Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISIEducation for Standardisation in the EU
EDU4Standards.eu is a research project funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe programme. Our eclectic consortium brings together the key players in education on standardisation in Europe. Led by Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft , the consortium brings together universities, higher education institutes, standardisation bodies and associations, and SMEs.
Standards significantly impact EU’s GDP, its competitiveness in global markets, but also the promotion of the Single Market and are key instruments for disseminating its core values and supporting its New Industrial Strategy and Green Deal. Likewise, they are essential for efficiently developing the digital, data-driven and, and green economy, and supporting the EU’s interests in global markets and are perceived as important future tools for disseminating its core values. Nevertheless, EU stakeholders do not fully exploit the opportunities of standardisation.
The number of the EU’s standardisation experts is insufficient, in particular in international committees; a pool of young professionals from the EU entering standardisation are missing is needed. Standardisation education can address these challenges, but is underdeveloped and fragmented at all EU education levels. Edu4Standards.eu addresses this by specifying standardization skills needed in the EU, analysing the fragmented teaching landscape and its gaps, and developing Innovative Teaching Concepts on Standardisation (ITCoS) suitable for various study contexts and specifically considering digital, green, and social aspects.
Edu4Standards.eu involves all levels from BSc to professional education and all key stakeholders, represented by 11 HEIs from 9 countries, CEN incl. 27 national NSBs, 1 RTO, 3 SMEs, and extensive stakeholder networks with >300 organisations and an External Advisory Group with all international standardization bodies and industry representatives. Main outputs: ITCoS, 5 pilots with robust and efficient direct and distant standards teaching modules, 15 EU Academic Standardisation Days, a Students’ Standardisation Association, a CEN Workshop Agreement and a EU Roadmap for Standardisation on Education. On this basis, Edu4Standards.eu aims to facilitate standards education in more than 100 HEI (Bsc. and Msc. courses) and contribute to additional 5,000 standards experts p.a. by 2027.