Today, the European Advanced Materials Academy was launched by the Commission and the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT), during the EIT Education and Skills Days 2025. As a flagship EU initiative, the Academy will train a future-ready workforce to boost Europe’s leadership in advanced materials, innovation and sustainability. It will contribute to key EU priorities, like driving competitiveness and innovation, supporting skills development and encouraging top talent to Choose Europe.
The Academy will help tackle Europe’s urgent need for skilled workers in high-tech sectors, such as energy, mobility, electronics and construction. As advanced materials form the backbone of sustainable industries and resilient value chains, the initiative aims to train 200,000 people by 2029. The goal is to foster new talent, support lifelong learning, and close the skills gap in this field. The implementation of the Academy is led by EIT RawMaterials.
The European Advanced Materials Academy
The Academy will offer a comprehensive portfolio of multilingual, modular and accredited learning solutions across the advanced materials value chain.
Key features include:
- Skills-first learning pathways for students and professionals
- Industry-aligned training in areas such as digital materials modelling, additive manufacturing, Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications and sustainable-by-design innovation
- Train-the-Trainer programmes and micro-credentials to ensure scale and transferability
The Academy is expected to begin offering its first training sessions in early 2026.
Background
The European Advanced Materials Academy supports the implementation of the EU’s Advanced Materials for Industrial Leadership strategy announced in 2024, which highlighted the shortage of skilled professionals in this field as a significant barrier to boost innovation and the production of advanced materials. It also supports the upcoming Advanced Materials Act, planned for 2026, which is one of the Competitiveness Compass flagship actions. The Act will support the entire lifecycle of advanced materials in view of bringing innovations to the market more quickly and increasing production capacity and availability in the EU. Having a sufficient skilled workforce for advanced materials is a fundamental precondition for this.
Furthermore, the initiative aligns with the EU policy priorities, as well as the Choose Europe initiative, positioning Europe as a world-leading hub for research and innovation, attracting global talent and making a difference across the world. It supports the Union of Skills, the Commission’s cross-sectoral effort to upskill Europe’s workforce for a sustainable and technologically advanced future.
Advanced materials provide innovative solutions for a more efficient, sustainable and competitive industry, playing a key role in achieving the EU objectives of strengthening competitiveness and achieving climate neutrality by 2050, as outlined in the Clean Industrial Deal. The demand for advanced materials is therefore expected to increase significantly in the coming years, opening innovation markets and investment opportunities in the EU.
More information
Advanced Materials for Industrial Leadership
Union of Skills
Choose Europe
Competitiveness Compass
Press contact:
EC Spokesperson for Research, Science and Innovation
