New digital skills academies to support the EU’s technological sovereignty, competitiveness and preparedness

Delivering on the objectives set out in the Competitiveness Compass, Union of Skills, and AI Continent Action Plan, the European Commission is setting up three new digital skills academies, targeting critical talent shortages across key digital areas.

Complementing the Cybersecurity Skills Academy, the new academies in Quantum Technologies, Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Worlds will foster a more coordinated approach to digital skills education and training in the EU.

The digital skills academies are an important step towards ensuring EU leadership in digital and emerging technologies. Investing in advanced digital skills is a crucial driver for innovation and productivity, and the initiative is responding to the demand for better cooperation and alignment with market needs.

Each academy will function as a cornerstone in its domain, identifying skill gaps, developing state-of-the-art education and training programmes, scaling up successful initiatives and creating strong ecosystems. Leveraging strategic partnerships with academia, training providers, industry, and public institutions, the academies will act as powerful catalysts for promoting digital careers, especially among women, and incentivising the return of European talent from abroad.

The new academies will be funded under the recently adopted Digital Europe Work Programme 2025-2027. The call has been published and will open for submissions on 15 April 2025. We encourage all interested stakeholders to register for the Info Day taking place on 16 May 2025 to receive more information about how to be part of this initiative.

Read more information about:

• The Competitiveness Compass
• The Union of Skills
• The AI Continent Action Plan

Related topics

Related content