Brașov Meeting Overview

On 25–26 June 2026, the Brașov Metropolitan Agency (AMB) welcomed the partners of the Erasmus+ EmpowerED project to Brașov, Romania, for the second International Partner Exchange. The two-day meeting brought together representatives of partner organisations, researchers, educators and communication specialists from across Europe to review the project's progress and jointly shape the next phase of implementation.

The partner exchange represented an important opportunity to transform the research carried out during the first phase of the project into concrete educational solutions that will have a lasting impact on adult education.

The meeting opened with a review of the project's achievements to date, followed by presentations on the Context Analysis, Evidence-Based Interventions and the Good Practice Database. These activities provided a comprehensive overview of the current challenges faced by vulnerable adults across partner countries and highlighted successful approaches that can serve as inspiration for the project's future educational materials.

An important part of the discussions focused on the results of the Needs Analysis and the Focus Groups, which gathered valuable input from adult learners, educators and relevant stakeholders.

The findings confirmed that many adults experience difficulties in understanding financial information, planning personal budgets and making informed financial decisions. Partners also identified the need for flexible, learner-centred educational resources that combine practical knowledge with real-life situations and encourage confidence in everyday financial management.

Building on these results, the consortium reviewed the Gap Analysis, identifying the areas where current educational provision does not adequately respond to learners' needs. This session marked an important transition from research to the design phase of the project, allowing partners to define the key themes and competencies that should be reflected in the future EmpowerED learning platform.

Interactive working sessions were dedicated to the development of the project's upcoming e-learning courses and microcredentials. Partners exchanged ideas on learning pathways, course structure, assessment methods and digital learning approaches, ensuring that the future educational resources will be engaging, accessible and applicable across different European contexts. The collaborative discussions demonstrated the added value of bringing together organisations with diverse expertise in education, research, public administration and communication.

The consortium also coordinated upcoming communication and dissemination activities to ensure the project's results reach a wide range of stakeholders across Europe.

The second day of the meeting provided an opportunity to present the conclusions of the working groups and to plan the activities for the coming months. Participants also visited the National Economic College "Andrei Bârseanu" Brașov, where they exchanged ideas on educational innovation and lifelong learning while gaining insight into the local educational environment.

The meeting concluded with the allocation of responsibilities, the establishment of clear timelines and the coordination of the next project deliverables.

The meeting in Brașov marked another important step in the EmpowerED project, strengthening collaboration between partners and setting clear priorities for the months ahead. Building on the research findings and the expertise shared during the meeting, the consortium will continue developing practical learning resources that support financial literacy, numeracy and lifelong learning for adults across Europe.