At a glance

• Why the project
• Project description
• EHTEL’s role
• What’s in it for EHTEL members
• Perspectives and next steps
• For more information

Why the project

The European Health Data Space (EHDS) is now “on the launch pad”. Interoperability – a core element worked on by XiA – is a key enabler for seamless and secure health data exchange across Europe. The EHDS is absolutely based on the need for work by digital health professionals who have interoperability skills. XiA is creating blocs of certified open source micro-courses. By 2028, the project will be expanded into a Europe-wide collaborative learning network, with the involvement of all the members of the alliance.

 

Project description

XiA – the Xpanding Innovation Alliance – is a four-year project which will run until December 2028. Its objective is to focus on bridging the skills gap in digital health interoperability and establishing a sustainable and scalable educational framework.

This focus exists because of the arrival on the scene of the European Health Data Space (EHDS) which points to the need for digital health professionals who have advanced interoperability skills.

Already, XiA operates a community of expertise which implementers are invited to join.

As a result, XiA is creating blocs of open source micro-courses. The blocs are to be combined in the most flexible way so as to provide learning experiences (or pathways) fit for the needs of different types of stakeholder. They can be used in educational institutions as well as in enterprise settings, and they earn certification for learners. The certification includes standards such as European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) and micro-credits.

Overall, XiA will have six outputs:

 

XiA consists of a large consortium of 42 organisations which range over hospitals, industry leaders, and small and medium-sized enterprises.

Among the 20 countries participating in XiA are: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Canada.

EHTEL’s role

EHTEL is an associate member of XiA. It liaises closely with XiA on its overall work, milestones, and dissemination. It is currently encouraging the involvement of digital health implementers in the project.

What’s in it for EHTEL members?

EHTEL’s associate member role will be of help to you whether:

• You implement digital health or a health data space.
• You run a hospital or are a key player in one.
• You are an IT professional or an IT provider/vendor.
• You want to anticipate all the steps needed to be “EHDS-ready”.

Getting involved means your implementer voice will be heard whenever credentialled education on interoperability is discussed, designed or developed. It will assist, ultimately, with the ongoing implementation of the EHDS.

Perspectives and next steps

In the immediate future, XiA is organising a series of surveys on people’s experiences with implementation, deployment, electronic health records, artificial intelligence (AI), cyber-security, and awareness of or readiness for the EHDS. Filling in the survey should take you no more than 15-20 minutes.

The main respondents are encouraged to be:

• Digital health vendors and implementers.
• Healthcare professionals and implementers.
• Patients.

By participating in it, you will:

• Contribute to a growing European effort to transform policy into practical implementation.
• Help identify implementation barriers.
• Share experiences.
• Generate insights that can support the successful deployment of interoperable health data exchange across Europe.

Later by 2028, XiA will set up innovative training courses and pathways and a collaborative learning network across Europe. The courses, pathways, and network will be based on:

• Modular training and micro-certifications tailored to individual needs for flexible skills upgrading.
• Open-source educational content for free, long-term access.
• European alliance between universities, companies, and public institutions.

For more information

• Contact EHTEL’s contact point, Marc Lange
  
• To read more about XiA courses e.g., on cyber-security, and see XiA launches it first open learning session on cyber-security.
• Visit the XiA
  
• Contact the project coordinator 

 

XiA is funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

XiA Grant Agreement: 101187650