European Edtech Alliance Update March 24
News from the world of European Edtech
Collaboration as the cornerstone of a successful education ecosystem
For years now at the EEA, we have been capturing the biggest perceived needs and requirements in the edtech ecosystem. We often receive responses to our EdTech Map questionnaire suggesting that some of the key challenges the ecosystem face are things like ‘access to education institutions’, ‘open discussions with policy makers’, ‘being included in regulatory discussions’, ‘systematic ways to include educators in design processes’ and ‘access to testing’.
A recent EEA Member survey outlined some of the key benefits of being part of a collaborative alliance: developing common frameworks for better understanding, sharing evidence-based practices, and representing diverse topics at a higher level were among the top advantages cited. This collective wisdom underlines the potential of strategic alliances in overcoming the challenges of access, and the hurdles of trust and evidence in the EdTech landscape to set a collaborative course for the future.
If the EdTech ecosystem could speak with one aligned voice, it would significantly empower the international community in addressing the challenges and opportunities in leveraging technology to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) - ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all.
- Borhene Chakroun
The Edtech Strategy Lab team of the EEA conducted a workshop last week with multiple stakeholder groups as part of UNESCO’s fourth annual global education coalition event on the 25th of March. Diverse voices from across the globe, including a mix of EdTech organisations, NGOs, foundations, and UN agencies, came together in this workshop to pinpoint the hurdles in the way of forming these crucial alliances.
In order to build an ecosystem of trust and success, we need strong partnerships and an understanding of collaboration across multiple levels of the ecosystem including policy, research, startup communities, and, most importantly, educators. To achieve this, we need to develop environments to grow evidence and provide testing, methods of clearly communicating and discussing results, ways to comparatively publish key information about technologies being used in Education in a comparative way, and initiatives that ensure we are listening to and addressing multiple stakeholder needs, issues and solutions.
For a more detailed summary of the workshop, read here. To participate in further strategy lab workshop, make sure that you have signed up to be a part of our work.
The European Edtech Alliance are proud members of the global education coalition, and founding members of UNESCO’s Alliance on the Science of Learning for Education. We look forward to collaborating on the idea of creating connections between alliances and organisations to ensure a trustful education ecosystem, and to hearing your voice on how this can benefit your work.
Beth Havinga
Global Education Coalition
Joining Borhene Chakroun, Director of Policies and Lifelong Learning Systems Division and Coordinator of the Global education Coalition at UNESCO, Andreas Schleicher, OECD, and Manos Antoninis of UNESCO’s Global Education Monitoring report, our Managing Director, Beth Havinga shared the stage at UNESCO´s Global Education Coalition to discuss what is necessary to increase trust and ensure we can benefit from the potential of EdTech whilst ensuring evidence and stakeholder informed evaluation possibilities.
Together, they addressed the need to create the spaces for testing, the discussions necessary to align evaluation frameworks, and a better understanding of what it is we are evaluating, recognising the difference between technology used in education and technology designed specifically for education purposes.
Thanks to the UNESCO Team for allowing our voice to be heard in these discussions and driving collaborative work for change. Alongside the annual meeting, the Coalition released the new report highlighting the key role of multi-stakeholder collaboration to achieve education goals. Read their blog post and the entire report United for SDG 4: The Global Education Coalition in action!
Call for participation:
SETT Workshop: EdTech Quality Assurance What Works?
Are you an educator or school leader? We want to hear about your experience with evaluating digital learning resources and to understand your needs and opportunities when it comes to procuring, integrating and evaluating EdTech products. Our partners iFous and Swedish EdTest will also be offering helpful resources, including complimentary access to their guide on AI in education.
In collaboration with Ifous and EmpowerED, the EEA will be hosting this breakfast workshop on evidence and quality assurance as part of the EdTech Strategy Lab event series.
Start your first day at SETT by joining us for breakfast from 8:15am with the workshop promptly starting at 8:30am, finishing by 9:30am. Please register to attend via the form below - look forward to seeing you there!
Become an EmpowerED supportive partner:
Be part of our dynamic network of EmpowerED Supportive Partners! Gain exclusive access to our activities and collaborate directly with the project to be part of our innovative initiatives!
As a Supportive Partner, you'll have direct access to our consortium, exclusive insights into the latest research and trends, opportunities to co-create impactful events, heightened visibility across our platforms, and invaluable connections with fellow stakeholders in the EdTech ecosystem.
Regulation News:
EU AI Act
The European Parliament approved the Artificial Intelligence Act with overwhelming support, marking a significant milestone as the first major political entity to regulate AI. The main goal is to secure both European innovation and human rights. The act prohibits certain AI applications like algorithmic social scoring and exploitative practices while imposing strict regulations on high-risk AI systems used in areas like education and work. This is going to affect all companies, people and governments operating in Europe. So what is at stake here, from an educational perspective?
First of all, it depends on how the law will be applied, which is not clear yet. The EEA has warned about the risks of poor implementation and advised not to make the same mistake as with GDPR, leaving SMEs and other actors without any guidance. It is too soon to conclude the AI Act and its implications, but we would like to set some topics in the limelight. Check out our blog post and further readings here!
Council of Europe´s Framework Convention
On March 14th, The Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence, Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law was finalised by the Council of Europe Committee on Artificial Intelligence. “This first-of-a-kind treaty will ensure that the rise of Artificial Intelligence upholds Council of Europe legal standards in human rights, democracy and the rule of law”, Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić. The Convention covers activities within the lifecycle of artificial intelligence (AI) systems that 'have the potential to interfere with human rights, democracy, and rule of law.' This includes activities undertaken by public authorities and private actors acting on their behalf.
Opportunity:
The Digital Education Accelerator
If you have a digital education prototype or solution that you want to scale across Europe and ultimately grow your innovation, the European Digital Education Hub´s Accelerator Programme is for you:
Duration: 6 months from May to December 2024
The programme offers:
training and mentoring focused on educational development business growth
testing your prototype in an innovative learning lab or in a real-life setting
peer learning and community building in an entrepreneurial spirit
showcasing at a pan-European level
Join the Hub to apply for the programme here! (Deadline 15.04.2024)
Worth Reading “AI Edition”:
AI and Education (Council of Europe)
AI report (European Digital Education Hub)
AI Act (European Commission)
Upcoming Events, click on links for more information and tickets:
16th April: SETT Nordic Track in Stockholm, Sweden - Agenda & Tickets
7th May: EdTech Austria Summit in Salzburg, Austria - Agenda
18-19th September: Learning Conference for L&D in Stockholm, Sweden- Tickets
9th-11th July: Digital with Purpose Global Summit in Cascais, Portugal - Agenda
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. European Edtech News is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.