European EdTech Alliance Briefing March '25
“Partnership is the new leadership”
-Stefania Giannini (UNESCO)
As the global education landscape evolves, one message is increasingly echoed across regions and initiatives: partnership is no longer a supporting role—it is the central driver of sustainable transformation. From UNESCO’s Global Education Coalition and the Digital Transformation Collaborative to the record-breaking EdTech Congress Barcelona, we are witnessing how shared purpose, cross-sector collaboration, and inclusive dialogue can better support education systems.
This month, the European EdTech Alliance (EEA) actively contributed: at UNICEF’s Global Data Governance Workshop, we joined leading voices to explore how public and private actors can co-create trust-based models, and how data itself should be recognised as a common good in education. We also led the second edition of our UNESCO Global Education Coalition Workshop, focused on advancing trustworthy alliances across the EdTech ecosystem. Last week, we then participated in the European Conversation on Impact Measuring and EdTech Test-bedding in Belgium, where participants from 13 countries explored how we measure what matters in EdTech innovation and shared new models for meaningful, context-aware testing.
Together, these moments reinforce a shared truth: building the future of education requires spaces for dialogue, trust, and joint action.
-Beth Havinga
Managing Director, European EdTech Alliance
The EEA EdTech Funding Database
The EEA is creating a database of funding opportunities for EdTech organisations. To receive early access to the database and be part of shaping this work, make sure to fill out this short survey (2 mins) to gain first access to the database before it is launched publicly!
This initiative is generously supported by the Jacobs Foundation.
EEA Partnerships
5th annual meeting of UNESCO’s Global Education Coalition
On 24 March 2025, UNESCO hosted the fifth annual meeting of the Global Education Coalition (GEC) in Paris, bringing together over 260 members from across sectors committed to supporting education worldwide. The coalition, established in response to the COVID-19 learning crisis, focused this year on scaling partnerships, fostering sustainable digital transformation, and accelerating progress toward SDG 4.
A key theme of the event was the rising digital divide and the complexity of embedding technology meaningfully in education. UNESCO's Stefania Giannini opened the event with a call to view "partnership as the new leadership," celebrating milestones like reaching over a million learners and teachers globally, while also highlighting the urgent challenges ahead: underfunded systems, lack of qualified teachers, and continued access inequalities. The meeting affirmed a clear message, which as members of the coalition, we share: digital transformation in education must be guided by inclusion, trust, and shared responsibility across sectors.
🔗 Read the full EEA report here
EEA in Action
EEA Workshop at GEC 2025: Building Trustworthy EdTech Alliances
As part of UNESCO’s Global Education Coalition (GEC) meeting in Paris, the European EdTech Alliance (EEA) co-organised a dynamic workshop exploring how to build effective, inclusive, and trust-based alliances. The session brought together global experts and practitioners to co-develop ideas for stronger collaboration, grounded in shared values and real-world practice.
The session opened with UNESCO’s Borhene Chakroun emphasising the need for safe, collaborative spaces. A standout moment came from Martín Benavides (UNESCO IIEP), who shared how, as Peru’s Minister of Education during the pandemic, he rapidly launched a national distance learning strategy. With support from the GEC, Peru launched a nationwide virtual school within one month—highlighting the power of aligned public-private collaboration, clear goals, and trust.
Participants explored what makes a trustworthy alliance and discussions highlighted the need to better connect all actors, especially those closest to learners, with clear governance, shared vision, open communication, and balanced public-private roles. Crucially, alliances must be agile yet robust, bridging global strategies and local realities through continuous learning—echoing the recent Building Trust in EdTech report’s call for more inclusive, human-centred digital ecosystems.
Find out more about the workshop here.
UNICEF Global Data Governance Workshop
How can data protection and data governance fit with EdTech development? What is the role of DPAs, the public sector, and EdTech companies?
This month, Beth Havinga represented the EEA at a Global Data Governance Workshop coordinated by UNICEF. Together with inspiring experts from around the world, these two knowledge-rich days explored:
Potential methods of supporting early-stage companies design with data intent
Business models of EdTech using data
Better conditions for collaboration between stakeholders
Methods for certification and evaluation of EdTech
Public and sustainable funding mechanisms for EdTech and an understanding of Data as a common good for progressing education
The importance of recognising the state of development of EdTech in any evaluation mechanisms
Future trends in data and education and potential regulatory challenges
The necessity to ensure the agency of learners and educators in data questions
We are grateful to UNICEF for hosting us and leading such impactful discussions.
European Conversation on Impact Measuring and EdTech Testbedding
On 27-28 March 2025, around 40 participants from 13 European countries gathered for the “European Conversation on Impact Measuring and EdTech Testbedding”, an inspiring two-day event organised jointly by EmpowerED, <edtech/station>, and GETN in Kortrijk, Belgium. The event featured an “EdTech Safari”, showcasing seven innovative EdTech testbeds from Switzerland, Sweden, Lithuania, Finland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Ireland, each demonstrating unique approaches to EdTech testing, collaboration, and integration within broader educational ecosystems. Through interactive discussions and design-thinking workshops, attendees explored common challenges and laid foundations for deeper cooperation.
Upcoming:
Meet members of the EEA EmpowerED team at SETT in Stockholm next week! We'll be supporting our project colleagues at the iFous booth and also moderating a panel discussion on "Quality assurance of digital learning tools: Nordic testbeds in focus" on 8 April 2025 from 15:30pm - 16:15. This 45-minute session will present and discuss how the Nordic countries are working with quality assurance of digital learning tools. Countries such as Sweden and Finland will showcase examples of how they contribute to quality assurance in different ways. The speakers will also highlight some of the challenges in this field. Join us!
Member Spotlight
edTech Poland
Driving Innovation in Polish Education
The EdTech Poland Foundation champions innovation in Polish education by supporting teachers, students, schools, and startups. Its mission: to build a modern education system rooted in technology and tailored to real-world needs.
Each month, the foundation helps new EdTech startups navigate the Polish education landscape—adapting products to meet the everyday realities of classrooms. Their work includes research on teaching quality and consultation with government bodies on digital tools for schools.
Recently, EdTech Poland curated the exhibition space at a key event hosted by the Ministry of National Education, gathering European leaders in school digitization.As AI transforms the education landscape, the foundation is closely tracking emerging workforce competencies. It sees a growing trend in EdTech toward preparing students with practical, future-proof skills.
Interested in collaborating or opening your market to Polish EdTech?
Connect with EdTech Poland Foundation to explore event partnerships and knowledge exchange.
EduTech Cluster, Spain
Organised by our member, EduTech Cluster, the 11th EdTech Congress Barcelona surpassed all expectations this year, drawing 1,643 participants from across Spain and countries including the Netherlands, Argentina, Canada, and Australia. The move to a larger venue—Palau de Congressos de Montjuïc at Fira de Barcelona—enabled a 68% increase in attendance over 2024, solidifying the event as a major reference point in the global EdTech landscape.
The two-day event featured:
22 sessions
50 speakers
52 participating companies and startups
This year’s theme focused on educational assessment and sparked rich discussion on how to ethically and effectively integrate technology into learning environments.
Key voices like Neil Selwyn (Monash University) and María de la Mar Sánchez (University of Murcia) called for more reflective, ethical, and equitable uses of EdTech—urging a shift toward technologies that support communities, trust, and collective well-being. Make sure to check out the conference website!
Looking ahead:
The 2026 edition will take place on 3–4 February at the CCIB – Fira Barcelona, with a focus on how digital tools can enhance teaching, professional training, and talent development—while keeping learner well-being at the center.
European Policy
Council of Europe activity report 2024
The Council of Europe's Education Department has released its 2024 Activity Report, detailing significant strides in promoting democratic culture, enhancing education quality, and advancing digital transformation across member states. The report underscores the department's dedication to fostering inclusive and resilient education systems throughout Europe.
Recommended Reading
EdTech Insiders: 41 Startup Ideas Shaping the Future of Learning and Work
EdTech Insiders has published an article titled "41 Startup Ideas Blueprinting the Future of Learning and Work," offering a comprehensive list of innovative concepts poised to transform education and employment landscapes. This curated collection serves as a valuable resource for entrepreneurs and educators seeking inspiration and direction in the evolving EdTech sector.
Save the Date!
April 8th: Nordic Track@SETT, Stockholm, Sweden
April 24th-25th: EU-Startups Summit in Malta
July 8th-11th: AI for Good Global Summit, Switzerland
September 10th: Nordic EdTech Summit in Malmö, Sweden
September 17th-18th: Learning Conference (L&D and HR), Stockholm, Sweden
Check out our members’ newsletters
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. European EdTech News is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.