Pictured from left to right: Jeff Sheridan, Founder and Director, Matrix Internet; Dave Feenan, Director, Digital Technology Skills Ltd; Niamh Smyth TD, Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment with special responsibility for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation; Mark Jordan, Chief Executive, Skillnet Ireland; and Professor Horacio González-Vélez, Head of the Cloud Competency Centre, National College of Ireland.

Digital4Business, a European Commission-funded initiative, announced today (26th November 2025) the opening of fully-funded applications for the January 2026 intake of its Joint Professional Master’s in Advanced Digital Technologies for Business.

Digital4Business brings together 13 academic, industry and innovative partners from six EU member states, including Ireland, creating one of the most comprehensive digital education offerings currently available in Europe.

The Master’s degree aims to narrow the Continent’s digital skills gap by enabling learners to study advanced technologies with four of Europe’s leading Higher Education Institutions, with no fees for those enrolling in the January 2026 intake.

To be jointly delivered online by National College of Ireland, Sweden’s Linköping University, Portugal’s NOVA IMS, and Italy’s University of Bologna, the programme focuses on the skills employers urgently need, including AI for Business, Data Science, Cybersecurity, Cloud Computing, IoT, Blockchain, Generative AI and Digital Transformation.

Ireland is strongly represented in the Digital4Business consortium, with partners including National College of Ireland, Skillnet Ireland, Digital Technology Skills Limited, Matrix Internet, and Terawe.

Speaking at the launch, Minister of State for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, and with special responsibility for Trade Promotion, AI and Digital Transformation, Niamh Symth, TD, said: “I’m genuinely delighted to see Ireland playing such a strong role in this European partnership, and I’d encourage anyone who is curious about the digital space to give this programme serious consideration. It could open many doors. This is a fantastic opportunity for anyone who wants to build real digital skills without the usual cost getting in the way. The programme is practical, flexible and designed with real workplaces in mind, which makes a huge difference.”

The programme offers flexible learning pathways, including Full-Time, Part-Time, and Accelerated formats, as well as micro-credentials, all designed to fit around professional commitments.

Coordinator for the Digital4Business consortium, Professor Horacio González-Vélez, Head of the Cloud Competency Centre at National College of Ireland, said: “Digital4Business is opening doors that were previously closed. This is a turning point. Europe cannot compete globally without a digitally empowered workforce, and access to advanced skills must be radically widened. Digital4Business is doing exactly that by removing financial barriers, bringing together four of Europe’s strongest Higher Education Institutions into one integrated online programme, and giving people the advanced digital capabilities that companies urgently need.”

The deadline for Digital4Business applications is 19th December 2025, with the programme commencing on 19th January 2026. There are no registration, tuition or exam fees for entrants beginning in January 2026 only. Further information is available at digital4business.eu.

About Digital4Business

Digital4Business is a €19.92m EU-funded initiative involving 13 academic, industry and innovation partners across six EU member states, designed to accelerate Europe’s digital capacity by delivering a world-class Joint Professional Master’s in Advanced Digital Technologies for Business.

Bringing together expertise from leading European institutions, the programme offers modules in AI for Business, Cybersecurity, Data Science, Cloud Computing, IoT, Blockchain, Generative AI, Innovation, Digital Transformation and more, ensuring graduates gain the advanced capabilities most urgently required by employers.

Learners benefit from applied work-based projects, dedicated mentorship, pan-European collaboration and extensive industry engagement, creating a uniquely practical and internationally connected learning experience. The January 2026 cohort is uniquely supported with no tuition or registration fees, significantly widening access to advanced digital education and strengthening the pipeline of future-ready talent across Europe.