We are pleased to share reflections from two highly engaging days of the Policy Board Meeting, held in Prague, Czech Republic. The event served as a platform to strengthen synergies between education, innovation, and regional development, while deepening collaboration on strategic priorities in Vocational Education and Training (VET).

The meeting commenced at CzechInvest – Business and Investment Promotion Agency, with a formal welcome, presentation of the agenda, and a tour de table that set a collaborative tone for the day.

The morning sessions focused on framing the Czech educational landscape:

  • A comprehensive introduction to the Czech Educational System was provided, with a specific emphasis on VET. This included a preliminary SWOT analysis highlighting both strengths and areas for development within the system.

  • Martina Vycudilíková (Central Bohemian Innovation Centre) presented the MERIT International Programme, which fosters international collaboration in education, research, and innovation.

  • The morning concluded with a productive WP2 Workshop with Policy Board members, offering space for critical reflection on interim results, alignment on methodology, and strategic preparation for the upcoming Study Visit in Greece.

In the afternoon, the group moved to the HiLASE Centre, where the focus shifted toward practical innovation and education-driven regional development. Highlights included:

  • Jana De Merlier shared the strategic vision of the STAR Region, underlining the importance of aligning educational initiatives with regional innovation strategies.

  • The HiLASE team presented their Talent Academy and Laser Safety Training Centre, demonstrating how specialised training can effectively build future-ready talent in photonics.

  • Michael Vích (ELI Beamlines) illustrated how outreach and summer schools are engaging students and young researchers in frontier scientific exploration.

  • Katka Brejchová introduced the Brain4Industry Academy, an innovative platform focused on reskilling professionals and accelerating technology adoption across industrial sectors.

Participants concluded the day with study visits to:
🔵 The HiLASE Centre – showcasing cutting-edge laser systems development;
🔴 The ELI Beamlines Facility – one of the world’s most advanced high-power laser infrastructures;
🟠 The Brain4Industry Hub – focusing on applied digital innovation, including digital twins and robotics.

The second day was dedicated to concluding the WP2 Workshop with Policy Board members. This session enabled partners to:

  • Debrief and analyse the outputs of WP2;

  • Strategically align on key findings;

  • Plan the next steps, including detailed arrangements for the forthcoming Study Visit in Greece 🇬🇷.

These two days exemplified the value of cross-sectoral collaboration in addressing the evolving needs of VET systems and regional innovation ecosystems. We look forward to continuing this momentum and deepening the impact of our joint initiatives.