Posted on June 16, 2025
The Digital4Business Joint Professional Master’s in Advanced Digital Technologies for Business reached a significant milestone this June with its official launch in Ireland. Hosted at the National College of Ireland (NCI) on 12 and 13 June 2025, the event brought together representatives from academia, industry, and policy across Europe to mark the opening of applications for this innovative EU-funded Master’s programme.
The launch represents a key step in Europe’s broader mission to address the digital skills gap, equipping professionals with the advanced expertise required to meet the demands of an increasingly digitalised economy. As digital transformation continues to reshape business, industry, and society, the Digital4Business programme is designed to develop future leaders in areas such as artificial intelligence, data science, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and business transformation.
A Milestone Event in Dublin
The two-day programme commenced on the morning of 12 June with a public launch event at NCI’s city-centre campus in Dublin. The proceedings were expertly moderated by Jeff Sheridan, Director of Matrix Internet, who served as Master of Ceremonies, welcoming guests both in person and online. The hybrid format enabled broad participation from stakeholders across Europe, reflecting the truly pan-European nature of the Digital4Business initiative.
The morning’s opening addresses set the tone for the day, with distinguished speakers highlighting the importance of this ambitious programme and its role within Europe’s digital transformation agenda. Those delivering keynote remarks included:
-
Professor Gina Quin C.Dir., MBA, MSc, BA, President, National College of Ireland, who welcomed guests to the NCI campus and underlined the significance of academic-industry collaboration in building robust educational offerings that meet evolving labour market needs.
-
Mark Jordan, CEO, Skillnet Ireland, who reflected on the critical role of workforce development in Ireland’s and Europe’s competitiveness, emphasising the importance of accessible, advanced training opportunities for businesses navigating digital change.
-
Brian Cochrane, Schuman Associates, who discussed the policy context underpinning the Digital4Business project and the value of EU funding in enabling cross-border cooperation to address shared skills challenges.
-
Carmel Somers, Digital Technology Skills, who highlighted the outcomes of the detailed needs analysis which informed the programme’s design, ensuring that the curriculum responds directly to the evolving requirements of businesses across multiple sectors.
Throughout the opening session, speakers consistently emphasised both the urgency of Europe’s advanced digital skills shortage and the opportunity that targeted, collaborative programmes such as Digital4Business present in addressing this deficit.
Exploring Cross-Sector Collaboration
Following the opening remarks, attendees were invited to participate in a panel discussion chaired by Carmel Somers (Digital Technology Skills), which explored the vital role of cross-sector partnerships in delivering advanced digital skills.
The panel featured:
-
Laure Joachim, The Adecco Group
-
Michelle Thompson, Skillnet Ireland
-
Brian Cochrane, Schuman Associates
Together, the panellists provided valuable insights into how combining academic rigour with real-world business requirements ensures that programmes such as Digital4Business remain highly relevant to employers. The discussion reinforced the importance of continuous dialogue between industry, education providers, and policy leaders to ensure that training remains responsive to emerging technologies and market needs.
The conversation also underscored the broader role of such collaborations in strengthening Europe’s competitiveness, resilience, and innovation capacity, particularly as global competition in digital technologies accelerates.
A Unique, Industry-Driven Master’s Programme
The Digital4Business Joint Professional Master’s in Advanced Digital Technologies for Business is a fully online, industry-informed EU-funded programme. Developed through a unique collaboration of leading European universities, training providers, industry actors, and policy stakeholders, it offers a flexible learning pathway for working professionals seeking to upskill or reskill in emerging digital domains.
With a curriculum covering artificial intelligence, cloud computing, data science, cybersecurity, blockchain, and digital business transformation, the programme is specifically designed to equip participants with the expertise required to lead digital change within their organisations. Importantly, the programme’s flexible structure allows participants to combine study with their ongoing professional responsibilities, ensuring accessibility for those already active in the workforce.
Applications for the Digital4Business Master’s are now open, providing professionals across Europe with an opportunity to gain highly sought-after expertise in the technologies that are shaping the future of business and industry.
Advancing the Consortium’s Mission
The public launch event concluded with a sincere note of thanks to all attendees who joined both in person and online to mark the occasion. However, the work of the consortium did not end there.
On the afternoon of 12 June and throughout 13 June, Digital4Business consortium partners gathered for a series of in-depth planning meetings to continue advancing the implementation of the programme. These sessions allowed partners to review progress to date, assess upcoming deliverables, and engage in detailed discussions aimed at further strengthening programme delivery.
With representatives from across academia, industry, and training organisations in attendance, the consortium reaffirmed its shared commitment to ensuring that Digital4Business delivers an exceptional learning experience, firmly aligned with Europe’s strategic priorities for digital leadership and skills development.
A Collective Commitment to Europe’s Digital Future
The successful launch of Digital4Business in Ireland reflects the strong momentum behind this collaborative European initiative. As the digital landscape evolves at unprecedented speed, the need for agile, highly skilled professionals becomes ever more critical.
Through the continued efforts of the consortium and the support of EU funding, Digital4Business is uniquely positioned to address this need, delivering high-quality training that empowers individuals and strengthens Europe’s digital economy.
The launch event in Dublin marked not only the opening of applications but also the deepening of partnerships that will drive the programme forward in the months and years ahead. The consortium remains committed to working collectively to ensure the ongoing success of Digital4Business and to contribute meaningfully to Europe’s wider digital transformation journey.