The project aimed to strengthen European skills on 5G and future networks by developing an innovative training offer adapted to diverse audiences: students, researchers, teachers, policy makers, professionals, and youth. The ambition was to establish a structured set of training opportunities, enabling learners to valorise their achievements and ensuring overall coherence through coordination among partners. This offer relied on a variety of formats: seminars, intensive courses, hackathons, practical exercises, MOOCs, and workshops. It was based on active pedagogy (“learning by challenge”) and the complementarity of the partners. The project was structured around four European challenges: 5G for a competitive industry, 5G for a sovereign Europe, 5G for innovators, and Trust in 5G. The expected results included the creation of four thematic training pathways, the organisation of emblematic events (e.g. the Drone Grand Prix), awareness-raising for the general public, and above all the long-term strengthening of the capacity of partner universities to jointly offer a common training portfolio on future networks.
The project was born from a shared observation: future networks, and in particular 5G, are the backbone of the digital revolution. Their deployment opens major perspectives for industry, healthcare, agriculture, and energy, but also raises critical questions regarding security, European sovereignty, and citizens’ trust. Training opportunities on 5G remained limited in higher education and were almost absent for other groups (policy makers, businesses, civil society, youth). The spread of misinformation (e.g. rumours linking 5G and COVID-19) highlighted the urgent need for reliable and pedagogical communication. The Future Networks Academy responded to these needs by: strengthening the skills of students, researchers, and teachers; supporting European innovation and competitiveness; raising awareness among policy makers for better regulation; and involving civil society and younger generations. These objectives are fully aligned with the European Digital Education Action Plan (2021–2027), to which the project provided a concrete response through a structured and innovative offer of training and outreach activities, accessible to a wide diversity of audiences.