During October, representatives of the well-known “St. Gallen” vocational school in Switzerland visited vocational schools in Albania, where they learned more about the VET system in Albania and fostered new opportunities for collaboration between schools in both countries.

Representatives from the Swiss school visited “Gjergj Canco” vocational school, “Kolin Gjoka” vocational school and Elbasan Vocational School, where they met with teachers, students, and staff, exchanged contacts, and discussed possibilities for international cooperation through the projects implemented by this school in the VET field.

“St. Gallen” vocational school, which has a year-long collaboration with Skills for Jobs, is known for its commitment to projects related to innovation and internationalization in vocational education and training. They are also known for opening new avenues of collaboration among providers, students, and teachers for the development of the VET sector worldwide. “We believe in the motto: Growing through exchanges, that’s why we are here,” emphasized Daniel Kehl, Director of “St. Gallen” vocational school.

St. Gallen has been collaborating with “Gjergj Canco” vocational school since 2019 through the “Innovet – Swiss Center of Vocational Excellence” project, supported by the Swiss Agency for Exchange and Mobility (Movetia). Through this project, “Gjergj Canco” school is part of an international network of partners from eight European countries that cooperate and exchange experiences to develop and assess innovation strategies in the context of digitization, internationalization, and quality.

From the visits of the Swiss schools’ representatives, we will point out an activity focused on educational technologies and innovative projects of vocational school students at “Kolin Gjoka” vocational school. Participating in the event was the Swiss Ambassador, Mrs. Ruth Huber, representatives from “St. Gallen” vocational school in Switzerland, and representatives from KfW Development Bank.

During the event, teachers from “Kolin Gjoka” school showcased innovative technological solutions that enable interactive learning experiences for students, including the use of “MesoVET” platform. Students from “Kolin Gjoka,” “Gjergj Canco,” “Hermann Gmenier,” “Peter Mahringer,” and Kamëz Vocational School showcased their innovative projects, such as: The Electronic Register, Digital Library, Virtual Reality in Teaching, and the 3D Sports Corner.

Moreover, a live connection was established with students and teachers from “St. Gallen” school, as a starting point for future exchange opportunities between vocational schools in both countries.