The 1st Teachers’ HAVEN Congress, 6–7 February 2026, Cyprus
Across Europe, teaching is increasingly recognised as a profession characterised by high emotional, cognitive, and organisational demands. Teachers are expected to respond to diverse learner needs, integrate new technologies, manage complex classroom dynamics, collaborate across institutional boundaries, and adapt continuously to educational reforms. In vocational education and training (VET) contexts in particular, these demands are often intensified by strong links to the labour market, diverse learner profiles, and performance-driven environments. As a result, challenges such as stress, burnout, and professional fatigue are no longer individual concerns but system-level issues that affect educational quality, staff retention, and organisational sustainability.
The Teachers’ HAVEN Congress, taking place on 6–7 February 2026 at the European University of Cyprus, emerges as a response to this growing challenge – not merely as an event, but as a structured space for collective reflection, learning, and dialogue. Organised within the Erasmus+ Teachers’ HAVEN initiative, the Congress brings together teachers, VET trainers, researchers, school leaders, and education stakeholders to examine how teacher wellbeing and professional effectiveness can be strengthened in sustainable and transferable ways. Rather than approaching wellbeing as a personal responsibility alone, the Congress positions it as a core component of professional competence, institutional culture, and system resilience.
A central premise underpinning the Congress is that teacher wellbeing and professional performance are deeply interconnected. Emotional resilience, self-efficacy, and psychological safety enable educators to remain engaged and effective, but they must be supported by strong professional skills and supportive organisational environments. This perspective is reflected in the Congress agenda, which combines keynote contributions, panel discussions, seminars, and workshops addressing topics such as self-efficacy, classroom and relationship management, burnout prevention, work-life balance, and supportive school cultures.
Importantly, the Congress does not focus solely on individual coping strategies. It also invites participants to reflect on structural and organisational approaches that can better support educators over time. For VET providers, this includes examining how wellbeing can be embedded into staff development policies, mentoring systems, leadership practices, and quality assurance frameworks, rather than addressed through isolated or short-term interventions. The discussions therefore move beyond awareness-raising toward actionable insights for organisational change.
The programme draws on research-informed evidence and practice-based experience, creating opportunities to bridge theory and everyday educational realities. Sessions are designed to encourage participants to consider how tools, approaches, and practices discussed can be adapted and transferred to different institutional, national, and sectoral contexts. This is particularly relevant for the VET sector, where flexibility and responsiveness to local labour market needs must be balanced with the wellbeing and sustainability of teaching staff.
Beyond the formal sessions, the Congress places strong emphasis on peer learning and professional community-building. By bringing together participants from different countries and educational settings, it facilitates the exchange of practices, shared challenges, and emerging solutions. This collective learning dimension supports ongoing professional dialogue and contributes to broader conversations on policy development, professional standards, and the future of teaching careers in VET.
Ultimately, the Teachers’ HAVEN Congress should be understood not as a stand-alone event, but as part of a wider effort to reframe how teacher wellbeing and professional growth are addressed across Europe. Its reflections and outcomes aim to inform future training initiatives, organisational strategies, and policy discussions, supporting the development of more resilient, supportive, and future-oriented education and training systems.
Participation in the Congress is free of charge. Registration details and further information about the programme can be found on our official social media and website (available below). Participants will be able to register for either the online or in-person format, depending on their preferences and availability. Please note that the in-person registration link is available only in Greek.
Registration information
Teachers’ HAVEN social media channels:
Website
LinkedIn
Author: Anna Argyrou, Project Manager & Researcher, Eurosuccess Consulting