About Us

WHO WE ARE, OUR STORY AND VALUES

Who We Are

MetropolisNet is a unique network of different types of organisations developing and implementing local strategies for employ­ment and social inclusion in a number of European cities.

MetropolisNet evolved from a transnational network created to support EU local employment initiatives, including Territorial Employment Pacts, in 1998. Since March 2009 has been registered as an official EEIG (European Economic Interest Group).

MetropolisNet assists inter-city and inter-organisation collaboration in promoting the local, regional, and transnational dimensions of EU policies on employment, social inclusion and local development. It links large European cities in the context of the EU 2020 strategy.
MetropolisNet is a European organisation dealing with the topics of local development through exchange, knowledge and experimentation of strategies, projects and programmes across the EU.

We offer local solutions to support sustainable development in metropolitan areas in the European context!

We fill the mission with life

  • through the exchange of information, experience and know-how between the partner organisations and beyond, supported by our unique know-how at the local, regional, national and European level as well as between public and private, profit and not-for-profit organisations;
  • through our expertise in different policy areas: employment & labour market, urban development and social policy on a practical and on a research level;
  • through the identification of best practice across Europe;
  • through the implementation of joint European innovative projects; and
  • through our ability of thinking outside the box.
Cities are key players to steer economic growth and social cohesion, to create jobs and social innovation across Europe. Therefore, much more attention needs to be paid to the phenomenon of urbanisation in order to strengthen the role of cities in developing local approaches to promote sustainable development and strategies on current challenges to benefit people. The task of METROPOLISNET is to discover these approaches and strategies disseminate them on a national and European level in order to give feedback to the local level.

METROPOLISNET is a unique European network of different types of organisations; all of them working in European city contexts. Our partner contribute significantly to solve the challenges in the areas of social inclusion and employment development facing urban regions through information exchange and mediation between practitioners and policy-makers in order to design programmes and develop partnerships for joint policy development.

Members of METROPOLISNET are equal partners sharing the vision on an inclusive European society. We are committed to common goals, based on our quality relationships and our sustainable network of mutual trust within the partnership.

OUR HISTORY

THE AIMS OF METROPOLISNET.

  • Promoting employment, social cohesion and urban development in large European cities and metropolitan areas;
  • Exchanging information, experience and know-how between the partner organisations. The partnership is a forum for developing new ideas and sharing good practice on social integration, equal opportunities, lifelong learning and skills development, business and economic development, and labour market development and employment strategies.
  • Strengthening the role of the regional and local level by applying the local dimension of the European Employment Strategy through territorial employment pacts and local partnerships
  • Implementing joint projects to achieve these goals and developing co-operation with other relevant organisations at local, regional, national and European levels, and beyond

MEET OUR TEAM.

Elena Grilli

Managing Director of MetropolisNet EEIG

Elena holds a MsC in political science and European law. She has a long professional experience on programme and project development in the fields of VET; social inclusion, labour market and vulnerable groups inclusion (youth, migrants). In her professional path, she covered the positions of project manager, evaluator and content expert, and has been responsible for small and large teams of experts/project staff, with field experiences in the EU28, Middle East, Asia, Subsaharan Africa, Caribbean and Eastern and candidate countries.

She has managed large National and European projects on the topics of expertise. Specialized in Monitoring and evaluation, she has worked as medium monitor in the ROM (Result Oriented Monitoring) of the EC in external assistance programmes and projects from 2009 to 2012 and was part of the team carrying out the international team carrying out in 2015 Protecting Children from Violence: A Comprehensive Evaluation of UNICEF’s Strategies and Programme Performance. Experienced trainer and educator, she specialised in Development sector programmes and projects in Education and training at the IIEP UNESCO (Institut international de planification de l’éducation), in Antibias/intercultural learning and as Assessment Center expert and observer, specifically with disadvantaged youth.

Elena took over the direction of MetropolisNet EEIG from January 2023.

Dr. Reiner Aster

Consultant

Reiner Aster has been director of the MetropolisNet EEIG from 2009 to 2022 and Managing Director of gsub mbH in Berlin from 1991 to 2022. Since 2023 he is working as an expert for MetropolisNet and gsub.

Reiner Aster holds a PhD in Social Science and a diploma in Educational Science. He has designed and directed many European, national and local programmes, in particular in the field of labour market policies, life- long learning and guidance. He is member of the board of the OECD Local Development Forum. Reiner has special commitment and experience in the work and research concerning vulnerable groups, such like long-term unemployed, people with disabilities, disadvantaged youth, refugees.

Antonia Restemeier

Project Coordinator and Network Coordinator

Antonia holds a degree in European Studies and Political Science and a Master’s Degree in Adult Education. In her first degree she has focused on the transition processes of Central and Eastern European Countries.

During her master she specialized in techniques and quality assessment of vocational guidance and ways to provide successful continuing vocational education.

Antonia has worked for cultural and educational institutions in Germany, France, Albania and Brasil. She speaks fluently German, English and French and has a good command in Portuguese.

Monira Kerler

Network Coordinator and Project Manager in MetropolisNet EEIG

Monira holds a degree in Political Science & Public Administration as well as Cultural Sciences. She has a long experience in managing and implementing European projects in the field of c-VET, VET, and vocational orientation. She has carried out needs analyses and research on social integration and labour market using qualitative and quantitative methods. Methods and implementation of quality assurance and evaluation are a particular expertise. Monira speaks fluently German and English, has a good command in Greek and works continuously on improving her Italian and French language skills.

Kerler, Monira / Steiner, Karin (2018): Mismatch am Arbeitsmarkt: Indikatoren, Handlungsfelder und Matching-Strategien im Wirkungsbereich von Vermittlung und Beratung. AMS Österreich (Hrsg.), Wien. [Mismatch on the labour market: indicators, areas of activities and matching strategies in the domain of employment services and advisory services] http://www.forschungsnetzwerk.at/downloadpub/AMS%20PH%20Mismatch%202018.pdf

Kerler, Monira / Liebeswar, Claudia (2018 i.E.): Zielgruppen- und Bedarfsanalyse der Bildungs- und Berufsberatung für den hochschulischen Aus- und Weiterbildungssektor und den Arbeitsmarkt für AbsolventInnen. AMS Österreich (Hrsg.), Wien. [Analysis of target groups and needs in vocational and educational guidance in the domain of tertiary (further) education and labour market chances]

Steiner, Karin / Kerler, Monira et al. (2017): QualiTools for IT Trainers – Improve Your Teaching! 65 Methods for Quality Assurance in IT Training. [German title: QualiTools – Lernprozess, Lernergebnisse und den Lerntransfer von IT-Training in die Praxis verbessern] http://qualitools.at/content/files/handbook/handbook_en.pdf

Egger-Subotitsch, Andrea / Kerler, Monira / Stark, Martin / Schneeweiß, Sandra / Pintsuk, Julia (2016): Wirkung und Qualität der Beratung durch die BerufsInformationsZentren in Tirol und Burgenland. Forschungsbericht. Im Auftrag des AMS Tirol und AMS Burgenland (Hrsg.). [Effects and quality of vocational guidance and advisory service in public employment agencies] http://www.forschungsnetzwerk.at/downloadpub/Endbericht_BIZ_Tirol_Bgld_AMS-abif.pdf

Egger-Subotitsch, Andrea / Kerler, Monira / Doll, Evelyn (2016): Quantitative Erhebung der aktuellen Fallzahlen bei Anerkennungs- und Validierungsverfahren. In: Anerkennung von Qualifikationen. Fakten, Erfahrungen, Perspektiven. Eine theoretische und empirische Auseinandersetzung von im Ausland erworbenen Qualifikationen in Österreich. ÖIF-Forschungsbericht. Österreichischer Integrationsfonds (Hrsg.) Wien. S. 77-99. [Quantitative survey on current numbers of proceeding in recognition and validation of foreign vocational qualifications in Austria and systematic overview of proceedings] http://www.forschungsnetzwerk.at/downloadpub/2016_OeIF_Anerkennung_von_Qualifikationen_bericht_abifdonauUNI.pdf

Kerler, Monira (2014): Jugendliche und junge Erwachsene im Übergang von der Ausbildung zum Beruf -Ausgangslage und Rahmenbedingungen in Österreich. In: Herausforderungen an der SchnittstelleSchule – Beruf. AMS report 103. Ernst Gesslbauer / Sabine Putz / René Sturm / Karin Steiner (Hrsg.) Wien, Communicatio. [Youths and young adults in the transition from eduaction to the labour market – starting point and underlying conditions] http://www.forschungsnetzwerk.at/downloadpub/AMS_report_103.pdf

Marta Piwowarski

Project Coordinator

Marta holds a Bachelor Joint Honours degree in International Relations and European studies and a Master in Peace Studies and International Politics. For over 10 years, she has managed a wide array of European projects and successfully cooperated with high-level political stakeholders, local communities and umbrella organisations in the public and private sector. Marta has extensive experience with conceptual and strategic project development and management, organising and leading seminars, as well as outreach and dissemination. Additionally, she has extensive experience in monitoring, evaluation and reporting.

Prior to joining MetropolisNet Marta worked for a bilateral government organisation, in e-Learning and the creative and cultural industry. She is also part of the ERASMUS+ expert pool for Key Action 2 in school education and has sound knowledge of the European political landscape in the fields of labour market, inclusion and gender. As a certified project manager (IPMA Level C) she is experienced planning, monitoring and managing full project life cycles. Due to her international up-bringing and working abroad in the UK, Spain and Mexico Marta has strong intercultural skills, and is fluent in German, English, Spanish and Polish.

Georg Mastritsch

Finance Administrator

Georg holds a degree as Certified Business Economist.

Prior to joining MetropolisNet Georg co-founded and co-directed a berlin-based Non-Profit committed to development and implementation of democratic education and violence prevention techniques in educational institutions. He has extensive knowledge in designing and evaluating participative training programs and facilitation of sustainable change management.

Georg speaks German, English and has a passive fluency in Russian.

Sarah Nassar

Student employee

With a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science specializing in International Relations, and currently pursuing a Master’s degree in National and International Public Administration and Policy, Sarah brings a diverse academic foundation to her role at MetropolisNet.

Her focus lies in dissemination, public relations, and supporting project work. Through her studies she has developed a deep passion for global social impact. Proficient in three languages – German, English, and Arabic – she thrives in cross-cultural communication, fostering connections across linguistic boundaries.

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Diana El-Heit

Finance and EU Project Accounting Administrator (on parental leave)

Diana holds a degree in office management as well as a degree in European office management, which has allowed her to gain work experience in various European countries.

Diana previously worked on project accounting in different insocial sector educational institutions. She has also worked in translation for newcomers (German-Arabic) in Germany.

She is a Berliner who speaks German, Arabic, English and has a good command in French.