NEB Academy | Skills Infrastructure

NEB Academy | Skills Infrastructure is an EIT Culture & Creativity competitive grant call funding consortia to develop regional skills infrastructures and lifelong learning pathways that embed New European Bauhaus values of sustainability, inclusivity and aesthetics for the lived environment. The total call budget is up to €3,500,000 with a maximum of €600,000 per project and reimbursement of up to 100% of eligible costs, with projects running 18 months from January 2027 to July 2028. Eligible applicants are multi-beneficiary consortia of 3 to 8 independent legal entities from at least two eligible countries, and each consortium must include at least one education provider, one public authority and one private organisation from the lived environment ecosystem. Applications must be submitted electronically by 31 August 2026, 17:00 CEST and include the application form, a budget plan with the EIT funding template and a Gantt chart with work packages.

What it funds

Scope

Grants to consortia to develop, adapt and deliver regional skills infrastructures and learning pathways that support sustainable transformation of the lived environment. Projects must address regional skills gaps, integrate New European Bauhaus values and creative practices, build on existing initiatives/legacy assets, and deliver EIT-labelled and other learning activities. Selected actions should be scalable and contribute to a coherent NEB Academy skills ecosystem.

Who can apply:Consortia of organisations (for example education and training providers, research organisations, public authorities, NGOs, cultural actors and private sector partners) with capacity to deliver regional learning pathways and long-term systemic impact. Lead applicants must comply with EIT Culture & Creativity submission rules.

1. 1Call type: Multi-Topic competitive call under EIT Culture & Creativity (identifier HORIZON-EIT).
2. 2Total indicative budget: €3,500,000 for the call.
3. 3Project duration: 18 months (Jan 2027 to Jul 2028).
4. 4Deadline for submission: 31 August 2026, 17:00 CEST ¹.
5. 5Applications submitted electronically; required annexes include budget, EIT funding template and Gantt chart.

Evaluation includes admissibility and eligibility checks, external quality review by three independent experts and an internal portfolio selection by the EIT Culture & Creativity Selection Committee; indicative evaluation runs Sep to Nov 2026 with results communicated by end Nov 2026 and contracting planned for Jan 2027 ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1Full call text, submission portal and guidance are on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal: Call page.

Call identity and administrative data

Primary call information

Call title:NEB Academy | Skills Infrastructure. Identifier: HORIZON-EIT. Framework programme: EIT Culture & Creativity under the Horizon EIT KIC funding line. Published within the EITCULTURE Business Plan 2026. Budget indicated: €3,500,000. Call type: Multi-Topic Call. Project duration: 18 months (planned from January 2027 to July 2028). Submission window: 09 June 2026 to 31 August 2026, 17:00 CEST (Berlin time). Submission channel: electronic submission platform. Deadline model: single-stage.

Description of scope and objectives:The call supports consortia that develop, adapt and deliver regional skills infrastructures and learning pathways contributing to the sustainable transformation of the lived environment. Projects must address identified regional skills gaps, integrate New European Bauhaus values and creative practices, build on existing initiatives and legacy assets, and deliver EIT-labelled, non-labelled and other learning activities for relevant target groups. The call aims to create scalable educational frameworks that embed sustainability, inclusivity and aesthetics while supporting long-term regional systemic transformation. Selected projects are expected to contribute to a coherent NEB Academy skills ecosystem and generate long-term educational, societal and market impact.

Eligibility, applicants and consortium requirements

Eligible applicant types

Eligible applicants are organisations able to form and lead or participate in a multi-actor consortium addressing regional skills infrastructures and learning pathways in the context of the New European Bauhaus. Based on the call text and standard EIT KIC practice, eligible entity types include but are not limited to:

1. 1Universities, higher education institutions and other education and training providers.
2. 2Research institutes and public research organisations.
3. 3Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and large enterprises with relevant training, creative or cultural activities.
4. 4Non-profit organisations, foundations and cultural institutions.
5. 5Local, regional and national public authorities or agencies engaged in skills, education or urban/regional transformation.
6. 6Creative practitioners, cultural organisations and arts-based organisations.
7. 7Intermediary organisations, incubators, accelerators and vocational training centres.
8. 8Public-private partnerships or consortia combining the above actors.

Individual applicants are not appropriate as the call targets consortia delivering regional skills infrastructures. The call requires organisations capable of delivering and scaling learning activities and contributing to the NEB Academy skills ecosystem.

Consortium requirement:A consortium of multiple partners is required. Projects are designed to be multi-actor and regionally anchored; proposals will be evaluated for Knowledge Triangle Integration, EU dimension and portfolio balance. The evaluation sequence includes admissibility and eligibility checks, external expert evaluation and internal portfolio selection by the EIT Culture & Creativity Selection Committee, which implies expectations of multi-stakeholder consortia.

Geographic and thematic scope

Beneficiary geographic eligibility:The call is managed by EIT Culture & Creativity and is targeted at organisations that can operate within the geographic scope of the EIT and Horizon Europe. This principally means entities established in EU Member States and associated countries to Horizon Europe and EIT activities. The call text references regional skills infrastructures and EU dimension as evaluation aspects, indicating preference for EU/EEA-based consortia and actors able to deliver regional impact within Europe.

Target sector and themes:Thematic focus is cross-cutting across culture, creative industries, education and the built environment. Primary sectors targeted include: education and skills development, culture and creative industries, urban and regional transformation, architecture and the built environment, sustainability and circularity, social inclusion and community engagement, and innovation in learning pathways. The programme integrates New European Bauhaus values (sustainability, inclusivity, aesthetics) and creative practices.

Mentioned countries:No individual countries are explicitly named in the scraped call text. The geographic framing is European (EIT / Horizon) and therefore pertains to EU Member States and Horizon-associated countries.

Project maturity, funding and support details

Expected project stage and outputs:Projects are expected to deliver applied, implementation-oriented outcomes: development, adaptation and delivery of regional skills infrastructures and learning pathways. This corresponds to development, validation and demonstration and early-stage scaling of educational frameworks and courses. Deliverables include EIT-labelled and non-labelled learning activities, scalable educational frameworks, engagement of target groups and evidence of long-term educational, societal and market impact.

Funding type and funding amount:Primary financial mechanism: grant (subgrant agreement/project agreement under EIT Culture & Creativity). Indicative total budget for the call: €3,500,000. The call text does not publish individual maximum or minimum grant amounts per project in the scraped data; applicants should consult the call page and EIT funding template for detailed budget rules and individual award ranges. Results and contracting plan indicate subgrant agreement signatures planned for January 2027 upon completion of legal checks.

Nature of support and co-funding:Beneficiaries will receive monetary support through grants/subgrants. Non-monetary support is likely through the EIT network, labeling processes, ecosystem integration and capacity-building (e.g., ecosystem contribution to NEB Academy). The scraped content references an EIT Culture & Creativity funding template required with the application, implying financial planning and potential co-funding expectations. The specific co-funding requirement is not explicitly stated in the scraped text; applicants must complete the funding template and budget plan as part of the application to demonstrate financial sustainability and match where required.

Application and submission process:Applicants must submit the application form, the budget plan and EIT Culture & Creativity funding template, and a Gantt chart with project timeline and work packages through the electronic submission platform within the published window (09/06/2026 to 31/08/2026 17:00 CEST). Questions can be submitted via the official EIT Culture & Creativity Contact Form during the call period; questions will be anonymised and may be published to ensure equal access to information.

Application type and stages:Application type: open single-stage competitive call (single-stage deadline). Evaluation stages: initial admissibility and eligibility check by the PMO, external quality evaluation by three independent expert evaluators using award criteria including Horizon Europe award criteria, and an internal portfolio selection stage by the EIT Culture & Creativity Selection Committee. Indicative evaluation timeline runs September to November 2026, with results communicated by end of November 2026, 30-calendar-day standstill, publication by end of December 2026 and contracting in January 2027.

1. 1Stage 1: Admissibility and eligibility check by the PMO.
2. 2Stage 2: External quality evaluation by three independent experts against award criteria (including Horizon Europe criteria).
3. 3Stage 3: Internal portfolio selection by the EIT Culture & Creativity Selection Committee (strategic fit, financial sustainability, Knowledge Triangle Integration, EU dimension, portfolio balance).
4. 4Stage 4: Standstill period, publication of results and contracting/legal entity validation leading to signature of Subgrant agreement.

Success rates and selection expectations:The scraped source does not provide explicit success rate statistics or the number of awards to be made. Selection will be competitive and evaluated on quality, strategic fit to the EIT Culture & Creativity Business Plan, regional impact, scalability and financial sustainability. Applicants should assume a selective process with limited awards relative to applications and prepare proposals to demonstrate strong strategic alignment, measurable regional impact and sustainability.

Administrative requirements, templates and support

Mandatory application documents and templates:Applicants must upload: the completed application form via the electronic submission platform, a detailed budget plan, the EIT Culture & Creativity funding template, and a Gantt chart with project timeline and work packages. The funding template is required to detail costs and align with EIT financial rules. The scraped content indicates these documents are mandatory; exact file formats and template structure should be downloaded from the official call page. Applicants are advised to follow the EIT KIC and Horizon financial rules when preparing budgets and to ensure the budget aligns with proposed activities and deliverables.

Information sessions and helpdesk:Two online information sessions are available for interested applicants (registration required): 24 June 2026, 10:00-12:30 CEST and 10 July 2026, 10:00-12:30 CEST. Sessions will cover call content, topics, requirements and submission/evaluation procedures; sessions will be recorded and made available on the EIT Culture & Creativity website. Applicants can also use the EIT Culture & Creativity Contact Form to submit questions during the call period.

Timeline and milestones

What evaluators will look for and how to prepare a competitive proposal

Successful proposals will demonstrate:clear identification of regional skills gaps; a robust and coherent regional skills infrastructure plan; integration of New European Bauhaus values and creative practices; scalable learning frameworks with EIT-labelled and non-labelled activities; evidence of building on existing initiatives and legacy assets; credible consortium with Knowledge Triangle Integration (education, research, business); measurable impact indicators for educational, societal and market outcomes; financial sustainability and reasonable budget justification in the EIT funding template; and alignment with EIT Culture & Creativity Business Plan strategic priorities. Proposals should include a detailed Gantt chart, work package descriptions, deliverables and milestones, target group definitions, dissemination and exploitation plans, and risk mitigation measures.

Final summary

The NEB Academy | Skills Infrastructure call funds consortia-led projects that build regional skills infrastructures and learning pathways to drive sustainable transformation of the lived environment in line with New European Bauhaus values. It is an open, competitive single-stage grant call managed by EIT Culture & Creativity with a total indicative budget of €3.5 million for 18-month projects starting January 2027. Applicants must submit a complete application form, budget plan and EIT funding template, and Gantt chart via the electronic submission platform by 31 August 2026. Evaluation includes admissibility checks, external expert review and internal portfolio selection. The call prioritises multi-actor, regionally anchored consortia that can demonstrate Knowledge Triangle Integration, scalability, long-term impact and financial sustainability. Applicants should use the information sessions and EIT contact form to clarify requirements and download the official templates from the call page to ensure compliance.

For administrative and procedural details, applicants must consult the official call page on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and the EIT Culture & Creativity call documentation. The call reference and citation are listed in the EITCULTURE Business Plan 2026 ¹.

Footnotes

1. 1EITCULTURE Business Plan 2026. Available at ec.europa.eu

What This Call Supports

This call funds consortia to develop, adapt, and deliver regional skills infrastructures and lifelong learning pathways that address skills gaps in the lived environment ecosystem, embedding New European Bauhaus (NEB) values of sustainability, inclusivity, and aesthetics ¹.

Projects must leverage existing initiatives and legacy assets, integrate creative practices, and deliver EIT-labelled and non-labelled learning activities for professionals, public bodies, educators, and civil society ².

Who Can Apply

Only multi-beneficiary consortia are eligible; individuals and informal teams cannot apply ³.

Consortium Requirements:Consortia must include 3 to 8 independent legal entities from at least two eligible countries (EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries) ⁴.

Each consortium must include at least: (1) one education provider, (2) one public authority or municipality, and (3) one private organisation from the lived environment ecosystem ⁵.

Funding Details & Conditions

Payments include an initial pre-financing of 25%, interim payments up to 70%, and a final balance up to 100%, subject to reporting and agreement conditions ⁶.

Costs already funded by other EU programmes cannot be reimbursed under this call to avoid double funding ⁷.

Key Eligibility & Project Requirements

1. 1Address identified regional skills gaps in the building and lived environment ecosystem
2. 2Embed NEB values (sustainability, inclusivity, aesthetics) into learning design and delivery
3. 3Develop CPD, VET, or other lifelong learning formats for professionals and public bodies
4. 4Include creative, artistic, or design-led approaches in learning activities
5. 5Build scalable, financially sustainable models with long-term regional transformation potential
6. 6Define clear learning outcomes, assessment methods, and evidence of learner completion

Timeline & Application Process

Key Dates:Application window: 9 June 2026 – 31 August 2026, 17:00 CEST ⁸.

Evaluation period: September – November 2026; results communicated by end of November 2026 ⁹.

Project start: January 2027; end: July 2028 ¹⁰.

Required documents:Application form, budget plan with EIT funding template, Gantt chart with work packages, and (for related calls) a short video; for this call, the video is not mandatory but creative content is required in the proposal ¹¹.

Two online information sessions are offered:24 June 2026 and 10 July 2026, 10:00–12:30 CEST; sessions are recorded and available on the EIT website ¹².

Strategic Impact & Ecosystem Integration

Selected projects will contribute to a coherent NEB Academy skills ecosystem and gain access to EIT Culture & Creativity’s pan-European network and the wider New European Bauhaus community ¹³.

The call supports long-term regional systemic transformation by strengthening local innovation ecosystems and consolidating the NEB Academy across Europe ¹⁴.

Footnotes

1. 1Official call description: [[NEB Academy | Skills Infrastructure - EIT Culture & Creativity||eit-culture-creativity.eu
2. 2Call objectives and target groups: [[NEB Academy | Skills Infrastructure - EIT Culture & Creativity||eit-culture-creativity.eu
3. 3Eligibility: consortia only, no individuals: NEB Academy - Skills Infrastructure - Cascade Funding Hub
4. 4Consortium composition rules: [[NEB Academy | Skills Infrastructure - EIT Culture & Creativity||eit-culture-creativity.eu
5. 5Required consortium members: education provider, public authority, private organisation: [[NEB Academy | Skills Infrastructure - EIT Culture & Creativity||eit-culture-creativity.eu
6. 6Payment conditions and funding rate: NEB Academy - Skills Infrastructure - Cascade Funding Hub
7. 7Double funding prohibition: [[NEB Academy | Skills Infrastructure - EIT Culture & Creativity||eit-culture-creativity.eu
8. 8Application deadline: 31 August 2026, 17:00 CEST: [[NEB Academy | Skills Infrastructure - EIT Culture & Creativity||eit-culture-creativity.eu
9. 9Evaluation timeline and results date: [[NEB Academy | Skills Infrastructure - EIT Culture & Creativity||eit-culture-creativity.eu
10. 10Project duration: 18 months, Jan 2027–Jul 2028: [[NEB Academy | Skills Infrastructure - EIT Culture & Creativity||eit-culture-creativity.eu
11. 11Required documents and submission process: EITCULTURE Business Plan 2026
12. 12Info session dates and registration: EITCULTURE Business Plan 2026
13. 13Ecosystem integration and network access: [[NEB Academy | Skills Infrastructure - EIT Culture & Creativity||eit-culture-creativity.eu
14. 14Regional transformation and NEB Academy expansion: [[NEB Academy | Skills Infrastructure - EIT Culture & Creativity||eit-culture-creativity.eu