IntVE Knowledge Packages

Vocational excellence is about more than quality training. It's about building sustainable partnerships with industry and other stakeholders, offering relevant programmes, promoting innovative teaching practices, providing work-based learning, applied research and much more.

One size does not fit all, and the diversity of approaches used by centres to achieve vocational excellence underlines that there is no single way to achieve the status of a Centre of Vocational Excellence (CoVE).

In order to address these challenges and to support centres in their journey towards Vocational Excellence, two Knowledge Packages have been developed. The Knowledge Packages are designed to support VET providers who need guidance on where to start, have specific needs, want to review their progress, or are looking for inspiration for improvement.

To reflect the diversity of contexts, strategies, and outcomes, the Knowledge Packages bring together valuable materials such as good practices, tools, guidelines, and publications from existing initiatives that have proven to be successful. 

The Knowledge Packages focus on a very important but limited number of areas of professional excellence: Collaboration with the private sector and other stakeholders. Working in regional, national, and/or international partnerships is an essential element of VET excellence. Think about using labour market data and regional and sectoral development to develop relevant and sustainable training programmes. In addition, the role of the private sector is crucial in providing relevant, innovative training that reflects the world of work. 

Sustainable cooperation with the private sector requires the commitment and active involvement of the private sector. This seems to be one of the most challenging parts of achieving VET excellence. How can stakeholders be identified and engaged for long-term collaboration to anticipate labour market challenges in the region and sector?

Two knowledge Packages, one goal
While both Knowledge Packages address essential elements of the journey towards professional excellence, there is a noticeable transition from Package 1 to Package 2.

Knowledge Package 1: Strengthening private sector partnerships for impactful training that meets labour market and societal needs.

This package focuses on building sustainable partnerships for the design and delivery of relevant training programmes and can be seen as a basis for starting vocational excellence and/or improving one's own vocational training practices in close cooperation with the private sector.
 

Knowledge Package 2: Building skills ecosystems for innovation, smart specialisation and socio-economic development. The second package goes one step further and focuses on the development of strategies to apply vocational excellence in the context of well-functioning (international) skills ecosystems in the region. Applied research, anticipation of regional development strategies and innovation become the daily practice of the centre.

Although both Knowledge Packages serve the overarching aims of vocational excellence, there is a gradual transition from Package 1 to Package 2. 

Case studies: get inspired by real life practices 
An important resource in the Knowledge Packages is the success stories, captured in four case studies. 

In early 2025, the European Training Foundation (ETF) carried out visits to four Centres of Vocational Excellence and documented its findings in detailed case studies. These studies were based on in-depth site visits and extensive interviews with all key stakeholders, providing a 360-degree view of how each of the Centres of Excellence operates. The aim of the case studies is to explore how partnerships work and how these centres work with industry, policymakers and other stakeholders to achieve vocational excellence. 

By reading the full report, other centres will gain valuable insights into the strategies, challenges and successes of these Centres of Excellence in promoting high quality VET.
 

General resources on Vocational Excellence in the spotlight that centres should not miss!

ETF Network for Excellence (ENE): Vocational excellence – ENE | ETF 
ENE provides a unique opportunity for VET centres to collaborate, innovate and grow. By joining, centres gain access to best practice, industry connections and international partnerships, helping them to align training with labour market needs. ENE promotes peer learning, professional excellence and curriculum innovation, while increasing the visibility and positioning of VET centres as leaders in skills development.

Pact for skills: Homepage of Pact for skills
In today’s rapidly evolving labour market, VET centres play a vital role in equipping individuals with the skills needed for the jobs of the future. The Pact for Skills is an EU initiative that aims to support public and private organisations with maximising the impact of their investment in upskilling and reskilling, so they can thrive through the green and digital transitions. 

Example of the Net Zero Academies: EIT launches the European Solar Academy to skill 65 000 workers over the next two years | EIT
With the Net-zero Industry Academies, the European Commission acts to train Europe’s workforce for the net-zero economy. This Academy addresses skills shortages, particularly for the growing number of solar SMEs. Working in close collaboration with industry, the Academy is building a library of over 40 courses with industry-recognised certifications across the value chain. The Academy will certify over 80 local training providers and mobilise a network of industry and workforce partners to deliver courses to learners at scale. 

The newest Centres of Vocational Excellence in 2025: 16 new Centres of Vocational Excellence launched - European Commission 
The projects selected in 2025 aim to achieve vocational education and training excellence across a variety of sectors. These include new areas for Centres of Vocational Excellence with potential for innovation, such as the maritime and port industry and air mobility including drones and small aircrafts. Other economically significant sectors are also represented, such as automotive/welding, building/housing, agriculture, manufacturing, and hydrogen/smart energy.

Erasmus+ call on CoVEs: Centres of Vocational Excellence - Erasmus+
If you have ideas for a CoVE project, here's your chance to make it happen! The Erasmus+ Call for Proposals is a unique opportunity to give a European dimension to vocational excellence in your centre and partnership. This call for proposals supports projects that bring together local or regional partners from different countries to develop a set of activities under three clusters: 1) teaching and learning, 2) cooperation and partnerships, and 3) governance and funding.