Digital education action plan (2021–2027)

SUMMARY OF:

Commission communication – Digital education action plan (2021–2027) – Resetting education and training for the digital age

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE COMMUNICATION?

The digital education action plan (2021–2027) is a renewed European Union (EU) policy initiative that sets out a common vision of high-quality, inclusive and accessible digital education in Europe, and aims to support the adaptation of the education and training systems of EU Member States to the digital age.

It sets out two strategic priorities:

developing a high-performing digital education ecosystem;
enhancing digital skills and competences for the digital transformation.

It also outlines 14 actions designed to achieve these strategic aims.

KEY POINTS

The action plan, adopted on 30 September 2020, calls for greater cooperation at European level on digital education to address the challenges and opportunities of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to present opportunities for the education and training community (teachers, students), policymakers, academia and researchers at national, EU and international levels.

The European Commission will carry out the following.

1.
Launch structured dialogues with Member States on the enabling factors for successful digital education and skills, including:
- connectivity and equipment gaps;
- helping education and training institutions with know-how;
- assistive technologies;
- deeper discussions on digital education between stakeholders in the economy and education institutions;
- developing guidelines for digital pedagogy; and
- upskilling teachers.
2.

Propose a Council recommendation on blended learning approaches for high-quality and inclusive primary and secondary education, drawing on the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic.
3.

Develop a European digital education content framework building on cultural and creative diversity and including guiding principles for specific sectors, including a feasibility study for an online platform to share certified resources (such as large-scale online courses).
4.

Support connectivity and digital equipment for education and training, by supporting gigabit and 5G connectivity, raising awareness on funding opportunities, including broadband in projects under the Recovery and Resilience Facility and setting up e-learning applications and platforms for schools, especially for students from disadvantaged groups and for students and educators with disabilities.
5.

Support digital transformation plans for education and training institutions using Erasmus+ cooperation projects, support teachers in using digital tools through Erasmus Teacher Academies and introduce ‘SELFIE for teachers’, the online self-assessment tool for teachers.
6.

Develop ethical guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and data in teaching and learning for educators, and promote the enhancement of skills and knowledge among university students and researchers, including a 45% target for female participation.
7.

Develop common guidelines for teachers and educators to foster digital literacy and tackle disinformation through education and training, with the support of a dedicated group bringing together bodies concerned, including civil society organisations, technology companies, the media, national authorities, education institutions, parents and young people.
8.

Update the European digital competence framework to include AI and data skills. The update includes skills, knowledge and attitudes related to AI and the use of data that can help citizens to better understand where and in which situations in their everyday life they can expect to encounter AI systems.
9.

Develop a European digital skills certificate allowing Europeans to indicate their level of digital competence.
10.

Propose a Council recommendation on improving digital skills in education and training, including investing in professional development, sharing best practices, focusing on inclusive high-quality computing education and identifying and updating new and emerging skills needs.
11.

Support cross-national collection of data on the digital skills of young people across the EU, to understand gaps and strengthen the case for action to address them, and set an EU-level target on students’ digital skills.
12.

Offer digital opportunity traineeships to give higher education students and recent graduates in all disciplines the opportunity to gain hands-on professional experience in digital fields demanded by the labour market. The digital opportunity traineeships scheme was extended in 2021 to include higher education staff and vocational education and training students / recent graduates.
13.

Encourage women’s participation in Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) studies and careers and ensure enhanced inclusion of women in the digital economy, helping them to develop their digital and entrepreneurial competences.
14.
Set up a European digital education hub to:
- support Member States by setting up a network of advisory services on digital education to share experiences, link national and regional initiatives and strategies, and connect stakeholders;
- monitor the implementation of the action plan and the development of digital education in Europe, share good practices by contributing to research experimentation and systematically collecting evidence;
- support cross-sector collaboration and new models for sharing digital learning content, addressing issues such as interoperability, quality assurance, sustainability, accessibility and inclusion, and common standards;
- develop policy and practice by being a think-and-do-tank for digital education and engaging stakeholders in user-driven innovation.

BACKGROUND

For further information, see:

Digital education action plan (2021–2027) (European Commission).

MAIN DOCUMENT

Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions – Digital Education Action Plan 2021–2027 – Resetting education and training for the digital age (COM(2020) 624 final, 30.9.2020).