UPC-GREENCHIPS-EDU: University-Industry Training programme (2027)

Targeted mobility funding under the GreenChips EDU project for master's students enrolled in electronics programmes at ETSETB, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya to attend an in‑person training at Grenoble INP with visits to CEA Grenoble, STMicroelectronics and ESRF. The call has a total budget of €20,000 and provides a maximum reimbursement of €1,000 per selected student (indicative capacity up to 20 students) to cover travel, accommodation and meals. Applications must be submitted through the UPC e‑Office by 29 December 2026 at 23:59 Brussels time and the mobility is tentatively scheduled for the first week of February 2027. Selection is by a UPC committee using published criteria including academic performance, percentage of electronics credits passed, gender balance and vulnerability considerations.

What it funds

In-person mobility and specialised training

Short in-person training at Grenoble INP (G-INP), France, including visits to G-INP research labs and industrial partners (CEA Grenoble, STMicroelectronics, ESRF). Training covers electronics sustainability and networking with G-INP students. Mobility is tentatively scheduled for the first week of February 2027 1.

Who can apply

Students enrolled in master’s degree programmes in electronics at ETSETB (telecommunications school) of Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC). Applications must be submitted through the UPC e-Office.

Funding and deadlines

Selection is by a UPC committee using academic performance, percentage of electronics credits passed, plus small positive weighting for gender and vulnerability; results will be published on the GreenChips-EDU webpage.

Apply via UPC e-Office and consult the call documentation for detailed eligibility and reimbursement rules Call page. 1

Footnotes

1. 1Official call and further details available on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal: ec.europa.eu

Core facts

Purpose and activity description

This call funds short in-person mobility training for UPC master students in electronics. The activity consists of specialised training in electronics sustainability, visits to G-INP research laboratories and important industry and research partners in Grenoble (CEA Grenoble, STMicroelectronics, ESRF) and networking with G-INP students to foster connections and future mobility. The activity is part of the broader project Building a Digitally-Supported Education Ecosystem for Next Generation Microelectronics Experts in Sustainable Chips and Applications for a Green and Circular Economy.

Who can apply and eligible applicant types

Applicants must be enrolled in master's degree programmes in the field of electronics offered by ETSETB (the Telecommunications School) at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC). Eligible applicant type is therefore individual students (master level) registered at UPC ETSETB. Indirectly, the beneficiary institution facilitating the payments and administration is UPC (university), but the targeted applicants are enrolled master students.

Funding type and nature of support

Consortium requirement and project stage

Geographic eligibility and mentioned countries

Target sector and thematic focus

Eligible costs and reimbursement model

Application method, stages, and selection

Selection criteria and scoring

Selection will be performed by a committee using a points-based scoring table. Detailed evaluation criteria and weights are provided below.

Co-funding and administrative obligations

Application forms, templates and supporting documents

Application forms and submission procedures are handled via the UPC e-Office. No bespoke EU application template is required beyond UPC internal submission forms. Applicants should follow UPC e-Office instructions and provide documentation supporting academic performance, percentage of credits passed in electronics, and any documentation relevant to gender or vulnerability claims where applicable. The call references further details available in a call document accessible from the GreenChips-EDU webpage or UPC notices.

Number of application stages and likely success rate

Important dates and timeline

Practical notes for applicants

Applicants should ensure they are registered master students in electronics at ETSETB (UPC) and prepare evidence of academic performance and credit progression within the electronics field. Apply through UPC e-Office following UPC internal deadlines for e-Office submissions. Familiarise yourself with UPC reimbursement procedures since most costs are paid via UPC and direct expenses require subsequent reimbursement. Monitor the GreenChips-EDU webpage for result publication and any additional guidance or documents referenced by the call.

Contacts and additional information

Quick reference table

Detailed summary and explanation

This opportunity is a targeted, small-scale cascade funding action under the GreenChips-EDU project to support short-term, in-person training and industry/research visits in Grenoble for UPC master students in electronics. It aims to develop specialised skills in electronics sustainability, foster links between UPC and Grenoble INP community (students and industry partners), and promote future mobility and collaboration. The call is administered by UPC with a limited budget of €20,000 and awards up to €1,000 per student to cover travel, accommodation and meals. Application is a single-stage process submitted through UPC e-Office and assessed by a selection committee against academic performance, credit progression in electronics, and small weighting for gender and vulnerability criteria. The activity is scheduled for early February 2027, and awardees should be prepared to follow UPC reimbursement procedures for eligible costs. Interested applicants should consult UPC e-Office and the GreenChips-EDU webpage for the application form, supporting documentation requirements and final result announcements 1.

Footnotes

1. 1Source: EU Funding & Tenders Portal listing for UPC-GREENCHIPS-EDU competitive call and call documentation available at ec.europa.eu

Executive summary

This is a targeted student mobility and in person training opportunity under the GreenChips EDU project, funded through the Digital Europe Programme. It is intended exclusively for students enrolled in eligible electronics related master's degree programmes at the Escola Tècnica Superior d’Enginyeria de Telecomunicació de Barcelona at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. Selected students will attend a training activity at Grenoble INP in France, visit research and industrial facilities, and receive practical training related to sustainable electronics and microelectronics.

The call has a total available budget of €20,000 and provides a maximum grant of €1,000 per student. On the basis of the published budget and maximum grant, the call could support up to 20 students if the full budget is allocated at the maximum amount. The activity is tentatively planned for the first week of February 2027.

Official opportunity information is available through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal EU Funding and Tenders Portal.

Opportunity profile

Purpose and thematic scope

The opportunity supports an intensive, in person educational mobility focused on sustainable electronics, microelectronics, and the development of skills relevant to a green and circular economy. It forms part of the wider GreenChips EDU initiative, which addresses the European shortage of highly skilled microelectronics specialists through updated degree programmes, digital learning resources, industry collaboration, mobility, and sustainability oriented training.

The wider project connects universities, research organisations, and industry partners to strengthen education and talent development for the European semiconductor sector. Project activities include redesigned microelectronics education, specialised modules, student mobility, access to research and industrial environments, and training related to sustainable and energy efficient chip technologies.

The specific activity supported by this call is not a research project proposal. Applicants are selected to participate in a pre defined training and mobility programme. The grant therefore supports participation costs and does not appear to fund independent research, equipment purchases, business development, or a separately designed student project.

Activity content and destination

The training will take place at Grenoble INP in France. The programme is expected to combine specialised teaching with visits to research laboratories and major industrial or research facilities in the Grenoble ecosystem.

The published destination activities include visits to CEA Grenoble, STMicroelectronics, and the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility. Participants are also expected to meet Grenoble INP students, supporting academic networking, future mobility opportunities, and connections between students from participating institutions.

The training focus is electronics sustainability. The opportunity is particularly relevant to students seeking exposure to sustainable semiconductor development, industrial electronics, research infrastructure, circular economy concepts, and European university industry collaboration.

Applicant eligibility

The published eligibility condition is specific and restrictive. Applicants must be enrolled in a master's degree programme in the field of electronics offered by the ETSETB telecommunications school at UPC.

The call is therefore aimed at currently enrolled UPC students who satisfy both elements of the requirement: master's level enrolment and participation in an eligible electronics related programme offered by ETSETB. The available information does not indicate that undergraduate students, doctoral candidates, graduates, staff members, students from other UPC schools, or students from external universities may apply.

The call does not appear to be open to organisations, companies, research institutes, or consortia as applicants. It is an individual student mobility opportunity administered by UPC.

Eligibility and selection criteria

The selection committee will assess applications using the following published criteria.

The published criteria amount to a maximum of 24 points. The information available does not specify the minimum qualifying score, the method for resolving ties, the evidence required for vulnerability status, the exact treatment of gender related points, or whether academic performance and passed credits are normalised across different master's programmes.

Applicants should prepare clear evidence for each criterion that may require verification, particularly academic results, passed electronics credits, and any documentation supporting a vulnerability situation. The call information does not provide a definitive document checklist, so applicants should follow the instructions displayed in the UPC e Office procedure and any accompanying call document.

Funding and eligible costs

The maximum financial support is €1,000 per student. The funding is intended to cover costs associated with participating in the mobility activity, specifically travel, accommodation, and meals.

The published arrangements indicate that expenses will be paid mainly through UPC. Students will be reimbursed only for eligible expenses that they pay directly. This means the grant should not be treated automatically as an unrestricted lump sum or general scholarship. Students should retain invoices, receipts, tickets, boarding documents, and other supporting evidence for any costs they pay themselves.

The available information does not state a separate funding rate, daily subsistence rate, distance band, unit cost, advance payment mechanism, exchange rate rule, or treatment of unused funds. It also does not confirm whether all travel and accommodation costs will be arranged centrally by UPC or whether students will need to make some bookings themselves.

The maximum grant is a ceiling rather than a guaranteed payment of €1,000. The amount actually received or reimbursed may be lower if eligible costs are below the ceiling, if costs are not adequately documented, or if particular expenditure is excluded under the detailed call rules.

Indicative budget capacity

The relationship between the total call budget and the individual ceiling is as follows.

Application procedure

Applications must be submitted through the UPC e Office. The published information does not identify an alternative submission channel, email submission route, or EU Funding and Tenders Portal application form for students.

Applicants should use the UPC electronic administration platform and complete the procedure before the stated deadline. The UPC e Office is available at UPC Electronic Office.

The UPC e Office provides the institutional electronic procedures used by the university. Applicants should verify the applicable procedure, authentication requirements, permitted file formats, electronic signature requirements, receipt confirmation, and the time shown by the platform. A submission should be made sufficiently early to allow for technical problems or missing attachments.

Likely application preparation

The published metadata does not provide a complete list of required application documents. Based on the eligibility and evaluation criteria, applicants should be prepared to provide information or evidence concerning the following matters.

Only documents and fields required by the official UPC procedure and detailed call document should be submitted. Applicants should not assume that a motivation letter, recommendation letter, language certificate, or separate travel budget is mandatory unless the electronic procedure or call document expressly requires it.

Evaluation, notification, and results

Applications will be evaluated by a selection committee against the published scoring criteria. Results will be published on the GreenChips EDU webpage. The available call information does not state the date of publication, whether a reserve list will be created, or the procedure for appeals or requests for review.

Selected students should expect additional administrative instructions concerning travel, accommodation, meals, insurance, attendance, reimbursement, and documentation. Participation may require compliance with UPC and Grenoble INP rules and with any instructions issued by the mobility organisers.

Conditions and practical considerations

The activity is expected to be physical and attendance based in Grenoble, France. Applicants should be available during the planned period in the first week of February 2027 and should allow for possible travel before or after the scheduled training dates.

The activity includes visits to industrial and research facilities. Access may be subject to security, confidentiality, identification, visitor registration, health and safety, or other site specific conditions. Participants may need to follow instructions issued by CEA Grenoble, STMicroelectronics, ESRF, Grenoble INP, or UPC.

The published description does not specify the language of instruction. Given the international nature of the GreenChips EDU consortium and the participating institutions, applicants should verify the working language directly in the detailed call document or with the UPC organisers before applying.

The information provided does not specify visa requirements, travel insurance, medical insurance, accident coverage, liability coverage, accessibility arrangements, or rules for participants with special needs. These matters should be checked in the detailed call documentation and the instructions issued to selected students.

Strategic relevance for applicants

The opportunity is particularly suitable for students who want to combine advanced electronics education with sustainability, industrial exposure, European mobility, and networking with universities and semiconductor related organisations.

Key risks and points requiring confirmation

The opportunity is well defined at a high level, but several operational details are not included in the available portal text. Applicants should verify these points in the linked detailed call document or through the official UPC contact route before committing to travel arrangements.

Applicant action plan

Overall assessment

This is a narrowly targeted, low value but practically useful mobility grant for eligible UPC electronics master's students. Its principal benefit is access to a concentrated international training experience at Grenoble INP, combined with exposure to CEA Grenoble, STMicroelectronics, and ESRF. The funding is designed to defray participation costs rather than provide a flexible student stipend.

The call is most attractive to applicants with strong academic performance and a high proportion of passed electronics credits, while the additional points for gender balance and vulnerability may improve the competitiveness of eligible applicants in those categories. Because the budget is limited to €20,000 and support is capped at €1,000 per student, competition may be significant if more than approximately 20 students apply for maximum grants.

The main compliance issue is the strict institutional eligibility condition. Students outside the specified ETSETB master's programmes are unlikely to be eligible even if they study electronics elsewhere. The main financial issue is that reimbursement is limited to eligible, documented expenditure and may not equal the maximum grant. The main practical issue is that the February 2027 schedule is described as tentative and the detailed travel and reimbursement rules are not included in the portal extract.

Sources and verification

The core call facts in this report are taken from the official EU Funding and Tenders Portal opportunity record, including the deadline, budget, eligibility, selection criteria, grant ceiling, reimbursement approach, project identification, and task description 1.

The broader GreenChips EDU project context is supported by project partner information describing its focus on sustainable microelectronics education, student mobility, university industry collaboration, and semiconductor skills development 2.

The UPC electronic submission environment is described by the official UPC Electronic Office page 3.

Footnotes

1. 1Official opportunity record: UPC GREENCHIPS EDU 2027 call.
2. 2GreenChips EDU project information: GreenChips EDU project overview.
3. 3Official UPC electronic administration platform: UPC Electronic Office.