Empowering Education and Skills through Decentralized Data Sharing
The European Dataspace for Growth and Education – Skills (EDGE-Skills) is a groundbreaking initiative aimed at addressing the evolving challenges in education and skills development across Europe. With three main objectives, the project seeks to create a European Dataspace for Education & Skills (DASES), uniting diverse organizations from eight EU countries to revolutionize the education and skills sector.
Objectives:
Developing Education & Skills Data Ecosystems:
EDGE-Skills focuses on creating and deploying high-value education and skills data ecosystems. By bringing together 40 organizations from both public and private sectors, the project aims to federate advanced initiatives and organizations, fostering innovation in the data space and education sector.
Innovative Cloud to Edge Services:
The project endeavors to develop and deploy cutting-edge cloud-to-edge services for the education and skills data space. Led by Prometheus-X, a non-profit dedicated to open-source building blocks, EDGE-Skills extends and enhances existing initiatives to power innovative data ecosystems across Europe.
Accessibility for All:
EDGE-Skills aims to make the education and skills data space accessible to everyone. Recognizing the scattered nature of relevant data across various organizations, the project seeks to create a human-centric data space where individuals and organizations maintain sovereignty over their data.
Addressing Current Challenges:
In light of the complex transitions the world is undergoing, including environmental challenges, energy transition, and technological advances in AI, EDGE-Skills positions itself as a crucial response. The project addresses the increasing need for training and upskilling in the face of automation and the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis.
Data Ecosystems and Decentralized Data Sharing:
To provide personalized and lifelong learning services, EDGE-Skills emphasizes the importance of connected data. The project proposes a data space where personal and non-personal data can be mutualized and shared securely, ensuring ethical innovation in the education and skills sector.
Building Blocks for Decentralized Infrastructure:
EDGE-Skills identifies 12 critical cloud and edge computing services (building blocks) essential for decentralized and secure data sharing. These building blocks, developed by top experts, will empower individuals with their education and skills data, promoting interoperability and compliance.
Prometheus-X and Marketplace Expansion:
Prometheus-X, as the coordinator of EDGE-Skills, plays a key role in leading the project. The initiative extends Prometheus-X’s work by augmenting the Prometheus-X dataspace marketplace. This expansion ensures that any education and skills stakeholder, data and AI provider, or infrastructure provider can easily participate in building their own data ecosystem.
Democratizing Access through a Marketplace:
EDGE-Skills focuses on democratizing access to the data space through the Prometheus-X marketplace. Stakeholders can browse datasets, select AI providers, and choose infrastructure services with ease. This approach lowers barriers to entry, preventing vendor lock-in, and promotes widespread adoption of the decentralized infrastructure.
Inclusivity and Governance:
EDGE-Skills places a strong emphasis on inclusivity, ethical guidelines, and governance. The project ensures that data ecosystems are human-centric and respects ethical principles. The marketplace’s rules and governance are determined democratically by Prometheus-X members, fostering a sustainable business model for further development.
EDGE-Skills is poised to have a profound impact on the education and skills landscape in Europe. By fostering collaboration, innovation, and decentralized data sharing, the project strives to empower individuals, organizations, and communities to navigate the challenges of the evolving world, ensuring a brighter and more skillful future. As part of the Advisory Board, DIGITALEUROPE contributes valuable insights to guide the project towards success.
