EIT Digital is seeking visionary and motivated university partners to assist in building an innovative, dual-degree Master’s programme focused on preparing students to drive sustainability through data-driven insights. By collaborating with industry partners, EIT Digital ensures alignment with real-world needs, supporting professionals in enhancing their skills to drive digital transformation.
The programme will combine:
- Academic excellence in data science and sustainability
- Entrepreneurial and innovation-driven learning
- Cross-border education and mobility
- Full integration of EIT Digital’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship (I&E) curriculum
There is a total budget of 100,000 million EUR available.
The selected partners will design the Master Programme in Data Science with specialisation in Sustainability in 2025 under the Funding Condition, i.e., this collaboration is contingent upon receiving funding from the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). It is expected to design new specialisations within the existing EIT Digital Master School programme in Data Science, with a specific thematic focus on Sustainability.
These specialisations will be launched in 2026 and offered as part of the second year of the Data Science programme. The design of the specialisations must be clearly aligned with the overall structure and learning objectives of the Master’s in Data Science. The first-year curriculum should continue to equip students with foundational competencies in data science, which will then serve as the basis for advanced study in sustainability-related domains during the second year.
Proposals are encouraged to consider a broad interpretation of sustainability, which may include environmental, social, economic, or technological dimensions. The selected thematic focus must be justified and should demonstrate strong relevance to both the field of data science and current societal challenges.
In addition to programme design, the selected partner will also be responsible for conceiving and executing targeted communication and outreach activities to promote the new specialisation to prospective students across the EU. These activities should include digital marketing campaigns, participation in student fairs and events, collaboration with university networks, and the production of promotional materials aligned with EIT Digital branding. The objective is to ensure broad visibility and attract a diverse pool of high-potential applicants.
Within this call, the project is expected to deliver the Master School programme as part of the EIT Digital Education portfolio starting from September 2026.
Who can apply
EIT Digital is a partnership-based organisation, and proposers are expected to be or become Partner of EIT Digital once the proposal is selected. A recommendation to Partners, especially to new Partners, is to contact EIT Digital before the submission date to ensure a clear understanding of the requirements.
Eligible countries are the Member States (MS) of the European Union (EU) including their outermost regions and countries which associated to Horizon Europe.
To be eligible, the proposal must meet the following requirements:
- The consortium shall be composed of at least two universities from two different eligible countries.
- The consortium shall include at least one university that is an EIT Digital partner. This requirement ensures that each funded project is anchored in a trusted network with proven capabilities, aligned governance structures, and a track record of delivering impact within the EIT framework. While the call remains open to new participants, the inclusion of an established EIT Digital partner supports the programme’s integration into EIT Digital’s educational model and contributes to its long-term strategic development.
How to apply
The call is open from 16 June 2025 to 14 August 2025 at 17:00 CEST. Proposals must be submitted through the official EIT Digital submission platform.
An online Info Session will take place on 25 June 2025, from 13:00-14:00. This is your chance to ask questions and hear directly from the team behind the initiative. Please register for the session here.
If you are unable to attend, but would like further assistance with your proposal, please reach out to proposal_support@eitdigital.eu
Find more information about this Call on the EIT Digital website.
Partners
