European Trade Union Committee for Education

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On 29-30 October 2025, EFEE and ETUCE, the European Sectoral Social Partners in Education, convened a social dialogue roundtable in Lisbon as part of the project InclusiveEdu4AllNeeds, co-funded by the EU. The event brought together 50 education unions and employers’ organisations from across Europe, with a particular emphasis on the Portuguese experience. The programme combined expert presentations, interactive workshops, and school visits, offering both theoretical perspectives and practical examples of inclusion.

A key highlight was the presentation “Social Dialogue for Disability Inclusion in Education” by project researchers Alison Milner and Emily Winchip, who shared preliminary findings from ongoing study within the project. Their intervention emphasised that inclusion is not a fixed outcome but a continuous process of development. Moreover, the survey findings revealed that social dialogue actions towards inclusion tend to be broad rather than specifically targeted at the needs of persons with disabilities. The researchers identified key gaps, including the need to improve accessibility to the teaching profession for persons with disabilities and to enhance disability representation in leadership and support roles.  

The roundtable also served as an opportunity to enable social dialogue in the Portuguese context on the inclusion of persons with special needs. A panel discussion featuring representatives from education unions, employer organisations, and public authorities focused on the implementation of the Portuguese legislation on inclusion (DL 54) where education called for increased resources, more educational support staff, and assistant teachers to make real inclusion possible. The roundtable also served as a platform for mutual learning, with participants exchanging experiences and good practices.  

A group activity engaged participants in developing joint guidelines for disability inclusion in education. Working collaboratively, attendees contributed their expertise and perspectives, laying the groundwork for a set of guidelines that will be presented at the project’s final conference in Chisinau on 28-29 January 2026.

The programme concluded with field visits to two schools: Escola de Comércio de Lisboa and Agrupamento de Escolas José Saramago. These visits offered participants a first-hand look at inclusive education in practice, highlighting the schools’ commitment to diversity, equal opportunities, and community engagement.  

The next step of the project the Final Conference in Chisinau on 28-29 January 2026 where the Joint Practical Guidelines on how to promote effective inclusion of persons with special needs in the education system and education policies through joint social partner initiatives at national, regional and local level.