The ENNEPlus project is preparing to bring together Vocational Education and Training (VET) teams from across Europe for this year’s Eco-Digithons. These educational marathons offer a shared, challenge-based learning experience that combines environmental sustainability with digital innovation and technological approaches, giving learners the opportunity to engage with real-life challenges with the collaboration of several European entities.
Even this year, all Eco-Digithons organised are grounded in a common ENNEPlus Eco-Digithon methodology, specifically developed within the project. This methodology defines a shared framework, learning objectives, phases of work, and facilitation principles, ensuring consistency across countries while allowing flexibility to adapt to local contexts. Some Eco-Digithons will be organised at national level in Italy, Spain, Austria and Portugal, while an online Eco-Digithon will ensure participation for VET teams from the other partner countries.
The ENNEPlus Eco-Digithons are designed as educational marathons rather than one-off events. Participating VET teams collaborate, experiment, and co-design practical solutions to environmental and social challenges using creative, organisational, technological and digital approaches. All editions culminate in a final competition, where teams meet for the first time, present their solutions in a final pitch, and celebrate creativity, collaboration, and learning.
This year, the Eco-Digithons will take place in Italy (Foligno, 18–20 March, 13 teams), Spain (Madrid and online, 16–18 March, 12 teams), Portugal (8–10 May, as part of the European Green Capital programme, 10 teams), and Austria (Graz at FH Joanneum – University of Applied Sciences, 4 teams), with an Online Eco-Digithon following on 28 May for 10 teams from other participating countries.
As a prize, a total of 5 selected teams will be invited to participate in the Social Hackathon Umbria 2026 [click here], where they will experience another social hackathon format and have the opportunity to pitch their project ideas again in an international context
By organising Eco-Digithons across different countries and formats, ENNEPlus strengthens transnational exchange while respecting local diversity. Participating VET teams represent a wide range of educational approaches, socio-cultural backgrounds, and sustainability challenges, reflecting the project’s core belief that meaningful innovation emerges when local knowledge meets European cooperation. Through these Eco-Digithons, ENNEPlus continues to promote vocational education as a key driver of the green and digital transitions, empowering learners to become active contributors to social and environmental change.
