XiA: bringing skills gaps in advanced digital health
XiA - Xpanding Innovative Alliance - is a groundbreaking initiative in Europe's digital health scenario that aims to address the challenges of interoperability within the European Health Data Space. This is a central initiative powered by the European Union whose aim is to revolutionize the way health data is managed across the 27 member states. Basically, the objectives of the XiA project are (1) developing and disseminating high-quality training materials and courses to prepare healthcare professionals for the advanced standards of the European Health Data Space (EHDS) regulation, (2) broadening educational frameworks and delivering practical, real-world applications that empower healthcare professionals, IT providers, and digital health solution developers.
Funded by the EU, XiA project consortium is led by ISCTE - Conhecimento e Inovacao (Portugal) and encompasses leading academic institutions, hospitals, private enterprises and NGOs scattered throughout Europe.
This 4-year-project with 17 partners and 6 associated partners (GA n. 101187650) has been granted around €4 million, funded within the scope of the Erasmus+ programme, under the call "Partnerships for Innovation - Alliances for Sectoral Cooperation on Skills" (ERASMUS-EDU-2024-PI-ALL-INNO-BLUEPRINT). Our participation in this project represents a milestone in our institution as it is the first time that we are successful in the Erasmus+ program. This call aims to strengthen Europe's innovation capacity through cooperation and flow of knowledge, focusing on talent and skills development.
Our participation in the project as Associated partner of the consortium, is focused on supporting the Needs Analysis and Survey of HCF, the implementation and evaluation of the XiA courses, and the creation of tailored educational pathways for cardiology professionals. The Cardiology Department of HRC will contribute by identifying digital skill gaps, providing feedback on training activities, and engaging in the Community of Practice to promote collaboration. The Cardiology Department will actively provide clinical insights, support micro-credential design, and foster interoperability and cybersecurity integration to ensure alignment with real-world challenges.
At our institution, the principal investigator is Dr. JOSÉ LUIS ZAMORANO GÓMEZ, head of the Cardiovascular Diseases group (Area 5 - Chronic Pathologies and Surgery Research) and Dr. MARTA JIMÉNEZ-BLANCO BRAVO, cardiology specialist, participates as a researcher in the project.
This EU-funded project will make a significant contribution, building towards a more efficient, integrated and citizen-centric European healthcare ecosystem.
"Congratulations to the IRYCIS team for their enthusiasm in participating in new European Union programs, fostering multidisciplinary in health research and promoting an innovative European ecosystem."
