Happy Holidays and all the best in 2026!

Dear colleagues and friends,

As we approach the end of 2025, I would like to share a brief reflection on a year that has brought both important changes and significant progress for the Education Reform Initiative of South Eastern Europe (ERI SEE). This has been a year in which our cooperation grew stronger, our regional partnerships deepened and our shared efforts contributed to meaningful improvements in education systems across South Eastern Europe.

This year was also marked by an important leadership transition within ERI SEE. After nine and a half years of dedicated work, Ms. Tina Šarić concluded her mandate as Director. Her contribution to our organisation and to regional cooperation has been invaluable, and I warmly thank her for strong foundation, wide reach and partnerships across the region she established through ERI SEE. Stepping into the role of the new Director at the end of this year has been both inspiring and a great responsibility. I am proud to continue working with the ERI SEE Secretariat and all our partners, committed to strengthening our regional role and supporting national systems through impactful cooperation.

Throughout 2025, ERI SEE remained actively engaged in advancing Vocational Education and Training (VET), Quality Assurance (QA), and Environmental, Social and Digital (ESD) initiatives. This year also marked the successful completion of the Enhancements in the Quality of Education and Training in South Eastern Europe (EQET SEE), Renewable Energy Services in Education and Training (RESET), and RECONOMY programmes. These initiatives were delivered in close cooperation with ministries of education, VET and QA agencies, chambers of commerce, and international partners, including the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), the Austrian Agency for Education and Internationalisation (OeAD), the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ), the Helvetas, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), the European Training Foundation (ETF), the Regional Challenge Fund (RCF), the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) and others.

Together, we developed regional occupational and qualifications standards, curricula, innovative teaching and learning materials, and comprehensive training programmes, which were further adapted and integrated into national systems. Numerous regional conferences, national events, study visits and expert exchanges throughout the year further strengthened the link between education systems and the labour market and reaffirmed ERI SEE as a trusted platform connecting institutions, practitioners and international partners.

I am sincerely grateful for the support, partnership and trust we have built together. The progress achieved in 2025 reflects the commitment of institutions, experts, teachers, the business sector and all our partners across the region.

As we look ahead to 2026, I wish you peace, good health and continued success. I look forward to another year of collaboration, strengthening quality education, regional cooperation and innovative solutions. May the coming year bring new opportunities for development and shared progress.

Warm regards,

Sandra Brkanović

Director, ERI SEE Secretariat