€3M TechConnect project sets sights on transforming human-tech collaboration in the digital era

Posted on: 14 November 2024

How emerging technologies like AI and robotics can be harnessed to enhance human work, rather than replace it, is the focus of the new €3M TechConnect research project.

The project, funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe framework, is coordinated by Professor Na Fu at Trinity Business School and unites nine partners across Europe—including universities, SMEs, and hospitals. The project aims to rethink how human skills interact with digital technologies.

Na Fu, Professor in Human Resource Management and Project Coordinator, explained: "As digital transformation accelerates, the question of whether technology will replace or empower human workers has become urgent. Through TechConnect, we aim to discover how tools like AI and automation can complement human skills, improving job quality and supporting inclusive growth."

“At its core, TechConnect explores "Human-Tech Skill Complementarity"—how humans and technology can work together to boost productivity, improve job quality, and benefit society.”

At recent meetings in Trinity Business School and Tallaght University Hospital the consortium established the project’s research agenda and define case studies that will inform the creation of a new Human-Tech Skill Complementarity Index.

This index will measure how human skills and digital tools interact in different industries, providing a foundation for better integration of technology in the workforce.

“Advanced technologies, including AI and robotics, offer promising solutions to take over "the 4 Ds" of work—tasks that are Dull, Dirty, Dangerous, or Dear (costly). However, there is a growing concern that human roles could be reduced to merely managing machines, missing the unique value that people bring to organisations. TechConnect’s goal is to ensure that as technology advances, it enhances rather than diminishes human potential,” according to Prof. Fu.

The TechConnect team with Prof. Sinead Ryan and Prof. Laurent Muzellec

TechConnect has five primary goals to build a framework for Human-Tech Skill Complementarity:

1. Develop a Conceptual Framework: Extensive literature reviews and surveys across multiple sectors will provide insights into how human skills interact with technology. TechConnect will gather data from over 1,200 professionals across four countries to shape this framework.
   
   
2. Create a Human-Tech Skill Complementarity Index: Through observational case studies and hundreds of hours of fieldwork, TechConnect will create an index to benchmark how human and tech skills work together, helping assess productivity and job quality across industries.
   
   
3. Develop Predictive Models: The project will build models that identify key factors for effective human-tech collaboration, which will help guide workforce training and development efforts in specific industries.
   
   
4. Influence Industry Practices: TechConnect aims to reshape how technology is implemented by creating business cases and guidelines for various sectors. This will support resilient, productive workplaces that prioritise Human-Tech Skill Complementarity.
   
   
5. Scale and Disseminate Outcomes: To ensure a lasting impact, TechConnect will engage policymakers, tech developers, and stakeholders through workshops and discussions. This will foster continued adaptation and improvement of Human-Tech Skill Complementarity across Europe.

TechConnect brings together expertise from nine leading organisations: Trinity College Dublin; Mälardalen University in Sweden; Polytechnic University of Madrid, Spain; Universiteit Utrecht (UU), Netherlands; BluSpecs digital innovation consultancy; Tallaght University Hospital, Ireland; Västerås, Sweden; Hospital Ramon y Cajal, Spain; Madrid; and University Medical Center Utrecht, Netherlands.

“TechConnect’s work will provide essential insights into the evolving relationship between human skills and digital technologies, with a focus on productivity, job quality, and social equity. By producing tools and guidelines, the project aims to ensure that technology is used to support and enhance human roles, rather than merely replace them. This research will benefit tech adopters, developers, managers, educators, and policymakers across Europe, creating a blueprint for a digital future that values human contribution,” Prof. Fu added.

Professor Laurent Muzellec, Dean of Trinity Business School, said:

"The TechConnect project represents an important step in aligning human skills with digital innovation. With €3 million in funding, this initiative reflects the power of collaboration between academics, healthcare providers, and tech experts. We’re excited to see how it will drive employment quality and place Europe at the forefront of digital growth."

Professor Sinéad Ryan, Dean of Research at Trinity College Dublin, added:

"This project comes at a pivotal time as we examine the intersection of human skills and digital technologies. The Horizon Europe funding enables us to conduct research with real impact, promoting social equity and enhancing employment quality in our communities."

More about TechConnect:

TechConnect is a Horizon Europe-funded project dedicated to understanding how advanced digital technologies impact human skills and to developing frameworks that enable productive, human-centred technology adoption across industries. By establishing Human-Tech Skill Complementarity as a core concept for workforce development, TechConnect aims to make a lasting impact on Europe’s digital transformation. The project’s toolkit for assessment, training, and upskilling will help equip Europe’s workforce to meet the demands of an increasingly digital economy.

Learn more at https://horizontechconnect.eu.

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