{"id":1744,"date":"2026-05-22T14:17:52","date_gmt":"2026-05-22T14:17:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swiss-contribution.sk\/?p=1744"},"modified":"2026-05-22T14:19:40","modified_gmt":"2026-05-22T14:19:40","slug":"city-of-kosice-hosts-the-third-annual-meeting-of-the-swiss-slovak-cooperation-programme","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swiss-contribution.sk\/?p=1744&lang=en","title":{"rendered":"City of Ko\u0161ice Hosts the Third Annual Meeting of the Swiss-Slovak Cooperation Programme"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Annual Meeting of the Swiss-Slovak Cooperation Programme was held outside Bratislava for the first time this year, taking place in Ko\u0161ice<\/span><\/span> from 18 to 20 May 2026. The choice of location was no coincidence \u2013 project activities under all three support measures of the Cooperation Programme are being implemented in Ko\u0161ice and the surrounding region.<\/p>\n

The Annual Meetings of the Swiss-Slovak Cooperation Programme provide an important platform for discussing and approving the Programme\u2019s Annual Report, reviewing progress achieved, assessing implementation risks, and setting priorities and key plans for the coming year.<\/p>\n

The Swiss delegation included representatives of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation<\/span><\/span> (SDC), the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs<\/span><\/span> (SECO), and the Swiss-Slovak Cooperation Programme Office (SCO). The Slovak delegation consisted of representatives of the National Coordination Unit (Ministry of Investment, Regional Development and Informatization of the Slovak Republic), the Paying Authority, and the Audit Authority represented by the Supreme Audit Office of the Slovak Republic<\/span><\/span>. The formal part of the Annual Meeting was preceded by technical consultations with the bodies responsible for the individual support measures and with beneficiaries implementing predefined programme components.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s meeting focused on assessing the current state of implementation across all support measures, reviewing progress achieved in 2025, and discussing the Programme\u2019s priorities and next steps for 2026. A particularly engaging part of the communication and visibility agenda was the presentation of a promotional video showcasing the Vocational Education and Training (VET) support measure.<\/p>\n

The first day of the event was dedicated to technical discussions on the support measures in the areas of vocational education and training, health, and biodiversity. Participants exchanged information on the current status of implementation, challenges encountered during project delivery, as well as planned milestones and activities for the upcoming period.<\/p>\n

The second day focused on the presentation of specific project activities implemented under the Health support measure. Participants were introduced to the programme components Step for Health<\/em> and Healthy Heart of Ko\u0161ice<\/em>, both aimed at strengthening prevention, raising health awareness, and improving access to healthcare services. The programme also included a site visit to the Slovak Karst National Park<\/span><\/span>, specifically to the field station in the Z\u00e1diel Gorge<\/span><\/span>, which is currently undergoing reconstruction as part of the programme component Tourists and Nature Come Together<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The final day of the event was devoted to a visit to the Secondary Technical School, Kuku\u010d\u00ednova 23<\/span><\/span>. Established by the Ko\u0161ice Self-Governing Region<\/span><\/span>, the school provides practice-oriented education in technical, construction, electrical engineering, energy, water management, firefighting and craft-related disciplines.<\/p>\n

The school actively participates in the project Improving the Quality and Attractiveness of Vocational Education and Training in Line with Labour Market Needs<\/em>, implemented by the State Institute of Vocational Education<\/span><\/span> under the Swiss-Slovak Cooperation Programme. Its activities focus on strengthening work-based learning opportunities with employers in selected sectors and increasing the attractiveness of vocational study programmes. As part of these efforts, the school participated in Professional Week 2025<\/em> and the online Professional Fair<\/em> held in January 2026.<\/p>\n

The school is also a pioneer in the use of the so-called Critical Board method in vocational education. This innovative teaching approach encourages students to search for, evaluate and verify information from multiple sources. By combining digital tools, artificial intelligence and collaborative classroom work, it promotes critical thinking, active learning and deeper understanding of educational content. Participants of the Annual Meeting had the opportunity to observe practical examples of this methodology being applied in the classroom.<\/p>\n

Following the intensive programme, the delegations also took part in a guided tour of the Botanical Garden of Pavol Jozef \u0160af\u00e1rik University<\/span><\/span>.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s Annual Meeting confirmed that the Swiss-Slovak Cooperation Programme continues to make steady progress and that its tangible results are increasingly visible. Through the successful implementation of projects across the areas of health, biodiversity, and vocational education and training, the Programme is delivering concrete benefits to communities and contributing to sustainable regional development throughout Slovakia.<\/p>\n\n\t\t