FUEN Working Group on Education meets in Eupen: Focus on vocational education, minority languages and AI

How can minority languages maintain a strong presence in vocational training and professional life? Which models are already working successfully in other regions of Europe? And what opportunities and challenges does artificial intelligence bring for minority education? These are some of the questions at the heart of the 8th Annual Meeting of the FUEN Working Group on Education, which will take place from 29 September to 2 October in Eupen (Belgium). The meeting will be held at Kloster Heidberg. It is hosted by the FUEN member organisation ProDG (Pro Deutschsprachige Gemeinschaft) in cooperation with the German-speaking Community of Belgium and its educational institutions.

After focusing on different stages of education and the teaching of minority history in recent years, the Working Group will turn its attention to vocational education and training this year. Particular emphasis will be placed on the links between vocational training, minority languages and the labour market, as well as on how schools, businesses and minority communities can work together in this field.

Eupen provides a fitting setting for these discussions. Participants will gain direct insight into the education system of the German-speaking Community of Belgium. Following the official opening and a presentation on the German-speaking Community in Belgium, the programme will first focus on the local educational situation. In the afternoon, the discussions will move from the conference room into practice: during a visit to ZAWM Eupen, participants will learn more about a vocational training centre that combines classroom instruction with practical training in local businesses. A visit to the Parliament of the German-speaking Community (see header image) will complement the programme.

At the same time, the meeting will look beyond Belgium. Examples from Slovenia, the Netherlands, Croatia and Finland will illustrate how vocational education for minorities is organised in different European contexts. In further sessions, members of the Working Group will report on current developments in their countries and communities and exchange experiences and approaches.

A special focus this year will be dedicated to minority education and artificial intelligence. Participants will discuss the potential impact of AI on education and minority languages and the developments they expect in their respective countries. The meeting will conclude with discussions on new opportunities for cooperation, joint projects and the future work of the FUEN Working Group on Education.

Those wishing to follow the Annual Meeting in Eupen can find impressions, reports and updates on FUEN’s social media channels throughout next week.

About the FUEN Working Group on Education

The establishment of the FUEN Working Group on Education was proposed during the FUEN Congress 2017 in Cluj/Klausenburg (Romania). In May 2018, representatives of minority communities met for the first time in the German-Danish border region to exchange experiences in the field of minority education and discuss the future direction of the Working Group.

This meeting marked the first official Annual Meeting of the Working Group on Education. Since then, the Working Group has met every year in a different minority region. These meetings provide an opportunity to gain first-hand insight into the educational situation of the local minority or minorities, exchange experiences and gather new ideas. They also serve to develop joint plans, strategies and priorities for the Working Group’s future activities.

More information about the Working Group on Education is available on the FUEN edu platform.