The European Union's new digital education report highlights 54 examples of practices from all 27 member states-from AI courses for teachers and virtual reality labs to media literacy competitions and adult digital skills programs. The compilation shows that European schools and training providers are moving past hardware distribution and focusing on how technology can close the digital divide through improved teaching methods, inclusion, and responsible use.
The examples fall under three main themes: digital skills, future classrooms, and digital well-being. What distinguishes this generation of projects is an emphasis on teacher training, real-world application of AI, and reaching groups often left behind, such as low-skilled adults, young people not in education or employment, and students with disabilities.
AI as both course topic and classroom tool
Several countries treat artificial intelligence as more than a subject to be taught. Austria's pilot brings generative AI into classrooms, supporting teachers with free online courses on AI concepts, ethics, data protection, and practical pedagogical use. Two Belgian projects go further: DigiYou trains 18- to 29-year-olds at risk of exclusion, then has them pass skills to vulnerable community members, while a free online course from Artevelde and Odisee covers prompting, bias, hallucinations, and sustainability in just three hours.
Croatia's BrAIn project develops programs on AI from concept to application and tests an intelligent recommendation system for personalized learning. France's CREIA community connects teachers, trainers, inspectors, and decision-makers to discuss the pedagogical and ethical use of AI. In Estonia, the Cyborgs platform uses AI-generated conversation simulations so users can practice difficult workplace discussions in a safe environment before facing real situations.
Safety, identity, and community agreements
The report pays significant attention to online safety. Greece's Kids Wallet app combines parental controls, age verification, and a digital identity for children, letting parents limit app access and screen time. Italy's Patti Digitali di Comunità tackles the social pressure around smartphones for kids by proposing local agreements between families, schools, and communities on rules for phones, social media, and time spent online.
Games, competitions, and hands-on labs
Gamified approaches and practical workshops appear across the continent. In the Netherlands, MediaMasters pits 8 to 12-year-olds in a national game about social media, fake news, cyberbullying, and privacy. Slovakia's Critical Thinking Olympiad turns media literacy and information verification into a competition with free resources for schools. Malta's Code.Sprint tests programming skills under time pressure with assessment by IT professionals, and successful participation can count towards secondary education credits.
Spain uses augmented reality simulators for welding, which the report says cut test-failure time, increased practice hours, and saved materials. Portugal prepares teachers to run Digital Education Labs with 3D printing, robotics, and micro:bit activities. Slovakia places SmartLabs in public libraries where citizens work with 3D printers and STEAM kits, turning libraries into community hubs for digital creativity.
Romania's open resources and teacher training
Romania's Digitaledu.ro, created by the Institute for Education and Social IT with Ministry approval, offers teachers over 1,700 activity ideas searchable by subject, level, and format. The second listed initiative, eduApps - Digitalising Education through Training Programmes, delivers accredited online modules, master classes, and video workshops, with a focus on teachers in rural and disadvantaged areas. Since 2020, 3,900 teachers have completed the courses, with a 99% pass rate according to the report.
Why this matters for educators
The 54 cases demonstrate that effective digital transformation in education depends on teacher training, not just devices. For educators looking to integrate AI into their work, the report offers models that fit local contexts-from community-driven digital inclusion to VR simulators that replace expensive equipment. Structured learning paths, such as the AI Learning Path for Teachers, can help school staff and trainers build the skills these examples rely on. The report, available on the European Commission's website, makes the case that sustained investment in people, alongside technology, is what closes the digital divide in education.
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