Aine, a young Irish instructional designer, had just finished her master’s in e-learning development when she joined the REPOWER REGIONS team. Tasked with leading the creation of an online curriculum at EQF level 5 for mid-career HVAC professionals, she suddenly found herself working side by side with senior professors from the University of Belgrade — academics with decades of experience teaching local government and industry leaders, often using highly technical, even Japanese-influenced, methods.
On the other end of the spectrum, Fagskolen Rogaland in Norway brought in VET teachers working daily with 16- and 17-year-old apprentices, many of them recent migrants, whose immediate need was practical, hands-on training. Aine’s role was to hold these worlds together — designing a “scaffolded” curriculum that could flex upward into bachelor studies at EQF level 6, and also into vocational pathways, without losing coherence.
The journey is still ongoing, but already the collaboration has transformed how partners see each other. Professors who were used to lecturing senior managers are re-thinking how to teach 17-year-olds. VET teachers are recognising the value of embedding digital learning design. And Aine, initially the least experienced in the room, has become the bridge — using empathy to understand cultural differences, trust to build confidence in the process, and cultural intelligence to make sure every contribution is respected.
Together, this diverse team is building more than a course. They are proving that when universities, VET colleges, and digital innovators work as equals, Europe can create genuine lifelong learning pathways that serve both experienced professionals and the next generation of workers.