14 September 2026
On 11 September 2026, the Interreg Europe UNLOCK project hosted the webinar Improving Regional Policies to Better Support Regional Hydrogen Education. Bringing together participants from across Europe, the event explored how regional authorities, educational institutions and industry can work together to develop the skills needed for a growing hydrogen economy.
The webinar shared experiences from the UNLOCK pilot in Portugal, which drew inspiration from the hydrogen ecosystem of the Northern Netherlands and tested how regional policy can support the development of hydrogen education.
Europe’s hydrogen ambitions depend not only on technological innovation, but also on the availability of a skilled workforce. Speakers highlighted that many regions are already experiencing challenges in finding people with the right knowledge and competencies to support the energy transition.
As Mário Lima of MédioTejo21 explained: “Building a hydrogen economy needs a workforce that does not exist yet at the scale we need.”
The webinar explored how education providers can respond to emerging workforce needs and how public authorities can help create the conditions for effective cooperation between industry and education.
A central theme of the webinar was the value of interregional learning. The Portuguese pilot was inspired by the approach taken in the Northern Netherlands, where collaboration between government, industry and educational institutions has helped build a strong hydrogen ecosystem.
As Dr Beata Kviatek, UNLOCK Project Leader, explained, the goal was not to replicate a single educational programme, but to transfer an approach that could be adapted to regional circumstances. Through stakeholder engagement, knowledge exchange and partnership building, the pilot demonstrated how good practices can be translated into meaningful local action.
The webinar also highlighted how the pilot translated identified skills needs into concrete educational opportunities.
Working with regional stakeholders, the project team mapped workforce needs and developed a series of hydrogen-focused micro-credential courses covering hydrogen technologies, applications and mobility. According to Prof Henrique Pinho of the Polytechnic Institute of Tomar, close cooperation with employers was essential to ensure the courses addressed real market demands and supported the region’s long-term ambitions in the hydrogen sector.
The pilot showed that targeted, flexible learning opportunities can help regions quickly respond to emerging skills gaps while strengthening connections between education and industry.
A key conclusion from the webinar was that regional authorities have an important role to play in facilitating collaboration and supporting workforce development strategies.
Reflecting on the pilot’s outcomes, Anke de Poorte, UNLOCK Pilot Manager, emphasised that developing hydrogen ecosystems requires a coordinated approach that connects economic development, innovation and education. The pilot confirmed that skills development should be considered a core component of regional hydrogen strategies, rather than a separate activity.
The webinar concluded that while regions differ in their starting points and priorities, many face similar challenges in preparing their workforce for the hydrogen transition. The UNLOCK pilot provides a practical example of how interregional learning can help regions design policies and initiatives that strengthen hydrogen education and support future economic development.
By connecting policymakers, educators and industry representatives, the webinar offered valuable lessons not only for the UNLOCK partnership, but also for other European regions seeking to translate hydrogen ambitions into skills, education and regional policy action.
