Bernd Schäfer and Maria Cristina Russo. Image from EIT RawMaterials.
EIT RawMaterials, Europe’s innovation arm in the raw materials sector, has been mandated to lead the newly launched European Advanced Materials Academy. The announcement was made at the EIT Education and Skills Days in Brussels on Wednesday.
This flagship initiative under the European Union’s Union of Skills strategy will fast-track the development of a future-ready workforce, equipping Europe to strengthen its industrial innovation,sustainability, and advanced materials leadership. EIT said.
The European Advanced Materials Academy addresses the urgent demand for skilled talent across high-tech sectors, including energy, mobility, electronics, and construction.
With advanced materials forming the backbone of sustainable and resilient value chains, the Academy will train 200,000 learners by 2029, fostering new scientific talent, enabling lifelong learning, and closing the growingskills gap in the materials innovation ecosystem.
“The race for Europe’s industrial leadership will be won by those who innovate faster, design sustainably, and scale talent,” EIT RawMaterials CEO Bernd Schäfer said in a news release.
“With the launch of the European Advanced Materials Academy, we are not only preparing for the future, we are shaping it. From AI-driven design to circular manufacturing, this Academy will equip Europe’s workforce to lead the next generation of materials innovation,” Schäfer said.
“By engaging 200,000 learners across the EU, we are building the skills and sovereignty Europe needs.”
The Academy will offer a comprehensive portfolio of multilingual, modular, and accredited learning programs across the advanced materials value chain. Key features include:
• Skills-first pathways for students and professionals;
• Industry-aligned training in areas such as digital materials modelling, additive;
manufacturing, AI applications, and sustainable-by-design innovation, and
• Train-the-Trainer programmes and micro-credentials to ensure scalability and transferability.
The initiative directly supports the EU’s Advanced Materials for Industrial Leadership strategy announced in 2024 and the upcoming Advanced Materials Act, planned for 2026.
It also aligns with major policy priorities such as the Union of Skills, the European Commission’s cross-sectoral effort to upskill Europe’s workforce for a sustainable and technologically advanced future.