‘Educate to create: from digital consumers to digital crators’ is the title of the flagship conference on education of the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
The event will be kicked off by the Bulgarian Minister of Education and Science Krasimir Valchev, Mayor of Sofia Yordanka Fandakova the European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Tibor Navracsics. European Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society Mariya Gabriel will deliver the opening speech on the second day of proceedings. On the 19-20 April 2018, the event will gather around 300 participants and more than 50 high-level speakers to Sofia Tech Park, the innovation and digital hub of Bulgaria’s capital. The conference will target policy makers; educators; students; innovators; the business sector; NGO representatives and researchers.
The conference will have both plenary and workshop sessions led by international experts in education and thought leaders from policy, business and research. The event will be a unique opportunity to raise awareness of the urgent need to boost basic competences and digital skills and of the need for quality STEM education for all. The event will be an opportunity to highlight efforts of policy-makers to support young people in using technologies for creativity, knowledge construction and effective and efficient learning.
Discussions will also focus on the ‘ecosystem’ surrounding the learner and address teacher training, cooperation with industry and the role of parents and non-formal education. Discussions will be linked to policy developments at European level, including, the review of the 2006 Key Competences Framework, Digital Education Action Plan and the package on modernising education.
Finally, the conference will offer participants an opportunity to discuss lessons learnt from the current Erasmus+ programme and the opportunities for European funding in supporting digital skills and innovation.
As a concrete output a ‘Sofia Call for Action’ will be adopted with recommendations and action points for policy-makers, educators and teachers on supporting a stronger digital education agenda. The Bulgaria Presidency will lead a discussion on the Call for Action at the May Education Ministerial Council.