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27 JUL 2026 News { “service”: “sbkm”, “version”: “2.0”, “display”: “icons”, “networks”: [ “facebook”, “x”, “linkedin”, “email” ], “selection”: false, “shortenurl”: false, “color”: false } Building skills portability across Europe: new Cedefop publications on qualification recognition and digital tools ©Ruslan Gilmanshin/stock.adobe.com Moving between countries to learn or work should not mean starting from zero when proving what you know. Yet qualifications and skills acquired in one European country are still not always recognised, understood or trusted in another. Addressing this challenge is at the heart of the European Commission’s forthcoming Skills Portability Initiative, which aims to facilitate labour mobility, help tackle skills shortages and strengthen EU competitiveness through greater transparency and digitalisation of skills and qualifications. Two new Cedefop publications provide comparative evidence on the barriers that continue to limit skills portability—and on the measures that can help overcome them. One examines how countries recognise and validate foreign vocational qualifications, while the other explores how digital tools, including qualifications databases and digital credentials, can support the documentation, exchange and verification of learning outcomes. Together, the publications show that effective skills portability depends on two complementary foundations: transparent recognition arrangements and trusted, interoperable digital systems that make qualifications and skills easier to understand, verify and use across borders. Two building blocks for skills portability Recognition and validation of foreign VET qualifications in Europe: comparative insights for skills portability analyses how the EU-27, Norway and Iceland recognise qualifications obtained abroad for further learning and employment purposes. It shows that national arrangements differ considerably in their governance, assessment approaches and outcomes. Although recognition and validation pursue closely related objectives, they generally operate through separate structures. The study also finds that ENIC (European Network of Information Centres) and NARIC (National Academic Recognition Information Centres in the European Union) centres, traditionally associated with higher education, already provide VET-related guidance in most countries, while recognition for non-regulated professions remains the least transparent area. The publication is accompanied by a comparative dataset covering all national arrangements analysed. Digital tools for the portability of learning outcomes: insights from a ReferNet survey focuses on how countries are using qualifications databases and digital credentials to improve the documentation, sharing and verification of learning outcomes. While all participating countries recognise the value of these tools, implementation remains uneven. Systems for issuing and storing digital credentials are generally more advanced than the interoperable verification mechanisms needed to ensure that qualifications can be trusted and used seamlessly across borders. Taken together, the publications identify four priorities for strengthening skills portability across Europe: transparent and reliable procedures for recognising qualifications acquired abroad stronger coordination and information sharing between recognition authorities, education and training providers, employers and other relevant stakeholders connected digital tools that make qualifications, credentials and learning outcomes easier to document, verify and share greater interoperability between national systems to support learning and labour mobility across Europe. Supporting European priorities The publications come at a timely moment, as the European Commission prepares the forthcoming Skills Portability Initiative under the Fair Labour Mobility Package. Together, they provide policymakers, VET providers, recognition authorities and social partners with comparative evidence on how recognition arrangements and digital tools can improve the cross-border recognition, documentation and verification of qualifications and learning outcomes. By identifying common challenges and emerging practices across Europe, they offer practical insights that can inform future policy discussions and support the development of more transparent, user-oriented and interoperable approaches across countries. News type Headlines Themes and subthemes Skills policies and practices VET support policies - financing, guidance, validation Delivering VET and qualifications Qualifications and credentials VET and qualifications across borders VET policies and systems Keywords Digital skills Recognition of qualifications Validation Related content Image Publication July 2026 Recognition and validation of foreign VET qualifications in Europe Comparative insights for skills portability Cedefop insights Europe Available languages EN Image Publication July 2026 Digital tools for the portability of learning outcomes Insights from a ReferNet survey Cedefop insights Europe Available languages EN
Who is who { “service”: “sbkm”, “version”: “2.0”, “display”: “icons”, “networks”: [ “facebook”, “x”, “linkedin”, “email” ], “selection”: false, “shortenurl”: false, “color”: false } Christos Sfalagkiaris First name Christos Emmanouil Surname Sfalagkiaris Job title Digital communication assistant E-mail Send a message to Christos Sfalagkiaris
Thematic country review on upskilling pathways: new opportunities for adults in Croatia Vania Kanakoglou Mon, 27/07/2026 - 12:21 5623_en.pdf DOI 10.2801/5490285 TI-01-25-049-EN-N ISBN 978-92-896-3996-5 27/07/2026 English
Publication { “service”: “sbkm”, “version”: “2.0”, “display”: “icons”, “networks”: [ “facebook”, “x”, “linkedin”, “email” ], “selection”: false, “shortenurl”: false, “color”: false } Thematic country review on upskilling pathways: new opportunities for adults in Croatia Key findings from three research phases and suggestions for future action Improving opportunities for adults with low skill levels is a key priority of EU skills policy, notably through the 2016 Council Recommendation on Upskilling Pathways: New Opportunities for Adults. The initiative encourages Member States to provide accessible pathways that help adults acquire basic, digital and job-relevant skills, supporting both labour-market inclusion and social cohesion. Context To assist countries in implementing the recommendation, Cedefop conducts thematic country reviews (TCRs) on upskilling pathways, which analyse national systems and promote more coordinated and coherent approaches to adult upskilling in cooperation with national stakeholders. Italy and France completed the first reviews in 2021, followed by Croatia, whose review covers the period 2023–2026. Croatia’s response is largely framed by the Adult Education Act (2022), which aims to strengthen lifelong learning opportunities and support disadvantaged adult learners. Facts and findings Croatia’s adult learning governance is institutionally developed, with clear responsibilities across the Ministry of Science and Education, the Ministry of Labour, the Croatian Employment Service and AVETAE, yet governance remains highly centralised and vertical coordination between national, regional and local levels is weak. The voucher scheme, funded through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and the ESF+ programme, has broadened access to accredited training in digital, green and transversal skills for both employed and unemployed adults. Yet, the sustainability of the voucher scheme depends heavily on EU funding, permanent national co-financing mechanisms remain limited and regional uptake is uneven. Adults with low skill levels, third-country nationals, and rural populations remain difficult to reach. Many are unaware of available opportunities or perceive learning as inaccessible or irrelevant to their circumstances. Key messages The Croatian case illustrates both the progress and the remaining gaps in implementing upskilling pathways. Recent reforms signal a clear policy commitment to strengthening lifelong learning and improving access to training opportunities for adults with lower qualifications or low skill levels. Financial incentives and structured programmes have begun to stimulate demand for training and improve the visibility of adult learning opportunities. However, the system still faces barriers that limit its effectiveness. Policy implementation remains largely centralised, which can reduce flexibility and the ability to respond to regional labour-market needs. At the same time, some groups most in need of upskilling - such as inactive adults or those with low educational attainment - remain difficult to reach. Without stronger coordination, sustainable funding and targeted outreach, current initiatives risk benefiting primarily those already closer to the labour market rather than the most disadvantaged learners. Policy pointers Strengthening the effectiveness of upskilling pathways in Croatia requires actions across governance, funding and outreach. First, coordination mechanisms between national authorities, regional actors and local stakeholders should be reinforced to better align training provision with local labour-market needs. Expanding the role of regional competence centres and local partnerships could support this objective. Second, the long-term sustainability of funding instruments such as vouchers should be addressed by gradually integrating them into stable national financing frameworks. Simplifying administrative procedures and improving information systems could further increase participation. Finally, targeted outreach strategies are needed to engage adults with the lowest skill levels. Partnerships with community organisations, social services and employment offices can help identify potential learners, while personalised guidance and validation of prior learning may lower barriers to participation and make training pathways more accessible and attractive. Publication number 5623 Publication year 2026 Publication month July Publication type Research papers Related Country Croatia Themes and subthemes VET knowledge centre VET for adults Related Project Adult learning: empowering adults through upskilling and reskilling Keywords Adult learning Continuing education and training Disadvantaged group Learning providers Level of qualification / unskilled worker Lifelong learning Migration Professional development Reskilling / upskilling Social dialogue / labour relations Social integration Cite as Cedefop. (2026). Thematic country review on upskilling pathways: new opportunities for adults in Croatia: key findings from three research phases and suggestions for future action. Cedefop research paper. Publications Office of the European Union. DOI: 10.2801/5490285. https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/publications/5623 Downloads Thematic country review on upskilling pathways: new opportunities for adults in Croatia DOI: 10.2801/5490285 TI-01-25-049-EN-N ISBN: 978-92-896-3996-5 27/07/2026 EN 1.21 MB Related publications Image Publication September 2025 Thematic country review on upskilling pathways for low-skilled adults in Croatia Key findings of the first research phase Research papers Croatia Available languages EN
Regional skills ecosystems Chris Condos Mon, 27/07/2026 - 07:37 Explore regional performance through interactive maps, charts and tables. Select the index, pillars, sub-pillars or indicators to visualise and compare regions, apply filters by category or country, and view detailed information by hovering over or clicking on regions. The values are standardised between 1 and 100, with higher values reflecting more favourable outcomes. Filter-driven indicator visualisation. Data refreshed as selections are applied.
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