EU Boosts Innovation in Emerging Technologies
The European Commission has recently taken significant steps to foster innovation and education in emerging technologies. In April 2025, it issued a call for proposals to establish vocational schools and skills academies in these fields, backed by EU funding. This move follows the EU's identification of four priority sectors: artificial intelligence, semiconductors, quantum technology, and advanced connectivity.
Earlier this year, the EU published a report listing 221 future technologies that could shape Europe's future. Meanwhile, Eurac Research, founded in 1992, has been at the forefront of research, boasting 11 institutes, five centers, and 108 EU projects, including the world's most advanced extreme climate simulation chamber, Terra-x cube.
The University of Innsbruck, a global leader in theoretical physics, is setting benchmarks in quantum computing, quantum optics, and quantum communication. In June 2025, the World Economic Forum (WEF) released its Top 10 Emerging Technologies report, highlighting the latest advancements.
In the Euregio Tyrol, NOI Techpark in Bolzano and Brunico, founded in 2017, and the Free University of Bozen/Bolzano engineering faculty, established in 2023, provide a robust innovation infrastructure. The EU's ambitious innovation strategy focuses on developments in the identified priority sectors.
The EU's emerging technologies initiative, supported by a Competitiveness Compass since January 2025, is driving European leadership in artificial intelligence. With the launch of the action plan for European leadership in AI in April 2025, the EU is committed to investing in and fostering these critical areas, ensuring Europe remains at the forefront of technological progress.
