The EIT and the Digital Education Action Plan

Enhancing Digital and Entrepreneurship Skills among Girls

The EIT contributes to combating the underrepresentation of women in entrepreneurship, economic leadership and the technology sector, which remains a significant and globally recognised problem.

In 2018, the EIT welcomed the European Commission's adoption of the Digital Education Action Plan, which supports technology use and digital competence development in education. The EIT contributes to the implementation of the Commission’s Action 8 Training in digital and entrepreneurial skills for girls through a series of activities on digital and entrepreneurial skills organised throughout Europe for girls in primary and secondary education.

There is a lack of interest among girls to pursue studies information and communication technologies (ICT) and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) which remains a clear problem. This leads to lost social and economic opportunities and risks reinforcing gender inequality.

European Commission

Europe needs a digitally skilled talent pool. Yet, the European Commission’s Report ‘Women in the Digital Age’ highlights that despite the growing demand for ICT specialists and digital profiles, the percentage of Europeans with ICT-related education is actually decreasing. While this is a common trend for both genders, there are significantly fewer women taking up ICT related education and jobs than men and only 17% of ICT specialists are women.

Martin Kern, EIT Director

Project goals

The specific goals we aim to achieve in collaboration with our partners are:

  • Inspiring female students to consider careers in technology, entrepreneurship and innovation.
  • Organising a series of workshops on digital and entrepreneurial skills throughout Europe with a particular focus on EIT RIS countries, for girls in primary and secondary education.

In the course of 2019, over 1 600 young women aged between 12 and 18 took part in workshops dedicated to inspirational leadership or digital and entrepreneurial skills workshops organised in following EIT RIS countries: Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Malta, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Turkey.

The evaluations conducted at the end of each of the three rounds of the project run throughout 2019 show that most of the young women participating in the project had a positive and successful experience. In line with the objectives set for the project, participants increased their interest in entrepreneurship and working in the technology sector, and now have a better understanding of what this means.

Read more:

Inspiring women and Girls in Science and Innovation

One step closer to becoming Entrepreneurs

Related procurement information is available here.