Empirical Research Takes Center Stage at the fourth CLEAR Consortium meeting in Vienna
Vienna, Austria – From April 4th to the 5th, 2024, the CLEAR Consortium met once again, this time in the City of Vienna, hosted by the university of Vienna, bringing together the different project partners to discuss the ongoing and future project developments.
Kicking off on Thursday, April 4th, the consortium was first greeted by the local host Prof. Yuri Kazepov and the project coordinator Prof. Marcelo Parreira do Amaral. After going through the project’s management (Work Package 1) and publication and dissemination activities (Work Package 9), the consortium delved deep into the empirical Work Packages, aiming to synthesize the results and coordinate the empirical fieldwork. Discussions were lively as researchers shared insights gleaned from their fieldwork experiences and analyzed the data collected thus far.
One of the main focal points of the meeting was to bring together the diverse findings from the fieldwork, laying the groundwork for collaborative analysis and interpretation. Profound discussions ensued as participants explored the nuances of the research findings and brainstormed strategies for effective dissemination.
Discussions were continued on Friday, 5th, with a briefing about Work Package 5 – Qualitative Analyses with Young People. The main objectives presented were to gain understanding of how policies and local opportunity structures open and close young people’s life opportunities, and to attain in-depth information about how young people themselves exercise their agency in interpreting and dealing with educational success and failure along their life courses.
Later on, ideas on the implementation of the transversal participatory approach (Work Package 8) were discussed under the chairing of the Work Package 8 Research Team from the University of Genova and CODICI. The official Consortium Meeting ended in the afternoon of April 5th, after a Closing Session and the report of the external advisory board on the project’s progress.
The fourth Consortium Meeting marked an important milestone in the CLEAR project, consolidating the efforts of researchers towards a common goal of enhancing understanding and knowledge in the field of lifelong learning policies across Europe. With empirical research at its core, the consortium remains steadfast in its commitment to produce impactful outcomes that contribute to positive societal change.
Stay tuned for further updates as the CLEAR project continues to unfold.