3DP-STeF Project Officially Launched in Chania, Crete

The 3DP-STeF project, coordinated by the Technical University of Crete and the European Education and Learning Institute, was officially launched on 2nd October 2025 with a successful kick-off meeting held in Chania, Crete (Greece). Over the course of the meeting, 16 partner organisations from across Europe came together to mark the start of this four-year initiative, funded under the Digital Europe Programme.

Kick-off Meeting Highlights

The meeting provided an important opportunity for partners to align on the project’s vision, objectives, and implementation roadmap, while laying the foundations for close collaboration in the years ahead.

Building Skills for Europe’s Digital and Green Transition

3DP-STeF aims to address critical skills gaps in the manufacturing, textile, and fashion sectors, supporting Europe’s twin transition towards a greener and more digital economy. Throughout the project, the consortium will work jointly to:

• Strengthen the technical skills and competences of Europe’s manufacturing SMEs and workforce
• Develop a tailored Master’s Programme for students and educators, combining 3D printing, sustainability, textile, and fashion design
• Create flexible micro-credential modules for professionals in the textile and manufacturing sectors
• Promote the use of sustainable raw materials and innovative digital manufacturing practices

Strong Institutional Support

The consortium was honoured to welcome Nadja Kernchen, Policy Officer at DG CONNECT, and Natalia Gkiaouri, Project Officer at the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA). Their presence underlined the strategic importance of the project within the wider European policy framework on digital skills, sustainability, and industrial transformation.

Shaping the Future Curriculum Together

Following opening remarks and technical presentations by the project coordinator Alexandros Vazakas (School of Mineral Resources Engineering, Technical University of Crete), as well as Konstantinos-Alketas Oungrinis and Kalliopi Rodopoulou (European Education and Learning Institute), partners presented their respective work plans and areas of expertise.

A key focus of the discussions was the co-creation of the upcoming Master’s curriculum, with exchanges centred on:

• Circular economy principles
• Sustainable materials
• The future of textiles and fashion design in a digital manufacturing context

These early discussions set the groundwork for a collaborative and needs-driven approach to curriculum development, ensuring that the educational programmes respond to both industry demands and societal challenges.

A Collaborative Effort

The consortium warmly thanks all presenters and contributors who actively participated in the kick-off meeting, including Charalampos Doulaverakis, Fabiano Pallonetto, Mattia De Rosa, Christos Baknis, Evdokia Bairampa, Joana Santos, Dr. Evridiki (Eurydice) Papachristou, Liliia Chertenko, Alla Rubanka, Arkadiusz Malek, and all partner organisations involved.

Looking Ahead

The kick-off meeting in Chania marked the beginning of an exciting journey. Over the next four years, 3DP-STeF will foster collaboration, innovation, and creativity at the intersection of 3D printing, sustainable fashion, and digital manufacturing, contributing to a more resilient and future-ready European workforce.

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