PHOtonics education netwoRk for nexT-gen Innovation and digital skills excellence For industrY and society” (acronim: PHORTIFY)
Project official website: phortify.eu
Social media: LinkedIn — Instagram
Grant Agreement No.: 101226191
Granting Authority: the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HADEA) under the powers delegated by the European Commission
Project duration: 01.09.2025 – 31.08.2029
Project’s Grant Amount: 5 049 318,96 EUR
Grant Amount for WUT: 166 237,74 EUR
WUT’s own contribution: 166 237,74 EUR
Project Manager at PW: Professor Michał Józwik
Project Team: Professor Małgorzata Kujawińska, Professor Robert Sitnik, Professor Tomasz Kozacki, Professor Tomasz Woliński, Professor Urszula Laudyn Wojciech Krauze PhD, Anna Pakuła PhD, Arkadiusz Kuś PhD, Maksymilian Chlipała PhD, Juan Martinez-Carranza PhD, Piotr Lesiak PhD, Weronika Finke MSc
At WUT the project is implemented by the photonics groups from the Faculty of Mechatronics, the Faculty of Physics and the Faculty of Electronics and Information Technology.
Partners:
- Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) — Belgium — Coordinator
- Universiteit Gent (UGent) — Belgium
- Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI) — Italy
- Istituto di Fotonica e Nanotecnologie, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IFN-CNR) – Italy
- Active Fiber Systems GmbH (AFS) — Germany
- Fundació Institut de Ciències Fotòniques (ICFO-CERCA) — Spain
- Technische Universiteit Eindhoven (TU/e) — Netherlands
- Politechnika Warszawska (Warsaw University of Technology, WUT) — Poland
- University of Eastern Finland (UEF) — Finland
- Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena (FSU) — Germany
- Leibniz-Institut für Photonische Technologien e.V. (Leibniz-IPHT) — Germany
- SMART Photonics B.V. — Netherlands
Project description:
The European Commission is investing €5 million to launch Phortify, a Europe-wide photonics education and training network, which aims to build a strong talent pipeline for Europe’s digital industries.
Phortify (Photonics education network for next-gen innovation and digital skills excellence for industry and society) is a Digital Europe Programme action delivered by a consortium of 12 partners from 7 countries coordinated by Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). The initiative harmonises learning outcomes and quality assurance, enables cross-border mobility, and awards certifications to accelerate Europe’s photonics talent pipeline.
Phortify creates a shared photonics curriculum across seven Master’s programmes, complemented by industry-co-designed self-standing modules for professionals. Students and researchers will gain access to Europe’s leading laboratories, digital resources, and instructors, while companies benefit from graduates trained on real tools, workflows, and challenges.
Photonics—the science and engineering of light—enables technologies from high-speed communications and medical imaging to advanced manufacturing and AI. With a global market projected to reach €1.4 trillion by 2032, Phortify ensures Europe remains competitive by equipping the next generation with cutting-edge skills.
The programme places strong emphasis on diversity and inclusion, offering scholarships, mobility support, and mentorship opportunities for underrepresented groups. A digital library, hybrid learning model with remote and XR-enabled labs, and industry-supervised projects will make top-quality training accessible across borders.
