The European Union (EU) has long recognised the pivotal role of education and training in fostering economic growth, social cohesion, and individual development. Over the decades, the EU has implemented various initiatives to strengthen its education and training systems, culminating in the development of a distinctive European model, characterised by a commitment to lifelong learning, quality assurance, and international mobility. It brings together a diverse range of educational pathways – from vocational education and training (VET) to higher education (HE) – and aims to provide individuals with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in a rapidly changing global economy. However, the European model is not static; it is constantly evolving in response to societal, economic, and technological shifts.

Our paper is part of the international project “Partnering Up Europe: Transnational strategic partnerships in the European model of education and training (ParEdu)” and studies the relationship between the European model of education and training and two recent major policy initiatives by the EU: the Erasmus+ Centres for Vocational Excellence initiative (CoVE) and the European Universities initiative (EUI). The CoVE initiative, established in 2018, focuses on enhancing VET by establishing networks of VET providers that collaborate with HE institutions, public authorities, employers, and other stakeholders across borders (primarily in Europe) to promote innovation, quality, and inclusivity in vocational training and to develop transnational skills ecosystems (Graf et al., forthcoming). The EUI, initiated in 2017, fosters transnational cooperation in HE by creating alliances among universities, working together with various academic and non-academic stakeholders across Europe (Marques & Graf, 2023; Lambrechts et al., 2024).

These transnational strategic partnerships (TSPs) represent a novel approach to collaboration that seek to foster deeper integration and innovation across national borders. By examining these TSPs we seek to unravel the underlying policy rationale, institutional characteristics, and their impact on the evolving European model of education and training. For this purpose, we rely on institutional and organisational theory (e.g., Scott 2014; Powell et al. 2012) as well European policy research (e.g. Graf and Marques 2022; Rohde-Liebenau and Graf 2023; Marques and Graf 2023).

While the broader project investigates both policy and organisational levels of TSPs within the European education and training landscape, this paper focuses more on findings from the organisational level analysis, with an aim of uncovering the institutional and organisational characteristics as well as operational dynamics of these partnerships Specifically, we address three overarching research questions: first, we explore what the composition and characteristics of the member organisations involved in the CoVE and the EUI are. Second, we examine how the governance structures and decision-making processes of CoVEs and EUI compare at the organisational level and discuss what implications these differences could have for the effectiveness of these partnerships. Finally, we investigate what the distinct operational models employed by CoVEs and EUI are, and how these models facilitate or challenge the integration and goals of the partnerships. By examining these aspects, our paper provides novel insights into the internal dynamics and external relationships of TSPs, revealing how they function and adapt within the evolving European education model.

Our analysis employs a mixed-method research design that combines qualitative and quantitative approaches to explore the multifaceted nature of TSPs in the European context of education and training, with a specific focus on comparing CoVEs and the EUI alliances. The study adopts an institutional-comparative perspective, examining the EU level but especially the level of the individual TSPs. A sequential mixed-method approach is used, with a first (shorter) phase emphasizing qualitative data collection and analysis at the EU level, followed by a second (longer) phase that incorporates both quantitative and qualitative data at the organisational level. Organisational level analysis The second phase of our study as presented in this paper, combines quantitative and qualitative data sources at the organisational level, specifically comparing the operational models and stakeholder dynamics of CoVEs and EUI. Key organisational documents, such as mission statements and strategic plans for TSPs, are analysed alongside statistical data available through public sources (e.g., ETER, Eurostat) to understand the composition and characteristics of these partnerships. Our dataset includes information on 41 currently active CoVEs, and 12 completed pilot projects (together encompassing over 900 full members and almost 500 associated members), as well as 65 currently operating EUI alliances (including over 570 full members and some 2200 associate members). Additionally, interviews with TSP coordinators and other relevant stakeholders are conducted to gain insights into the governance structures and decision-making processes of these partnerships. Qualitative data analysis is conducted using grounded theory, a systematic approach that allows for the development of theories from data. The qualitative data analysis software MAXQDA is employed to support this process. Throughout the data collection, we follow the principle of saturation, ensuring that sufficient data is collected to achieve theoretical saturation. For quantitative data analysis, we employ primarily descriptive approaches, analysing data with the use of STATA software.

By focusing on the organisational level, in this paper we aim to unpack the institutional characteristics of TSPs in education and training, providing a detailed examination of their internal dynamics and external relationships. This approach allows us to describe the factors that shape these partnerships and contribute to the evolving European model of education and training. Comparing the CoVEs and EUI alliances sheds light on how different types of educational institutions collaborate across borders and the unique challenges and opportunities they face. Our paper provides new insights into the opportunities and limitations of transnational cooperation in education and training in Europe.

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