GS4S seeks to better understand global skills shortages in selected sectors (Digital, Care and Construction) and strengthens evidence-based policies through new evidence on various overlooked global mobility schemes.
The project notably investigates how global skills partnerships can become an effective response in practice: such partnerships would create training facilities in non-EU countries, for skills that are in short supply both in the non-EU country and in some EU country (cf. EU Talent Partnerships). The training participants would go on to apply their new skills in either country, ideally reducing skills shortages in both. However, GS4S also evaluates alternatives to migration, such as upskilling workers or investing in automation.
With ‘headquarters’ at Radboud University in the Netherlands, the project is carried out by 14 partners across Europe but also based in Bangladesh, Egypt and Nigeria. The project partner at the EUI is the Migration Policy Centre (MPC).
Among other contributions, the MPC leads a work package on ‘Shortages and responses: a macro-perspective at sector and occupation level’, closely collaborating with the Vienna Institute for Economic Studies (wiiw). The project started in January 2024 and will run for three years.