As EDU-LAB moves into its fieldwork phase, our research is expanding beyond the voices of young people to also include the perspectives of experts, institutions and stakeholders. To capture these broader insights, we are launching a multi-stage process that brings together governance, education, business, and civil society actors across Europe and beyond. This work will help us understand systemic challenges and opportunities, complementing the youth case studies with policy- and practice-oriented knowledge.

In parallel with the youth case studies, EDU-LAB is launching a multi-stage participation process involving institutional, academic and civil society actors. This line of research, coordinated within Work Package 3B, begins with a series of Exploratory Expert Interviews (EEIs) that are being conducted from June to September 2025.

These semi-structured interviews – in all partner countries and beyond – build on thematic literature reviews and the expertise of the teams. They form the foundation for one of the project's central empirical research tools, namely the cross-country Online Survey of Experts and Stakeholders (OSES), structured as a Delphi-type study.

The OSES-Delphi will target six stakeholder clusters:

• Governance and administration in the sphere of general and professional education and training;
• Business actors and stakeholders involved in the co-design and implementation of various education and training programmes for young people;
• Teaching and administrative staff in the education and training institutions;
• Studying and working youth, as well as the civil society at large (at national, international and regional levels;
• Research and academic experts, including consultancies;
• International coordination and development organizations.

Participants are recruited from local, regional, national and international levels to ensure a diverse range of perspectives and expertise. The survey covers a broad range of topics and invites stakeholders to evaluate the effectiveness of existing systems, forecast trends and propose optimal policy and practical measures. Particular attention is paid to the inclusion challenges faced by certain groups of young people.

The first wave of OSES-Delphi is planned for the end of 2025, with the second wave scheduled for spring 2026. The results will be presented and discussed in targeted workshops and seminars. Final outputs – including analysis reports, peer-reviewed publications and policy briefs—will be published by 2027.

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