Successful STARS EU workshop at the EWRC in Brussels

The STARS EU workshop, held as part of the activities programmed within the Workshop of the European Week of Regions and Cities, promoted by the European Commission (EC), highlighted that it is possible to develop skills (with and for students) capable of connecting education with industry to build more resilient regional ecosystems.

During the presentation, Felix Rohn, Policy Officer at the European Commission, underlined the need for Europe to strengthen its skills systems and collaboration through initiatives such as the Pact for Skills 2.0, which promote better coordination and faster adaptation to technological change.

Each speaker then presented practical examples of regional innovation and collaboration.

Stefan Nilsson and Daniel Sjölie from University West focused their presentation on training trainers using virtual reality (VR) in high-risk scenarios, such as threatening situations on trains. Their work, carried out in collaboration with government partners, is highly relevant for Work Integrated Learning (WIL), demonstrating how immersive technologies can enhance safety training, professional development and pedagogical approaches in applied education.

Svenja Tams from Hochschule Bremen – City University of Applied Sciences presented co-creation workshops with students designed to develop future-oriented skills. Her approach emphasised active collaboration between students, educators and industry partners, reinforcing the integration of skills development with real-world

Rix Groenboom from Hanze University of Applied Sciences showcased how the use of robots and artificial intelligence can detect crop diseases, illustrating collaboration with SMEs and regional foundations to address practical challenges in rural environments.

The STARS EU workshop held during the EWRC was fully booked and served to demonstrate how hands-on innovation labs, cross-sectoral partnerships and educational integration can help address Europe’s skills challenges while promoting sustainable, people-centred solutions across regions.

About STARS EU

The STARS EU Alliance is a European university with the goal of making a difference through research and education in the regions where the universities are located. The alliance consists of nine universities from Sweden, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Albania, Spain, Poland, Czechia and Portugal. 

The universities in the alliance are united in their desire to participate in building the sustainable societies of the future through innovation and active cooperation with the outside world.