Thank you for joining us in 2023: a year that has been both challenging and exciting for the European Edtech Alliance and the entire ecosystem. We have greeted new members and are thrilled to see so many new EdTech associations growing throughout all of Europe. Our members are the driving force behind so many national digital education initiatives and we are honoured to support them and connect them to international activities.
We are grateful to the thousands of EdTech organisations who joined our European EdTech Map and helped contribute to some of the most useful data we have measuring the needs and wishes of this dynamic ecosystem. We are excited to present our EdTech Map Insights report in January, and look forward to the data from our Ecosystem Builders Map of incubators, accelerators and funding organisations (it’s not too late to still get on the map!). We continue to be blown away by our cohorts of female fellows as the Female EdTech Fellowship entered its second year. We look forward to growing our alumni network and fellowship possibilities in 2024.
It has been our pleasure to join exciting European Commission funded projects such as the EmpowerED project and DS4Skills, which are truly making a difference for the ecosystem, and then start our own projects, which we look forward to announcing in the new year.
We have loved being part of so many meaningful discussions, from sharing the stage in Paris at UNESCO’s Global Education Coalition event to participating in the EdTech Roundtable of the European Commission, supporting the Public-Private Partnership discussions of the Council of Europe, and joining the Broadband Commission’s Data for Learning Group and the Digital Transformation Collaborative. The exchanges have been so enriching and allowed us to position some of the key issues our task forces and members have identified so that, together, we can change the discourse in 2024.
Over 900 of you joined us for one of our webinar series this year and a further 450 downloaded our webinars. We’ve loved engaging with you in this way and sharing market knowledge and introducing you to incredible thought leaders. It has also been a joy to partner with some of the key EdTech events within Europe, continue to support the EdTech NEXT summit in Germany, and then also be able to support a delegation to SXSW Edu this year.
Mostly, though, we have been so impressed with the innovations we have seen and the dedication and passion which the EdTech industry continues to bring to the table despite decreases in funding, continued disruptions due to Covid, and a move in some countries to debate the place of technology within education settings fundamentally.
As 2023 winds down, we would like to thank all of you who have read along and been part of this year with us for your engagement and your input. A special shout out to our paid subscribers as we very much appreciate your support. We are looking forward to all that the new year holds and wish you a peaceful holiday season.
From your EEA team,
Beth Havinga, Damian Bartsch Cornelsen and Antonia Clary
🇪🇺 EEA Meets...
EEA Meets... DG EAC! 🇪🇺
On December 11, 2023, the EEA launched its innovative series, “EEA Meets…”, with a dynamic online exchange between EdTech organisations and Georgi Dimitrov, Head of Unit, and Simona Petkova, Policy Officer, from the European Commission Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport, and Culture (DG EAC). We welcomed participants from 21 European countries, spread across all educational segments to engage on topics of EU policies and funding avenues pertinent to the European EdTech ecosystem. The discussions focused on identifying needs and exploring opportunities within this sector. You can access the full recording here!
🇪🇺 EEA Meets... UNESCO!
We are happy to reveal our next webinar guests: Join us on 11.01.2024 at 14:00 (CET) for an exclusive opportunity to hear about UNESCO´s Digital Transformation Collaborative (DTC) and the Global Education Coalition. In addition, Borhene Chakroun, Director for Policies and Lifelong Learning Systems, will share UNESCO’s vision for engaging EdTech in advancing quality assurance and evidence building. Don´t miss your chance for direct interaction and register here!
We are excited to meet with the Council of Europe in February. Stay tuned for more!
Partnership Announcement
We are excited to announce our new partnership with Alphabet/Google! Our shared goal is to facilitate high-level events focusing on quality assurance mechanisms and bringing together industry experts to foster cross-country knowledge exchange and collaboration opportunities. We are very happy for your support in helping us achieve one of our core goals for 2024 and we are looking forward to sharing our activities and outcomes with the entire ecosystem.
Digital Learning in Focus: Navigating the PISA 2022 Insights
In response to the PISA results, some media sources have sensationally focussed on stark downward trends in base skills, and others on the idea of screen time directly influencing mathematic achievement without also looking at the benefits of device use listed in the study, and a great number rightly understand that the challenging background of emergency remote teaching and learning played a consequential role in these results. We’ve collated some of the key points related to digital education from the PISA report and the launch event that we think are important to look at and also keep in mind as we consider a more balanced discussion of the results.
Our article focuses on the following aspects:
Moderate use of digital devices in school is related to higher performance
A nuanced differentiation between types of technologies and the impact of their use in learning
Education systems need to provide adequate and high-quality educational material and digital devices
The importance of personalised learning tempered with a need for real-world learning experiences and competencies
Balancing benefits with the need to explore their meaning for wider education practice
Access the entire article here!
DigiEduHack 2023
As members of the advisory committee, we have loved supporting DigiEduHack2023. These events put education innovations center stage. Make sure to check out the Main Stage event that was hosted this year in Madrid and stay tuned for the announcement of the winners in early 2024!
EIT EdTech conference | 23 January 2024 |
We are happy to announce our knowledge partnership with the EIT EdTech conference. The EIT EdTech Conference brings together key actors from across the education and innovation communities that are key to fostering European EdTech innovation. Our Managing Director Beth Havinga will be participating in discussing the current state of EdTech in Europe, exploring the existing challenges it faces, as well as the opportunities to boost cooperation and support Europe in becoming a global frontrunner in EdTech. The event will be an opportunity to identify synergies and find avenues for further cooperation, by sharing experiences in the use of new technology in education and working together towards concrete outcomes.
The debate will also link to broader policy frameworks and initiatives – such as the Digital Agenda for Europe, the Digital Education Action Plan 2021-2027, the Deep Tech Talent initiative – that seek to improve the provision of digital skills and make digital education systems truly accessible and inclusive. We are looking forward to adding our Member’s perspectives to these conversations!
You can find all the information about the event, its agenda and involvement opportunities here!
Bett UK 24
Join us at the ExCeL, London from 24-26 January 2024!
Bett 2024 is a unique and powerful resource empowering educators to build better connections, conversations and collaborations over three days of EdTech excellence. With the global education community all in one place, BETT delivers real impact and makes education Better Together.
Be inspired by renowned experts, thought leaders and visionaries across EdTech and beyond. You’ll hear from the biggest and best speakers and we are happy to host an evening for women in EdTech on the 25th at 5:30 pm sponsored by the British Council.
Check out the agenda and get your tickets here!
Advanced Education Research & Development Fund (AERDF)
AERDF is a national nonprofit R&D organization launched in 2021. This year, their program teams EF+Math, Assessment For Good, and Reading Reimagined pushed forward in their work to discover breakthrough scientific inventions that'll transform PreK-12 student learning nationwide with great enthusiasm. Since launch, more than 20,000 students have engaged in the R&D process through our programs and their project teams.
Milken-Penn GSE Education Business Plan Competition (EBPC)
Competition Overview: Considered the most prestigious and well-funded competition of its kind, the Milken-Penn GSE EBPC supports education innovators to develop and showcase new products or services with the potential to advance educational equity worldwide—from K–12, to higher ed, to non-traditional education settings.
Why Participate: Applicants gain access to mentorship from leading industry experts through our virtual EdTech accelerator Catapult, compete for the chance to win tens of thousands of dollars in cash and prizes, and join an ecosystem of venture support.
How to apply: You can find more information about the competition and apply here!
Worth Reading:
EEA´s Digital Learning in Focus: Navigating the PISA 2022 Insights
Transcend´s 2024 State of Edtech Fundraising
OECD´s Digital Education Outlook
Upcoming Events, click on links for more information and tickets:
23rd January: EIT EdTech Conference in Brussels, Belgium - Agenda
24th-26th January: Bett UK in London, UK - Agenda & Tickets!
28th-29th February: IPON 24 in Utrecht, Netherlands - Agenda & Tickets!
Check out our members’ newsletter:
This newsletter is written and produced by the European Edtech Alliance. The European Edtech Alliance is a consortium of national trade associations and clusters working with founders and providers of education technology (Edtech), to support the domestic and international growth of these businesses and the innovations they represent.