DEHOGA Brandenburg and EU project partners meet at Einstein's Summer House to discuss the future of international vocational education and training in hospitality
On 11 and 12 May 2026, project partners of DEHOGA Brandenburg partners from three European countries gathered in Potsdam for the closing and outlook conference of the Erasmus+ projects, hosted by DEHOGA Brandenburg e.V. 2022 – 2026. Under the motto “Step by Step to Excellence”, the two-day event brought together representatives from Italy, Greece and Spain to reflect on four years of successful cooperation — and to chart the course for what comes next.
A Symbolic Venue: Einstein's Summer House in Caputh
The organisers deliberately chose Albert Einstein’s summer house in Caputh, near Potsdam, as the conference venue — a place that stands as a symbol for inspiration, openness and intellectual exchange. Just as Einstein once retreated here to think freely, the partners used this extraordinary setting to give their ideas space. The venue embodied the spirit of the conference: creative, cross-border, and forward-looking.
Four Years of European Cooperation — A Strong Foundation
The conference brought together partner organisations, tracing a journey that began in 2022 with the
TourX – Centre of Vocational Excellence in Tourism (2022-2026) – Building on that foundation, DEHOGA Brandenburg developed an expanding network of Erasmus+ collaborations:
HOGAVET (2023–2024) — KA1 mobility project enabling job shadowing and professional exchanges for education managers, entrepreneurs and teachers.
HOGAnet4VET (2025–2026) — Networking with businesses and educational institutions across Europe, providing the strategic framework for structured learner mobility and knowledge exchange.
prompts2teach & synergies4VET (2024 – 206) — KA2 Small-Scale Partnerships focusing on AI-supported teaching methods and the transfer of completed project knowledge across Europe.
The partner organisations — ENAIP Veneto (Italy), GICC Thessaloniki (Greece), ASOFUER Puerto del Rosario (Spain/Fuerteventura), and University of Aveiro (Portugal) — have been active collaborators throughout this journey.
An Agenda Focused on Quality and the Future
The two-day programme was structured around five key themes, designed to both take stock of what has been achieved and to plan concrete next steps:
- Review of cooperation results — An in-depth look back at the outcomes of TourX, HOGAVET, HOGAnet4VET, prompts2teach and synergies4VET, evaluating what worked and what was learned.
- Mobilities as a key to internationalisation — Exploring the Erasmus+ Programme Guide, funding conditions, apprentice mobility frameworks (ECVET/EQF), and practical instruments such as short-term internships (2–12 weeks), job shadowing for trainers and instructors, and the NextGen Hospitality Trophy competition.
- Erasmus+ Accreditation for DEHOGA Brandenburg — A central goal of the conference was to map out the path towards an Erasmus+ Accreditation, which would allow DEHOGA Brandenburg, as an umbrella association and intermediary organisation, to coordinate mobility projects for member businesses on a long-term and simplified basis — without the need for annual individual applications.
- New transnational project applications — Partners discussed three active project proposals. Using an open World Café format, participants developed specific cooperation ideas, identified new instruments and formats, and documented results for future collaboration.
From Partnership to Structured Learner Exchange
An important element of the conference was the presentation of a step-by-step process chain for sustainable learner mobility — a practical roadmap moving from formal partnership agreements through staff mobilities and job shadowing, to short-term group placements and competition mobilities via the NextGen Hospitality Trophy, and ultimately towards long-term internships of three months in host businesses. This model puts Brandenburg on the map as a genuine next step in European career development for young hospitality professionals.
Outcomes and a Shared Vision
The conference concluded with a set of concrete outcomes provided a clear agenda for what lies ahead. The vision: a permanent platform that connects vocational skills, educational institutions and businesses across borders, creating lasting pathways for excellence in hospitality training, which bridge the project work oft he partners.
