At the 2025 EfVET Annual Conference, the workshop “Jean Monnet: Embedding European Values in Future VET” invited participants to explore how citizenship education and EU values can enrich vocational education and training. Moderated by Luca Calligaro (ENAC ETS), Federico Tubiello (Apro Formazione) and Taavi Tuisk (Kuressaare Ametikool), the session gathered VET professionals from across Europe to reflect on the role of democratic competences in an increasingly digital world.
The workshop sought to respond to a common criticism of VET: that it is often too narrowly focused on labour market demands. Through a mix of discussion and practice, it highlighted how democratic competences, civic engagement, and social responsibility are equally essential for learners’ well-being, employability and resilience. Anchored in the Union of Skills strategy, the session framed citizenship as the ability to act responsibly, think critically and participate fully in civic life.
Participants took part in interactive group activities and simulations inspired by Jean Monnet methodologies, which offered teachers replicable tools for integrating EU values into their own curricula. After a brief introduction, participants were divided into three groups and took part in a focus group brainstorming session on the challenges, obstacles, and importance of teaching EU values, as well as on the key learning outcomes of citizenship education. They analyzed barriers and good practices that could inform the design of future Jean Monnet initiatives. In the second part, participants engaged in hands-on group activities inspired by Jean Monnet methodologies, such as the Moving Debate game, aimed at providing teachers with replicable tools and fostering direct experimentation, idea exchange, and co-creation of solutions. The participants’ strong preparation and the richness of their viewpoints, expressed during the Moving Debate discussions, contributed to a high level of engagement and meaningful exchange throughout the session.
The session drew on the experience and tools of four Jean Monnet projects led by EfVET members: EU Class Alliance (Erasmus+ Jean Monnet Project 2024–Networks 101176100) coordinated by ENAC ETS; Europeans of Tomorrow (ERASMUS-JMO-2022-OFET-LEARNING) and BELONGtoEU (Erasmus+ Jean Monnet Project 2025–Networks 101240715), coordinated by Apro Formazione and Euro4VET (Erasmus+ Jean Monnet Project 2023–Networks 101127571) coordinated by Insignare.
A key outcome of the event was the launch of the “Jean Monnet VET Sister Projects Network”, a collaborative informal initiative designed to connect VET institutions, foster dissemination and promote future cooperation through joint actions and new project applications. The network aims to become a vibrant platform for EfVET members to share resources, exchange practices, and strengthen the impact of Jean Monnet initiatives within the VET community.
By the end of the session, participants expressed strong motivation to bring these ideas into their institutions. The workshop demonstrated the growing engagement of EfVET members in Jean Monnet actions and inspired new partnerships committed to embedding European values at the heart of VET.
Author: Beatrice Dusi, ENAC Ente Nazionale Canossiano ETS
