Observatory SOS-Attendance

Stronger Together Against School Absenteeism

Within the framework of our Erasmus+ project, partners from Spain 🇪🇸, Italy 🇮🇹, and Türkiye 🇹🇷 have jointly published a scientific article that highlights the strength of joining efforts, knowledge, and experiences to prevent school absenteeism and early school failure.

From the Observatory, this publication reflects how international collaboration makes it possible to compare and improve action protocols addressing school attendance problems, promoting prevention, interdisciplinary approaches, and adaptable strategies across different contexts.

This article is a clear example of our shared commitment to inclusive education and to supporting children and young people’s educational success through cooperation and research.

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It is our pleasure once again to share with you the latest milestones of the Erasmus+ SOS‑Attendance project. In recent months, our team carried out dissemination activities across participating countries, launched the international School Attendance Poster Competition, and welcomed new partners from Portugal, including the Agrupamento de Escolas Diogo de Macedo, the Agrupamento de Escolas de Vila Verde, and the Institute of Education at the Universidade do Minho.

The project concluded with its Final Conference on June 19–20, hosted at the Faculty of Education of the University of Alicante, where partners from Turkey, Italy, Portugal, and Spain gathered to reflect on three years of collaborative research. These events, together with ongoing publications and participation in congresses and networks, have strengthened our collective efforts to improve school attendance and prevent absenteeism.

The proceedings book of the "II International Workshop: Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Global Strategies to Address School Attendance Problems", held on June 19–20 in Alicante as part of the Final Conference of the SOS-Attendance project, is now available.

https://www.sosattendance.eu/en/observatory/pedagogical-resources/proceedings-book-ii-international-workshop-cross-cultural

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Spain, Italy, Portugal and Türkiye have worked together on a systematic review of the national protocols to prevent and address school absenteeism in each country. This joint effort allows us to compare approaches, learn from each other, and build the foundations for more effective international strategies. The action protocols of each of the countries participating in the project are now available on the SOS-Attendance Observatory website:

https://www.sosattendance.eu/observatory/data-and-reports

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Last week, the Italian team of the SOS-Attendance project was featured in the digital press via Messina Oggi. Led by Professors Luana Sorrenti and Pina Filippello, the team collaborated with several secondary schools, with Liceo “Bisazza” in Messina as the lead school.

Together, they developed tools to prevent school dropout and promote inclusive education.

Huge thanks to the media for helping us shine a light on this European collaboration between schools and universities.

We remain committed to building a fairer education system for all!

#2025

On July 14th, the Portuguese team of the SOS-Attendance project hosted a seminar at Hotel Meliã in Braga, gathering 62 participants including teachers, researchers, parents, and students. The event opened with an overview of the project’s goals and methodology, followed by a keynote from Professor Trude Havik (University of Stavanger, Norway) on the root causes of absenteeism and the importance of student perspectives.

The second part featured preliminary findings from the Portuguese implementation, a group reflection on challenges and strategies, and a keynote by Professor Cendel Karaman (Middle East Technical University, Türkiye) exploring the Turkish education system’s relevance to the project.

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Over the past few weeks, the conclusions of the SOS-Attendance project have been widely disseminated

Our work has been featured in:

-Periódico Información:

https://www.informacion.es/alicante/2025/07/06/estudiantes-ua-absentismo-faltas-instituto-119366544.html

-Actualidad Universitaria (University of Alicante news platform):

https://web.ua.es/es/actualidad-universitaria/2025/julio2025/7-13/expertos-reunidos-en-la-ua-destacan-la-importancia-de-prevenir-formar-y-comunicar-para-abordar-el-absentismo-escolar.html

-Radio Nacional de España (RNE):

https://www.rtve.es/play/audios/comunidad-valenciana-informativos/08-45-informativo-alicante-10-07-25/16658725/

-Cadena SER:

https://cadenaser.com/comunitat-valenciana/2025/07/07/cambia-el-perfil-del-estudiante-absentista-enganchado-a-las-tecnologias-problemas-de-gestion-emocional-y-ansiedad-academica-radio-alicante/

Thanks to all the media outlets for helping us give visibility to this collaborative effort between schools and universities across Europe. We remain committed to promoting a more inclusive and equitable education system

#2025

On June 19 and 20, the final conference of the SOS-Attendance project took place at the Faculty of Education of the University of Alicante in Spain. During this event, partners from Turkey, Italy, Portugal, and Spain gathered to discuss the project's progress after three years of research.

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On June 9, the University of Minho hosted a round table as part of the SOS-Attendance project, bringing together 72 participants, including teachers, students, and parents.
This gathering provided a space for reflection, sharing, and collaboration, enabling discussions around the phenomenon of school absenteeism and its impact on learning, personal development, social integration, and students' future opportunities.
During the session, participants were introduced to the actions developed within the framework of the Observatory SOS-Attendance, aimed at supporting schools, families, and communities in addressing and reducing school absenteeism.

#2025

On May 26, 2025, a key event of the SOS-Attendance project took place at the University of Alicante, Spain. More than 25 participants, including educators, researchers, and local stakeholders, gathered to discuss the multifaceted impact of school absenteeism on academic achievement, personal development, social integration, and future professional opportunities.

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The SOS-Attendance Turkey team organized a roundtable meeting with a group of stakeholders consisting of local education authorities, school principals, academics, and sociologists. During the meeting, the project process and dissemination activities were reviewed.

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Prof. Dr. İsmail Seçer presented the SOS-ATTENDANCE Türkiye project in Erzurum and Ankara. In Erzurum, he introduced school leaders to the project’s framework and e-learning courses, fostering discussion on implementation and activities. In Ankara, he provided officials and educators with an overview of the project’s goals and digital resources, encouraging local engagement. Both sessions strengthened collaboration, enhancing the project's impact.

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