eTwinning Online Workshop 2024 (IVET)

Nikolaos Mouratoglou holds a Doctorate from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He is adjunct Lecturer at the Department of Educational Sciences (University of Athens) and the Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences (European University of Cyprus), specialising in digital education, teacher training and counselling. He has (co-)authored more than 50 publications in (inter-national) scientific journals and conferences and has collaborated with national, European and international organisations and universities on projects related to teachers’ professional development, vocational education and training, AI and digital transformation, skills development and employability. He is currently the Pedagogical and Monitoring Manager at European Schoolent, working in the European Commission’s initiatives, the European School Education Platform and eTwinning.

Irene Psifidou is leading the Agency’s team on “VET for Youth - Teachers and trainers”, at Cedefop’s department for “VET and Skills”. She is currently managing projects on the professional development of VET teachers and trainers and tackling early leaving from education and training.

Irene is in charge of Cedefop’s forthcoming “European VET Teachers Survey (EVTS): Supporting teachers’ professional development in VET schools”.

In the 20 years of service at Cedefop, Irene has designed and managed high-profile EU projects on vocational education and training (VET) systems and policies, and has represented Cedefop in high-level thematic working groups of the European Commission and in international events. Her milestones include the creation of Cedefop’s “VET toolkit for tackling early leaving” as well as the “VET toolkit for empowering NEETs”. She is the creator and coordinator of Cedefop’s European virtual community of ambassadors.

A doctoral comparative education specialist by training (Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona), Irene holds also two Master degrees, one on International Relations (Universidad de Barcelona), and another on Applied Linguistics (Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona).

Inés Verplancke, a vibrant 46-year-old from Bruges, Belgium, is known for her infectious enthusiasm, drive, and inspirational nature. Her passion lies in promoting wellbeing in schools and advancing social profit organizations strategically.

With a background in social and political sciences, Inés brings an academic foundation to her work. Her career at Europe House Ryckevelde, where she ultimately became the head of the organization, involved coaching schools in European projects, earning her recognition for her innovative educational initiatives.

In her mission to unlock human potential, Inés focuses on empowering individuals and organizations. Her approach is rooted in neuroscience, emphasizing prevention and empowerment.

To learn more about Inés Verplancke and her impactful work, visit her website at www.inesverplancke.be/en. 

Fatima is Mental Health Europe’s Policy and Knowledge Officer. She has a background in human rights research, policy and advocacy with NGOs. Before joining Mental Health Europe, Fatima worked as the Advocacy Policy Officer for End Female Genital Mutilation European Network. As well as being an intersectional feminist, Fatima is an experienced speaker and advocate, with over nine years of experience in advocacy and campaigning. Fatima holds a BA (Hons) in Law and Human Rights, and an LLM in International Law and International Relations.

The Head of the International Area at ENAIP Veneto, a Vocational Education and Training (VET) provider based in Italy, Silvia Genero also serves as the Project Manager for ENAIP NET, a consortium of Italian VET Providers. Silvia holds a degree in Communication from the University of Verona and Computer Science from the University of Venice. Additionally, she earned a Master of Arts in European Economics, Politics, and Law from the College of Europe. 

Silvia Genero has been actively involved in European funding programs since 2012. Since 2013, all the projects she has participated in, either as a designer or manager, have been in the field of vocational education and training (VET), encompassing both initial VET (IVET) and continuous VET (cVET). Her extensive experience includes designing and managing training projects targeting diverse learners, ranging from teenagers to workers aged 50 and above, NEETs and unemployed people, and trainers themselves

Carla Spagnolo is an international project officer at ENAIP NET, assisting permanently in the implementation of Erasmus + projects in the fields of social inclusion and sustainability. She is graduated in International Law and has a post- graduate master specialization in International Cooperation (development and humanitarian interventions). Active since her teenage years in the world of associations and volunteering, she has been taking part in projects related to humanitarian corridors. She also has an active role in the Fair-Trade movement, having followed local and international projects in the field of sustainable economy.

Andrea Ceschi is an Associate Professor in Work and Organizational Psychology (WOP) at the Human Sciences Department of Verona University. His expertise lies in organizational behaviour, individual differences and decision-making at work, and social dynamics in the applied psychology field. In the field of basic research his studies explore the role of individual antecedents about classic WOP models. His applied research focuses on the development of interventions and policies for enhancing decision-making, and in turn well-being and job performance. Finally, in industrial research, his research aims to better integrate cognitive and behavioural theories for designing predictive models—based on agents—of social and organizational behaviours.

Francesco Tommasi is a Postdoctoral Researcher in Social, Work and Organizational Psychology at the University of Verona, Department of Human Sciences, Italy. He is also a psychologist and part of the Veneto Regional Order of Psychologists (Italy). His research interests in Vocational Education and Training and in Social and Work and Organizational Psychology are supported by his publications for APRESO, CARVET and CIESSECI, which are research centers of the University of Verona, his activity in national and international collaborations and projects (e.g. Erasmus+ KA3 NERDVET), and his work as Editor of the Informing Science: The International Journal of an Emerging Transdiscipline (InformingSciJ).

Laura Laborda-Martínez, dedicated eTwinning member, born and raised in València, Spain. She has a rich and varied professional career as a fulltime teacher until 2006, after which she taught Spanish as a Foreign Language to both primary school children, as adults. She spent ten ears in a school located in a deprived area, working with underprivileged students and took part in a set-up of a Special Unit for secondary school students with mental health difficulties. The last six years, she has worked as an English teacher at Ciutat de l’Aprenent, an IVET school in València.

Alicia Sánchez Ortiz, an IVET teacher in health and Headmaster at CIPFP Ciutat de l'Aprenent in València, Spain. Her school is an eTwinning School, with three National eTwinning Awards in VET and we have two Erasmus+ accreditations: VET Mobility Charter and Erasmus Charter for Higher Education. She has been an eTwinner since 2013 and implemented more than 10 projects, of which two have been awarded with two eTwinning National Awards, 6 European eTwinning Labels and 3 National eTwinning Labels. 

Mrs. Miia Ojala, M.Ed, Guidance counsellor. Has been working at LHKK VET- Institute since 2004. In her professional career, she has worked extensively in teaching and guidance for immigrants, as well as in vocational education counseling. Additionally, she has worked as our institution's Erasmus coordinator since 2015.

Mrs. Beatriz Díaz Fernández, English teacher and Erasmus Coordinator. 

Mrs. Beatriz started her career as a Spanish teacher in England, and then returned to Spain to teach English. During her time as Erasmus Coordinator, she was able to participate in different types of Higher Education Erasmus projects from IES Virgen de La Paz, Madrid. Recently, she moved back to the north of Spain, where she is originally from, and she teaches English at a comprehensive high school, where she continues to do what she loves the most: sharing her passion for foreign languages and education.