Agency staff and representatives from its 31 member countries met in Athens, Greece on 15–20 May 2022 for the Agency’s bi-annual meeting of country representatives. The first bi-annual meeting to take place in person since November 2019 due to COVID-19, it allowed colleagues and country representatives to meet, sometimes for the first time in real life, and discuss upcoming work.
The meeting was opened by a video welcome from Zetta Makri, Vice Minister of the Hellenic Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs, and in person by Agency Chair Don Mahon. Agency Director Cor Meijer presented an overview of the Agency’s progress since the last online bi-annual meeting in November.
Agency staff provided updates on several on-going Agency activities, including Teacher Professional Learning for Inclusion (TPL4I), Voices into Action (VIA) and Building Resilience through Inclusive Education Systems (BRIES). They also provided an overview of new and upcoming projects and activities, such as work on legislative definitions around learners vulnerable to exclusion and on inclusive digital education.
In addition to presentations and discussions with Agency project staff, the Representative Board members had an opportunity to review accounts and the Agency’s position paper. National Co-ordinators exchanged on news and updates in their countries.
The Changing Role of Specialist Provision conference also took place on the final day of the meeting. The conference aimed to enhance peer learning, focusing on an experience exchange between the country representatives.
To end the bi-annual meeting, attendees had the opportunity to celebrate the Agency’s 25th anniversary, with speeches and presentations from current and former colleagues and country representatives.