On the 11th and 12th June, 2024, the AgriNext Project Partners held their 5th Transnational Project Meeting, hosted by the Biotechnical Centre Naklo in Strahinj. This meeting marked the midpoint of the project, two years after its launch in 2022, and provided an excellent opportunity for evaluation and renewed motivation to continue their mission.

During this successful and productive meeting, the project partners were thrilled to review the progress made in enhancing educational flexibility in Multifunctional Agriculture, promoting lifelong learning, and advancing the rural excellence incubator.

They celebrated the completion of Work Package 1: Guidance Service Model. This package involved developing a database of existing lifelong learning opportunities in the field of Multifunctional Agriculture, a guidance service model, and the development of a training programme for guidance service providers. All materials, designed to empower and enhance learning and innovation in agriculture and rural excellence, are now available on the AgriNext website.

A review of the work done so far in the field of Flexibilization of School Systems within Work Package 2 was also conducted, followed by a lively discussion on how to engage young people in Multifunctional Agriculture through making video trailers and organizing a campus in Spain for the winners of the 'Green Job = Dream Job' contest within Work Package 3. Only a few modifications to the contest are needed before its launch.

One of the most important upcoming results is the development of business incubators for rural excellence. A presentation analysing examples of both specific agricultural and generic incubators was given. To further this purpose, a visit to the local regional incubator Kovačnica was organized, where AgriNext Partners learned firsthand about the incubator's activities, how they approach young talents, and the challenges they faced during their establishment—valuable information for AgriNext's next steps in creating its own incubator.

The next transnational partners meeting is scheduled for August 2024 in Karlovac, Croatia, where a pilot training session for VET teachers will be held.