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Objective of the call
The objective of this action is to sustain and further expand the common European Data Space for Skills, building on previous preparatory and deployment activities. The action aims to leverage high-quality skills and education data to foster innovation, address labour shortages and reduce skills gaps across Europe.
The Data Space for Skills seeks to counter fragmentation of skills and education data, increase transparency regarding people’s skills, employers’ needs, qualifications and learning opportunities, and provide a foundation for AI-driven innovation in education and labour market services.
Scope of activities
The action supports continued uptake and expansion of the Data Space for Skills, reinforcing its role as a collaboration mechanism for data-based innovation in education and skills.
Support will be provided through two work strands:
Work strand 1 – Expansion and ecosystem strengthening
• Expand and enhance the data space infrastructure, services, functionalities and interoperability.
• Define access and exit conditions and strengthen connections with other data spaces and platforms providing skills, education and related data.
• Ensure accessibility and interoperability with European, national and regional data spaces.
• Establish links with the AI industry to enable training of AI models and development of new AI products and services.
• Promote synergies and scalability with Commission and national initiatives, including the Advanced Digital Skills Academy.
• Strengthen the ecosystem of data providers, service providers, intermediaries and end-users, with particular focus on industry connections, SMEs and the AI sector.
• Work in partnership with the Data Spaces Support Centre to ensure alignment with common European data space architecture, building blocks, standards and governance models.
Work strand 2 – Implementation of new use cases
• Develop and deploy new use cases in line with the Data Space for Skills Blueprint.
• Create innovative, data-driven products and services delivering tangible value to end-users, such as matching services, skills assessment tools, skills intelligence and foresight tools.
• Leverage existing EU-level solutions where appropriate.
End-user integration from the outset and a sound financial sustainability model are required to ensure long-term viability and impact.
Deliverables include expansion of infrastructure and interoperability building blocks, interconnection with computing and experimentation environments for AI development, support and guidance for stakeholders, outreach activities, and fully operational AI-enabled use cases accessible to end-users.
Eligible applicants
- academic and research partners
- public administrations and/or governmental bodies
- education and training providers
- IT developers
- private and public actors
- public employment services
- recruitment services
- trade and industry associations and alliances
- Organisations based in EU Member States, EFTA/EEA, or Associated Countries (more info on eligible countries will be published soon)
Funding conditions
Type of action:
Simple grant
Funding rate:
50%
Indicative budget
€4 million
Indicative duration of the action
36 months
Deadline for submission
Q2 2027