Horizon Europe is the European Union (EU) funding programme for the period 2021 – 2027, which targets the sectors of research and innovation. The programme’s budget is around € 95.5 billion, of which € 5.4 billion is from NextGenerationEU to stimulate recovery and strengthen the EU’s resilience in the future, and € 4.5 billion is additional aid.

Under the EIT Culture & Creativity and NEBA (New European Bauhaus Academy) the open call for Skills Infrastructure, has opened for submission of proposals.

NEB Academy’s mission is to train, upskill, and reskill the construction ecosystem to achieve a carbon neutral building sector and a beautiful, sustainable, and inclusive transformation of the built environment. The purpose of the NEB Academy|Skills Infrastructure call is to select and fund consortia that will develop, adapt and deliver regional skills infrastructures and learning pathways supporting the sustainable transformation of the lived environment.

Projects must address identified regional skills gaps, integrate NEB values and creative practices, build on existing initiatives, and deliver EIT-labelled, non-labelled and other learning activities for relevant target groups. Selected projects are expected to contribute to a coherent NEB Academy skills ecosystem and generate longterm educational, societal and market impact

The maximum EIT funding allocated to this call is up to €3.500.000 with a maximum of €600.000 per project selected.

EIT Culture & Creativity financial support may reimburse up to 100% of the total eligible project costs. Costs already funded by other EU programmes or sources cannot be reimbursed, in order to avoid double funding

The indicative number of projects to be funded is 5 to 6 projects.

The total project duration is 18 months, and must include all phases of the project. The total project duration must align with these specifications to ensure that all deliverables and KPIs are met within the timeframe: starting from January 2027 and ending no later than July 2028.

• Education and training
• Environment and Climate Change
• Information and Communication Technologies
• Regional Development
• Research, Technological Development and Innovation

• Associations
• Businesses
• Educational Institutions
• Large Enterprises
• Legal Entities
• Local Authorities
• Natual person / Citizen / Individual
• NGOs
• Other Beneficiaries
• Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
• Services Providers
• Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
• Training Centres

This call is open to legal entities established in EU Member States and/or Horizon Europe Associated Countries, unless otherwise specified in the call guidelines.

Proposals must be submitted by multi-beneficiary consortia composed of a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 8 independent participants, established in at least 2 different eligible countries, and including at least:

• A research institution (a higher education institution, research institute, or equivalent body whose primary mandate includes knowledge generation, applied research, or the transfer of innovation to industry or society) ;
• A public authority or innovation/industry cluster; and
• One private organisation from the lived environment ecosystem.

Eligible applicants may include, among others, higher education institutions, VET providers, training organisations, public authorities, municipalities, regional or local authorities, SMEs, companies, sectoral organisations, associations, foundations, NGOs and other relevant organisations active in the building ecosystem, provided that they meet the eligibility requirements set out in these call guidelines

Applications from individuals or informal teams without legal personality are not eligible under this call.

This call addresses four target groups:

1. TG1 – Academia & Vocational education and training (VET). This group focuses on the “providers” of knowledge and the future workforce.

• 1.1 VET Providers & Teachers: Vocational Education and Training centres and their instructors who need to embed NEB values into curricula.
• 1.2 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) & Researchers: Universities and research centres focusing on architecture, engineering, and design.

1.  TG2 – Construction Ecosystem (Industry & Practice). This is the largest group, representing the professional workforce that implement sustainable solutions on the ground.

• 2.1 Blue-Collar Workers & Craftspeople: Foremen/forewomen, site managers, and skilled tradespeople (carpenters, electricians, etc.) focused on on-site application.
• 2.2 White-Collar Professionals: Architects, urban planners, landscape designers, and civil engineers.
• 2.3 SME Leads & Entrepreneurs: Small and medium-sized enterprise owners who drive innovation and practical business adoption.
• 2.4 Specialised Practitioners: Such as foresters and material scientists involved in the supply chain (e.g. timber construction).

1. TG3 – Public Bodies & Decision-Makers (Governance & Finance). This group controls the regulatory and financial “enablers” for NEB-aligned projects.

• 3.1 Public Officials: Urban policy makers and municipal staff responsible for planning and public procurement.
• 3.2 Financiers & Investors: Banks, developers and institutional investors who need to increase their skills in sustainable and green urban transformation.
• 3.3 Regional & Local Authorities: Decision-makers at regional level, who align the NEB Academy | Skills Infrastructure with regional development budgets

1. TG4 – Civil Society & Media (Engagement & Communication). This group ensures that the transformation is socially inclusive and culturally relevant.

• 4.1 Creative Practitioners: Artists, cultural managers, and designers who bridge the gap between technical construction and aesthetic value.
• 4.2 Citizens & Community Groups: Residents involved in participatory design and co-creation workshops for their local environments.
• 4.3 Media & Influencers: Communicators responsible for disseminating the NEB message and success stories to the general public.

https://forms.monday.com/forms/

• Funding & Tenders
• EIT Culture & Creativity Strategic Agenda 2024-2027
• NEBA website