Pillar 7 of the Talent Booster Mechanism consists of four Working Groups on the topics of: Digital, Health, Research & Innovation and Territorial (in particular urban-rural linkages and quality of life). Their purpose is to exchange experiences and disseminate good practices to help regions address specific professional or territorial challenges which influence a region’s ability to be competitive and attractive for young and highly skilled workforce.
The four groups bring together relevant stakeholders at EU, national and regional level and enhance dialogue and knowledge building between them. Additionally, they aim to identify opportunities and approaches to help mitigate challenges associated with population decline of tertiary educated population and how to harness talent in Europe’s regions.
Please find more information about each Working Group by clicking on the respective tile below:
Aiming at improving digital inclusion and accessibility, tackling digital skills mismatches and declining tertiary-educated labour force in the sector by developing expert networks, sharing best practices, and providing recommendations.
Addressing challenges the health sector is facing due to the tripartite transition (green, digital and demographic), focussing on exploring ways to better deliver health services, ensure sustainable upskilling of the workforce and mitigate challenges and harness opportunities that come with an ageing population.
Focussing on the development of skills within place-based innovation strategies and contributing to the advancement of knowledge valorisation across EU regions by reinforcing the commercialisation of research.
Focussing on improving social inclusion and diversity, and facilitating lifelong learning and regional innovation to create high-skilled jobs. Supporting talent creation through strategies and urban-rural linkages that support essential services and quality of life in demographically vulnerable areas.
The work of the groups will allow to have a deeper insight into how regions dealing with demographic challenges can develop, attract, retain and return talent, by exploring potential solutions and devise instruments linked to the topic of the working group. They aim to:
The Working Groups’ members represent relevant public authorities at EU, national and regional level - also in the regions particularly affected by the declining share of tertiary educated labour force, research and academic institutions and think thanks, public or para-public agencies and associations, business associations, umbrella organisations, collaborative networks, cluster and intermediary organisations, pan-European organisations for regions and civil society organisations, including for instance representatives from workers and employers, NGOs.
Each working group consists of:
Each group is chaired by the Harnessing Talent Platform (HTP) Secretariat, managed by an external contractor under the supervision of the European Commission’s DG REGIO. The HTP secretariat is responsible for the overall management of the working groups as well as the facilitation of digital and physical working group meetings to support the achievement of tangible outcomes.
If you would like to receive more information, please reach out to the HTP Secretariat:
working-groups@harnessingtalentplatform.eu
Between November 2023 and May 2026, working groups will meet at least three times per year, of which at least two meetings will be online and one meeting will be organised as physical meeting in Brussels, within the premises of the European Commission. In addition, WG members regularly meet in smaller groups to discuss and share progress of their work. During these working group meetings, participants contribute to:
The figure below summarises the timeline that the groups are following throughout 2025 and 2026:
