The NEBA Alliance is a project consortium funded by the European Commission from 2024 to 2026. The main purpose is to create the conceptual and legal basis for the NEB Academy setup and to establish the initial network of Hubs and training infrastructures.

Main steps and outcomes

The NEBA Alliance’s open co-design is based on a mapping of the construction ecosystem to identify and onboard relevant stakeholders for the co-design process. Key steps of the NEBA Alliance project include:

1. Create a governance model for the Alliance
2. Establish the NEBA Hubs
3. Carry out a skills gaps and needs analysis of target groups
4. Mapping of training providers and materials
5. Build an online portal as single-entry point
6. Onboarding of new Hubs and new members
7. Develop criteria for quality control and a label/seal of excellence
8. Assessment and validation of training courses and contents
9. Co-creation of pilot trainings and mobilities for trainers

1. Setup of NEBA Hubs

Initial NEBA Hubs are created based on the initiatives of the consortium. Developing the joint vision and mission of each hub will be facilitated, and collaborative learning can take place. A joint declaration and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for scaling the NEB Academy network will be established. Business and operating models are co-designed to define administrative structure, working procedures, strategy for sustainability and legacy of hubs over time. The criteria for formal recognition as a NEBA Hub will be developed, facilitated by engaging with key stakeholders, including the EC JRC, relevant professional and industrial organisations, and the NEB community.

2. Open call for onboarding new Hubs and Hub members

The project will facilitate an open, agile process to scout the vast skills/education landscape and to further grow the network: a cascading grant scheme will be offered to emerging Hubs and engaged actors who wish to join the NEBA Alliance. In a merit-based evaluation against objective criteria, the best applications will be selected to receive support funding for onboarding to the Alliance and providing training contents to the NEBA (according to the EC rules for Financial Support to Third Parties). The open call will be announced and launched during the first quarter of 2025.

3. Online Collaborative Platform

To make the trainings widely accessible, the NEBA Alliance will set up an online space as a Single-Entry-Point to the educational contents and training offers. The platform will collect the results of the NEBA ecosystem mapping, to display the competences and complementarities of the NEBA Hub members in the form of interactive canvases/dashboards and searchable databases. It comprises a collective directory/catalogue to training providers and offers, such as programmes courses, open materials, certificates, and a calendar of training events.

4. Collection, validation and labeling of training modules and formats

The NEBA Hubs will cover a broad range of competencies in the fields of interest (biobased materials, building design, circular economy). A range of different topics, formats, target groups, and providers need to be considered when building the NEB Academy.

The detailed characterisation of courses based on course syllabi and various classifications (thematic, geographical, type, target groups, level, language, etc) will provide rich metadata and search options for learners to find suitable training offers that match their needs. This openly accessible and carefully curated course listings will decisively enhance the awareness and reach of all included training providers to target groups all over Europe.

A robust framework of criteria, recognition and quality assurance mechanisms will be developed for NEB Academy members, both organisations and individual trainers who deliver specific training modules and pedagogies in the NEBA Hubs. The label ‘NEB Academy member’ is equivalent to micro-credentials, yet independent of any national accreditation systems, but will reflect EU rules and the values and objectives of the NEB. The label will serve to recognize and support frontrunners in training, skilling across Europe.

NEBA Alliance consortium

The NEBA Alliance consortium involves a diverse group of 14 partners from 11 different EU countries. They form the initial groups of the following Hubs which will be established by the Alliance. The partner descriptions can be found under the Hub page.

• NEBAP Hub (already established in 2023 by University of Primorska and now evolved by satellites at TUL and Holzbau Austria)
• North Hub
• Central Hub
• South Hub
• EU Outreach Hub