Advanced digital skills

Specific Objective 4 – Advanced Digital Skills supports achieving the target of 20 million ICT specialists employed in Europe by 2030 set in the Digital Decade Policy Programme, while attracting more young people to ICT careers and decreasing the gender gap in the field.

Activities will focus on the industrial needs in digital areas and on the scale up of relevant digital education and training offers in close coordination with industry.

In the 2025-2027 period, activities under SO 4 will comprise the following aspects:

• Establishing digital skills academies in four key digital areas (quantum, artificial intelligence, semiconductors and virtual worlds) to address the unique skills needs of each specific digital area, ranging from developing higher education programmes to different targeted and modular short-term training and hands-on experiences.
• Supporting the delivery of higher education and training programmes in some additional key digital areas such as data analytics, advanced communication networks (5G/ 6G), cybersecurity, internet of things, robotics, edge and cloud computing and software engineering, and skills for the development and uptake of applied technologies.
• Engaging young people in cutting edge digital technologies.
• Further supporting and expanding four existing actions: i) attracting and keeping skilled women in tech; ii) the EU Code week initiative; iii) the Digital Skills and Jobs Platform and iv) the Cybersecurity skills academy.
• Reinforcing the European educational technology ecosystem by supporting startups and SMEs to offer highly innovative educational solutions that are in line with the EU values and legislation.