Today we are taking part in the event “Dual VET: An Opportunity for Companies”, held at the DFactory Barcelona Auditorium, as part of our commitment to strengthening the connection between the education system and the productive sector.

We begin the session with an institutional welcome shared with representatives from the Consortium of the Barcelona Free Trade Zone, the Barcelona Metropolitan Area and the BCN Vocational Training Foundation, from where we reaffirm our commitment to the development of vocational education and training in the city.

Throughout the day, we address the latest developments in Dual VET and the key role played by companies, as well as hearing firsthand testimonies from companies and students already participating in this training model.

We also present the Dual VET Accelerator, an initiative we promote to encourage business involvement and improve young people’s training and employment opportunities.

We close the event by highlighting the importance of institutional collaboration to continue advancing towards a more innovative, inclusive VET model aligned with labour market needs.

We begin the international mobility phase of the Erasmus+ PFI project with the Toulouse group. After the preparatory work carried out in the intercultural workshops, we approach this new stage with enthusiasm and commitment. 

In the coming days, the young participants will carry out professional internships related to their studies, a key opportunity to put their acquired knowledge into practice and develop new skills in an international environment. At the same time, we will take part in various cultural activities that will allow us to get to know the city of Toulouse and explore its culture more deeply. 

This experience offers a comprehensive learning environment where we combine training, personal growth, and coexistence, while reinforcing the values of interculturality and cooperation that define the Erasmus+ PFI project, with the support of SEPIE. 

On March 14, students and teachers participating in the MetròpolisFPLab programme had the opportunity to visit the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya during a special day organised by the venue itself.

The activity included a guided tour led by Circuit professionals, showcasing key areas such as access points and parking zones, with the aim of helping teams gain deeper insight into the proposed challenge.

In addition, attendees were able to enjoy the rest of the day at the Circuit, coinciding with the Winter Series 2026. This voluntary initiative helped complement the programme’s learning experience with practical, on-site insight.

On March 12, a new edition of the Simulated Companies Fair was held at Institut Esteve Terradas i Illa, a day in which students put their knowledge and negotiation skills into practice, sharing ideas, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit with the educational community.

The BCN Vocational Training Foundation participated by supporting the initiative. During the welcome session, the CEO, Neus Pons, addressed the attendees, highlighting the importance of these experiences in bringing vocational training students closer to the business world.

This initiative is part of the financial support provided by the Foundation to help VET centers implement and run simulated companies, thereby promoting practical learning environments and the development of entrepreneurial skills. In this area, the BCN FP Foundation collaborates with the Inform Foundation.

The next call for these grants will be published in May 2026.

Last Wednesday the 11th, we held the final intercultural workshop of the Erasmus+ PFI project. This session has been essential in preparing students for their upcoming stay in Toulouse andDijon, where they will have the opportunity to enjoy an enriching international experience. 

During the workshop, we worked on key aspects such as conflict management and established common rules through a “group contract”, with the aim of ensuring coexistence and respect throughout the stay. These activities help strengthen group cohesion and ensure that each participant feels comfortable and integrated into the new environment. 

With this final session, we feel fully prepared and excited to begin this adventure, following the values of interculturality and collaboration promoted by the project. 

This workshop is part of the Erasmus+ PFI project, supported by SEPIE. 

At the Veolia School headquarters, we participated in the Conference on debate and reflection on lifelong learning, a strategic meeting to analyse the role of higher education in promoting lifelong learning in Catalonia. The event provided a meeting space for universities, vocational education and training centres, companies, public administrations and social stakeholders to share perspectives and experiences aimed at rethinking roles, breaking down silos and strengthening collaboration within the lifelong learning ecosystem.

Building on the conclusions and recommendations of the new report by ACUP, “The role of higher education institutions in promoting lifelong learning in Catalonia”, developed with the participation of a wide range of quadruple helix stakeholders, the conference moved the debate to a more operational level, focusing on collaborations that are already enabling new ways of teaching and learning. In this regard, successful practices were presented to demonstrate how cooperation helps design more relevant, agile training proposals that are better connected to regional needs and the productive sector.

Neus Pons, Managing Director of the Fundación BCN Formación Profesional, moderated the presentation session. From Fundación BCN Formación Profesional, we highlight the importance of promoting strong partnerships between universities, vocational training centres, companies and public administrations to ensure flexible, inclusive learning pathways aligned with the real needs of the productive sector.

The event was opened by Àngels Fitó, President of ACUP and Rector of the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya; and Marina Arnaldos, Manager of Cetaqua Barcelona. It included a panel on successful collaborative models in continuing education, where good practices of cooperation between companies, public administrations and educational institutions were shared, as well as a discussion panel on the future of the lifelong learning ecosystem in Catalonia, focused on governance, funding and adaptation to emerging professional profiles.

Through this participation, we reaffirm our active role in building a more integrated, innovative lifelong learning system aligned with the country’s challenges.

The report can be downloaded from the Plataforma CTI website (www.plataformacti.cat/).

On Friday, February 20 at 10 a.m., the Monitoring Committee of the Dual VET project at Barcelona City Council took place in the Barcelona Room of the Mobility, Infrastructure and Works Area Management (Av. Diagonal, 240. 08018 Barcelona).

This committee, which is convened annually, aims to review and monitor Dual VET scholarship students for the 2025–2026 academic year, as well as to present updates and the proposed planning for the 2026–2027 academic year.

The session brought together more than 50 representatives from VET centres, municipal departments (districts, management areas and municipal institutes), professionals from the Barcelona Education Consortium, the People, Organization and Electronic Administration Management of Barcelona City Council, as well as the Foundation that coordinates the City Council’s placement requests.

During the 2025–2026 academic year, Barcelona City Council hosted 298 Dual VET scholarship students from 22 VET centres (14 public and 8 publicly funded private schools) corresponding to 19 professional profiles, with an investment of €1.3 million.

This February marks the start of the 2026–2027 project, in which students will complete 865 hours of scholarship-based training in the various municipal departments.

From 2013 to the present, Barcelona City Council has incorporated 2,868 intensive Dual VET scholarship students. If we add the 50 students hosted over three years by BTV and the Barcelona Public Health Agency (companies partly owned by the City Council), the total rises to 2,918 trained scholarship students, with a global investment of €9.8 million.

This week we kicked off the first intercultural workshop aimed at the young people who have been selected to take part in an international experience within the Erasmus+ programme.

The session was a key opportunity to begin preparing their journey beyond logistical aspects. During the workshop, participants reflected on:

• Cultural differences and how to manage them with respect and openness.
• Stereotypes and prejudices, and how to identify and overcome them.
• Communication skills in intercultural contexts.
• Adapting to new social, educational and professional environments.

Through participatory activities, role-playing and discussion spaces, the young participants shared their expectations, concerns and motivations. This preparatory work is essential to ensure that the international stay is not only an academic or professional experience, but also a meaningful life-learning journey.

This workshop marks the first step in a support pathway that will continue before, during and after the mobility period. Our goal is for each participant to leave equipped with tools, confidence and intercultural awareness to make the most of this opportunity.

From the Foundation, we continue to promote internationalisation as a tool for personal and professional growth, and to ensure high-quality experiences that leave a lasting impact.

More than 70 students, accompanied by their families, took part in the information session on the international mobility opportunities of the Erasmus+ programme planned for 2025. The meeting was a key space to share all the necessary information before starting this training experience abroad.

During the session, the objectives of the mobility, the planned schedule, the destinations, academic aspects and company internships were explained, as well as the administrative procedures and required documentation. Practical matters related to accommodation, insurance, support during the stay and communication channels with the school were also addressed.

One of the highlights was the open Q&A session, where students and families were able to resolve doubts about living arrangements, cultural adaptation, financial management and academic monitoring. This exchange helped strengthen confidence and provide reassurance regarding an experience that, for many, will be their first long stay abroad.

Erasmus mobility is not only an academic opportunity, but also an experience of personal and professional growth. Participants develop language skills, autonomy, adaptability and an international outlook that significantly enhances their employability.

With this information session, we take another step forward in preparing the 2025 mobilities, reaffirming our commitment to internationalisation and to providing close support to both students and their families.

This week, Barcelona has become the stage for the project “Innovation Staffmobility: Peer to peer.” We had the pleasure of hosting a group of teachers from Fondazione Lepido Rocco, Italy, in a shared learning stay with several vocational education and training centers in our city.

The goal? To share teaching methodologies, explore the Catalan VET system, and foster international collaboration. The visitors were able to participate in observation sessions and working meetings with local teaching teams, creating synergies that enrich both educational systems.

We firmly believe that staff mobility is the key to a more innovative VET, connected to global challenges. Thank you Fondazione Lepido Rocco and everyone involved!