Systemic Competence Ecosystems for the Green and Digital Transition

Our proposed contribution addresses the Horizon Europe topic “Fostering competences for the green transition” by exploring how education, labour market actors, policymakers and innovation ecosystems can collaboratively strengthen the competences needed for sustainable and digital transitions.

The initiative focuses on understanding which future-oriented competences young people, workers and professionals require to contribute to climate neutrality, ecological sustainability and resilient economies. Particular attention is given to the interconnection between green and digital competences, including systems thinking, collaborative problem-solving, adaptive capacities, data literacy and responsible AI use.

The project adopts a systemic and practice-oriented perspective, recognising that competence development cannot be addressed through isolated educational reforms alone. Instead, it requires integrated competence ecosystems connecting education providers, employers, policymakers, civil society and regional innovation networks.

The first phase focuses on participatory mapping and analysis of emerging competence needs, barriers and opportunities across different European contexts. Through stakeholder engagement, living labs and systemic co-design approaches, the project will identify how green transition competences are currently developed and where gaps remain in lifelong learning pathways, inclusion, accessibility and workforce preparedness.

The second phase focuses on developing adaptive and evidence-informed learning approaches, policy recommendations and AI-supported competence intelligence mechanisms that can help education and training institutions anticipate evolving skills needs and design more future-oriented programmes.

Special attention will be paid to:

• lifelong learning and reskilling,

• inclusion and equal opportunities,

• gender and disability dimensions,

• the relationship between green and digital transitions,

• and adaptive competence frameworks for uncertain futures.

Potential consortium contributions include:

• systemic co-design and transition methodologies,

• future skills and competence ecosystem analysis,

• living labs and participatory experimentation,

• microlearning and adaptive educational innovation,

• AI-supported competence intelligence,

• stakeholder engagement and collaborative governance,

• practice-oriented research and policy recommendations.

This contribution builds on extensive experience in sustainability transitions, systemic co-design, competence development, interdisciplinary learning ecosystems and European collaborative innovation projects.