Policy Board

The EXCEED Policy Board plays a key role in analysing the current policies and exchanging good practices to enhance skills development and ecosystem innovation. It stands as a milestone of collaborative innovation, comprising regional and national bodies dedicated to shaping the landscape of Smart Specialization Strategies and educational policies. It is composed of regional/national public authorities or development agencies responsible for Smart Specialization Strategies and/or Vocational Education and Training policies. Led by ART-ER, the Policy Board coordinates local and cross-regional actions, aligning them with EXCEED’s strategic priorities for digital eco-innovation in Advanced Manufacturing.

Support the exchange of good practices relating to the digital and green transition in Advanced Manufacturing and ensuring Vocational Education and Training alignment with industry needs and EU recommendations.
Ensure the alignment of the EXCEED pilot actions and objectives with the Smart Specialization Strategies of the participating territories.
Develop a governance model for a COVE skills ecosystem, integrating best practices for regional development and social cohesion.

Through collaborative efforts, the Policy Board aims to facilitate the exchange of insights, best practices and strategic information essential for advancing VET policies in the Advanced Manufacturing sector, in the framework of Smart Specialization Strategy. This involves:

  • Sharing insights on local Smart Specialization Strategies in Advanced Manufacturing
  • Collaborating on Vocational Education and Training internationalization strategies, with a focus on EQF 4,5 VET opportunities
  • Promoting exchanges of good practices for upskilling and reskilling of low-skilled adults, talent retention and attraction policies, gender gap in VET, internationalization
  • Analyzing different skills ecosystems governance models and funding mechanisms
  • Utilizing Observatory results to inform decision-making and policy formulation
  • Propose action plans for sustainable COVE governance approaches, including funding models and intervention measures
  • Disseminating the project activities and results achieved

To facilitate collaboration and knowledge exchange, Policy Board members convene online monthly and during five transnational study visits in 2024 and 2025, in Italy, Spain, Finland, the Czech Republic and Greece.

Policy Board members

Gabriele Marzano

Italy

He works for the Regional Government of Emilia-Romagna, focusing on talent attraction, regional development in human resources and innovation, active employment policies, digital skills, social innovation, green transition and international mobility projects. Senior expert in Vocational Education and Training, employment, regional development and innovation policies.

Lenka Scholzova

Czech Republic

She began her career in Technology Transfer in 2012 and served as Head of the Technology Transfer Office at the Czech Academy of Sciences from 2015 to 2022. Since 2023, she has been working at CzechInvest, the national investment promotion and business development agency of the Czech Republic, as a Coordinator for R&D Collaboration and Data Analyst. Lenka is also a member of the supervisory board at the EIT Urban Mobility platform.

Rene Samek

Czech Republic

He is the Director of the Innovation Support Department of CzechInvest, the national business development and investment promotion agency of the Czech Republic. He is rsponsible for promotion of academia-industry collaborations of Czech companies, technology transfer, support of development of regional and national innovation ecosystems and 7 CzechInvest virtual innovation hubs

Henri Saarela

Finland

He holds a Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering and Management, and since his graduation in 2020, he has worked as a specialist and part-time lecturer in numerous projects and initiatives related to bioeconomy, circular economy and the green transition. Henri currently works at Macon Oy, a consulting company based in Oulu, Finland, that specializes in bioeconomy, circular economy and cleantech

Kaisa Varis

Finland

She is Head of Department in Consortium OSAO, one of the biggest multidisciplinary Vocational Colleges in Finland. She graduated with a Master of Philosophy, Faculty of Science (Chemistry) from the University of Oulu.

Miriam Castillo

Spain

She is Head of the Service for Programmes and Projects for the Promotion of Vocational Education and Training at the Directorate General for VET in Catalonia. In her current role, she is responsible for fostering internationalisation, innovation and dual training, promoting the participation of students and teachers in mobility projects and transnational cooperation initiatives. She is a member of the Spanish National VET Team and an EPALE ambassador.

Olga Kafetzopoulou

Greece

Ms Olga Kafetzopoulou currently the Secretary General for Vocational Education, Training and Lifelong Learning. She is a national expert in the Cedefop community on apprenticeships, national coordinator in the benchmarking of apprenticeship schemes, national representative to the OECD Expert Group on VET, Μember of the Directors-General for Vocational Training and the Advisory Committee on Vocational Training in the EC and Official Delegate of WorldSkills Greece