Europe’s data centre landscape is expanding rapidly as demand grows for AI, cloud services, scientific computing, and digital sovereignty. At the same time, the sector is evolving in response to new infrastructure challenges, requiring different approaches to energy, connectivity, and computing capacity.
An article by Gianluca Palermo and Manuel Roveri from Politecnico di Milano, drawing on the State of European Data Centres 2026 report by the European Data Centre Association (EUDCA), explores some of the key developments shaping this transformation.
One of the main trends is the geographical redistribution of data centres. While established hubs such as Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris, and Dublin continue to play an important role, new investments are increasingly moving towards other regions. Northern Europe is attracting projects because of its renewable energy resources, Southern Europe offers growing connectivity opportunities; and Central and Eastern Europe are seeing increased development driven by local market demand.
The article also highlights the changing role of data centres in Europe’s energy landscape. Rather than being viewed simply as major energy consumers, they are increasingly expected to contribute to wider energy system modernisation through more sustainable approaches to infrastructure and resource management.
Artificial intelligence is another major driver of change. Training large AI models requires significant computing capacity together with substantial energy availability. As a result, organisations are increasingly looking for locations that can support these demanding workloads while maintaining efficiency and long-term sustainability.
These developments reinforce the growing need for professionals with expertise in cloud computing, networking infrastructure, high-performance computing, AI, and cybersecurity.
This is reflected in ACHIEVE. The Double Degree Master’s programme in “Cloud and Networking Infrastructure and HPC”, part of the EIT Digital Master School, prepares students to understand and work with the technologies that support modern digital infrastructure. Students study in two European countries while developing knowledge of cloud computing, networking infrastructure, HPC, and data center technologies.
Read the article:
The programme brings together partners across Europe, including 28DIGITAL, which leads the programme’s integration within the European digital skills ecosystem, and Evolutionary Archetypes Consulting SL, which focuses on employability and applied learning.
As Europe’s digital infrastructure continues to grow, developing the skills needed to design, manage, and improve these systems will be just as important as expanding the infrastructure itself.
Learn more about ACHIEVE: https://28digital.eu/eu-collaborations/achieve
101190015 — ACHIEVE — DIGITAL-2023-SKILLS-05
Disclaimer: Co-Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or HADEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
