The CEPIS Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) expert group was established to promote and analyze Research, Development and Innovation activities in IT and informatics. It aims to assist in building connections between CEPIS Member Societies on the RDI activities and project work as well as provide information on the EU calls for tenders and other relevant funding opportunities.
CEPIS holds a pivotal position in the European Union’s landscape, particularly in the realm of information technology and IT professionalism. As an associated partner or subcontractor in EU projects, CEPIS can offer a wealth of expertise, networks, and resources to foster innovation and drive progress in various domains. Below you can find a breakdown of the relevance and potential activities CEPIS could engage in:
The broader network of the members of CEPIS Member Societies encompasses experts on the following topics:
By leveraging its expertise and network, CEPIS adds value to EU projects as an associated partner or subcontractor, advancing the goals of digital transformation, competitiveness, and societal well-being across Europe.
Title: Digital4Sustainability
EU Programme: Erasmus+
Project ID: 101140316
Start: February 2024
End: January 2028
Role: Associate Partner
Description: Digital4Sustainability is an EU co-funded industry-driven project to boost Europe’s skills for the green & digital transition. The initiative focuses on re-skilling and up-skilling the European workforce for a sustainable digital economy and society. Recognising the pivotal role of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises as contributors to innovation and sustainability, Digital4Sustainability will empower them through on-the-job trainings tailored to their specific needs. The project will position SMEs at the forefront of sustainable digital innovation by enhancing their ability to develop sustainable technologies and embrace ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) practices
Title: The Artificial Intelligence Skills Alliance
EU Programme: Erasmus+
Project ID: 101056236
Start: June 2022
End: May 2026
Role: Associate Partner
Description: ARISA aims to create solid and sustainable foundations for reducing skills shortages, gaps, and mismatches. The first step is to develop an AI Skills Strategy for Europe based on the new skills requirements for people in AI-related professions. And in turn, deliver ARISA curricula and learning programmes to offer sufficient knowledge and skills on AI. ARISA regroups leading ICT representative bodies, education and training providers, qualification regulatory bodies, and a broad selection of stakeholders and social partners across the industry.
Title: SMACITE – Boosting the technical and non-technical skills and competences of smart cities technicians and engineers
EU Programme: Erasmus+
Project ID: 101052513
Start: June 2022
End: May 2025
Role: Associate Partner (under the IT Professionalism Europe initiative)
Description: SMACITE is a project boosting the technical and non-technical skills and competences of Smart Cities technicians and engineers. The project aims to address the skills gap of Smart Cities technicians and engineers, by designing and testing a vocational education and training program that is based on a novel and multi-disciplinary curriculum combining digital skills on Smart Cities enabling technologies, with soft, entrepreneurship and green skills.
Title: GREEN Computing App and MOOC for awareness-raising on digital pollution
EU Programme: Erasmus+
Project ID: 2021-1-ES01-KA220-VET-000025159
Start: February 2022
End: November 2024
Role: Associate Partner (under the IT Professionalism Europe initiative)
Description: The GreenCo project is an innovative technological and environmental initiative from a consortium of European partners led by Comunidad de Madrid trying to fight against this situation. The project partnership is made up of three education institutions specialized in computing and communication, within secondary and higher education, as well as a network of partners working on the development of training in digital occupations, and a research and training organization which supports the development of increased ICT industry competitiveness and digital entrepreneurship.
Title: The European Software Skills Alliance
EU Programme: Erasmus+
Project ID: 621751-EPP-1-2020-1-BE-EPPKA2-SSA-B
Start: December 2020
End: November 2024
Role: Associate Partner (under the IT Professionalism Europe initiative)
Description: ESSA aims to skill, upskill, and reskill individuals into high-demand software roles across Europe. It sets forward a sectoral approach to software skills development for systemic impact — reducing the shortages of software skills and professionals. ESSA adopts the latest European IT Professional Standards and frameworks, such as EN16234-1 e-CF together with EQF, to ensure a collective understanding of the new Software Skills Strategy between industry, education, and policy actors.
IThe EU4Digital Initiative is the EU’s flagship regional programme to support digital transformation and the harmonisation of digital markets in countries included in the Eastern Partnership (EaP) joint policy initiative.
In the context of the European Neighbourhood Policy and the Eastern Partnership, the EU4Digital Initiative aims to extend the benefits of the EU’s Digital Single Market to the Eastern partner countries. By developing a stronger digital economy and society, this will generate more jobs and economic growth, help businesses and improve the lives of EaP citizens.
Both CEPIS as well as individual experts from the Member Societies were engaged during the project’s first phase (2019 – 2022).
AccessibleEU is one of the flagship initiatives proposed by the European Commission Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030. It is a resource Centre on accessibility working on areas such as built environment, transport, information and communication technologies to ensure the participation of persons with disabilities in all areas of life on equal basis with others.
CEPIS is a member of the Advisory Committee of this project.
The fourth symposium of the National Research Data Infrastructure for and with Computer Science (NFDIxCS) will take place at Dresden University of Technology in September 2026, as part of the INFORMATIK Festival 2026.
The European Commission has launched a suite of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) tools and features on its AI-on-Demand platform, aimed at accelerating AI adoption across research institutions, businesses, and public sector organisations in Europe.
The European Commission has launched four new calls under the Digital Europe Programme, committing €140 million to accelerate the deployment of key digital technologies, with a strong emphasis on developing advanced digital skills across the EU. The calls are open until 2 September 2025.
The final national workshop of the “SMACITE – Boosting the technical and non-technical skills and competences of Smart Cities technicians and engineers” project, of which CEPIS is an associated partner, took place in Madrid on 18 February.
The Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Digital Skills and IT Professionalism (ICODSIP) have been made freely accessible via Zenodo, the open-access repository developed by CERN under the European OpenAIRE program.
The organising committee is pleased to announce the call for papers for the 1st International Conference on Digital Skills and IT Professionalism, set to take place on November 14-15, 2024, in Alcala de Henares, Spain.
The group is always open to broadening its network. If you are a member of a CEPIS Member Society, you are welcome to join the expert group – please contact the CEPIS Secretariat to receive information on the next steps. If not, you can engage with and follow the group’s work by subscribing to our IT Professionalism Europe network (free of charge).
Joining the CEPIS Research, Development, and Innovation community offers a practical and collaborative environment for professionals keen on advancing technology and its societal impact. You’ll find yourself among like-minded individuals committed to exploring new ideas and driving progress. Through shared knowledge and interdisciplinary exchanges, the community provides opportunities for meaningful contributions and growth in the field.
