Sectoral digital skills academies: Digital Skills Academy in GenAI

Overview

Objectives

While European AI start-ups, key industrial players and public authorities acknowledge the transformative potential of GenAI, most of these large AI models are currently built outside of the European Union, where companies have easier access to high amounts of computing power, large datasets, and the skills needed to develop and train the underlying algorithms. Furthermore, most EU professionals are still not familiar with the use and impact of this technology in their work environment. Understanding and adopting AI and GenAI technologies is of paramount importance for achieving the digital transformation across the EU.

The AI Skills Academy will contribute to the objectives of the AI Innovation package launched in January 20241 and support the upcoming Apply AI Strategy part of the Political Guidelines of the President of the European Commission. It will empower undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate students, as well as current and future sector and ICT specialists in SMEs, startups, and the public sector with basic and advanced skills for developing, deploying and applying AI models and applications in their field. The academy will work in close coordination with and further support the work of the AI Factories. The AI Factories initiative will deploy an AI-focused, tailor-made supercomputing service infrastructure aimed at further developing the innovation capabilities and skills of the AI ecosystem.

Activities/actions supported

The AI Skills Academy will set up a one-stop-shop for a range of activities supporting or developing educational and training schemes in two main focus areas: (1) skills related to the AI Factories facilities, complementing the work of the EuroHPC Virtual Training Academy, and (2) skills for the uptake and deployment of AI and, in particular, GenAI in key economic sectors.

Under the two above focus areas, the academy will develop and implement learning modules and short-term trainings on AI foundation model development but also AI inference processes, data science, AI and GenAI deployment and the use of supercomputers for AI that can be integrated into academic curricula at various levels and for various target groups. The academy could conduct additional activities on educating the general public on how to use AI and in particular GenAI technologies safely and responsibly1.

The academy will cooperate with existing initiatives, among others, the AI-on-Demand Platform, the Networks of Excellence in AI, the European Digital Innovation Hubs, and all the EuroHPC Factories, including for the use of their services and facilities for the proposed training activities.

Anticipated outcomes

Expected deliverables include:

• Comprehensive academic curricula designed across different levels and for different target groups.
• Modular short-term training curricula for sector specialists designed and piloted trough relevant training courses at regional or local levels, including targeted training for SMEs and public sector.
• Partnerships and collaboration frameworks established between academia, industry (including SMEs) and research institutions to facilitate and promote the large-scale European-wide roll-out of the academic programmes and short-term trainings.
• Support, integration, and visibility schemes implemented, with particular attention aimed at the participation of female students and female professionals, as well as young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and people with disabilities.
• Training initiatives addressing teaching staff, such as “Teach-the-teacher” training modules targeted at university, VET and secondary-education teachers.
• Communication and awareness-raising activities.

Institution providing the funding

European Commission

Size of funding

EUR 7,000,000

Conditions

Overview of eligibility criteria

To be eligible, applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must be legal entities (public or private bodies) established in one of the eligible countries(i.e. EU Member States, non-EU countries, listed EEA countries and countries associated to the Digital Europe Programme).

Overview of award criteria

The award criteria for this call are as follows:

1. Relevance: 

• Alignment with the objectives and activities as described in section 2 of the call document
• Contribution to long-term policy objectives, relevant policies and strategies, and synergies with activities at European and national level
• Extent to which the project would reinforce and secure the digital technology supply chain in the EU (may not be applicable to all topics - see section 2 of the call document)
• Extent to which the project can overcome financial obstacles such as the lack of market finance (may not be applicable to all topics - see section 2 of the call document)

2. Implementation:

• Maturity of the project
• Soundness of the implementation plan and efficient use of resources
• Capacity of the applicants, and when applicable the consortium as a whole, to carry out the proposed work

3. Impact:

• Extent to which the project will achieve the expected outcomes and deliverables referred to in the call for proposals and, where relevant, the plans to disseminate and communicate project achievements
• Extent to which the project will strengthen competitiveness and bringimportant benefits for society
• Extent to which the project addresses environmental sustainability and the European Green Deal goals, in terms of direct effects and/or inawareness of environmental effects (may not be applicable to all topics - see section 2 of the call document)

Procedures

Application procedures

All proposals must be submitted directly online via the Funding & Tenders Portal Electronic Submission System. Paper applications are NOT accepted.

Application support available

Please consult the call documents for more information.

Non-IT related questions should be sent to the following address: https://european-union.europa.eu/contact-eu/write-us_en. Please indicate clearly the reference of the call and topic to which your question relates.

Useful links

Link to funding opportunity

Link to the programme for more info