21-25 September saw all the team partners come to Durango, northern Spain for the final transnational meeting and a conference to showcase all of the products and outputs of the DEVISE4KE project.
The week was hosted by our partner, San Jose Maristak, a VET school in Durango. Upon arrival, team partners were welcomed. A tour of the whole school was organised to showcase its facilities, classrooms, and projects. Students even created interactive games, asked questions and made interviews with the visitors.
Team partners used the days to work out all the final deliverables, reports which have to be written, responsibilities for who had to what, and other important matters. On other days, they visited the Basque companies, ONA and Tknika, to see how they work with apprentices and work-based learning methodologies.
The final conference was held on 23 September 2026 as a hybrid event. Over 50 people attended onsite and online. A special ceremony was held in the assembly grounds, where traditional Basque dancers greeted the guests and presented them with Basque scarves.
Daniel Irazola, the principal of Maristak Durango welcomed everyone before the Mayor of Durango made a short speech. Dr Vivian Harberts, the DEVISE4KE coordinator from ITB, University of Bremen introduced the project. The first keynote was made by Gotzon Bernaota from Innobasque who spoke about innovation and how it is not just limited to technology but to mindset. This was followed by Dr Jonathan Mulwa from Rongo University who shared the competency-based transformation and challenges faced while doing the DEVISE4KE project in rural Kenya.
Miriam Lyle from SED gave a thought-provoking presentation on why a gender transformative approach is needed in Kenya, especially with regard to education and STEM possibilities.
Dr Julian Ng of Warnborough College Ireland delivered a presentation on how transformative open learning can not only reach remote communities but also revolutionise the way people learn. This was underscored by Dr Vivian Harberts who showcased how work-based learning, when designed carefully with the beneficiaries in mind, can bridge the gap between theory and practice.
Nuria López de Guereñu from Fundación EKI showed how a similar project with solar energy, education and women’s empowerment transformed African communities where it worked. This was followed by the school experiences and lessons learnt by the representatives of the DEVISE4KE participating schools, Maurine Onyango (Miramba Mixed Secondary School), Philip Edionyi (Kiabuya Mixed Secondary School) and Dishon Gunga (St Joseph Olando Mixed Secondary School).
Post lunch, Ricardo Ferreira provided an insight into a project which also uses work-based learning and tasks to bridge the gap between learning and practice. The conference then broke up into a proposal writing and brainstorming workshop.
As the conference closed, much interest was piqued, and plans were made for future collaborations.
Furthermore, it wasn’t just all work for the Kenyan and other colleagues. There were opportunities to sample the delicious Basque food and drinks, including even learning how to cook a traditional dish. Visits were made to Bilbao, San Sebastián and other places, and although the project is officially ending, it is for certain that the friendships will not.
The conference made it into the Spanish media – see below:
- https://mugakultura.eus/2026/09/24/maristak-pone-a-durango-en-el-mapa-internacional-de-la-innovacion-educativa/
- https://anboto.org/durango/1790234726196-argazki-galeria-maristak-durangok-keniako-eta-europako-erakundeak-bildu-zituen-atzo-devise4ke-proiektuaren-amaierako-konferentzian
- https://www.durangon.com/escuelas-de-kenia-celebran-tres-anos-de-cooperacion-educativa-con-maristak-durango/
