Periodic Reporting for period 1 - FutureData4EU (Training Future Big Data Experts for Europe)
Période du rapport: 2023-11-01 au 2025-10-31
FutureData4EU is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie COFUND programme designed to address the growing demand for highly skilled researchers capable of navigating the societal, economic and ethical challenges posed by data-driven transformations in Europe. The project is embedded in the broader European policy context shaped by the digital transition, the European Strategy for Data, and the need to strengthen Europe’s capacity in advanced data science while ensuring that technological innovation remains socially responsible, inclusive and aligned with democratic values.
Across public administrations, industry, and research institutions, there is a recognised skills gap between advanced technical competences in data analysis and the ability to critically assess their social, legal, economic and ethical implications. This gap is particularly evident in areas such as artificial intelligence, big data analytics, and digital infrastructures, where data-driven solutions increasingly influence policy-making, economic competitiveness and citizens’ everyday lives. FutureData4EU responds to this need by promoting an interdisciplinary training model that integrates data science with social sciences and humanities (SSH), fostering a new generation of researchers able to combine technical excellence with critical, contextual and ethical awareness.
The overall objective of the project is to train doctoral candidates with strong methodological competences in data-intensive research, while equipping them with the transversal skills necessary to operate across sectors and disciplines. Through a structured doctoral programme implemented by a consortium of universities in the Emilia-Romagna region, FutureData4EU aims to enhance researchers’ employability, support knowledge transfer between academia and non-academic actors, and contribute to regional, national and European innovation ecosystems.
The project pathway to impact is based on a comprehensive training framework combining high-quality doctoral research, tailored career development support, secondments in non-academic organisations, and a strong emphasis on open science, research integrity and responsible research and innovation. By embedding doctoral research within real-world challenges and fostering collaboration with industry, public institutions and civil society, the project ensures that its results are relevant beyond academia and capable of generating long-term societal and economic value.
A distinctive feature of FutureData4EU is the central role of social sciences and humanities. SSH disciplines contribute not only by analysing the societal implications of data-driven technologies, but also by shaping research questions, methodologies and evaluation frameworks throughout the project. This integration enables fellows to critically engage with issues such as data governance, privacy, inequality, trust, and the societal impacts of digital innovation, thereby strengthening the societal relevance and robustness of the research outcomes.
At scale, the project is expected to contribute to strengthening Europe’s human capital in data-related fields and enhancing the responsible use of data across sectors. By training a cohort of interdisciplinary researchers and embedding them in European and international networks, FutureData4EU aims to generate lasting impacts on research practices, institutional collaboration, and the alignment between technological innovation and societal needs.
Across public administrations, industry, and research institutions, there is a recognised skills gap between advanced technical competences in data analysis and the ability to critically assess their social, legal, economic and ethical implications. This gap is particularly evident in areas such as artificial intelligence, big data analytics, and digital infrastructures, where data-driven solutions increasingly influence policy-making, economic competitiveness and citizens’ everyday lives. FutureData4EU responds to this need by promoting an interdisciplinary training model that integrates data science with social sciences and humanities (SSH), fostering a new generation of researchers able to combine technical excellence with critical, contextual and ethical awareness.
The overall objective of the project is to train doctoral candidates with strong methodological competences in data-intensive research, while equipping them with the transversal skills necessary to operate across sectors and disciplines. Through a structured doctoral programme implemented by a consortium of universities in the Emilia-Romagna region, FutureData4EU aims to enhance researchers’ employability, support knowledge transfer between academia and non-academic actors, and contribute to regional, national and European innovation ecosystems.
The project pathway to impact is based on a comprehensive training framework combining high-quality doctoral research, tailored career development support, secondments in non-academic organisations, and a strong emphasis on open science, research integrity and responsible research and innovation. By embedding doctoral research within real-world challenges and fostering collaboration with industry, public institutions and civil society, the project ensures that its results are relevant beyond academia and capable of generating long-term societal and economic value.
A distinctive feature of FutureData4EU is the central role of social sciences and humanities. SSH disciplines contribute not only by analysing the societal implications of data-driven technologies, but also by shaping research questions, methodologies and evaluation frameworks throughout the project. This integration enables fellows to critically engage with issues such as data governance, privacy, inequality, trust, and the societal impacts of digital innovation, thereby strengthening the societal relevance and robustness of the research outcomes.
At scale, the project is expected to contribute to strengthening Europe’s human capital in data-related fields and enhancing the responsible use of data across sectors. By training a cohort of interdisciplinary researchers and embedding them in European and international networks, FutureData4EU aims to generate lasting impacts on research practices, institutional collaboration, and the alignment between technological innovation and societal needs.
During the first reporting period, the recruitment procedure for the 53 Doctoral Candidates has been completed, through two calls and a multi step evaluation process, leading to the allocation of almost all available PhD positions.
Following the selection, the FutureData4EU Doctoral Programme entered the implementation phase, with candidates enrolled in the relevant doctoral cycles at the partner universities.
The first cohort of doctoral candidates started their activities on 1 March 2025, while the second cohort began on 1 November 2025, also as a result of the second call launched to fill the remaining available PhD positions.
To support the start of the research activities, transversal training actions were organised on topics such as data management and protection, privacy, research ethics, and compliance with European ethical and legal requirements.
These initial activities aim to provide doctoral candidates with a shared set of basic skills, complementing the specific scientific training offered by each doctoral programme. These activities will be re-organized for the second cohort of doctoral candidates in order to also support the draft or the relevant deliverables.
In parallel, work is ongoing on the finalization of the structured training programme covering the entire duration of the doctorate, integrating the needs of both the first and second cohorts. The programme will include advanced training modules, networking opportunities and career development actions, jointly developed with the implementing partner universities, Associated Partners and ART-ER (Emilia Romagna Region Agency working on innovation and knowledge, attractiveness and internationalisation of the territory).
Following the selection, the FutureData4EU Doctoral Programme entered the implementation phase, with candidates enrolled in the relevant doctoral cycles at the partner universities.
The first cohort of doctoral candidates started their activities on 1 March 2025, while the second cohort began on 1 November 2025, also as a result of the second call launched to fill the remaining available PhD positions.
To support the start of the research activities, transversal training actions were organised on topics such as data management and protection, privacy, research ethics, and compliance with European ethical and legal requirements.
These initial activities aim to provide doctoral candidates with a shared set of basic skills, complementing the specific scientific training offered by each doctoral programme. These activities will be re-organized for the second cohort of doctoral candidates in order to also support the draft or the relevant deliverables.
In parallel, work is ongoing on the finalization of the structured training programme covering the entire duration of the doctorate, integrating the needs of both the first and second cohorts. The programme will include advanced training modules, networking opportunities and career development actions, jointly developed with the implementing partner universities, Associated Partners and ART-ER (Emilia Romagna Region Agency working on innovation and knowledge, attractiveness and internationalisation of the territory).
At the time of reporting, the 45 individual doctoral research projects are at an early stage of implementation. As such, research activities are primarily focused on project set-up, refinement of research questions, and methodological design. Given this initial phase, no measurable impacts beyond the state of the art can yet be identified. Expected impacts will materialise in subsequent phases of the project as research progresses and results are generated. However, this foundational phase is essential to ensure the scientific robustness, relevance, and future impact potential of the research activities.