Pécs, 23 September 2025 – The Central Danube Development Agency Nonprofit Ltd. (CDDA) and the University of Pécs (UP) jointly organised the opening conference of the PATHS ("Personalised Approach to Territorial Life and Career Support") project within the framework of the Danube Transnational Programme. The aim of the event is to present the initiative, worth more than €2.5 million, which is being implemented in 9 countries of the Danube region in cooperation with 13 partners, and its ambitious objectives.

The PATHS project focuses on a personalised career guidance and life planning approach, with a particular emphasis on young people living in rural and disadvantaged areas. The project aims to address gaps in support services, reduce school dropout rates, mitigate rural depopulation and promote lifelong learning opportunities.

Renowned experts gave welcoming speeches at the two-day conference. Dr Zoltán Koltai, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Teacher Training and Rural Development at the University of Pécs, emphasised that supporting young people is not just an educational issue, but also key to the future of the region. The PATHS project offers innovative and comprehensive solutions in this regard.

Stephen Jonathan Halligan, representative of the Danube Region Programme Managing Authority, also gave a speech, explaining that new projects related to career guidance for young people are crucial for the development of the Danube region.

Andrea Mária Grónay, Executive Director of CDDA, emphasised that the PATHS project responds to social, economic and educational challenges simultaneously. Its aim is to enable young people to find opportunities for development and prosperity not only abroad or in large cities, but also in their own immediate environment.

During the morning plenary session and roundtable discussion of the conference, Hungarian and international experts shared their experiences of supporting career choices based on self-awareness. In the afternoon, Hungarian participants were introduced to experiential learning methods, self-awareness development tools and career orientation board games, which they can later use in their own regions. The partner and the SCOM meeting also took place in the afternoon where all the consortium partners had a chance to meet for the first time in person and discuss actual tasks and questions related to the project implementation.

The PATHS project is part of the European Union's Danube Transnational Programme and aims to help young people lay the foundations for a successful career.

Click to download the Press release: Press Release 23/09/2025

PATHS Study Tour in Slovenia: Exploring Good Practices in Career Guidance and Lifelong Learning

As part of the PATHS Partner Meeting in Maribor, project partners took part in a two-day study tour in Slovenia on 2–3 December 2025, gaining first-hand insight into innovative and well-established practices in career guidance, adult education, and labour market support. The study tour, organised by Academia d.o.o. in cooperation with the Development Centre Novo mesto, offered a rich learning experience closely aligned with the objectives of PATHS

Day 1: Integrated Career Support in Maribor

The first day of the study tour focused on Maribor, where participants explored how career guidance services can be effectively embedded across different life stages—from early education to adulthood.

A key highlight was the visit to the Prizma Foundation, a leading regional organisation dedicated to improving employment opportunities and strengthening the social economy ecosystem. Prizma demonstrated how long-term cooperation with employers, public institutions, and international partners can translate into concrete support for young people and jobseekers. Of particular interest was their Career Orientation in Primary School initiative, which introduces children to self-discovery and career thinking at an early age through structured and engaging methods.

Participants were introduced to several practical tools and programmes, including:

• Talentatij stations, which help young people explore interests, talents, and potential career paths;
• Kam in kako (“Where and how”), supporting informed decision-making about education and career routes;
• Cognitive abilities testing (eMFBT) and skills assessment, providing objective insights into individual strengths.

These approaches illustrated how early and age-appropriate guidance can build self-awareness and confidence, laying strong foundations for later educational and career choices.

The study tour also showcased adult education guidance as a public service, marking the 30th anniversary of Slovenia’s national guidance system. Implemented in 35 public adult education centres, this service supports individuals in:

• Enrolment and continuation of education;
• Identification and documentation of knowledge and skills;
• Development of self-directed learning pathways.

This long-standing, institutionalised model stood out as a strong example of how guidance can remain accessible and relevant throughout a person’s life.

Another important stop was the Employment Service of Slovenia, where participants learned about EURES, the European network of public employment services operating across 31 countries. EURES supports fair and safe labour mobility and ensures equal employment opportunities within the EU, EEA, and Switzerland. The Employment Service of Slovenia presented its proactive role in increasing employability, supporting employers’ staffing needs, promoting social inclusion, and contributing to sustainable economic growth and social welfare.

Closely linked to this, Career Centres across Slovenia were presented as accessible, free-of-charge hubs offering tailored services for unemployed individuals, students, parents, teachers, and employers. Through personalised and group-based counselling, these centres help users navigate labour market trends and connect education pathways with real employment opportunities.

Day 2: Innovation, Youth Engagement, and Regional Development in Novo mesto

The second day took participants to Novo mesto, where the focus shifted to youth engagement, innovation, and regional cooperation. Visits to the Development Centre Novo mesto and partner institutions highlighted hands-on approaches such as project-based learning, entrepreneurial activities for young people, and interdisciplinary collaboration between schools, education providers, and development agencies.

Workshops for children on robotics and programming, along with examples of youth entrepreneurship support, illustrated how early exposure to skills development and innovation can complement career guidance and strengthen local ecosystems.

The Gymnasium of Novo mesto presented a particularly inspiring initiative focused on expanding students’ learning opportunities beyond the standard curriculum. Teachers at the school have joined forces to offer additional, practice-oriented subjects that allow students to explore different professional fields and personal interests in a flexible and engaging way.

Each student has the opportunity to choose one additional subject per school year, with the options organised into thematic areas. These themes cover a wide range of interests and career directions. For students interested in medicine and health, subjects such as kinesitherapy, other thematic areas focus on sustainability, as well as more artistic and creative fields, including film and theatre.

A key strength of the initiative is its progressive structure. The themes are designed to build from year to year, allowing students to deepen their knowledge within the same general direction while exploring new perspectives and topics each year. At the same time, students remain free to change direction and select a completely different thematic area in the following year, supporting both continuity and exploration.

The value of this approach was clearly reflected in the feedback shared by a student during the visit. The student spoke enthusiastically about participating in a French-focused subject, where learning was centred on French culture rather than traditional language instruction. He highlighted that these subjects are not linked to grades, are delivered in a more informal learning environment, and are strongly practice-oriented, making them highly relevant to future professions and personal interests.

This initiative stood out as a powerful example of how schools can support self-discovery, motivation, and informed career choices, offering students the space to explore who they are and who they want to become, without the pressure of formal assessment.

Learning for PATHS: From Good Practices to Strategy

Throughout the study tour, partners reflected on how these Slovenian practices can inspire and inform the development of Life Path Support Services (LPSS) within the PATHS project. Particular attention was given to the role of Career Guidance Expert, Coordination and Methodology Teams (CG ECMTs) - multidisciplinary expert groups composed of professionals from education, psychology, HRM, sociology, and related fields. These teams play a crucial role in supervising pilot actions and shaping the LPSS Strategy at Danube Region level, as well as national action plans.

The study tour in Slovenia demonstrated how coordinated systems, strong institutional frameworks, and user-centred guidance services can create lasting impact. By connecting education, labour markets, and lifelong learning, these good practices offered valuable inspiration for PATHS partners working to make rural and local communities more inclusive, resilient, and future-oriented.

CDDA Nonprofit Ltd. and the University of Pécs successfully organized the opening conference of the PATHS (Personalized Approach to Territorial Life and Career Support) international project in Pécs on September 23-24, 2025. The two-day professional event brought together representatives, experts, and educational partners from the countries of the Danube Region to discuss solutions for helping young people in rural areas stay in their communities and find career guidance.

Ceremonial opening and plenary presentations
The following speakers gave welcoming remarks at the ceremonial opening of the conference:
• Dr. Zoltán Koltai, Vice Dean for General and Educational Affairs (Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Teacher Training and Regional Development, University of Pécs),
• Jonathan Halligan, Senior Project Manager (Danube Region Program Managing Authority / Joint Secretariat), and
• Andrea Mária Grónay, Managing Director (CDDA Nonprofit Ltd.).

The series of plenary presentations was opened by Tibor Remete, Strategic and Creative Director of Super Channel, with his presentation entitled "Cooperation as an evolutionary reserve".
This was followed by Zsuzsanna Sándor-Majoros, professional director of KDMFÜ Nonprofit Kft., who presented the background and objectives of the PATHS project.
The section was closed by Dr. Tamás Vámosi, representing the University of Pécs and professional coordinator of the project, who spoke about the expected results of the initiative.

Roundtable discussion and interactive workshop
Following the morning program, participants took part in a roundtable discussion entitled "Best practices in successful career counseling models in the Danube region," moderated by Edit Lakó-Tóth, senior project manager at CDDA Nonprofit Ltd.

During the discussion, experts from several countries in the Danube region shared their experiences:
• Péter Szilágyi, Fehér Kereszt Alapítvány (Hungary)
• Cristian Gligor, Pro Cultura Siculi Intercommunity Development Association (Romania)
• Martin Novysedlák, University of Bratislava (Slovakia)

The afternoon program was a special interactive workshop based on gaming, which focused on experience-based career guidance tools. Participants had the opportunity to try out three innovative games designed to help with career choices:
• Előrelépés (Step Forward) board game – presented by Sarolta Gloviczki and Péter Szilágyi (White Cross Foundation)
• Career guidance tools, games – presented by István Fűrész, career guidance teacher (Székesfehérvár Vocational Training Centre)
The workshop was moderated by Zsuzsanna Sándor-Majoros.

Professional study trip on the second day
On the second day of the conference, foreign partners took part in a professional study trip: they visited the premises of Matró Kft., where company manager Attila Kornél Nagy presented the company's operations. This was followed by a presentation by Balázs Csirke, president of the South Transdanubian Engineering Cluster, on the practice and opportunities of dual training in Hungary.

The aim of the event
The main aim of the PATHS project launch conference was to promote the management of challenges affecting young people in rural areas, support local prosperity, and strengthen the sustainable and competitive future of the Danube region.
The event was organized and coordinated by Boglárka Barkó, international working group leader at CDDA Nonprofit Ltd.