Ensuring access to quality and inclusive learning at the Digital Education Stakeholders Forum
On June 24, EASPD attended the Digital Education Stakeholders Forum. Organised by the European Commission, this event brings together key stakeholders from across Europe. Policymakers, educators, industry leaders, researchers, and civil society representatives reunite every year to celebrate and reflect on the achievements of the Digital Education Action Plan.
Adopted in 2020 and lasting until 2027, this policy initiative establishes a common vision for high-quality, inclusive and accessible digital education in Europe. It paves the way to support the adaptation of the education and training systems of Member States to the digital age.
Artificial Intelligence was at the core of this year’s forum. Discussions focused on the importance of integrating digital technologies, notably AI, with sustainable practices, or to incorporate AI into the educational curriculum from the early stages of children’s lives. In addition to these themes, the forum placed a strong emphasis on supporting women in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) fields, but also on the importance of preserving well-being in the digital age.
The EU’s Union of Skills Strategy, aiming to ensure that every citizen in the EU is digitally skilled to meet the evolving demands of the job market, was also a key topic of discussion. Insights from the forum aim to contribute to shape the development of the 2030 Roadmap for digital education and skills, planned for the late 2025.
Ensuring an inclusive digital transformation and leveraging it to support persons with disabilities is at the core of EASPD’s work. It is vital to ensure that persons with disabilities have continuous access to quality and inclusive learning and skills development opportunities, based on their needs, that support their inclusion and employment prospects throughout life.
Through initiatives like the ADEDU project, EASPD works to promote using digital tools to create an inclusive and personalised learning environment that addresses the diverse needs of students with disabilities.