The challenge of understanding and addressing educational inequalities in Europe cannot be tackled by a single project alone. Educational trajectories are shaped by a complex interplay of individual, family, school and systemic factors, requiring diverse perspectives, methodologies and data sources.
For this reason, since the beginning of the project, LINEup has actively collaborated with a group of Horizon Europe sister projects working on complementary dimensions of educational inequalities: LEARN (Longitudinal Educational Achievements: Reducing iNequalities), STRIDE (Striving Towards Inclusive and Diverse Education), MApie (Mapping and Assessing Policies for Educational Inequalities) and REVERS-ED (Reducing Early School Leaving in Europe). While each project focuses on specific research questions, populations and methodological approaches, they all share a common goal: generating robust evidence to better understand educational inequalities and support the development of more equitable education systems across Europe.
Building a Community of Practice
The collaboration among sister projects extends beyond the regular six-monthly meetings. Workshops, conferences and other research events provide valuable opportunities to deepen exchanges and discuss emerging findings.
One such occasion was the LEARN workshop hosted by Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca, Romania in June 2026. The event provided an excellent forum to discuss one of the most pressing questions facing education research today: how can Europe build a common understanding of educational inequalities?
LINEup at the LEARN Workshop
As part of the panel discussion “The Broader Picture: Can We Build a Common Understanding of Educational Inequalities in Europe?”, LINEup joined colleagues from REVERS-ED and STRIDE to present and discuss their ongoing research.
The panel offered an opportunity to reflect on how different projects conceptualise and measure educational inequalities, which outcomes should be considered when studying inequality, and whether existing data infrastructures are adequate to understand how inequalities emerge, evolve and persist over time.
During the session, LINEup presented insights from two of its key research outputs: the mapping of longitudinal educational datasets across 32 European countries and the feasibility study exploring whether existing national datasets can be harmonised to support comparative longitudinal analyses of educational inequalities. Particular attention was devoted to the question of whether Europe can move from fragmented national datasets towards a more coordinated and comparative longitudinal evidence base on educational inequalities.
The discussion confirmed the importance of longitudinal evidence for understanding educational trajectories and highlighted the need for greater coordination in the production and governance of educational data across Europe. It also underscored the value of bringing together different research perspectives to better understand the multiple dimensions and drivers of educational inequalities.
At the same time, it demonstrated the added value of collaboration among sister projects. While each project focuses on different research questions and methodologies, together they contribute to a richer and more comprehensive picture of educational inequalities and their underlying mechanisms.
Looking Ahead
The collaboration among sister projects will continue throughout the coming months, with new opportunities for exchange already on the horizon.
The next major occasion will be the European Conference on Educational Research (ECER) 2026 in Tampere, Finland, where a dedicated sister projects symposium coordinated by Mapie will take place.
The symposium will provide another valuable opportunity to share findings, discuss common challenges and further strengthen the growing network of researchers committed to advancing knowledge on educational inequalities across Europe.
As educational systems continue to face complex social and economic transformations, collaboration across projects, disciplines and countries remains essential. By working together, sister projects can help build stronger evidence, foster innovation in research, and contribute to more informed and equitable education policies for the futureacross Europe.
