Mapping digital skills in initial VET curricula using natural language processing (NLP) techniques

The European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) has opened a procurement procedure to provide new evidence and insights into the digital skills landscape within initial VET programmes in selected EU Member States, contributing to the development of policies to support digital skills provision and mitigate potential skills mismatches. This needs to be done by collecting, analysing (using NLP and other relevant computational methods) and comparing curricula.

Objectives

The project has four main objectives:

• Assess the extent of digital skills coverage in initial Vocational Education and Training (VET) curricula across at least six selected EU Member States, covering various sectors and fields of study.

• Examine how digital skills provision differs among Member States and sectors/fields of study, as well as track the evolution of digital skills provision over time, including a detailed analysis by level and type of digital skills.

• Identify and evaluate effective practices in digital skills provision within initial VET curricula in the chosen countries, and analyse the factors that support or hinder digital skills provision.

• Develop a methodological framework to assess the feasibility of measuring digital skills mismatches by comparing data from IVET curricula with demand data

Eligibility Criteria

• The proposal may be submitted by single organisations or by a consortium

• Eligible countries are EU Member States, countries belonging to the EEA and countries part of the Stabilisation and Access Agreements

• The average annual turnover of the tenderer for the last three (3) financial years must be at least 200.000 EUR

• The project team must consist of at least:

  • 1 Project leader

  • 1 Senior analyst on quantitative data analysis

  • 1 Senior technical expert on Natural Language Processing

  • 1 Senior technical expert on web data collection

  • Senior experts on national VET systems covering all targeted Member States

  • 1 Junior expert

Funding

• Total Budget: up to 450.000 EUR

Timeline

The deadline to submit applications is set to 27 September 2024, 15:59 Athens time.