The platforms aim for “upward convergence” of VET excellence. They will be open for the involvement of countries with well-developed vocational excellence systems, as well as those in the process of developing similar approaches, aimed at exploring the full potential of VET institutions to play a proactive role in support of growth and innovation.

Centres of Vocational Excellence will operate at two levels:

1. At national level in a given local context, by embedding CoVEs closely in the local innovation ecosystems, and connecting them at European level.
2. At transnational level through platforms of Centres of Vocational Excellence to establish world-class reference points for vocational training by bringing together CoVEs that share a common interest in specific sectors or innovative approaches to tackle societal challenges.

CoVEs are not intended to build new VET institutions and infrastructure from scratch (although they may also do so), but instead to bring together a set of local/regional partners, such as initial and continuing VET providers, tertiary education institutions including universities of applied sciences and polytechnics, research institutions, companies, chambers, social partners, national and regional authorities and development agencies, public employment services, etc.