JRC research on Learning and Skills for the Digital Era started in 2005 with the aim to provide evidence-based policy support to the European Commission and the Member States on harnessing the potential of digital technologies to innovate education and training practices, improve access to lifelong learning and to deal with the rise of new (digital) skills and competences needed for employment, personal development and social inclusion. More than 20 major studies have been undertaken on these issues with more than 100 different publications.

The European Digital Competence Framework for Citizens1 , also known as DigComp, offers a tool to improve citizens’ digital competence. DigComp was developed by the JRC as a scientific project and with intensive consultation of stakeholders, initially on behalf of DG EAC and, more recently, on behalf of DG EMPL. First published in 2013, DigComp has become a reference for the development and strategic planning of digital competence initiatives both at European and Member State level. In June 2016 JRC published DigComp 2.0, updating the terminology and conceptual model, as well as showcasing examples of its implementation at the European, national and regional level.

The current version is labelled DigComp 2.1 and it focuses on expanding the initial three proficiency levels to a more fine-grained eight level description as well as providing examples of use for these eight levels. Its aim is to support stakeholders with the further implementation of DigComp.

Other related JRC works on capacity building for the digital transformation of education and learning and for changing requirements on skills and competences has focused on the development of:

• digital competence frameworks for educators (DigCompEdu),

• educational organisations (DigCompOrg),

• consumers (DigCompConsumers).

A framework for opening-up Higher Education Institutions (OpenEdu) was also published in 2016, as well as a competence framework for entrepreneurship (EntreComp). Some of these frameworks are accompanied by (self-)assessment instruments. Additional research has been undertaken on computational thinking (CompuThink), Learning Analytics, MOOC learners (MOOCKnowledge) and MOOCs and free digital learning opportunities for migrants and refugees (MOOCs4inclusion).

More information from all our studies can be found on the JRC Science hub: https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/research-topic/learning-and-skills

Yves Punie

Project Leader

DG JRC Unit Human Capital and Employment

European Commission

Claudine Lim

Manager at The Principles for Digital Development

Claudine first joined the Digital Impact Alliance in October 2017, shortly after receiving a dual masters in international relations and public relations from the Maxwell School and S.I. Newhouse School at Syracuse University. After working as a Program Coordinator and Researcher for DIAL’s Business Operations, she is currently working with the Principles of Digital Development.