This week, the European Commission adopted two proposals to support digital education and develop citizens’ digital skills in the context of the European Year of Skills. These proposals aim to address challenges related to making digital education inclusive and ensuring EU Member States are able to equip people with key digital skills needed for our time.   

Despite progress, challenges remains to ensure quality digital education and training for all Europeans, in terms of adequate investment and equipment, sufficient content, availability of teacher training and quality of monitoring and evaluation in these areas.  

EU action has been proposed both to improve the provision of digital skills in education and training, as well as facilitate recognition of digital skills certifications, including a new European Digital Skills Certificate project. This will ensure that citizens can get their digital skills recognised quickly and easily by employers and other training or education providers.  

European liberals believe that, in the era of the digital and green transitions, we must continue investing in equipping both citizens and businesses with the necessary skills to drive economic growth and improve the quality of life of all Europeans. 

Commenting on the proposals, European Commission Executive Vice-President for a Europe Fit for the Digital Age Margrethe Vestager, said:  

“These proposals underline the need for everyone everywhere in Europe to have access to digital education. We need to do much better on digital skills and treat them with the same importance as reading and writing. The aim is to reach a target of at least 80% of all adults as a minimum with basic digital skills, and 20 million employed ICT specialists including a lot more women, by 2030.”  

Source: Commission calls for massive boost in enabling digital education and providing digital skills – 18 April 2023 

Photo credit: © European Union 2023