Under the theme “European Innovation Experience: a dynamic co-creative dialogue on how regional innovation boosts the Union of Skills and the twin transition”, three practical innovation labs from University West, Hochschule Bremen City University of  Applied Sciences and Hanze University of Applied Sciences —three of the nine partners that make up STARS EU— presented in Brussels concrete examples of co-creation workshops, robotics and virtual reality-based learning.

The STARS EU workshop, held as part of the activities programmed within the Workshop of the European Week of Regions and Cities, promoted by the European Commission (EC), highlighted that it is possible to develop skills (with and for students) capable of connecting education with industry to build more resilient regional ecosystems.

During the presentation, Felix Rohn, Policy Officer at the European Commission, underlined the need for Europe to strengthen its skills systems and collaboration through initiatives such as the Pact for Skills 2.0, which promote better coordination and faster adaptation to technological change.

Each speaker then presented practical examples of regional innovation and collaboration. The first to do so was the representative from Bremen University, followed by the Swedish and Dutch teams:

• Svenja Tams (Hochschule Bremen – City University of Applied Sciences) presented co-creation workshops with students designed to develop future-oriented skills. She invited stakeholders from regional career ecosystems to tackle the challenge: “How can we design strategic experiments that enable sustainable and human-centred futures in response to the talent challenge within our regional career ecosystem?” Her approach emphasised active collaboration between students, educators and industry partners, reinforcing the integration of skills development with real-world innovation.
• The Swedish team, Stefan Nilsson and Daniel Sjölie (University West), focused their presentation on training trainers using virtual reality (VR) in high-risk scenarios, such as threatening situations on trains. Their work, carried out in collaboration with government partners, is highly relevant for Work Integrated Learning (WIL), demonstrating how immersive technologies can enhance safety training, professional development and pedagogical approaches in applied education.

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  Rix Groenboom (Hanze University of Applied Sciences) showcased how the use of robots and artificial intelligence can detect crop diseases, illustrating collaboration with SMEs and regional foundations to address practical challenges in rural environments. His presentation highlighted pre-competitive collaboration at lower Technology Readiness Levels (TRL), where research and business partners worked together to ensure continuity and scalability within the innovation labs.

The session held today, as highlighted by STARS EU members, served to demonstrate how hands-on innovation labs, cross-sectoral partnerships and educational integration can help address Europe’s skills challenges while promoting sustainable, people-centred solutions across regions.

The success of this fully booked event reflected the strong interest generated by European cooperation in the field of skills and innovation. Participants agreed in valuing the dynamism of the workshop and its ability to link policy perspectives with tangible examples of innovation across European regions.

The Second Edition of the International Conference on Co-Creation Process (IN2COP) was recently held at Bragança Polytechnic University, marking a significant collaboration with STARS EU partners. Distinguished personalities such as Vanessa Dubois, from the European Commission, and Tia Loukoula, from OECD, took the stage as plenary speakers, sparking insightful discussions on the future of higher education within the framework of European Alliances and the evolving landscape of future skills demanded by the job market.

The event provided a platform for Portuguese Polytechnic Universities, as members of European University Alliances, to exchange insights on governance models and legal frameworks pertinent to European Alliances. Participants from diverse backgrounds, including professors, students, researchers, academic staff, and external stakeholders representing various scientific domains and economic sectors, convened to share best practices and prototype outcomes of co-creation processes.

One of the highlights was the public unveiling of a microcredentials programme at Bragança Polytechnic University, codesigned with regional stakeholders. The event also featured a presentation by the president of Compete 2030, shedding light on funding opportunities available to both companies and higher education institutions.

The conference’s final day was dedicated to showcasing Erasmus+ projects implemented at Bragança Polytechnic University, offering a unique platform for six schools and four research centers to exchange experiences, establish connections, and disseminate their findings.

The STARS EU Steering Committee took advantage of this gathering to reflect on past achievements and outline future endeavors, underscoring the event’s importance as a catalyst for collaboration and innovation in higher education.

More pictures of the event