Summary - Webinar Partnerships for Skills – Building Bridges Across Sectors
The Community for Educational Innovation (CEI) hosted a webinar on 14 October 2026: “Partnerships for Skills: Building Bridges Across Sectors.” The webinar examined how collaboration between education institutions, employers, industry associations and public authorities can help address skills needs and support lifelong learning, workforce development and innovation.
The session featured three expert perspectives on skills partnerships at the European, sectoral and institutional levels. It explored the EU Pact for Skills, the Renewable Energy Skills Partnership, and the InGenious Programme at the University of Stavanger, highlighting how cross-sector collaboration can translate skills needs into practical education and training opportunities.
To learn more about the session, you can access the following resources:
Three Expert Perspectives
Eva Revilla, Team Leader for Skills for Competitiveness, European Commission (DG EMPL):
Eva Revilla presented the Pact for Skills, a European Commission initiative bringing together employers, education and training providers, social partners and public authorities to support upskilling and reskilling. She explained how Large-Scale Skills Partnerships and Regional Skills Partnerships coordinate efforts to address skills needs across strategic sectors and territories. The presentation highlighted the Pact's achievements in expanding training opportunities, mobilising investment and developing skills partnerships across Europe. Revilla also introduced recent developments under the Union of Skills, including closer cooperation with the European Alliance for Apprenticeships and stronger links with EU skills intelligence initiatives. She emphasised that sustainable partnerships require clear commitments, effective governance, monitoring and access to funding opportunities.
Nathalie Richet, Senior Manager, Association of European Renewable Energy Research Centres (EUREC):
Nathalie Richet explored how the Renewable Energy Skills Partnership translates shared workforce challenges into coordinated action. She explained how industry associations, research organisations, universities and training providers came together to address skills shortages that could hinder the deployment of renewable energy technologies. Through the RESkill4NetZero project, the partnership has developed skills analyses, occupational profiles, a skills strategy, modular curricula and a certification framework. Richet highlighted the importance of translating industry requirements into clearly defined competences, learning outcomes and assessment methods. She also discussed the establishment of the European Renewable Energy Skills Alliance (RESkill Alliance), which aims to sustain collaboration and support continued skills development beyond the project's funding period.
Nelly Narges Karimi, Programme Leader, University of Stavanger, Norway:
Nelly Narges Karimi presented the InGenious Programme at the University of Stavanger, which connects students, educators and industry partners through challenge-based learning. The programme integrates real-world business challenges into curricular and extracurricular activities, allowing students from different disciplines to develop technical, interpersonal and problem-solving skills. Karimi explained how the university identifies opportunities for collaboration, connects companies with relevant courses and supports partnerships through structured follow-up. Examples included industry-linked student projects, thematic events and intensive learning programmes addressing sustainability and technological challenges. The presentation also examined common obstacles, including differences in academic and business priorities, limited resources, intellectual property concerns and maintaining long-term engagement. Karimi emphasised that clear expectations, trust and continuous coordination are essential for turning individual projects into lasting university–industry partnerships.
Key Takeaways
- Effective partnerships begin with shared skills challenges. Identifying concrete workforce needs helps bring education providers, employers and other stakeholders together around common objectives and practical solutions.
- Partnerships help translate skills needs into education and training. Collaboration between industry and education institutions can turn labour market requirements into competences, learning outcomes, curricula and assessment approaches that support upskilling and reskilling.
- Long-term commitment matters beyond project funding. Sustainable partnerships require shared responsibilities, clear governance and continued engagement. Funding can support implementation, but lasting collaboration depends on the commitment of participating organisations.
- University–industry collaboration strengthens students' preparation for working life. Working on real-world challenges allows students to develop technical and transversal competences, engage with potential employers and apply their knowledge in professional contexts.
- Clear expectations and coordination are essential. Differences in priorities, timelines, resources and institutional procedures can complicate partnerships. Early dialogue, transparent agreements and structured follow-up can help address these challenges.
- Recognition and portability of skills remain important challenges. While training content can be adapted across different contexts, assessment and certification require greater coordination to ensure that acquired competences can be recognised and transferred.
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