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MICROIDEA Project| Study visit to Sri Lanka: Building Bridges for Skills, Mobility, and Certification

As part of the MICROIDEA Project, a study visit to Sri Lanka took place in late January, marking an important step in the project’s international outreach and dissemination activities. The visit focused on engaging with key national stakeholders involved in skills development, vocational education and training (VET), labour migration, and workforce certification—areas that lie at the heart of MICROIDEA’s mission. 

Why Sri Lanka? 

Sri Lanka represents a country with strong institutional experience in labour migration and skills development, alongside a clear need to enhance the international recognition and portability of skills. With millions of workers employed abroad and labour migration playing a vital role in economic stability and employment, Sri Lanka offers a highly relevant context for exploring how micro-credentials and ISO/IEC 17024–based certification can support safer, fairer, and more effective labour mobility. 

Engaging with Institutions and Social Partners 

During the visit, the MICROIDEA consortium met with a wide range of stakeholders, including ministries and public authorities, vocational education and training bodies, tourism and hospitality education institutions, trade unions, and private labour recruitment agencies. 

A key meeting was held with the FTZ & GSEU (Free Trade Zones & General Services Employees Union), one of the largest trade unions in the country. Discussions focused on labour migration trends, worker protection, and the challenges faced by low- and medium-skilled workers seeking employment abroad. The exchange highlighted the importance of transparent and internationally recognised certification as a means of improving employability and reducing abusive recruitment practices. 

Skills Recognition and Labour Migration 

The visit offered valuable insight into Sri Lanka’s existing skills recognition ecosystem, including the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) Framework and the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process. While these systems provide a solid national foundation, stakeholders consistently underlined a key gap: skills certification remains largely nationally oriented, limiting workers’ access to new labour markets—particularly in Europe. 

This challenge strongly resonates with the objectives of the MICROIDEA Project. By linking micro-credentials to ISO/IEC 17024, MICROIDEA aims to complement national frameworks rather than replace them, strengthening their international dimension and enabling skills to be recognised beyond bilateral labour agreements. 

Focus on Tourism and Hospitality 

A particularly important stop was the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (SLITHM), the country’s main national institution for tourism and hospitality education. SLITHM operates a structured, multi-level training system that combines theory with mandatory practical experience, covering all major tourism occupations. 

Discussions with SLITHM highlighted strong alignment with the MICROIDEA approach. The institution’s emphasis on employability, practical skills, and progression pathways makes it a natural candidate for micro-credential–based certification, especially in sectors like tourism where skills are transferable and internationally in demand. 

Dialogue with Recruitment Agencies 

Meetings with private recruitment agencies, coordinated by ALFEA, further reinforced the need for internationally recognised certification. While some occupations are certified for specific destination countries, there is currently no horizontal, widely recognised certification framework—particularly for workers targeting European labour markets. 

Recruitment agencies expressed strong interest in participating in pilot activities, proposing candidates and collaborating with public authorities. This public–private dialogue confirmed that MICROIDEA can act as a bridging mechanism between training, certification, and real employment pathways. 

Labour Market Intelligence and Digital Tools 

The visit also included discussions with the Ministry of Labour, where the MICROIDEA digital tools were presented. These tools analyze job postings and CVs to identify skills demand, map skills gaps, and support evidence-based training and policy decisions. Stakeholders highlighted the value of real-time labour market intelligence, especially when compared to reliance on static or external data sources alone. 

Looking Ahead: From Pilot to Policy Impact 

The Sri Lanka study visit confirmed that there is both institutional readiness and stakeholder appetite for innovative approaches that connect skills development, certification, and labour mobility. The planned pilot cooperation—focused on tourism and hospitality occupations—will bring together public authorities, training providers, and employers, while aligning with parallel pilots in Greece, Spain, and Cyprus. 

At a strategic level, the visit demonstrated the potential of the MICROIDEA Project to evolve from a pilot initiative into a scalable policy-relevant model. By bridging national skills systems, international labour markets, and globally recognised certification standards, MICROIDEA contributes to a shared goal: making skills more visible, portable, and valuable—for workers, employers, and societies alike. 

MICROIDEA’s pilots, tools, and international collaborations are working towards fairer and more transparent skills recognition worldwide. 

Więcej informacji

Magda Peistikou

Magda Peistikou serves as the Head of Learning and Development at INSETE (the Institute of Education of the Greek Tourism Confederation). She holds an MSc in International Hospitality and Tourism Marketing Management, an MBA, and a PgCert. In the past year, she commenced her PhD studies in Event Management.

Since 2006, Magda has been active in the tourism, food, and events sectors, both as a lecturer and a practitioner. In 2009, she became the Editor-in-Chief of *Food Service* magazine and other business publications. Her work has been published in international journals and conference proceedings. In 2020, she began collaborating with the UNWTO as a training expert, participating in educational projects in Russia, Georgia, and Tanzania. In 2022, Magda expanded her career by becoming a mentor for food producers, some of whom have achieved international recognition.

Additionally, she holds the role of judge for both the Taste Olymp Awards and the Innovation in Politics Awards. In 2024, she joined the TEDxAthens teams as a media relations manager. She is also an experienced organizer of food events, overseeing everything from conceptual development to execution, with her work earning numerous accolades from professional associations and organizations.

Xavier Mudarra Pizarro

He holds a degree in Political Science and Administration with a specialization in International Relations, complemented by a Master’s in International Relations, Security, and Development, as well as a diploma in Teaching with a specialization in Special Education. In 2007, he began his career as a primary school teacher and worked for three years as a Special Education teacher. Since 2011, he has served as a teacher in various schools across Catalonia, excelling in the teaching of Business Administration and Management. Starting in 2017 at Institut Provençana, he took on leadership roles as Mobility Coordinator and Seminar Head. His experience also includes working as an educational technician at the General Directorate of Vocational Training and serving as an evaluator for Erasmus+ projects. Additionally, he has participated in European collaborative projects, such as eTwinning, and has employed diverse active methodologies, including project-based learning and simulation, the latter in which he has also been a trainer for business management simulation.

Mr. Yannis Tsichlis

With 34 years’ experience in hospitality, Yannis Tsichlis joined Grecotel S.A. in 1990 and held since then key managerial positions in Sales, Marketing, Communication and PR, contributing to the group’s evolution to the leading hotel chain of Greece. 
He holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Athens and a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) with specialization in Marketing from the University of Sheffield, UK. 

He has taken part in numerous international product and executive development training programs.

 In his current role as Corporate Affairs Director, he represents the group to governmental authorities and trade associations and he is responsible for business relations, strategic partnerships and the ESG policy of the group.


*According to market statistics, Grecotel and Affiliated N.Daskalantonakis group ranks No.1 with 33 De Luxe & A’ category hotels (source ICAP, Greek Hotel Study, Nov 2024).

The Grecotel Hotels & Resorts are located in Athens, Attica, Crete, Corfu, West Peloponnese, Rhodes, Mykonos, Kos, Kalamata, Larisa and Alexandroupolis.

Kari P. Hadjivassiliou

Principal Researcher and Consultant at the Tavistock Institute (UK and Germany)and Co-lead of its EU/international portfolio of work.

Kari has over 30 years’ experience in international comparative research and evaluation, including the fields of employment and labour markets, school-to-work transitions and career trajectories, and inclusion of young people across the EU; welfare policies; education and training systems, vocational education and training and apprenticeships; and human and social capital development, including adult up-skilling and lifelong learning. Her interest and expertise lie in EU-wide research and policy, programme and process evaluation with a strong formative and stakeholder perspective.

Dr.Lukasz Sienkiewicz

Associate Professor at the Faculty of Management and Economics at Gdansk University Technology. Coordinator of the Centre for Technological, Economic and Social Transformation (C-TEST) and one of the founders of the Institute for Labour Market Analyses. Graduated from the Warsaw School of Economics, where he also obtained his Ph.D. in the field of management science and habilitated doctorate in the field of social sciences. For over 20 years now he works as a research professional, leading and taking part in scientific, as well as business focused research. He specializes in the issues of human capital development and labour market intelligence, including digitization induced transformations and micro-credentials. Author and co-author of over 90 peer-reviewed scientific publications and 100 research and analytical reports for international organizations (European Commission, ETF, CEDEFOP, Eurofound, Inter-American Development Bank) and business practice.

Vicent D. Pastor Martorell

Technical Educational Advisor for the industrial fields in Vocational Education and Training of the General Directorate of Vocational Estudies of Generalitat de Catalunya.

Over 20 years of experience in education, project management, and organizational leadership. Specialization in curriculum design and development for vocational education programs in fields such as Mechanical Manufacturing, Installation and Maintenance, Energy and Woodworking. My expertise includes adapting educational frameworks, promoting active methodologies like project-based learning (PBL), and fostering international collaborations.

Throughout my career, I have successfully led projects in areas like teacher training, curriculum innovation, and strategic partnerships with public and private entities. Additionally, I have played a key role in coordinating foreign language programs and digital transformation initiatives, as well as organizing events such as vocational training fairs and competitions.

Dr Wojciech Stęchły

Dr Wojciech Stęchły is a qualifications system and microcredentials expert at the Educational Research Institute in Warsaw (IBE) and assistant professor at Warsaw School of Economics (SGH). He is currently involved in development of the Odznaka+ (a digital credentials application for micro-credentials and badges) as a chief expert for developing standards and quality assurance. Wojciech is involved in various activities related to development of skills ontologies and digital applications for counselling and exploration of qualifications, skills and occupations as well as in research on various issues such as VET and AE institutions and financing or transversal skills assessment.

Andreas Alexi

My name is Andreas Alexis and I have been a legal advisor for the last 14 years. My diverse work history exposed me to different areas of expertise and philosophy, with a focus in labor law, employment law, health and safety, and Anti-money Laundering.
In self-reflection, I am a determined, kind, and bold individual, who is very goal oriented. Once I identify and analyse a set goal, as part of my implementation stage, I apply detailed planning, study the relevant legislations and tools, and ensure that my deliverable is governed by a model that contains full development of suggestions while addressing any existing or possible problems, and that it includes suggestions and exposure to any potential risk.
I highly prioritize the Principle of Prevention which refers to obtaining timely insurance aims, legal opinions, or other effective recommendations.
Teamwork, gender equality in the workplace, stress management and the positive outcomes it brings, hard work done in a safe working environment, Lifelong Learning, caring and understanding in the workplace, flexible forms of employment, willingness to go the extra mile, and positive energy, are all part of my core belief system.
The above, is not just a personal description. I believe that it is a summary of what drives me to always strive for further development, to the mutual benefit of both my employer and myself.

Giorgos Giorgakis

Giorgos Giorgakis is the founder and Managing Director of Eurosuccess Consulting. He has graduated from the European University of Cyprus, with a Master Degree (MBA) in Business Administration in July 2008. He has developed, managed and implemented more than 90 EU and National projects (FP, LLP, JUSTICE, ERASMUS +, COSME, RIF etc.) Mr Giorgakis is also the Coordinator of the VET and training activities for Eurosuccess, which is accredited as VET Center by the Human Resource Development Authority of Cyprus – the relevant public authority as regards to training and education. As regards to the participation of professional bodies and associations at EU level, Mr Giorgakis is the National Representative for Cyprus, at European Forum of Vocational Education and Training (EfVET). Under this capacity, Mr Giorgakis is actively participating into various working groups, trainings, events and conferences contributing in this way to the development of the EU strategies as well as supporting all relevant organizations, in Cyprus and abroad.

Iakovina Vardalachou

Iakovina (Vivi) Vardalachou (Mrs), is Physicist with MSc in Electronics and Director of Persons’ Certification Division in TÜV AUSTRIA HELLAS since September 2013. She has 36 years of professional experience in quality matters and International Standards’ requirements as well as 28 years in certification sector. She has deep knowledge of International Standards’ requirements such as: ISO 9001, ISO/IEC 17021, ISO/IEC 17065, ISO/IEC 17020, ISO/IEC 17024 etc and since 1988, she deals exclusively with quality matters, Management Systems and International Standards, having been successively trained in all versions of the ISO 9001 standard, up to the current one, as well as in all accreditation standards ISO/IEC 17021, ISO/IEC 17020, ISO/IEC 17065, ISO/IEC 17024 etc.

She is also quite experienced in Quality Management Systems’ Audits and has been recognized as Lead Auditor since 1996. During the period 1988 – 2005 she worked at INTRACOM SA. successively holding the positions of Head of Quality Control Department, Assistant to Quality Assurance Director, Deputy Director of Quality Assurance Division and Quality Assurance Section Manager. At the same time, from 1996 to 2009, she collaborated with Hellenic Organization for Standardization (ELOT) and the Certification Division as freelancer and Lead Auditor for various Management Systems.

Since 2009 she is working in TÜV AUSTRIA HELLAS and, up to now, she has developed and implemented up to 60 different accredited certification schemes for persons, according to the International Standard ISO/IEC 17024 requirements.

Sandor Karacsony

Sandor Karacsony is a senior economist at the World Bank, with a track record in research, policy advisory and operational work in Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Previously he worked with Open Society Foundations, with the World Bank Executive Board as an advisor, and held various government and private sector positions in Hungary. His area of expertise covers employment, jobs, social assistance, education and skills, as well as monitoring and evaluation. Sandor has a special interest in development policy applications of data science and behavioral economics.

Giannis Tzimas

Giannis Tzimas is a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Peloponnese. He has published a significant number of research articles in international journals and conferences. His current research activity lies in the areas of Net-centric and Service-Oriented Information Systems, Web Engineering, Web Modeling, Web Data Engineering, Big Data, Data Science and Applications of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence, Digital Ecosystems/Digital Transformation for the Public Sector, and Bioinformatics.

From 2018 till now, he has been an external consultant for the World Bank in the field of information systems, IT solutions, and Digital Transformation for Social Protection, Labor/Jobs, and Education. He has worked on several projects in Europe and Central Asia (ECA), Africa, China, the Caribbean, and Pacific Island Countries (PICs). Was the technical coordinator and unit manager of the Internet Technologies and Multimedia Research Unit of the Computer Technology Institute and Press “Diophantus”, and the head of the Networks Operation Center of the Technological Educational Institute of Messolonghi.

Athina Lazou

Special Advisor/EU Projects Expert at ACRONYM Ltd. Former Head of the Vocational Guidance and VET directorates of the Greek Public Employment Services (DYPA). She has a diverse experience as Director General and CEO with a number of Public Organizations that promote vocational training and reskilling / upskilling of unemployed and employees. She has collaborated with all Social Partners of the country. She has conducted (as project manager/leader) a series of innovative European projects and she was for six years the National Representative at the European Commission for ESCO as well as the OECD Mega Science Forum.