and a networking coffee. Barbara Eibinger-Miedl, the Regional Minister of Economy, Tourism, Europe, Science, and Research, delivered the welcoming address. This was followed by a panel discussion on European Centres of Vocational Excellence and the Green Transition, featuring Doris Kiendl (CEO of GRETA) and Bojan Jovanovski (Coordinator of the GREENOVET project).

 Tomas Santa Maria from Universidad del Desarrollo delivered an engaging keynote speech addressing the "Seven Skills for the Circular Transition" and Julia Achatz from the Integrated Consulting Group elaborated further about the "Future Skills for a Green Transformation"

In the afternoon of the first day, the participants had the opportunity to visit various facilities including the Food Processing Lab and Automotive Engineering at FH JOANNEUM, the Green Village at HTL BULME, and the Hydrogen Research Center, HyCentA.

The second day began with an exhibition on teaching initiatives for green skills development. Keynote speakers included Birgit Philips on "Beyond Exams: AI’s Role in Shaping New Educational Paradigms" and Markus Hengstschläger on "The Talent to Enable Solutions".

In several parallel sessions, the participants discussed varied topics including innovation in the classroom, internationalization of vocational education and training (VET), global green skills, and a showcase on green education in Steiermark.

The group facilitators concluded with summaries of the parallel sessions. The organisers delivered their closing remarks and invited the conference participants to a gala reception and dinner at AIOLA im SCHLOSS, facilitating networking and matchmaking among participants.

What were the key highlights to take home by the TEAM#UP project?

• Valuable contacts were established, enhancing collaboration and expanding the project's network.
• The project was effectively promoted through an exhibition stand, showcasing an ecological restoration site in Albatera. The interactive presentation attracted significant interest and provided practical insights into environmental restoration efforts.
• Overall, the conference facilitated knowledge sharing and networking among key stakeholders in vocational education and green skills development, significantly advancing efforts towards a greener and more sustainable Europe.