On 24 June 2025, the European Commission organised the Digital Education Stakeholder Forum 2025 in collaboration with ICF Next in Brussels. An insightful event gathering educators, policymakers, researchers, industry representatives, and civil society actors to reflect on the progress of the Digital Education Action Plan (2021–2027) and shape the strategic priorities of the forthcoming 2030 Digital Education Roadmap. As a hybrid event, it provided a platform for multi-level dialogue on the future of education in an increasingly digital Europe.
The event opened with a keynote address by Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Social Rights and Skills. She started by framing digital education and skills as not only a policy ambition but a foundational pillar for Europe’s competitiveness, resilience, and social cohesion. By stressing the urgency of the digital skills gap, she noted that half of European citizens still lack basic digital skills, while 40% of young people fall short of the minimum digital proficiency necessary for full participation in society and the labour market. In response, the Commission is stepping up through the Union of Skills initiative, launching ten education centers that link schools, universities, and businesses to build dynamic learning ecosystems. MEP Mînzatu also announced the ambition to engage one million young women in STEAM education by 2028, the development of joint degree programmes, and the drafting of a European framework for AI literacy. The greatest challenge remains ensuring that digital education efforts extend beyond reaching underserved populations, as digital skills are now as fundamental as reading and writing.
Hadi Partovi, founder and CEO of Code.org, delivered a keynote speech that examined the dual impact of technology on the labour market and the role of education in navigating this shift. He argued that the purpose of education must evolve in the age of artificial intelligence by integrating AI and computer science as foundational components of general education. He drew attention to a new digital divide—not only access to devices or internet, but access to understanding and empowering people to safely engage with AI. Citing evidence from Code.org’s AI foundations curriculum, he demonstrated that students who are introduced to computer science and AI skills outperform their peers, underlining the urgency of democratising these competencies across the education systems.
The first panel explored how the Union of Skills initiative can help bridge gaps in education systems across Europe. Pia Ahrenkilde-Hanse, Director General, Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, European Commission, highlighted the need to modernise curricula and align learning outcomes more closely with labour market needs, which requires teacher training and closer engagement with industry. Barbara Nowacka, Minister of Education in Poland, described the importance of national strategies that are both practical and inclusive, emphasising investment in teachers, cross-ministerial collaboration, and a digital literacy programme based in the support of local authorities, NGOs, and parents. Nela Riehl, Chair of the Committee on Culture and Education, European Parliament, stressed that families, particularly parents, must be actively involved in the digital transition in education, and she advocated for recognising media literacy as a fundamental right. Helena Lovegrove, Senior Director for Operations and Projects, Digital Europe, brought in the industry perspective, noting the persistent shortage of ICT specialists and calling for public-private cooperation to identify real-time skills needs, provide training, and scale up impact. She underscored the importance of sustainable funding models. She called for mechanisms such as micro-credentials and a European digital skills passport to enhance mobility and skills portability across the European Union.
The second panel, focused on informing tomorrow’s digital education, showcased diverse voices, including those of young innovators. Dr. Rikke Duus, Associate Professor, University College London, underlined the importance of ensuring that all citizens can meaningfully adopt digital skills, arguing for co-designed solutions that are human-centred and inclusive. Declan Qualter, Initial Teacher Educator, University College Dublin, highlighted the value of tools such as SELFIE in helping schools evaluate their digital readiness and proposed more active engagement from school leaders as digital citizens. Aanvi Tandon, Youth Ambassador, Girls Go Circular, used her “e-compost” app project – an AI-based system that helps allocate waste correctly, combining sustainability with gamified learning – to demonstrate the creative potential of integrating AI into school activities. Thais Meza, DigiEduHack 2024 Global Winner, shared the story behind “Signedge,” an interactive app designed to teach sign language and digital literacy through gamified lessons, with the broader aim of fostering inclusion and social cohesion. Both projects illustrated how hackathon formats can inspire young learners to develop solutions with tangible social impact.
The Forum hosted several parallel sessions in the afternoon by offering targeted discussions around three core pillars: collaboration for innovation, digital skills for all, and the evolution of education in a digital world. Under the theme of innovation, the session “Collaboration for Innovation – European EdTech: Time to Grow (Up)?” explored the scaling challenges and opportunities for Europe’s EdTech sector, while “Making AI Literacy a Reality for All” engaged stakeholders in shaping the EU’s draft AI Literacy Framework. In the domain of digital skills, sessions such as “Digital Skills are Basic Skills: Why We Need to Act Now” and “Discover the Untapped Potential of STEM for All” highlighted the urgency of including digital and STEM competencies into inclusive education strategies. Meanwhile, under the evolution of education lens, sessions like “Taking the Next Step: Guiding AI Implementation” and “Empowerment Online: Digital Literacy and Digital Wellbeing in the 21st Century” focused on the long-term integration of AI and digital wellbeing into education systems. The sessions reflected the Forum’s commitment to aligning policy, practice, and innovation to ensure digital education is inclusive, future-proof, and responsive to societal needs while engaging with a multistakeholder audience in education and training.
In conclusion, the Digital Education Stakeholder Forum 2025 highlighted a shared commitment to building a more inclusive and future-proof digital education system in Europe. The event put a strong focus on reaching underserved groups through media literacy, engaging parents, and promoting gender balance. It celebrated achievements like the DigiHackathon projects. The Forum clearly stated that digital skills are a basic right and essential for Europe’s success, and they must be part of every school curriculum. There was broad agreement that progress depends on close cooperation between governments, educators, industry, and civil society. Finally, the upcoming AI literacy framework will be a key tool to help schools and countries bring AI into everyday learning.
