9:00-9:35

Welcome coffee

9:35-9:45

Opening and Hackathon Days Recap

Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen, Director-General, DG EAC, European Commission

9:45-10:00

Keynote speech

Saskia Van Uffelen, Manager Future Workforce & BeTheChange Agoria

10:00-10:45

Panel Discussion

Bridging education and labour markets in the digital age

The increasing demand for digital skills provides new opportunities to rethink the way we learn, teach, and work. However, despite these advancements, the latest data show that young people continue to struggle with attaining basic digital skills. This panel discussion brings together experts from education and industry to explore how schools can equip themselves with future-proof curricula and innovative pedagogies to ensure students graduate with the skills needed in their further studies and careers. In parallel, the panel will also delve into the labour market realities, to get an understanding of which digital skills are still proving difficult to find and how can we foster a more seamless transition between school and work.

Speakers:

Nils Elofsson, Junior adviser to the social affairs department, Business Europe

Dr. Paulína Koršňáková, Senior Research and Liaison Adviser to IEA

Jan de Craemer, Policy Adviser, Flemish Ministry of Education and Training

Marianna Marcucci, Chair of the Board of All Digital

10:45-10:50

Testimonial from previous hackathons

Short in-person or video interventions from past DigiEduHack hosts and participants where speakers reflect on their projects and the impact of the initiative on their learning journey.

10:50-11:10

Interactive Activity (part I)

Scanning future trends in digital education

11:10-11:40

Networking Break

11:40-11:45

Testimonials from previous hackathons

Short in-person or video interventions from past DigiEduHack hosts and participants where speakers reflect on their projects and the impact of the initiative on their learning journey.

11:45-12:30

Panel discussion

Learning by hacking: how hackathons promote innovation in education

The panel will explore the role of hackathons as an innovative pedagogical format to foster digital skill development among students, educators, professionals, and learners of all ages. This interactive discussion will bring to light good practices of using hackathons as a tool for hands-on learning, allowing learners to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world problems, collaborate with peers locally or across the globe, and develop their own innovative solutions. The panel will share concrete examples of how hackathons can bring a positive impact on learners’ journeys, contribute to curriculum modernization, strengthen industry-education cooperation, and encourage the uptake of STEM studies. The expected outcomes include a deeper understanding of the role of hackathons in digital skill development, insights into successful models and best practices, and new connections and opportunities for collaboration between academia, industry, and hackathon organizers.

Speakers: 

Davide Coppaloni, Senior Operations and IT Manager at JA Europe

Juhani Koivuviita, Co-founder and CEO of Educraftor

Gabriele Tealdo, Student at University of Trento, winner of last year DigiEduHack, co-founder of UniMate

Victoria Belous, DigiEduHack National Ambassador and Host

12:30-12:55

Interactive Activity (part II)

Scanning future trends in digital education

12:55-13:00

Closing

Francesca Maltauro, Deputy Head of ‘Digital Education’ Unit, Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, European Commission (DG EAC)

13:00-14:00

Lunch