European EdTech Alliance Update August 24
Mobile Bans Sweep Over Europe
As learners and educators across Europe return to schools and educational institutions this month, significant changes have taken place over the summer.
In Hungary, a sweeping ban on digital devices in education—including mobile phones, laptops, digital cameras, and smart devices—has led to legal actions against headteachers and protests. Similarly, Italy, Greece, the Netherlands, and Sweden have implemented phone and personal digital device bans with research citing health concerns, and France is trialling a ban on mobile phones for children under age 15 following similar recommendations in Denmark. This reflects growing concerns about the distractions posed particularly by social media. In the case of Norway, despite strong recommendations for banning devices, there is an increasing differentiation between the use of digital teaching resources and social media in schools and an understanding that individual schools will make pedagogical decisions about the use of digital resources in the classroom. In Finland, laws are being discussed to give teachers more autonomy to make local bans as necessary, which mirrors the Czech laws to introduce bans or partial restrictions on device use in individual schools.
In the months ahead, it will be crucial to foster nuanced dialogues that engage all key stakeholders. These discussions should aim to bridge the gap between diverse research findings in order to truly understand the impact of these actions, support swift and effective policy decisions, and encourage innovation. By doing so, we can co-create robust, pedagogically sound education environments across Europe. A key part of this effort is improving the connection between organisations that validate and certify evidence and those making critical decisions based on these findings. Read more on this in our EdTech Strategy Labs project research below.
Read on below to find out more about:
our EdTech Strategy Lab Deep Dive
the EEA meets EFEE webinar
News from EEA Members, & other opportunities throughout Europe
- Beth Havinga
Managing Director, European Edtech Alliance
EdTech Strategy Labs
A lack of solid evidence and the absence of a common understanding of what constitutes good evidence are key issues we have identified in our latest research paper: Evaluation Mechanisms: A Way to Increase Trust in Educational Technologies?
These key issues are further complicated by the shortage of testing environments and resources for thorough evaluation.
In this Deep Dive, we look at the crucial role trust plays in the EdTech sector and explore how it can be strengthened. We also identify three key types of evaluation frameworks relevant to EdTech: those led by the public sector, those driven by research, and those aimed at commercial validation. Building trust in EdTech will require a collaborative effort to ensure evaluation mechanisms are not only effective but widely recognised across the sector.
Read the full paper here!
EEA Webinars
EEA meets EFEE
Don’t miss our next EEA meets on September 10th at 3 pm (CET) where we meet the European Federation of Education Employers (EFEE).
This webinar offers a unique opportunity to engage with the European Federation of Education Employers (EFEE). Daniel Wisniewski, the Secretary General, will share valuable perspectives on the role of employers in Europe’s education landscape, focusing on their stance toward educational technology and their initiatives to foster its growth. Panagiotis Karamalis, a prominent EFEE member and representative of the Hellenic Association of Independent Schools, will also present EFEE’s latest project, EducAItion, and outline the managerial aspects of integrating AI and technology in education.
Don’t miss this opportunity and register here!
EEA Member News
bitmark Hackathon 2024 "Together For Interoperability"
21.-22. November, 2024 | Zurich, Switzerland & Remote
The Bitmark Hackathon 2024 brings together participants from diverse backgrounds in learning content and EdTech to address interoperability challenges within the publishing and educational technology sectors. After presenting their challenges, attendees will develop actionable prototypes and solutions to enhance interoperability using the Bitmark standard. The event also serves as a platform for building and strengthening partnerships, fostering future collaborations, and advancing technology integration and standard adoption.
Register here to connect and collaborate with EdTech platforms and learning content publishers.
Discover the Belgian EdTech Ecosystem
Our Member edtechstation shared facts about the EdTech ecosystem in Belgium in their latest newsletter. Did you know that 60% of the 356 Belgian EdTech companies are in the start-up phase? 205 companies are actively developing their products and markets. Meanwhile, 85 companies have successfully found a clear product-market fit and are scaling up. Additionally, 58 companies — representing almost a sixth of the EdTech ecosystem — have already achieved corporate status.
Read the entire newsletter here! (Dutch version)
Upcoming Events
2nd Working Conference on Regulating the use of AI systems in education
The Education Department of the Council of Europe is organising the 2nd Working Conference on 24-25 October 2024 to address regulation of the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems in education. The conference will allow key stakeholders from different backgrounds across Europe to work together in engaging, informative and interactive formats to explore the regulatory dimensions of AI in education.
The conference will focus on the regulatory dimensions of and key legal and pedagogical considerations for Artificial Intelligence and education.
Read more about the event and register here!
EdTech Next Summit 2024
Join us at the EdTech Next Summit 2024, a key educational technology event organised by our Member EDUvation, taking place on October 24th in Bielefeld, Germany. Connect with startups, investors, and industry experts while exploring the German education market. This year's event is packed with networking opportunities and engaging sessions on Startup Management, Investments, AI & Security, the German Education System, and other hot topics! The focus this year is on K12 and Higher Education. Please note that all sessions will be held in German. Get your ticket with an exclusive discount here!
EU x VC - Accelerating European Innovation
On October 30th Dealroom brings together leading investors, LPs, policymakers and ecosystem builders to explore how to accelerate entrepreneurship and innovation in Europe, and the role of the European institutions in the task. In partnership with EU Startups, Dealflow, ESNA, and PFR, they will also be sharing a first report of its kind measuring the impact of EU-backing (e.g. grant funding) for startups. Register here!
Save the Date!
18th-19th September: Learning Conference for L&D in Stockholm, Sweden - Tickets
18th-20th September: Didac India in New Delhi, India - More Information
16th-18th October: didacta Asia in Bangkok, Thailand - More Information
24th October: EdTech Next Summit 2024 in Bielefeld, Germany - Tickets & Agenda
8th-10th November: Learning More Festival in Modena, Italy - More Information
Worth Reading
Nordic EdTech/Digitalisation: Generating Evidence through Piloting Testbeds
The Nordic countries are renowned for their high level of digitalisation and social trust, but what are their strategies when it comes to integrating EdTech in schools? This new report summarises approaches from Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Iceland. Read it here!
6 Key Insights to Understand the EdTech Ecosystem in the Nordic Countries
The article by Dr. Federico Malpica Basurto (EdTech Finland) explores current trends, barriers, and opportunities for educational technology companies in the Nordic region, focusing on how to design and implement solutions that address local needs. At the same time, it offers valuable reflections for other regions and contexts on key aspects related to integrating technology in classrooms. Read it here!
Invitation to Host DigiEduHack 2024 (8th-17th November)
DigiEduHack is a grassroots movement aimed at fostering innovation, collaboration, and creativity to drive positive change in digital education. It is part of the European Commission’s Digital Education Action Plan 2021-2027.
This year’s hackathons will take place in November. Each event must total 24 hours of hacking, but this can be spread across multiple days within an 8-day window. Hosts can organise their hackathon in the format of their choice - whether online, onsite, or a hybrid of both. Comprehensive onboarding, instructional materials, and ongoing support will be provided to assist hosts in the planning and execution of their events.
DigiEduHack welcomes participation from across the educational spectrum. If you are interested in hosting DigiEduHack, please register here!
Funding and M&A News
Zurich-based FLOWIT, raised 4,2m € for its AI-based “digital coach,” working on changing traditional approaches to personnel development.
Edinburgh-based Administrate, a cloud-based training management platform, secured 3,5m € to launch its new AI scheduling software and expand its market reach.
Stockholm-based learning platform Learnster secured 2,7m € for their Management System (LMS) products, focusing on integrating AI capabilities and broadening its global reach.
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.