LeadEx Kick-off

From 19 to 21 May 2025, the Region of Murcia hosted the Kick-off Meeting of the Interreg Europe LeadEx project, coordinated by the Regional Ministry of Education and Vocational Training through its General Directorate of Human Resources, Educational Planning and Innovation. The event brought together eight European partners, including regional and national authorities and educational agencies from Poland, Denmark, Slovenia, Montenegro, Estonia, and Croatia, with EARLALL acting as both communication manager and advisory partner.

 

The LeadEx Kick-off Meeting, hosted by the General Directorate of Human Resources, Educational Planning and Innovation of the Regional Ministry of Education and Vocational Training of the Region of Murcia, took place from 19 to 21 May 2025 in Murcia, Spain.

The meeting began with an institutional welcome by Víctor Javier Marín Navarro, Regional Minister for Education and Vocational Training. This was followed by the first working session, held at the Aula ATECA of CIFP Politécnico de Murcia, where each partner introduced their organisation and presented an overview of their national or regional education systems. Partners also shared their ambitions and expectations for LeadEx, conceived as a collaborative platform for sustainable innovation, equity, and excellence in education. The day concluded with a cultural tour of the historic centre of Murcia.

The second day focused on communication strategy and project governance. EARLALL presented the LeadEx dissemination and communication plan, detailing its target audiences, key messages, communication tools, and upcoming activities, including the launch of the project website and a promotional video. In the afternoon, the first official meeting of the Steering Committee was held. The committee formally approved its constitution and defined its responsibilities, which include overseeing project implementation, validating main deliverables, resolving conflicts, supporting coordination, and ensuring the quality of interregional and policy learning outcomes. Key documents such as the Project Management Manual and the Semester 1 work plan were also endorsed. Furthermore, EARLALL presented the methodology for the development of the Regional Education Diagnosis reports.

On the third and final day, participants visited two educational institutions in Murcia to explore initial good practices. The first visit took place at CIFP Politécnico de Murcia, a leading vocational training centre with more than 2,000 students and 190 teachers. The centre’s director, Valentín García-Donas Valero, shared its inclusive educational model, which promotes lifelong learning and offers adult education without age restrictions. Participants toured classrooms and workshops in areas such as mechanical manufacturing, electronics, IT, marketing, and nursing. The school’s active participation in the Erasmus+ programme was also highlighted.

The second visit was to CEIP Federico de Arce, a public primary and preschool education centre serving 460 pupils. The visit provided insight into early childhood and primary education in the Region of Murcia, including the school’s internal organisation, infrastructure, educational projects, and teaching methodologies. Partners had the opportunity to observe learning in context and engage with school staff.

The Kick-off Meeting concluded with a gala dinner celebrating the official launch of this Interreg Europe partnership. During the event, the representative of the Estonian Quality Agency for Education offered a closing speech and extended a formal invitation to all partners to attend the next LeadEx meeting, which will take place in Estonia in January 2026.