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Skills Hubs of Excellence

Description

This Simple Grant (SG) call supports the establishment of long-term Skills Hubs of Excellence in semiconductor technologies to address Europe's growing shortage of highly qualified semiconductor professionals. The hubs are intended to deliver comprehensive, structured and sustainable industry-relevant education programmes spanning Bachelor, Master, PhD and lifelong learning, while closely linking education to the strategic initiatives of the Chips Act, including the Design Platform, Pilot Lines and Chips Competence Centres.

Funding Amount

Total indicative budget

  • EUR 20 million

Expected EU contribution per project

  • Approximately EUR 4 million, although proposals requesting different amounts are allowed.

Funding mode

  • Simple Grant (SG)
  • Co-funded with the National Funding Authority (NFA).

Submission Deadlines

  • Call launch: 7 July 2026
  • Submission deadline: 24 September 2026, 17:00 Brussels time
  • Submission process: One-stage (Full Proposal).

Submission Conditions

  • Simple Grant (SG)
  • One-stage Full Proposal submission
  • Co-funded with National Funding Authorities
  • Minimum project duration of 5 years
  • Proposal page limits:
    • Relevance: 20 pages
    • Implementation: 40 pages
    • Impact: 20 pages
  • Maximum EU contribution per partner: 40% of the total EU funding
  • Standard Digital Europe Programme admissibility, eligibility and evaluation rules apply together with the Chips JU evaluation procedures.

Eligible Types of Businesses / Organisations

The call is open to organisations eligible under the Digital Europe Programme and Chips Joint Undertaking rules, including:

  • Universities
  • Higher education institutions
  • Research organisations
  • Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs)
  • SMEs
  • Large enterprises
  • Semiconductor manufacturers
  • Semiconductor equipment companies
  • Design companies
  • Industry associations
  • Public bodies
  • Other organisations involved in semiconductor education and workforce development.

Eligible Countries

Participation follows the standard Digital Europe Programme rules.

Eligible participants include organisations established in:

  • EU Member States
  • EEA countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway)

Entities controlled from third countries may participate only where the required security guarantees protecting the Union's essential security interests are provided. Standard Article 12(6) participation restrictions apply.

Expected Outcome

Projects are expected to deliver:

  • Long-term Skills Hubs of Excellence in semiconductor education.
  • Increased number and quality of specialised Bachelor, Master and PhD graduates.
  • Higher participation of women and underrepresented groups through outreach and attraction activities.
  • Increased intra-EU and international mobility of students and workers.
  • Strong complementarity with the Chips Competence Centres, Pilot Lines, Design Platform and Industrial Alliance on Processors and Semiconductor Technologies.
  • Continued exploitation of workforce intelligence developed by the European Chips Skills Academy, European Chips Diversity Alliance and the Pact for Skills.

Scope

Each proposal should establish a Hub of Excellence specialising in one strategic technology area and support higher education programmes that address semiconductor talent shortages.

Projects should include several of the following activities:

  • Design industry-driven educational programmes jointly developed by universities and industry.
  • Deliver specialised Bachelor, Master and PhD programmes.
  • Co-develop curricula with industrial partners, combining theory with practical, hands-on experience.
  • Integrate semiconductor courses into core curricula or deliver flexible industry-led training aligned with emerging industrial needs.
  • Develop and maintain educational infrastructure providing students with access to modern semiconductor processing equipment and laboratories.
  • Support internships and mobility programmes.
  • Encourage intra-EU student mobility, particularly between countries with semiconductor talent surplus and shortage.
  • Promote cross-border and inter-regional collaboration through the Chips Competence Centres.
  • Attract talented international students from regions such as India, the Philippines and Egypt through existing EU Talent Partnership initiatives.
  • Develop career-orientation platforms and public awareness campaigns promoting careers in microelectronics.
  • Define clear KPIs and operate over a minimum duration of five years.

Each Hub must focus on one of the following strategic domains:

  1. Chip design and chip design tools
  2. Chip manufacturing, equipment, metrology and testing
  3. Chiplets, heterogeneous integration and advanced packaging
  4. Photonic components and systems
  5. Power electronics and wide bandgap materials

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