UPRAISE specialized learning activity/selfstanding module in the Public Administration area: “Digital Transformation, Artificial Intelligence and Virt...

Financial Support to Third Parties call by UPRAISE and the University of Napoli Federico II offers tuition and enrolment fee waivers for students admitted to or enrolled in two UNINA postgraduate programmes, linked to a mandatory 24-hour online specialised learning activity on digital transformation, artificial intelligence and virtual worlds for public administration. Cycle 1 total allocation is €20,000 with up to four beneficiaries and maximum support per beneficiary €5,000, with a tuition cap of €4,000 for the Master in Public Managerial Practice and €5,000 for the Master in Digital Transformation of Public Administration; support is provided as fee waivers only and must respect double funding rules. Applicants must meet programme entry and UPRAISE or Digital Europe nationality eligibility, be admitted or enrolled in an eligible Master, submit required documents electronically to UNINA, and comply with attendance and assessment conditions to retain support. The call was published on 17 September 2026, the submission deadline is 18 November 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time, and selection is by a UNINA Selection Committee using a 100-point scoring system with a minimum threshold of 70.

Who can apply

Eligibility highlights

Students who meet the academic entry requirements and are formally admitted or enrolled in one of the specified UNINA Master's programmes (see table) and who undertake the mandatory UPRAISE specialised module in Public Administration are eligible. Applicants must satisfy UPRAISE/Digital Europe nationality rules, comply with UNINA administrative requirements and must not receive other EU funding for the same tuition costs.

Funding available:Total Cycle 1 allocation €20,000; up to 4 beneficiaries; maximum support per beneficiary €5,000 (fee waivers only). Awards are full or partial tuition/enrolment fee waivers and cannot be paid in cash ¹.

1. 1Mandatory participation in the 24-hour UPRAISE specialised module (70% attendance + positive final assessment).
2. 2Selection based on academic background, motivation and CV (100-point scale; minimum 70 to be considered).
3. 3Selection will consider financial need, widening participation and diversity.

Key dates:Call publication 17 Sep 2026; deadline 18 Nov 2026, 17:00 Brussels time. Apply through the UNINA procedure when the call is published (application period at least two months).

Contacts:University of Napoli Federico II, DEMI — Scientific Coordinator Prof. Paolo Canonico (pcanonic@unina.it); FSTP Call contact Dr. Lucio Todisco (lucio.todisco@unina.it). More information and the official call on the EU portal: EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Footnotes

1. 1The call is launched by UPRAISE and support is granted by UPRAISE under its own responsibility; publication on the EU portal is for visibility only.

Opportunity summary

Call title:UPRAISE specialised learning activity/self-standing module in the Public Administration area: Digital Transformation, Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Worlds for Public Administration. Host organisation: University of Napoli Federico II (UNINA), Department of Economics, Management and Institutions (DEMI). Project: UPRAISE – Virtual Worlds Innovation Masters: Shaping Future Digital Skills Europe, Grant Agreement 101225920, implemented under the Digital Europe Programme and coordinated by the University of Bologna. Call type: Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) within Task T5.2 Mobility, mentorship and (non-)financial support for students. Opening date: 17 September 2026. Submission deadline: 18 November 2026, 17:00 Brussels time (single-stage). Total UNINA Cycle 1 allocation: €20,000.

Deadlines and timeline:Publication: 17 September 2026. Application period: 2 months (call remains open at least two months). Eligibility check: after call closure. Evaluation and ranking: 2 weeks after call closure. Communication of results: 1 week after evaluation. Application of fee waiver: following award and completion of UNINA procedures. UPRAISE learning activities: academic year 2026/2027. Deadline for submission: 18 November 2026 17:00 (Brussels time).

What the call funds

Type of financial support:Tuition and enrolment fee waivers (full or partial). No cash payments to beneficiaries. Support covers tuition/enrolment fees only and will be administered by UNINA as fee waivers in compliance with university procedures and UPRAISE Grant Agreement. Maximum FSTP support per beneficiary: €5,000. Maximum total Cycle 1 allocation for UNINA: €20,000. Maximum number of beneficiaries for Cycle 1: 4.

Programme-specific tuition caps:Master in Public Managerial Practice: tuition fee €4,000; maximum FSTP support €4,000. Master in Digital Transformation of Public Administration: tuition fee €10,000; maximum FSTP support €5,000. Any awarded amount must respect double funding prohibition.

Educational pathway and mandatory activity

Eligible beneficiaries must be admitted to or enrolled in one of the UNINA postgraduate programmes linked to the call for academic year 2025/2026: Master in Public Managerial Practice and Master in Digital Transformation of Public Administration. FSTP beneficiaries are required to undertake and successfully complete a dedicated UPRAISE specialised learning activity/self-standing module: Digital Transformation, Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Worlds for Public Administration.

Module format and learning outcomes:The UPRAISE specialised learning activity comprises 24 hours of online learning, complementary to the Master's curriculum. The thematic focus includes Artificial Intelligence and data-driven public services; Virtual Worlds, immersive technologies and digital twins; organisational and managerial implications of emerging technologies; and innovation in public services. The activity aims to enable participants to understand opportunities, organisational implications and governance challenges of adopting these technologies in the public sector and to apply knowledge to public administration contexts.

Completion requirements:attendance of at least 70% of scheduled activities and a positive final assessment. Successful participants receive a UPRAISE Certificate of Completion. For Cycle 1 the module does not award ECTS credits. Participation and successful completion of the specialised activity are mandatory to maintain FSTP support.

Eligibility and applicant types

Eligible applicant profile:Individual students admitted to or enrolled in the specified UNINA Master programmes who meet academic entry requirements and satisfy nationality/country eligibility conditions under the UPRAISE Grant Agreement and the Digital Europe Programme.

1. 1Eligible Applicant Types: Individual students (enrolled/admitted) meeting programme academic entry requirements. Applicants must comply with UNINA administrative requirements and not receive other EU funding for the same tuition/enrolment costs.
2. 2Funding Type: Grant delivered as Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) in the form of tuition and enrolment fee waivers (non-cash).
3. 3Consortium Requirement: Single applicants (individual students). This is not a consortium call.
4. 4Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): Applicants must satisfy nationality/country eligibility rules applicable under the UPRAISE Grant Agreement and the Digital Europe Programme. The call is administered by an Italian university and published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal; the English version is reference and an Italian version may be available.
5. 5Target Sector: Education and training in digital public administration, covering themes: digital transformation, artificial intelligence, virtual worlds/immersive technologies/digital twins, public sector innovation and governance.
6. 6Mentioned Countries: Italy explicitly (University of Napoli Federico II). Broader context: EU/Digital Europe Programme beneficiaries (Europe) as governed by UPRAISE Grant Agreement; no other countries explicitly listed in call text.
7. 7Project Stage: Education/training for advanced digital skills; intended for learners at the postgraduate level (development/skill acquisition; not R&D project funding).
8. 8Funding Amount: Total allocation €20,000 for UNINA Cycle 1; up to €5,000 per beneficiary; up to four beneficiaries. Tuition-specific caps: €4,000 maximum support for Master in Public Managerial Practice, €5,000 maximum support for Master in Digital Transformation of Public Administration.
9. 9Application Type: Open call (published and open for at least two months) with electronic submission through the procedure specified by UNINA. Single-stage evaluation.
10. 10Nature of Support: Non-cash monetary support in the form of fee waivers (money equivalent applied as tuition reduction, not direct payment).
11. 11Application Stages: Two main procedural stages are described: eligibility check followed by evaluation/selection. Overall process: submission (stage 1), eligibility check (stage 2), evaluation and ranking by Selection Committee (stage 3), award decision and administrative acceptance (stage 4).
12. 12Success Rates: Not provided explicitly. Maximum 4 beneficiaries to be funded; success rate depends on number of eligible applicants and ranking. Applicants scoring at least 70/100 may be considered for funding subject to resource availability.
13. 13Co-funding Requirement: No explicit applicant cash co-funding required. Award takes form of tuition waiver; applicants must not receive other EU financial support covering the same tuition/enrolment costs and must comply with double-funding rules.

Application, documents and evaluation

Application procedure:Electronic submission through UNINA-specified platform. The published call will contain opening and closing dates, submission platform and contacts. Late or alternative channel submissions will not be considered. Admission to the Master programme and selection for FSTP support are separate procedures; admission does not guarantee FSTP support.

Required application documents (minimum set):1. Transcript of Records or equivalent academic documentation; 2. Curriculum Vitae, maximum 3 pages, without photograph; 3. Personal Statement/Motivation Letter, maximum 3 pages, addressing motivation, relevance to UPRAISE and expected impact; 4. Copy of valid passport or identity document; 5. Any additional documents required by UNINA to verify eligibility. Applicants may need to declare other financial support and provide supporting documentation for financial-need, widening or inclusion criteria where relevant.

Language requirements:Applicants must demonstrate proficiency in the language of instruction for the selected programme and associated UPRAISE activities as established by UNINA. Some activities and materials may be delivered in English.

Evaluation and selection criteria

Eligible applications pass to evaluation by a Selection Committee appointed by UNINA. Scoring is on a 100-point scale with explicit weights. Applicants must meet eligibility and administrative requirements to be considered for funding. Diversity, inclusion and widening participation considerations will be integrated; in cases of equal scores preference may be given to underrepresented groups subject to law and institutional rules.

Minimum score to be considered for funding:applicants achieving at least 70/100 may be considered for funding, subject to eligibility and available financial resources.

Selection, award, monitoring and conditions

Selection committee:appointed according to UNINA rules; members act independently and impartially, respecting confidentiality and conflict-of-interest rules. Ranking and award: financial support awarded to highest-ranked eligible applicants above threshold, up to four beneficiaries. Reserve list: eligible applicants above threshold not funded may be placed on a reserve list in ranking order. If selected applicant withdraws or loses eligibility UNINA may offer support to next applicant on reserve list.

Conditions for maintaining support:beneficiaries must remain enrolled/admitted to the relevant Master, successfully complete the UPRAISE specialised activity (70% attendance + positive final assessment), comply with academic and administrative requirements, provide monitoring information and promptly notify changes affecting eligibility or funding. Support is recorded administratively and audited; UNINA retains documentation for audit trail.

Fee waiver mechanics and double funding:The FSTP support is implemented as a tuition/enrolment fee waiver applied by UNINA. No part of the support will be paid directly to beneficiaries. Awards must comply with double funding rules under UPRAISE Grant Agreement and FSTP Guidelines. The benefit amount will be individually recorded in UNINA accounting.

Administrative and legal notes

Publication and visibility:call will be published through UPRAISE/HaDEA channels, EU Funding & Tenders Portal, Digital Skills and Jobs Platform (DSJP), UPRAISE project website and UNINA institutional channels. English is the reference version; an Italian version may be available. Disclaimer: The call is NOT an EU action; it is launched solely by UPRAISE and UNINA. Any financial support will be granted directly by UPRAISE/UNINA under their sole responsibility; publication on the EU portal is for visibility only and does not imply EU endorsement.

Redress, data protection and audits:a redress procedure is provided according to UPRAISE FSTP Guidelines and UNINA procedures. Personal data are processed in accordance with applicable data protection legislation and UNINA privacy notice. UNINA will retain records for monitoring and audit purposes.

Contacts

University of Napoli Federico II, Department of Economics, Management and Institutions – DEMI. UPRAISE Project – UNINA Unit. Scientific Coordinator: Prof. Paolo Canonico pcanonic@unina.it. FSTP Call contact: Dr. Lucio Todisco lucio.todisco@unina.it.

Templates and application structure guidance

The call requires standard application documents and short templates/limits. Suggested structure to prepare materials consistent with call requirements: CV (max 3 pages, no photo) with academic history, relevant professional experience, skills and achievements; Personal Statement/Motivation Letter (max 3 pages) structured with: 1) introduction and current status (enrolled/admitted programme); 2) motivation and interest in digital transformation, AI and virtual worlds; 3) relevance of proposed pathway to academic/professional goals; 4) expected contribution to UPRAISE objectives and public administration practice; 5) any circumstances relevant to widening participation or financial need (optional). Transcript or certified academic records and copy of identity document must be provided. If applicable, prepare a declaration on other financial support and evidence to ensure no double funding.

• Application form: electronic submission via UNINA-specified platform. The final call will specify the exact electronic submission portal and instructions.
• Required attachments: Transcript, CV (3 pages), Motivation Letter (3 pages), ID/passport copy, any additional UNINA-specified documents to verify eligibility.
• Scoring focus: allocate most detail to academic background and motivation sections since 65% and 25% of score respectively.

Structured quick reference table

Final summary

This call is a Financial Support to Third Parties scheme launched by the University of Napoli Federico II as part of the UPRAISE Virtual Worlds Innovation Masters project funded under the Digital Europe Programme. It offers up to four tuition/enrolment fee waivers (total UNINA Cycle 1 allocation €20,000) to students admitted to two UNINA postgraduate Masters that address digital transformation in public administration. Beneficiaries must participate in and complete a 24-hour UPRAISE specialised online module on Digital Transformation, Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Worlds for Public Administration, meeting attendance and assessment requirements. Applications are submitted electronically to UNINA within the published two-month window; eligible applications are evaluated by a Selection Committee using transparent scoring (100-point scale, minimum threshold 70). Awards are fee waivers applied administratively by UNINA and are subject to double-funding rules. The call is published for visibility on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal but is an UPRAISE/UNINA initiative and not an EU action. Contact points at UNINA are provided for enquiries.

For full call text and official publication reference see the EU Funding & Tenders Portal listing for this UPRAISE FSTP call UPRAISE UNINA FSTP Call ¹

Footnotes

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

This is a Financial Support to Third Parties call under the UPRAISE project, implemented through the Digital Europe Programme and published on the EU Funding and Tenders Portal for visibility only; the funding is granted by UPRAISE and University of Napoli Federico II, not as a direct EU action [1].

What the opportunity funds

Cycle 1 offers tuition and enrolment fee waivers for students admitted to or enrolled in two postgraduate programmes at the Department of Economics, Management, Institutions of the University of Napoli Federico II, together with mandatory participation in a 24 hour online UPRAISE specialised learning activity on Digital Transformation, Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Worlds for Public Administration [1].

• Master in Public Managerial Practice, with a maximum fee waiver of €4,000 [1].
• Master in Digital Transformation of Public Administration, with a maximum fee waiver of €5,000 [1].
• A 24 hour online module covering artificial intelligence and data driven public services, virtual worlds, immersive technologies and digital twins, organisational and managerial implications, and innovation in public services [1].
• Successful participants receive a UPRAISE Certificate of Completion, and no ECTS credits are awarded in Cycle 1 [1].

Who can apply

Applicants must meet the academic entry requirements of the relevant programme, be formally admitted to or enrolled in one of the two eligible Masters, satisfy the applicable nationality and country eligibility conditions under the UPRAISE Grant Agreement and the Digital Europe Programme, comply with University of Napoli Federico II administrative requirements, and not receive other EU support covering the same tuition or enrolment costs [1].

Admission to the Master programme and selection for the fee waiver are separate procedures, so being admitted does not automatically mean the applicant will receive support [1].

Funding amount and practical limits

The award must respect the prohibition of double funding, meaning the same tuition or enrolment costs cannot be financed twice from EU resources [1].

Selection and scoring

Eligible applications are scored out of 100 points by a Selection Committee appointed by UNINA, and a minimum total score of 70 out of 100 is required to be considered for funding, subject to eligibility and available budget [1].

• Academic background, 65 points [1].
• Motivation and proposed activity, 25 points [1].
• Curriculum Vitae and additional experience, 10 points [1].

If scores are equal or very similar, preference may be given to applicants from underrepresented groups, subject to legal and institutional rules, and wider financial need, socio economic circumstances, geographical factors, diversity and inclusion may also be taken into account through transparent criteria [1].

Documents and application process

1. 1Transcript of Records or equivalent academic documentation [1].
2. 2Curriculum Vitae of up to 3 pages without a photograph [1].
3. 3Personal Statement or Motivation Letter of up to 3 pages [1].
4. 4Copy of a valid passport or identity document [1].
5. 5Any additional documents requested by UNINA to verify eligibility, including declarations on other funding and double funding compliance if required [1].

Applications must be submitted electronically through the procedure set by UNINA, and late applications or applications sent through other channels will not be considered [1].

Deadline and timeline

Conditions to keep the support

Beneficiaries must remain eligible, follow the relevant educational pathway, attend at least 70 percent of the scheduled module activities, achieve a positive final assessment, and comply with academic, administrative, monitoring and reporting obligations throughout implementation [1].

Why this opportunity may matter

This call is targeted at students who want advanced training at the intersection of public administration, digital transformation and emerging technologies, with a direct financial benefit through a fee waiver and a structured learning module that ends with a certificate [1].

Contacts

University of Napoli Federico II, Department of Economics, Management and Institutions, UPRAISE Project UNINA Unit. Scientific Coordinator: Prof. Paolo Canonico, pcanonic@unina.it. FSTP Call contact: Dr. Lucio Todisco, lucio.todisco@unina.it [1].