The Project
VR DigiVET is a European project designed to strengthen the quality, innovation and labour market relevance of vocational education and training in Albania through the integration of advanced digital skills, immersive technologies, virtual reality and augmented reality.
The project addresses a key challenge for the Albanian VET sector: reducing the gap between the skills required by the labour market and those developed through vocational education and training pathways. In particular, VR Digi VET supports VET teachers, trainers, instructors and students in acquiring transversal and professional digital skills, improving the quality of teaching, youth employability and the capacity of the VET system to respond to economic, technological and social changes.
Through a participatory and co-design approach, the project involves public institutions, VET providers, the private sector, experts, universities and students, with the aim of developing sustainable, shared and nationally relevant solutions.
Background
Vocational education and training plays a crucial role in skills development, employability, enterprise competitiveness and innovation. At European level, the strengthening of VET systems has long been a policy priority, as reflected in the Copenhagen Process, the Bruges Communiqué, the Riga Conclusions, the 2020 Council Recommendation on VET, and the Osnabrück Declaration.
In Albania, the Government has launched a process of modernising and reorganising employment and VET policies, in line with the National Employment and Skills Strategy 2019–2022. The Strategy aims to promote quality jobs and skills opportunities for all Albanian women and men, while strengthening the VET system, social dialogue and labour market governance.
Despite the progress achieved, the Albanian VET system still faces several challenges, including low participation in lifelong learning, insufficient quality of education and training, and weak alignment between education, training and labour market needs. These challenges are accompanied by a growing need to strengthen the digital skills of VET staff and students, particularly in relation to new technologies and future work environments.
Why VR Digi VET
National and international analyses of the Albanian VET system highlight the urgent need for professional development among VET staff, especially in the areas of digital technologies, innovative teaching methods and immersive learning tools.
Teachers and instructors have expressed the need for more relevant and up-to-date training opportunities that can strengthen both their technical competences and their ability to use digital tools in teaching and training. At the same time, VET students require more intensive and applied training in technology, as digital skills are now essential across all sectors of the economy.
VR Digi VET responds to these needs by promoting an innovative digital ecosystem that enables new models of teaching, learning and work-based training.
