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Off the Wire Press Releases Sept. 10, 2026 — A new European collaborative project, RItrain-DIGIT (Advancing Digital Competencies in European Research Infrastructures) has officially launched to bridge the digital skills gap within Europe’s Research Infrastructures (RIs). Funded under the European Union’s Horizon Europe program (Grant Agreement 101292852 / Call: HORIZON-INFRA-2025-01-DEV-01), the 1.5 million Euro initiative unites leading digital infrastructure providers and technology centers to design a comprehensive training and mobility ecosystem for scientific IT professionals. As scientific domains face rapid data growth and the increasing complexity of compute offerings, technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and federated data access present both massive opportunities and steep technical barriers. RItrain-DIGIT responds directly to this challenge by developing structured Learning Pathways that will underpin the development of a comprehensive Training Programme and run a Mobility Programme to equip Research Infrastructure technical staff with the skills required to develop, operate and maintain digital services on national and federated cloud, or HPC infrastructures. To complement the project’s overarching objective, RItrain-DIGIT will also offer a FitSM IT Service Management certification scheme, and operate a one-stop-shop Training Platform that aggregates open educational resources to support the continuous professional development of RI technical staff. The consortium, coordinated by the EGI Foundation, brings together major players in the European computing landscape, including HUN-REN SZTAKI, ACK Cyfronet AGH, PRACE, and the University of Stuttgart (HLRS). This unique composition ensures that technical RI staff receive practical, hands-on training directly on the national and federated cloud and HPC infrastructures powering modern research. Within the project, EGI will be responsible for coordination. This aligns with the organization’s overall mission to to create and deliver open solutions for science and research infrastructures by federating digital capabilities. Giuseppe La Rocca, the Project Director, said: “EGI Foundation, together with the project partners from our community, HUN-REN SZTAKI, ACK Cyfronet AGH, PRACE, and the University of Stuttgart, are honored to help unite digital research infrastructures across domains in a dedicated DIGIT skill development project and support the upskilling of the European scientific workforce.” Serge Bogaerts, PRACE Managing Director, said: “The RItrain-DIGIT project, alongside other projects in the field of training and education for HPC users, such as HPCTRAIN, fits into the service offer that PRACE aims to present to its members and the user communities it is mandated to support. Simultaneously, the project boosts collaboration within the wider European digital ecosystem, providing a more integrated perspective on the services of different e-Infrastructures to a wider range of users.” About RItrain-DIGIT Research Infrastructures (RIs) in all scientific domains face an urgent challenge: how to operate effectively in an increasingly complex and fragmented digital landscape while budgets and human resources remain constrained. The rapid growth of data volumes, the diversity of compute and storage offerings, and the emergence of new paradigms such as AI/ML, federated access, and digital sovereignty create both opportunities and obstacles. Without coordinated support, many RIs struggle to identify the most relevant digital services, access them under diverse policies, and integrate them into sustainable data analysis operations. RItrain-DIGIT addresses this challenge by uniting digital research infrastructures with thematic RIs across domains in a dedicated DIGIT skill development project. Its long-term vision is a European research ecosystem where RIs can confidently navigate the digital landscape, make informed choices about service adoption, and deliver high-quality, FAIR, and interoperable platforms to their users. The project will implement a comprehensive Training Programme structured into Learning Pathways covering HPC and cloud systems, AI and data techniques, federated access, and IT Service Management. It will also launch a Mobility Programme to support staff exchanges, enabling knowledge transfer and collaboration across institutions, countries, and domains. Building on the EGI e-infrastructure and PRACE ESFRI Landmark of national compute providers, and in close collaboration with other European digital initiatives, RItrain-DIGIT ensures that RI staff gain a holistic understanding of the wider compute and data ecosystem. By combining training, mobility, and continuous feedback, the project builds sustainable competences, reduces fragmentation, and strengthens the capacity of RIs to contribute to Europe’s digital transformation. RItrain-DIGIT is funded by the European Union Grant Agreement Number 101292852. Source: PRACE
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