By creating a sustainable strategic network of major European ICT hubs, the goal of HubLinked is to strengthen Europes software innovation capacity by learning from regions of proven ICT strength and sharing that knowledge will all regions. HubLinked will (i) improve the effectiveness University-Industry (U-I) linkages between computer science faculty and different types of companies (ii) develop global software innovator graduates that can work in any sector and (iii) upskill academic and industry staff to engage in U-I linkages for software innovation. Although the ICT sector is a major economic sector in Europe, HubLinked also includes SMEs in the non-software sector to provide a low-cost low-commitment mechanism to prototype software innovations. An established partnership of large, industry-focused computer science faculties have come together with a representative mix of industry partners (large multinationals, SMEs in both the software and other sectors and start-up companies).

HubLinked has six deliverables

(i) effective U-I linkages (ii) the CSI4 curriculum framework for industry-oriented, internationalised, innovation-focused and interdisciplinary computer science degrees (iii) four Global Labs modules (iv) A portal of study and placement opportunities for students (v) An online professional development for academic and industry staff (vi) Form the HubLinked Association with a long term goal of including a partner from each EU country.

We estimate the HubLinked partnership can directly reach over 3,000 companies, 12,000 students and 400 staff during the lifetime of the project. HubLinked will create a network of European ICT professionals that will increase the innovation capacity and competitiveness of European software hubs and help underpin education, research, innovation, trade and economic development for years to come.