Building Global Bridges: SECOVE Partners Shape Their Internationalisation Strategies

As part of Work Package 4 (D4.2) of the SECOVE: Sustainable Energy Centres of Vocational Excellence project, partners have successfully completed one of the most inspiring milestones so far: the development of their institutional internationalisation strategies.

Six VET centres from across Europe – IEK DELTA and SAEK Egaleo from Greece, CIOFS-FP from Italy, Politeknika Txorierri from Spain, IP Porto from Portugal, and STAVKE from Slovakia – worked together to design how they will expand their global reach, strengthen partnerships and prepare both learners and teachers for an increasingly international and connected VET landscape.

Coordinated by Politeknika Txorierri, this collaborative effort brought together the experience and perspectives of six VET institutions to build a shared vision of internationalisation within the SECOVE network. The resulting strategies highlight how Centres of Vocational Excellence can strengthen their global connections, enhance mobility opportunities, and promote innovation through international cooperation.

Each partner’s approach is distinct yet united by common goals: fostering mobility for teachers and students, promoting joint learning and work-based experiences abroad, participating in European cooperation projects and embedding internationalisation into every aspect of institutional life. From classrooms and workshops to project offices and management teams, internationalisation has become a driving force for growth and transformation.

The strategies include inspiring actions: Politeknika Txorierri links innovation, digitalisation and sustainability with European and African partners; IP Porto pioneers Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), micro-credentials and green partnerships; CIOFS-FP combines inclusion, mobility and digitalisation to promote social innovation; IEK Delta and SAEK Egaleo focus on international project management and curriculum innovation; and STAVKE enhances mobility and global partnerships to drive institutional change.

Together, these strategies reflect the spirit of SECOVE: collaboration, openness and shared progress. By linking regional skills ecosystems with international cooperation, the partners are not only strengthening their own systems but also contributing to a more sustainable and connected European VET area.