EU funnels €5M into photonics education network

The European Commission has launched a 5-million-euro initiative to establish a European-wide photonics education and training network. Dubbed the “Photonics education network for next-gen innovation and digital skills excellence for industry and society,” or Phortify, the program creates a European-wide photonics curriculum across seven master’s programs and modules co-designed with industry.

Phortify will offer a shared 30 ECTS track embedded in local programs, combining online and in-person learning with access to top labs and XR-enabled remote facilities. In addition, it will launch flexible, stackable microcredentials for professionals, addressing growing demand for upskilling in photonics-enabled sectors such as telecom, healthcare and manufacturing.

Phortify is coordinated by the Vrije Universiteit Brussel with twelve partners from nine countries, including Eindhoven University of Technology and Smart Photonics in the Netherlands, ICFO in Spain and Active Fiber Systems in Germany. The project runs from September 2025 through August 2029 under the EU’s Digital Europe program.