As Europe looks to chart its innovative and competitive future, the need for highly skilled professionals in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) has never been more critical. Yet, addressing education gaps and skills mismatches requires forward-looking reforms. The European Commission is responding with ambition to the challenge by introducing two flagship initiatives — the upcoming STEM education strategic plan and the union of skills — to reshape European education by better aligning it with labour market needs, empowering individuals and promoting social cohesion.
To support this important effort, the Lisbon Council convened the 2025 Skills Summit: Advancing STEM Education for Competitiveness and Social Fairness, a high-level gathering that brought together thought leaders from across policy, industry and academia to explore how Europe can unlock the full potential of STEM education.
The summit featured a keynote from Roxana Mînzatu, European Commission’s executive vice-president for social rights and skills, quality jobs and preparedness, who highlighted the importance of embedding STEM at the heart of Europe’s future skills strategy. Gina Vargiu-Breuer, chief people officer at SAP, also joined this important conversation, bringing the industry perspective on the need to create meaningful, flexible pathways between education and employment.
High-level participants such Martin Allen Morales, CEO, Institute of Imagination; Brigitte van den Berg, member of the European Parliament (Renew Europe – The Netherlands); and Joeri van den Steenhoven, vice president of the executive board, University of Applied Sciences Leiden also contributed to the dialogue on how to strengthen Europe’s talent pipeline, ensure inclusive access to STEM education and build a culture of lifelong learning that supports both competitiveness and social fairness.
The Summit was convened as part of Road-STEAMer, a 14-partner consortium coordinated by the Lisbon Council and co-financed by the European Union driving the creation of a policy roadmap for science education
Watch the Summit in Full