The CSC-EDIC project aims to establish a pan-European, sustainable, and operational framework for addressing the cybersecurity skills gap, by creating a legally recognized European Digital Infrastructure Consortium (EDIC) that integrates governance, infrastructure, and capacity-building mechanisms across Member States. The initiative focuses on building a centralized yet scalable ecosystem that aligns education, industry needs, and public sector requirements, while supporting the development of standardized curricula, certification pathways, and advanced training environments such as cyber labs and cyber ranges. Through a structured set of objectives linked to its Work Packages, CSC-EDIC ensures measurable progress in legal establishment, strategic planning, infrastructure deployment, and large-scale training delivery, ultimately strengthening Europe’s ability to respond to evolving cyber threats and supporting the EU’s digital transformation agenda.

The mission of CSC-EDIC is to enhance Europe’s cyber resilience and strategic autonomy by developing a highly skilled, inclusive, and future-ready cybersecurity workforce, through coordinated action across academia, industry, and public administrations. The project acts as a central hub for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and innovation, supporting initiatives such as the Cybersecurity Skills Academy while leveraging synergies with projects like CADMUS and AKADIMOS. By promoting accessible training, fostering stakeholder engagement, enabling cross-border cooperation, and implementing robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, CSC-EDIC contributes to reducing digital divides, improving competitiveness, and ensuring interoperability of skills and infrastructures across the EU. Its long-term mission is to institutionalize cybersecurity skills development as a core pillar of Europe’s digital ecosystem, ensuring continuous adaptation to emerging technologies and threats.

The CSC – EDIC objectives are organized around four specific pillars: 

1. Knowledge Generation & Trainings: The CSC-EDIC envisions to promote knowledge generation through education and training offers by establishing a common EU approach to cybersecurity training. 

2. Stakeholder Involvement: The CSC-EDIC is expected to call on stakeholders to submit pledges, improve gender balance in cybersecurity, and include measures to address the cybersecurity skills gap in national cybersecurity strategies. 

3. Funding & Projects: The CSC-EDIC will ensure more visibility for funding opportunities and projects for skills-related activities to maximize their impact. 

4. Measuring Progress: The CSC-EDIC is planned to develop a methodology that monitors the evolution of the market and measures the progress achieved to help close the cybersecurity skills gap.