The European Commission is investing €5 M to launch a new photonics education and training network that links Europe’s leading classrooms and laboratories to boost digital skills and innovation. Globally, photonics is currently worth nearly €0.85 trillion (US $1 trillion as of 2024). The program is directly aligned with the EU’s Digital Europe mission to build strategic digital capacities. It will build an open-access digital library to make high-quality photonics training accessible to students, researchers and professionals. The project is co-funded by the European Commission under the Digital Europe Programme, with all partners working together to harmonize learning outcomes, enable cross-border mobility, and accelerate Europe’s photonics talent pipeline.