The DS4Skills blueprint unveils a transformative vision for the Skills & Education Data Space, underpinned by a series of actionable recommendations:
- Embrace Collaborative Governance: Foster a governance model that accommodates the complexity of multi-layered, multi-dimensional decision-making. Engage stakeholders from public and private sectors, big and small entities, in shaping governance standards, rules, and agreements. Support a Data Space Governance Authority (DSGA) comprising both public and private entities to oversee data space governance, Prometheus-X [Prometheus-X] seems like a good candidate for such a role.
- Prioritize Human-Centricity: Place users at the forefront by adopting a human-centric approach to data management. Implement Personal Data Intermediaries (PDIs) [Prometheus-X Architecture] to empower users with control and transparency over their data. Ensure compliance with legal requirements, such as GDPR [GDPR] and AI Act [AI Act], to build trust and protect user data.
- Craft Inclusive User Experiences: Recognize the pivotal role of user experience in attracting and retaining participants. Prioritize clear and accessible interfaces that comply with usability regulations, ensuring inclusivity for all, including those with disabilities or language limitations.
- Invest in Technical Foundations: Build a robust technical infrastructure based on decentralized protocols and open-source building blocks. Enhance semantic and conceptual interoperability to bridge gaps between diverse data structures and vocabularies. Consider the promising advancements in Language Models for addressing interoperability challenges.
- Promote Business Flexibility: Develop adaptable business models, spanning transactional to subscription-based approaches, to accommodate the evolving data landscape. Enable data providers, service providers, and orchestrators to find value and sustainability within the data space.
- Strategize Growth and Rollout: Kickstart the Skills & Education Data Space through targeted high-value use cases, starting with upskilling citizens in AI. Encourage projects to co-fund initiatives, leveraging the Digital Europe Programme and support from projects like EDGE-Skills led by Prometheus-X [EDGE-Skills]. Foster mutualization at the EU level and create next-generation skills and education products.
- Certify Trusted Data Intermediaries: Ensure trust and interoperability by certifying Data Intermediaries aligned with open-source building blocks. This approach offers participants a choice of providers, eliminating reliance on a single entity while maintaining data sharing across the data space.
- Leverage Cloud Partnerships: Collaborate with cloud service providers and marketplaces to expedite the integration of building blocks and trusted data intermediaries. Form strategic partnerships to streamline the deployment of the data space infrastructure.
- Market to Key Stakeholders: Attract a diverse range of stakeholders, including National Employment Agencies, Edtechs, Ministries, Big Employers, and Training Organizations. Tailor marketing materials to engage each stakeholder segment, showcasing the benefits of participation and contribution.
- Communicate and Coordinate: Launch a coordinated communication campaign to promote use cases, call for projects, and data space infrastructure. Encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing among stakeholders, ensuring the integration of building blocks into their IT solutions.
Incorporating these recommendations into the Skills & Education Data Space journey will pave the way for a thriving, trusted, and open ecosystem where data serves as a catalyst for innovation and empowerment. DS4Skills sets the course; it is now up to stakeholders to embark on this transformative path together.
