European Digital Skills Awards 2026 – apply by 20 March

The EU-funded Digital Skills and Jobs Platform has announced the 2026 edition of the Digital Skills Awards.

The 2026 Award edition has five categories: 

• Digital Upskilling @ Work: projects focused on upskilling and reskilling professionals in various sectors, including SMEs, facilitating job placements for ICT professionals. 
• Digital Skills for Education: projects specifically aimed at digital upskilling for teachers and/or students, VET providers, schools, and administrations.
• Inclusion in the Digital World: projects delivering digital training, media literacy and accessibility skills to vulnerable and marginalised groups at risk of exclusion.
• Women in ICT Careers: projects that increase women’s representation in ICT, supporting workforce upskilling, and inspiring girls to pursue tech careers.
• Cybersecurity Skills: projects designed to develop cybersecurity skills for citizens and SMEs.

The call is open to public entities, private enterprises, academic institutions, grassroots initiatives, or EU-funded project consortiums. The project or initiative must be an ongoing project that has already achieved at least half of its objectives, or a project that was completed no earlier than January 2025. 

The project or initiative must be implemented in at least one EU Member State. Projects that are also implemented in non-EU countries can apply, but have to demonstrate their impact in EU Member States.

The deadline for applications is 20 March.

Find out more

Press release