Specialised education programmes in key capacity areas: Join the discussion and find project partners!

Objective: This call seeks to elevate higher education institutions to global leaders in training future digital specialists, aiming to increase educational capacity in advanced digital skills. The objective is to establish dynamic digital educational ecosystems through collaboration with industry and research partners, attracting top global talents. Aligned with the Digital Decade Policy Programme's target of 20 million ICT specialists in the EU by 2030, the funded actions address the existing digital skills gap. Recognizing shortages even in digital frontrunner Member States, the initiative emphasizes the need for professionals with sectoral knowledge and digital skills, crucial for the digitalization of traditional industries.

Scope:  Proposals under this topic must address the design and delivery of at least one of the following types of programmes:

Type 1: Programme(s) to build up advanced digital skills in one or in a combination of the following key digital areas.
Type 2: Interdisciplinary programme(s), targeting at the acquisition of advanced digital skills in specific sectors.
Type 3: Conversion programme(s) for students who graduated from a bachelor’s programme from non-ICT fields to access specialised master’s programmes

Furthermore, successful proposals should include the following:

• All programs should address societal challenges, including Sustainable Development Goals, and incorporate ethical principles for trustworthy technologies.
• Proposals should include interdisciplinary courses, and consortia are encouraged to offer multiple programs leading to degrees, along with self-standing modules for certifications.
• Each participating institution must deliver to a minimum of 25 students per cycle, resulting in a minimum of 150 students during the project.
• Collaboration with a Coordination and Support Action (CSA) and the Digital Skills and Jobs Platform is required.
• Projects are encouraged to align with other pillars of the Digital Europe Programme, Erasmus+, European Digital Innovation Hubs, European Universities Alliances, and initiatives like the Deep Tech Talent Initiative and Large-Scale Partnerships under the Pact for Skills.

Funding: € 30.000.000
Deadline: The application deadline is 21 March 2024 17:00, Brussels time.
Call Text: The call for proposal text can be viewed here.  
Call Information: Available on the Funding & Tender Portal.
Info session: On 12 December 2023, the European Commission will present the fifth round of the DIGITAL Europe Programme call for proposals in a dedicated Info Day and Pitching Event.

Find Project Partners & Prepare Proposals  

Do you want to find consortia partners and participate in this call?  

Simply use the Comments feature at the bottom of this tread to introduce your organisation, express your interest in creating or joining a consortia, indicate your desired role in the project, and provide a link to your Member Profile on the platform or your personal email address. You can see some organisations have already added their profiles below, so feel free to follow their lead! 

You can also message Community Members directly using the new Private Messages feature, just click the Messages button on the top right of the screen when you are logged in as shown in the screen grab below. This is an excellent way to contact potential partners in a secure and discrete manner. 

If you want to receive email notifications with the latest comments and posts by potential partners just click the Subscribe button beside the title of this thread: 

If you have questions or comments our Community Team are ready and waiting to help.  

Best of luck with your proposals!