DBI at SAAM Seminar “Capacity Building for Leadership in VET Mobility between Africa and Europe”

Today, the 14th February 2022, our Executive Secretary and our current DBI Trainee participated to a Seminar organised by SAAM (Supporting Alliance for African Mobility) pilot project, in the framework of an interesting and fruitful week dedicated to VET Mobility between Africa and the European Union.

After having received a warm welcome from the SAAM promotors and coordinators and an introduction of the agenda by the coordinator of Mundus, we have listened first to Stefano Tirati, EfVET Vice-President providing the participants with information and insights about EfVET strategic projects establishing exchanges beyond European borders at the individual, systemic and professional level in the last 30 years.

Moreover, the agenda forsaw short interventions about partnerships between Africa and the European Union by our Executive Secretary Renato Cursi: he introduced Don Bosco International’s strategy, style of working and global network for VET. He also provided data on demographic and migration trends between Africa and Europe, to put VET mobilities in the context of a more comprehensive strategy for international partnerships. Other interventions were delivered by Theodor Grassos from EVBB and Father George Tharanyil, Director of Don Bosco Tech Africa, both presenting the main projects and the networks of their respective organisations.

In the end, we had the chance to listen to two speakers from the European Commission: Ms Michèle Grombeer (Head of the Skills Sector Unit A2) and João Santos (Senior Expert, VET, European Commission, DG-EMPL). With their contributions we have been updated on the latest data on VET thematic areas and budget, and acknowledged how the EU drives Vocational Education and Training at the European level through dialogue and cooperation, internationalisation “at home”.

VET can work as an engine contributing to create an ecosystem where each area of the society (public and private enterprises, universities, researchers etc.) cooperates and intersects with one another and working as a component which is not dissociated from the economic reality. As Don Bosco International we found these interventions and this day in general extremely inspiring and motivating. We will keep supporting Vocational Education and Training partners, especially in the context of international mobilities!