SMARCO Skills Strategy and Smart Communities Partnership

Posted on November 11, 2026

This year, SMARCO published its Strategy for Smart Communities Skills Development in Europe, shared new research on the skills smart communities need, and welcomed the first members of its Skills Partnership.

SMARCO (Smart Communities Skills Development in Europe) is an Erasmus+ Blueprint project coordinated by the European DIGITAL SME Alliance, bringing together 22 organisations from 14 countries to close skills gaps in Europe’s smart communities.

A Strategy for smart communities skills

The new
SMARCO Strategy and Blueprint for Smart Communities Skills Development in Europe
sets out a shared vision for meeting current and future skills needs in Europe’s smart communities. It builds on a European skills gap analysis, a review of good practices at regional, national, European and international level, and input from stakeholders across the SMARCO network. This work highlighted four key needs:


Matching skills to the labour market

Aligning education and training with the changing needs of employers.

Advanced skill profiles

Developing interdisciplinary and advanced skills for smart communities professionals.

Stronger public administrations

Building the capacities of public authorities and local actors.

A better-connected skills ecosystem

Improving the coordination, flexibility and coherence of skills provision.

Based on these findings, the Strategy sets out priorities, objectives and policy recommendations, together with a roadmap for putting them into practice. As a next step, the consortium will organise nine national roundtables and one European roundtable, to share the Strategy’s results, gather feedback on its recommendations and explore how they apply in different national and European contexts.

SMARCO Strategy for Smart Communities Skills Development in Europe

A growing Skills Partnership

The Smart Communities Skills Partnership, launched in summer 2026 under the EU Pact for Skills, brings together public authorities, industry, SMEs, higher education institutions, vocational education and training providers, and civil society organisations to strengthen the skills needed for Europe’s digital and green transitions.

By joining the Partnership, your organisation can become part of a growing European network committed to advancing skills development across smart communities. As a member, you will have the opportunity to:

  • Connect with a European network of organisations working to advance digital and sustainable skills;
  • Exchange knowledge, good practices and experiences with peers from across Europe;
  • Shape future skills strategies and contribute to policy recommendations;
  • Stay ahead of emerging trends through access to skills intelligence and foresight activities;
  • Engage in learning, training and certification initiatives;
  • Raise your profile and increase the visibility of your organisation and its activities within the European smart communities ecosystem.

Participation in the Partnership is free of charge, with organisations free to engage in the areas of collaboration that best match their interests, expertise and priorities.

Interested in getting involved?

Find out more about the Partnership and submit your application through our website:

Join the SMARCO Skills Partnership

Visit the
SMARCO website
and follow SMARCO on
LinkedIn
to stay up to date.