SEEDIG 2018 | Programme details

3, 5, 6, 7, 12, 48, 71** (see the list of proposals)

This session is aimed to discuss how data economy and digital skills can foster inclusion and expand global opportunities for lifelong learning, brought by the development of information and communication technologies (ICTs). Higher productivity and greater competition are putting additional pressure on job seekers, while digital migrants have to gain more flexibility in order to adapt to permanent digital transformations. We invite you to share your experiences as to how we can make the SEE community digitally smart and equipped with proper digital skill-set.

Digital inclusion, digital migrants, digital natives, digital readiness, digital divide, digital dividends, digital skills, data economy, digital transformation

The shift to data-driven economy challenges human ability for permanent learning and adjustment to a rapidly changing environment. To fully benefit from the opportunities offered by the digitalisation of economies, all of us have to be properly equipped with the skill-set needed for efficient and safe use of modern digital technologies. Many jobs already include at least some digital components. Digital skills are becoming door openers and career advancers.

Connectivity might be an issue that precludes some groups from enjoying the benefits brought by the Internet. But at the end, the very access does not solve the issue itself, as the sophistication of technology requires improvement of digital skills. It is our shared responsibility to treat digital skills education with equal importance as conventional literacy and numeracy. But how do we measure our readiness for the data economy? Do governments pay enough attention to the digital education of their citizens? Does the private sector invest in such education? Is civil society engaged enough to sensitise the importance of making digital literacy a must-have skill for every individual?

How to make sure the needs of both digital natives and digital migrants are properly addressed? How to turn digital opportunities into dividends rather than divide?

If you are questioning yourself on any of the above issues, or if you already know the answers, this session is the right place to be and make each other more digitally literate.

What is the best way to learn? To be a part of the process. During this session, we will not only talk about lifelong learning, but will give all of you an immediate opportunity to share experiences and suggestions in a friendly atmosphere of a ‘fishbowl’. Don’t know what it is? Come and try.

Moderator: Oliana Sula, University ‘Aleksandër Moisiu’ Durrës/Estonian Business School, Albania

Key participants/resource persons:

• Borut Campelj, Ministry of Educations, Science and Sport, Slovenia
• Vitor Tome, Research Centre for Arts and Communication, Portugal
• Sabrina Vorbau, European Schoolnet, Belgium

Online moderator: Sergo Karakozov, IT Development Centre, Georgia

Rapporteur(s):

• Andrijana Gavrilović, DiploFoundation, Serbia
• Dajana Mulaj, Digital Grassroots, Albania

• e-Skills for Jobs in Europe – Measuring Progress and Moving Ahead (2014)
• Bridging the Digital Divide in South-Eastern Europe (E. Gourova, A. Antonova)
• South Eastern Europe: Digital Divide or Digital Opportunity? (V. Baltac)
• E-skills and Digital Economy (Slovenia, 2016)
• Reaping Digital Dividends: Leveraging the Internet for Development in Europe and Central Asia (The World Bank, March 2017)
• The Global Information Technology Report 2016

• To fully benefit the opportunities of digitalisation, we have to engage in a lifelong learning process to develop our digital skills and keep pace with the constantly evolving digital environment.
• All stakeholders should play an active role in advancing digital literacy. Governments should adopt policies with input from all relevant stakeholders.
• Digital literacy should be part of the school curriculum from early ages. Teachers and students should have resources in native languages.
• Countries in the region should cooperate in advancing digital literacy by sharing experiences and good practices, while building on country-specific contexts.

Team leads:

• Olga Kyryliuk, NGO ‘Digital Defenders Partners’, Ukraine
• Oliana Sula, University ‘Aleksandër Moisiu’ Durrës/Estonian Business School, Albania

Team members:

• Aleksandar Ichokjaev, Macedonian IGF, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
• Dajana Mulaj, University of Tirana, Albania
• Asli Telli Aydemir, European Digital Rights Initiative/ Internet Society Turkey
• Sabrina Vorbau, European Schoolnet
• Aamir Ullah Khan, Turkey
• Blerton Abazi, University for Business and Technology, Kosovo*

Contact points:

• Lianna Galstyan (Executive Committee member)
• Charalampos Kyritsis (intern)