In the period 21–23 April 2026, Chief Assist. Prof. Velina Koleva, PhD – a member of the team of project BG-175467353-2022-04/12-12-2022 “The Impact of Digitalisation on Innovative Approaches in Human Resource Management”, funded by the National Science Fund – participated in the international conference “International LCAMP Week & Open Days 2026”, held in Vitoria-Gasteiz, the capital of the Basque Autonomous Community in Spain. The event was organised within the framework of the LCAMP – CoVE in Advanced Manufacturing project, co-funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ programme, and brought together representatives of educational institutions, business, research communities and vocational education from various European countries.
The programme was exceptionally rich and focused on topics related to digitalisation, Industry 4.0 and 5.0, innovation in vocational education, artificial intelligence, digital twins, sustainable development, the connection between education and business, and people management in a digital environment. The conference “Global Connection for Local Change” featured lectures and discussions with representatives of the European Commission, OECD, European Training Foundation, Tknika, as well as experts and researchers from various international organisations and universities.
Particularly impressive were the thematic workshops and presentations dedicated to the application of artificial intelligence, digital technologies and innovation in education and industry. Among the topics addressed were “Co-Designing Learning Ecosystems for Human–AI Teams”, “Digital Twins on Smart Manufacturing”, “Drones, AI and 5G”, as well as the impact of digitalisation on mental health and well-being in the workplace.
Dr. Koleva’s participation in the thematic workshops provided an excellent opportunity for the exchange of ideas, the development of international contacts and exposure to good practices in the field of vocational education and human resource management in the context of digital transformation. During the event, she presented the research findings and activities of the project, and had the opportunity to discuss future collaboration ideas and potential international partnerships with participants from various countries. The meetings and discussions were highly productive and offered new perspectives for the development of both academic and practical initiatives.
The second day of the programme included visits to high-technology companies and organisations engaged in innovation in the field of Advanced Manufacturing. Participants had the opportunity to gain first-hand insight into real production processes, new technologies and industry best practices, as well as people management in a digital environment, through visits to companies and high-technology centres such as Mercedes-Benz Vitoria, Gestamp, Basquevolt, CIC energiGUNE, Araba Technology Park and others. This was a valuable opportunity to observe how digitalisation and automation are applied in practice and how business works in partnership with educational institutions to develop the skills of future specialists.
