Euractiv – How can digital skills drive Europe’s future? 22.9.2025

• September 16, 2025
• admin

Taking stock of the Digital Education Action Plan

As part of the preparations for the EU Code Week 2025, which will take place from 11 to 26 October, you can take part in this online conference Euractiv, which will take stock of the Digital Education Action Plan halfway through and explore what is next for digital skills in Europe. Issues discussed will include, for example:

• What will the mid-term evaluation of the Digital Education Action Plan reveal about the achievements and challenges? What will be the priorities in the second phase?
• What should the update of the Digital Competence Framework in 2025 include to reflect new technologies and support the development of digital skills?
• What role do digital skills play in enhancing the EU’s global competitiveness and which sectors would benefit most from stronger digital capacities?
• Are current EU measures sufficient to close the digital skills gap, or is further legislation and investment needed? If so, which areas should they focus on?

Funded by the European Union. However, the opinions and positions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Agency for Health and Digital Technologies. Neither the European Union nor the grant provider shall be held liable for them.

More information about the online conference can be found at: https://events.euractiv.com/event/info/code-to-competitiveness-how-can-digital-skills-power-europes-future

Registration: https://www.eventleaf.com/Attendee/Attendee/EventPage?eId=A3AUmCkGlyhONjO%2BTYkVtw%3D%3D

22.9.2025

Programme:

14:30-14:35 Opening
14:35-14:50 Panel discussion
14:50-15:40 Debate and Q&A
15:40-15:45 Closure

Panelists:

Francesca Maltauro
Deputy Head of Unit, Digital Education, European Commission

Hannes Heide MEP
Member, CULT Committee, European Parliament

Jan De Craemer
Representative, Flanders to the European Commission Working Group on Digital Education (DELTA), Flemish Ministry of Education and Training

Diana Filip
Deputy CEO and Chief Development Officer, JA Europe

Representative
European Parents Association (Europarents)

Moderator

Anna Gumbau
Euractiv

Digital Education Action Plan

This year, the Commission published a Communication on the Basic Skills Action Plan and the Union of Skills, setting out key actions. To promote digital skills across Europe, it will update the Digital Competence Framework in 2025 to include new technologies such as artificial intelligence, develop guidelines to strengthen digital literacy in vocational education and training (VET) and develop tools to integrate basic skills into apprenticeship programmes. The Commission will also promote quality learning materials through EU Code Week and develop EU-wide good practices for assessing digital skills in schools by 2026 to ensure a coherent approach.

After half of the implementation of the Digital Education Action Plan adopted in 2020, the Commission will present in 2025 a 2030 roadmap that will promote equal access to digital education, the development of AI literacy and long-term partnerships with EU-based EdTech providers. At the same time, a Strategic Plan for STEM Education will be implemented to motivate more students – especially girls and women – to pursue studies and careers in STEM fields. Erasmus+, Digital Europe and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) will be used to build transnational partnerships of universities and firms to train professionals in sectors with significant skills shortages.