3s Management Consultancy

3s Management Consultancy, which operates publicly as 3s Research & Consulting, is an Austrian research and consulting organisation based in Vienna. It describes its mission as working towards future-oriented education systems that make lifelong learning possible for everyone. To that end it supports public authorities, higher education institutions and international organisations in making scientifically grounded decisions, drawing on its expertise at the interface of education and employment, its own research activity and a large international network. The organisation's work is concentrated on European education, training and labour-market policy. It provides services to the European Commission, notably the Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL), in areas such as quality assurance in vocational education and training. It supports the EU's Pact for Skills and the European Alliance for Apprenticeships, contributes to the EQAVET peer-review initiative, and moderates event series on apprenticeships and transnational mobility for young people. Its project portfolio also covers topics such as cooperation between European universities and businesses, including the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on such cooperation. 3s combines research with advisory and event services. It runs webinars, peer reviews, networking events and knowledge platforms, and it maintains a news and calendar section on its website covering EU skills policy developments. In 2026 it announced that, together with Ecorys, it would deliver redesigned support services for the Pact for Skills and the European Alliance for Apprenticeships commissioned by DG EMPL, running from 2026 to 2028. The organisation also presents cultural and public-facing formats, such as the Vienna Labour Film Festival, which it announced for 18–22 May 2026 as a new forum for artistic and socially critical engagement with work, occupation and education. As a private Austrian consultancy, 3s is not a listed company and does not publish a stock ticker. Its brand is associated with evidence-based policy advice, European project management and stakeholder engagement in the skills and lifelong-learning field rather than with commercial products. Its public identity is built around the 3s.co.at website, its project references and its role as a partner to EU institutions and national stakeholders.

3s Management Consultancy is an Austrian research and consulting organisation that operates publicly under the name 3s Research & Consulting. It is based in Vienna and works on education, training and employment policy, with a strong European orientation. Its self-description centres on supporting future-oriented education systems that enable lifelong learning for everyone, and on helping public authorities, higher education institutions and international organisations make scientifically grounded decisions. The organisation has built its profile at the interface of education and employment, combining its own research with advisory services and a large international network. Much of its work is carried out for or alongside European institutions. It supports the European Commission's Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL) with services in the field of quality assurance in vocational education and training, and it has been involved in the European network for quality assurance in vocational education and training (EQAVET), including support for peer reviews of national vocational education and training systems. 3s has also worked on the EU's Pact for Skills, described as a call to public and private stakeholders to launch or strengthen collective upskilling initiatives, and on the European Alliance for Apprenticeships. It moderates event series on apprenticeships and on transnational vocational mobility for young people, and it has examined topics such as cooperation between European universities and businesses, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on that cooperation. Its project work is complemented by webinars, peer reviews, networking events and knowledge platforms. A significant recent development came in 2026, when 3s announced that since July 2026 it had been working together with Ecorys on redesigned support services for the Pact for Skills and the European Alliance for Apprenticeships, commissioned by the European Commission (DG EMPL). Under this arrangement, running from 2026 to 2028, 3s and Ecorys are to support large-scale skills partnerships of the Pact for Skills, promote synergies between EU initiatives such as Centres of Vocational Excellence, European University Alliances, Blueprints and Skills Academies, foster a network of national contact points in EU member states, organise networking events, and maintain an online knowledge platform with a funding database for EU funds and joint communication within the Pact. They also support partnerships in developing their governance, KPIs and financing strategies. Beyond its policy and research work, 3s engages in public-facing cultural formats. It presents the Vienna Labour Film Festival, whose second edition was announced for 18–22 May 2026, described as a new forum for artistic and socially critical engagement with work, occupation and education. The organisation maintains a news and calendar section on its website that tracks EU skills policy developments, including the Commission's Fair Labour Mobility Package and Cedefop's work on learning outcomes. As a private Austrian consultancy, 3s is not listed on a stock exchange and does not publish a ticker symbol.

• 3s begins working with Ecorys on redesigned support services for the Pact for Skills and the European Alliance for Apprenticeships, commissioned by DG EMPL.

• The 2nd Vienna Labour Film Festival, presented by 3s, takes place from 18 to 22 May 2026.

• 3s announces the Pact for Skills and European Alliance for Apprenticeships Support Services project on its website.

Evidence-based research and consulting at the interface of education and employment, serving public authorities, universities and international organisations.

• Pact for Skills and European Alliance for Apprenticeships Support Services

  Support services delivered with Ecorys for the European Commission (DG EMPL) from 2026 to 2028, covering large-scale skills partnerships, synergies between EU initiatives, national contact points, networking events and an online knowledge platform with a funding database.

• Quality assurance services in vocational education and training

  A range of services supporting the European Commission's Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL) in vocational education and training questions.

• EQAVET Peer-Review Initiative support

  Support for the European network for quality assurance in vocational education and training in conducting peer reviews of national vocational education and training systems.

• Webinars and event moderation

  Webinars and event series on topics such as transnational vocational mobility for young people and apprenticeships in different countries, moderated by 3s.

1. 13s Research & Consulting – official website3s.co.at
2. 2Projects & Services: Services & Events3s.co.at
3. 33s Pact for Skills and European Alliance for Apprenticeships Support Services3s.co.at
4. 4Wikidata: 3s Management Consultancywikidata.org