The objective of work in this service contract for the European Commission is to benchmark public policies and public-private partnerships, and make recommendations for scaling up best practices and re-focusing funding programmes and incentives in Europe specifically related to the acquisition of high-tech skills.
The activities aim to mobilise a large number of stakeholders and Member States contributing to the success of the EU high-tech skills strategy and efforts to facilitate the uptake of digital and key enabling technologies by European enterprises, especially SMEs and start-ups.
The results are supposed to inform policy-makers and business and social leaders regarding more effective policies, partnerships, funding programmes and incentives to increase the high-tech talent pool, employment and the competitiveness of the European economy and to contribute to the further evolution and improvement of European and national initiatives on high-tech skills.
The focus will be on high-tech skills which encompass the skills needs related to digital technologies (e-skills) and a group of six key enabling technologies (KETs) including: micro and nanoelectronics, nanotechnology, industrial biotechnology, advanced materials, photonics, and advanced manufacturing technologies.