In 2024, the Ministry of Education launched the national project entitled Centres of Excellence for Vocational Education and Training. The project reflects on the need for reform in vocational education and aims to create a system of Centres of Excellence for Vocational Education and Training in the Slovak Republic, which will increase the quality, flexibility, and adaptability of vocational education and training.

The project aims to build at least eight pilot Centres of Excellence for Vocational Education and Training. The target group include employed people, pedagogical and professional employees, career advisors, and teachers in adult education. Thus, the newly established Centres of Excellence in the key sectors of the economy will actively set trends in vocational education and training. They should create space for introducing new teaching methods, training of pedagogical and professional employees, or lifelong learning according to European quality standards. 

Centres of Excellence for Vocational Education and Training will provide vocational education to young people and increase the skill level of adults to meet the labour market needs in the context of digital and green transformation. They will create skill ecosystems to promote innovation, regional development, and social inclusion through cooperation with local businesses on applied research projects, the creation of innovation centres, and the support of students’ entrepreneurial activities. 

The project will be implemented throughout the whole of Slovakia by the State Institute of Vocational Education − a budgetary organisation of the Ministry of Education. The indicative amount of funding allocated for the call for submitting applications for non-refundable financial contributions is €13,247,803 from the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+). In the long run, the Slovak Centres of Excellence will connect with Centres of Excellence from abroad through the international network to promote the development and quality of vocational education. 

More information: National project Centres of Excellence of VET - ŠIOV - State Institute of Vocational Education (siov.sk) 

Source: Eurydice Unit Slovakia