Cedefop Presents Regional Skills Ecosystem Index at EARLALL Board Meeting
11/04/2025
The European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop), represented by Ralf Hippe, introduced the Regional Skills Ecosystem Index (RESET) – a new initiative tailored to support regional skills strategies. The presentation took place during the EARLALL Board Meeting on 10 April, which brought together regional education and training leaders from across Europe.
Hippe highlighted a key issue: despite the growing importance of skills for economic competitiveness, innovation, and social cohesion, there is currently no dedicated index that measures skills performance at the regional level. He referred to major policy developments such as the Draghi Report on European competitiveness and the European Commission’s newly announced Union of Skills, both of which stress the strategic need to invest in local talent, upskill for the green and digital transitions, and better align education with labour market demands.
The RESET aims to address this gap by creating a composite index that measures the health of regional skills ecosystems across the EU. The index is built around four core pillars: skills supply, skills demand, challenges, and the enabling environment. Unlike existing indices, RESET focuses exclusively on skills at the regional level, offering a more targeted and relevant perspective for local policymakers.
While the index is still under development, an experimental version is expected to be released later this year, with potential updates foreseen in future cycles. Currently limited to EU27 countries and available only at an aggregate regional level, the tool may in time be expanded to include other countries or sectors — though this will depend on the availability and quality of relevant data.
As Hippe underlined, stakeholder engagement is crucial for shaping the next phase of RESET. EARLALL members are invited to explore the tool, share their insights, and help ensure that it reflects the realities and needs of Europe’s diverse regions.
