In early March, the VET Center, operating within StartUp HUB, organized the third edition of the “Erasmus+ in Education” professional conference in Sfântu Gheorghe. The event consisted of an intensive series of programs focused on professional exchange and cultural experiences, attended by a total of 25 educators and specialists from Hungary and Serbia.
The week opened with a reception for the guests and a communal dinner, followed by professional sessions at the Panorama Boutique Hotel. The conference focused on three central themes: first, the Covasna County School Inspectorate presented the expected impacts of the Romanian educational reform. Marius Popescu highlighted the imminent transformation of the system: “According to the plans, starting next school year, traditional vocational education will be phased out and replaced by unified technological high schools. The core of the concept is flexibility: students enroll in a technological high school, and after three years, they can enter the labor market by passing a professional certification exam, or they can choose to obtain a baccalaureate diploma after completing a fourth year.”
The program continued with a round-table discussion where Bence Ignácz, Zsuzsanna Nagy, Edith Simon, and Kázmér Derzsi presented practical solutions for preventing school dropouts. Bence Ignácz, representing the Kecskemét Vocational Training Center, emphasized the root cause of the problem: “One of the causes of school dropout often lies in the fact that students do not necessarily arrive at high school with the required foundations. I see a significant opportunity—similar to the Hungarian educational system—in the fact that students still have the chance to reorient themselves in grades 9 and 10 and find the path most suitable for them.”
At the end of the day, Nándor Kiss, Adrien Miklós, Annamária Szőke, and Zoltán Hevesi analyzed the marketing opportunities offered by the Erasmus+ program. Nándor Kiss emphasized: “Together with the Profession Vojvodina team, we are working to make all the advantages of the Erasmus+ program accessible to institutions. We provide comprehensive assistance in drafting funding applications, organizing student and teacher mobilities, and identifying the most appropriate international professional internship placements for students.”
Throughout the week, participants not only enriched their theoretical knowledge but also conducted visits to numerous local partners and companies to observe best practices. They explored the activities of Kristó SRL, Ariadnne SRL, Bertis SRL, CodeStudio, Blendem Production, VisitCovasna, BTheHotel, Pakuci Farm, Pista Bá’s office, and Sebert Tehnologie, while also visiting institutions such as the Ady Endre Primary School, the Berde Áron Economic High School, the LAM Foundation, the Puskás Tivadar Technological High School, and the Local Police.
The professional programs were complemented by an authentic Transylvanian gastro day, where networking played a central role. The organizers placed special emphasis on showcasing local traditions: a traditional pork feast lunch, the baking of homemade potato bread, and live folk music created a relaxed atmosphere, ideal for informal discussions and the development of new partnerships. Participants returned home with valuable ideas and new perspectives, and StartUp HUB, together with its partner institutions, aims to continue their close collaboration for the modernization of vocational training and the strengthening of international mobility projects.
