DARYA is a big family tree»: Central Asia learns and grows together in Turin

From 20 to 22 May 2025, the European Training Foundation (ETF) hosted a dynamic peer learning workshop in Turin, Italy, as part of the EU-funded DARYA project. The event brought together over 30 representatives from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to explore the concept and practice of Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs), an increasingly important model for shaping VET and future-oriented skills ecosystems worldwide.

Central Asia is one of the fastest-growing regions globally, with several countries posting high GDP growth rates in recent years. The region has shown strong economic expansion, fuelled by diversification into sectors such as construction, logistics, agriculture, and information technology. At the same time, energy transition, digitalisation and demographic changes are generating new demands on the labour force. 

In this context, developing responsive vocational education and training (VET) systems and employment strategies is vital to sustaining socio-economic growth, ensuring inclusion, and meeting the evolving needs of modern economies.

The event marked the first DARYA workshop focusing on vocational excellence, introducing key ETF tools such as ISATCOVE (the International Self-Assessment Tool for Centres of Vocational Excellence developed as part of the EU funded Internationalising Vocational Excellence initiativ[J(1] e) and the ETF’s Network for Excellence (ENE). Participants also benefited from deep peer learning opportunities with institutions from Italy, Spain, Latvia and Moldova.

“We only work in the areas of your strategic interest,” said Christine Hemschemeier, ETF senior expert and DARYA coordinator. “Our role is to support with expertise, tools, and knowledge. But ownership and leadership must come from you—from your Ministries, schools, and various stakeholders involved in the process. We look for shared interest across countries, but each path can and should be unique.”

Learning from European Union experience and its Neighbourhood

Galina Rusu, State Secretary at the Ministry of Education and Research of Moldova, highlighted Moldova’s 2030 Education strategy, in which CoVEs play a vital role. Moldova, one of the ETF’s 28 partner countries, has established 14 CoVEs, each specialised in a sector ranging from ICT to construction. 

"CoVEs are poles of innovation and technology transfer, bridges between the economic sector and vocational schools, and support centres for instructors," she explained. With strong backing from the ETF, Moldova has developed COOP-NET, a cooperation network aligning CoVEs with national development goals.

The experiences of Spain and Latvia also inspired participants. Spanish representatives shared why and how Castilla y León region developed its own regional model of excellence, including its own certification system for CoVEs andhow it uses ISATCOVE, while Latvians emphasised structured internationalisation and strong links between VET, universities, and small enterprises. 

The workshop combined interactive discussions, group work, and field visits to renowned VET centres in Turin—ENGIM ‘Collegio degli Artigianelli’ and ITS Mobilità Sostenibile. Delegates saw in practice how excellence is shaped through partnerships, technological and pedagogical innovation, and responsiveness to societal needs. 

The site visits left a strong impression: delegates praised the passion, autonomy, and inclusion strategies seen at the centres, where excellence is not elitist but accessible.

«Your model is the one we should follow!»

The ITS programmes were recognised last year among the top three courses in the applied STEM field in Italy, boasting an outstanding employment rate of 98% and the vast majority of its teaching staff come from industry. 

Meanwhile, ENGIM’s Collegio degli Artigianelli stands as a key reference in the city for training both youth and adults through inclusive approaches that support learners with disabilities and diverse learning needs. ENGIM is also a long-standing DARYA partner: in October 2023, the Collegio hosted a session of the project’s second High-Level ministerial meeting.

For Oralkhan Sartayev, Director of the Higher College of IT and New Technologies of the Abay Region in Kazakhstan, the visits were transformative. “It was a pleasure to see students creating remarkable innovative products with simple materials and deep commitment,” he said, referencing the visit to ITS Mobilità Sostenibile. “Your model—where students learn by doing—proves why your centres rank at the top and others should follow it. You produce graduates who are both skilful and creative.”

Vaysiddin Nosiriyon, DARYA facilitator for Tajikistan, added: “What touched me the most was seeing that your trainers actually come from companies. When they talk about student training, their eyes light up. That level of engagement truly inspired us.”

Is there a recipe for vocational excellence?

Jolien van Uden, ETF senior expert on Innovative Teaching and Learning and coordinator of the cluster on vocational excellence, introduced ETF’s latest publication "A taste of vocational excellence: international recipes for skills development", a metaphorical and practical guide outlining three main tools and seven key ingredients, from governance to quality assurance.

“Like baking pizza, each country must adapt the recipe to its own context,” she said. “And your national characteristics allow you to prepare your own signature dish—building excellence in VET systems that responds to your unique challenges and needs.”

Doriana Monteleone, human capital development statistician at the ETF, followed by presenting ISATCOVE as a self-assessment tool that enables CoVEs to reflect on their performance and plan improvements, rooted in feedback from all stakeholders.

“Replicability of the process is key in such exercises,” she explained. “That’s how good practices and their essential elements can be understood and reused by others: ISATCOVE gives us a picture of where we are but also helps us identify areas for development, supported by templates and clear guidelines.”

Georgios Zisimos, Head of the Policy Advice Unit at the ETF, highlighted three key perspectives for developing strategies for Centres of Vocational Excellence: "Schools can benefit from a comprehensive strategy that supports their further development and usage of available tools and services. For ministries, a strategy for CoVEs helps scaling up implementation, planning ahead and building up strategic partnerships. For employers, in particular SMEs, a strategy could open up more opportunities to collaborate with centres engaged in applied research and real-world problem solving”.

He also noted that all these dimensions influence who you choose to partner with and how you engage with them—forming a practical toolkit for building effective collaborations. While Erasmus+ funding is not available for CoVEs in Central Asia, ETF’s networks like ENE remain accessible platforms for cooperation and mutual learning.

Many participants stressed the importance of raising awareness about these networks in the region, overcoming language barriers, and providing opportunities for face-to-face exchanges among CoVEs.

Country reflections and future directions

Gulnabat Gurdova, Head of the International Cooperation Department at the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan, described the event as "a valuable opportunity to learn from Europe and our neighbours in the region. We know our VET system needs modernisation, and we see tools like ISATCOVE as a way to start transforming our 45 professional schools, first through pilot implementations.”

For Uzbekistan, teacher quality is the highest priority. “The direction and topic of this training align with the national priorities of Uzbekistan’s vocational education development,” said Sukhrob Kholikov, Head of Department at the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation. “One of the most crucial tools is raising the quality of teacher training. Only instructors equipped with modern technology and pedagogical tools can manage the three success factors effectively: volume, time, and finances.”

Gulmira Abdyldaeva, Chief Specialist at the Department of Primary Vocational Education of the Ministry of Education and Science of Kyrgyzstan, shared: “I leave with a suitcase full of new knowledge. I was particularly impressed by Italy’s diversified VET models, and overall, the events brought us understanding of key concepts and competencies for reform. We’re taking small but steady steps in that direction, and this exchange was a major boost.”

Throughout the three days, country teams worked on their own "national recipe" for vocational excellence. Kazakhstan stood out as a regional leader, already counting five ENE members and planning to expand. Tajikistan is planning to establish 20 new centres over the coming years, with the possibility that some of them may join the network. Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan all expressed strong interest in piloting ISATCOVE and joining ENE within the next 6 to 24 months, depending on their internal readiness and feedback from the relevant national authorities.

Common priorities, local ownership

The countries shared many ambitions: strengthening governance, securing sustainable funding, and boosting partnerships with industry. Yet they also faced similar challenges: low employer engagement in training, limited pedagogical innovation, limited autonomy of centres.

Kazakhstan prioritised applied research and commercialisation in its CoVEs. Tajikistan emphasised quality assurance and international partnerships. Uzbekistan advocated for a lifelong learning approach “from cradle to grave” to develop not only a skilled workforce, but also global citizens. Kyrgyzstan focused on dual education and transferability of skills, while Turkmenistan identified adult learning and financial sustainability as top priorities.

The discussion highlighted not only the diversity of contexts but also the shared commitment to reform. As one participant put it, “Excellence is not about being perfect—it’s about always improving.”

For Ministries, an agreed model of vocational excellence provides a basis to monitor and expand the VET sector. For schools, it fosters continuous improvement. And for donors, ultimately, it helps ensure transparency and impact.

As Hemschemeier reminded participants, ETF's and DARYA’s support is always tailored to country needs: “We’re here if you’re ready to walk with us.” In the final plenary, participants committed to sharing lessons with their ministries and colleagues, preparing the ground for pilot ISATCOVE assessments and exploring ENE membership.

With its strong peer-learning dynamic, clear methodology, and genuine enthusiasm, the workshop planted seeds for lasting change. Or, as Gurdova in her final remarks put it: “DARYA is a big family tree—and the apples don’t fall far from it.”