Programme Category
Programme Name
Programme Description
Digital Europe Programme is the first EU programme that aims to accelerate the recovery and drive the digital transformation of Europe.
Worth €7.6 billion (in current prices), the Programme is a part of the next long-term EU budget, (the Multiannual Financial Framework), and it covers 2021 to 2027. It will provide funding for projects in five crucial areas: supercomputing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, advanced digital skills, and ensuring the wide use of digital technologies across the economy and society.
The Programme is fine-tuned to fill the gap between the research of digital technologies and their deployment, and to bring the results of research to the market – for the benefit of Europe’s citizens and businesses, and in particular SMEs. Investments under the Digital Europe programme supports the Union’s twin objectives of a green transition and digital transformation and strengthens the Union’s resilience and strategic autonomy.
Identifier Code
Call
Summary
The share of students choosing semiconductors disciplines is too low to satisfy the demand required by the labour market. The shortage of employees with specific knowledge in semiconductors, and in particular the negligible share of students willing to undertake this field, has many different causes related to the low awareness of the impact of semiconductors in the society and citizens’ daily life, and too low expectations in terms of prospective career and employment conditions. The problem is acute, given the gap between the labour market demands and the unavailability of both technicians and high-level graduates, and it is even more exacerbated by a strong gender imbalance.
A further effort is needed to increase the workforce, i.e., the number of graduated students and of technicians, and assure the acquired skills meet the job profiles required by industry.
Detailed Call Description
All proposals must commit to increase the visibility and the attractiveness of semiconductors related studies and jobs, and further apply for one of the two actions described below: I) Higher Education Network or II) Vocational Training Network.
For the increase of visibility and attractiveness of the semiconductors sector, the consortia – through a joint effort by business and higher education institutions or VET providers – are expected to deliver specific tasks/actions (see p. 9 of the call document).
Proposals must choose between one of the two actions described below: I) Higher Education Network or II) Vocational Training Network:
Higher Education Network – Consortia must commit to support the development of a European network of degreeawarding higher education institutions, businesses and other relevant institutions active in semiconductors. The members of the Higher Education Network must work together to identify industry needs, to improve the matching between these needs and the content of current academic curricula (hereafter education programmes) and strive to increase the number of enrolled and graduated students.
The education programmes considered for this action must focus on one or more of the following areas of the semiconductor sector:
- Chips Design
- Chips Manufacturing
- Packaging
In particular, the consortium must address the following specific tasks:
- Identify industry needs of the European semiconductor market, notably in the listed areas 1 – 3.
- Upgrade equipment within laboratories in higher education institutions.
- Organise learning activity in companies’ premises, like internships or courses delivered by business experts.
- Start-ups and SMEs active in semiconductors, regardless of whether they are partners of the project consortium, must be involved as hosts of students’ internships. (for further details see p. 10-11 of the call document)
Vocational Training Network – Consortia must commit to support the development of a network among business and Vocational and Educational Training (VET) providers and academia, aimed to address the need of new and continuing vocational training for workforce in semiconductors.
Training shall enhance employability in the semiconductors sector. Consortia shall also commit to the recognition of specific hard and soft semiconductors VET courses across Europe to foster worker mobility and job transition. Consortia shall also identify business and industry sectors with workforce surplus as prospective sources for workers in need of mobility and to set up specific courses and incentives to support job transfer.(for further details see p. 11-13 of the call document)
Call Total Budget
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
50%
Maximum grant amount per project: €5 000 000
Thematic Categories
- Education and training
- Information and Communication Technologies
- Research, Technological Development and Innovation
Eligibility for Participation
- Educational Institutions
- Large Enterprises
- Other Beneficiaries
- Private Bodies
- Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
- Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
- Training Centres
Eligibility For Participation Notes
In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must be legal entities (public or private bodies) established in EU Member States or listed EEA countries and countries associated to the Digital Europe Programme.
Consortium composition – Proposals must be submitted by:
minimum 5 applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities) from 5 different eligible countries.
Targeted stakeholders
The consortium should demonstrate a good balance between semiconductors businesses and higher education institutions or VET providers in Europe. Research and technology organizations, research centres or foundations, and any other institution active in the semiconductors sector can be part of the consortium.
Moreover, the consortium should include organisations able to deliver communication events toward public and secondary schools, and all members must provide evidence of complementarity of their roles for the delivery of the actions requested by the call.
Particular attention should be given to:
- Widening the education offer across Member States and encouraging the inclusion in the consortium of organisations particularly in countries that lag behind and where semiconductors skills levels are low, according to the Digital Economy and Society Index.
- Ensuring inclusivity of public or private bodies that are not currently already engaged in other European projects addressing skills in microelectronics and semiconductors.
Higher education institutions and VET providers participating to this action must explain the added value that the designed education and training activities bring to existing education offer, as delivered in the latest years prior to this action.
Participating businesses must clearly explain their contribution to the objectives of the action.
Start-ups and SMEs active in semiconductors.
Call Opening Date
Call Closing Date
National Contact Point(s)
Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy
Directorate of Research and Innovation
Eleana Gabriel
Telephone: +357 22 691918
Email: egabriel@dmrid.gov.cy