EDU4Standards.eu, a research project funded by the European Union, aims to innovate standardisation education across Europe by developing and piloting an innovative teaching concept for standardisation (ITCoS). The project is dedicated to raising the profile of the field through Academic Standardisation Days and a roadshow of events at EU Higher Education Institutes. By broadening the base of institutions, teachers, and courses that include standardisation, the project builds a community of educators and learners for the future, while working toward the establishment of a single EU Student Standardisation Association.
EDU4Standards.eu addresses the underutilisation of standardisation in education and research. To respond to this need, the project has launched the CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA) aimed at providing guidelines for a competence framework, teaching and training methods, and training content for education on standards and standardisation. The overarching goal is to strengthen the competencies of students, professionals, and other learners, taking European values and interests into account. Under the lead of Fraunhofer ISI, the coordinating institution of the EDU4Standards project, the kick-off event on 16 December 2025 brought together standardisation experts, professors, trainers, and the whole EDU4Standards consortium to ensure the framework remains open, generalised, and appealing for broader international use.
What the CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA) is and why a project should consider it
A CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA) is a document produced within the framework of a CEN/CENELEC Workshop, which serves as an open and flexible environment where stakeholders may collaborate on the development of technical specifications, guidelines, or recommended practices in response to emerging needs. Although CWAs do not carry legal enforceability, they are recognised as useful instruments for supporting voluntary convergence among industry actors, research initiatives, and public institutions. In particular, they may contribute to improving alignment, promoting interoperability, and supporting the wider uptake of new methodologies or technologies across different domains.
EDU4Standards’ CWA
The workshop is anchored by the leadership of the EDU4Standards project, ensuring that the results are directly informed by cutting-edge research and industrial needs. Knut Blind, elected as Workshop Chair, represents Fraunhofer ISI. He is supported by Vice-Chair Rudi Bekkers from the Eindhoven University of Technology, a key project partner.
Moreover, DIN (the German Institute for Standardisation) has been confirmed as the Secretariat for the workshop. This synergy between the consortium, the Secretariat, and the CEN-CENELEC framework ensures that the CWA is not merely a theoretical document but a practical tool designed for immediate implementation across the European Research Area.
A Unified Framework
The CWA emerged in response to a fragmented educational landscape. While standardisation is a cornerstone of the single market, the methods for teaching it have historically remained siloed. By leveraging the CEN Workshop concept, the project is taking rapid action to harmonise these efforts.
A central action resulting from the kick-off discussion is the resolution to move beyond a general academic focus. Specifically, the consortium addressed the need for company training. By removing the restrictive "higher education" label and incorporating "professionals" and "other learners," the project is now developing a framework with the granularity required for corporate and vocational environments.
Scope and Impact
The scope of this CWA is to provide clear guidelines for a skills framework, teaching methods, and training content for standardised education. The main goal is to strengthen the skills of students, professionals, and all types of learners, while keeping European values at the heart of the process. This mission creates a lasting impact by supporting learning at every stage of a career. By including specific details for company training, the project ensures the guidelines are useful for the business world. Furthermore, the plan to share these results specifically targets teachers and trainers, making sure the CWA becomes a helpful, everyday resource for those teaching the next generation.
By connecting this CWA with the wider EDU4Standards mission, the consortium is helping turn scientific discoveries into market-ready products. By standardising how we learn about standards, EDU4Standards is innovating how standardisation is taught.
Trust-IT's Role
In its role as leader of the Communication, Dissemination & Sustainability work package, Trust-IT Services managed the promotion of the CWA kick-off meeting across the various EDU4Standards channels. The team participated in the event and contributed to the discussions regarding the confirmation of the project plan. Supporting these efforts, COMMpla, the affiliated entity of TRust-IT Services, is involved in the management and maintenance of the EDU4Standards website. This ensures that the communication and dissemination strategy and sustainability planning remain integrated with the technical development and the strategic direction of the workshop.
