Austria

1. 1National strategic roadmap for the Austrian Digital Decade. Roadmap outlines the intended goals in the digitalisation, around 16 different key performance indicators, more than 30 different measures, 11 different strategies including Digital competence campaign, E/government strategy, Digital Austria Act, Digital Action plan, and digital plans in education. Digital citizenship is mentioned as a part of the roadmap. Principles mentioned in E-Government Strategy 2023 mentions personal contact with government agencies, digital sovereignty, data protection and safeguarding etc. 
2. “Digital Competence Framework for Austria – DigComp AT” (based on the European Reference Framework for Digital Competences (DigComp 2.1) includes 27 individual competences in six competence areas (citizenship competences is one of them).  
   It explicitly embeds principles from the Recommendation CM/Rec(2019)10, including safe internet use, participation, digital literacy, and the capacity to communicate and express opinions.  
   – Safe Internet Use: The document emphasizes protecting devices and digital content, understanding risks and threats in digital environments, and knowing safety and security measures​​. It includes competencies related to protecting personal or sensitive information and privacy in digital environments, understanding the use of privacy policies, and protecting health and wellbeing in digital contexts​​. 
   – Participation: It highlights using digital technologies for social participation, including participating in society using public and private digital services and seeking opportunities for self-empowerment and participatory citizenship with appropriate digital technologies​​. The document discusses engaging in politics or civil society on the internet, maintaining online contact with family members and friends, and using digital services for mobility and travel needs​​. 
   – Digital Literacy: The framework covers a broad spectrum of digital literacy, including interacting through digital technologies, sharing data and information, collaborating using digital tools, and understanding and managing digital identities​​. It also encompasses digital content creation, respecting copyright and licenses, and programming and automating processes​​. 
   – Capacity to Communicate and Express Opinions: The document details using appropriate forms of expression in digital environments, understanding behavioural patterns and norms, and adapting communication strategies to various stakeholders​​. 
   It encourages engaging in online discussions appropriately and understanding the impact of digital technologies on communication​​. 
3. Regulation of the Federal Minister for Education, Science and Research, amending the Regulation on the Curricula of Middle Schools and the Regulation on the Curricula of General Secondary Schools. Compulsory subject in the 2022/23 school year in secondary school. 2018 and 2019 Compulsory Exercise in Basic Digital Education (continues the digi.komp concept), all new secondary and grammar school leavers, were expected to be thoroughly digitally literate for the first time. With the 2022/23 school year, the new compulsory subject “Digital Basic Education” has been introduced in middle schools and lower secondary schools. Digital basic education is implemented in the 5th to 8th grades with at least one fixed hour in the timetable, resulting in a total of at least 4 annual hours per week over the course of secondary level I. Curriculum does not specifically mention digital citizenship education, but mentions its principles (knowledge of rights and responsibilities online, participation skills, reliable info sources, digital literacy skills etc). Other topics: digital games in political education, critical media education, digital self-defence. 
4. Digital Austria Act. Commitment in June 2023 to update the Federal Government’s digitisation program and thus secure Austria’s prosperity in the future. To this end, priorities are set in the following areas: • Smart government of the future • Digital connectivity • Cyber security and cyber defence • Digital transformation of the economy • Digitalisation for climate protection • Digital innovation • Digital health • Digital competence • Digital media, art and culture • Digital universities and colleges • Technology assessment. 
5. Digital Austria 2050 Strategic Action Plan. It puts forward initiatives targeted at improving digital skills for the labour force, general citizens, as well as in the education sector. The strategy foresees shaping education, training and lifelong learning in Austria as a digital competitive advantage. The digital skills targets in the Action plan focus on following pillars: 1) Digital transformation of the educational system 2) Lifelong transfer of knowledge and skills 3) Ensuring all citizens have basic digital skills. 
   The DCE Recommendation was not mentioned in any policy document but the Recommendation was a basis for an operation framework (it is explicitly mentioned there) for a learning centre, polis (please see Question 7).
6. Learning framework: Citizenship Education cross-curricular topic in 8^th grade curricula 
   The objectives of the overarching topic of citizenship education are intended equally for the online and offline world. Although the curriculum does not explicitly mention “Digital Citizenship Education”, it addresses all of its domains. Politics-related methodological skills such as methods for analysing, interpreting and creating data, images and texts inherent to politics and society. Political participation is encouraged through critical examination of political communication (including through digital media). 

Sources

1. https://www.digitalaustria.gv.at/eng/strategy/eGovernment-Strategy.html#visionprinciples for Roadmap https://www.digitalaustria.gv.at/  (pdf file in the tab Roadmap Digital decade)
2. https://www.fit4internet.at/view/verstehen-das-modell/&lang=EN#DigCompzweidreiAT
3. https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/eli/bgbl/II/2022/267/20220706   
4. https://www.digitalaustria.gv.at/downloads.html  (Digital Austria Act)
5. https://www.digitalaustria.gv.at/  (pdf file in the tab Roadmap Digital decade – name of the file National Roadmap Austria – Digital Decade) 
6. https://www.paedagogikpaket.at/component/edocman/639-lehrplan-3/download.html?Itemid=0 
7. https://www.paedagogikpaket.at/massnahmen/lehrplaene-neu/%C3%BCbergreifende-themen.html 

1. National strategic roadmap for the Austrian Digital Decade: The Digital Austria Summit 2023 took place in Tulln on November 28, 2023. It included the discussion on National Roadmap.  
2. “Digital Competence Framework for Austria – DigComp AT”: Presentation of update DigComp 2.3 AT  
3. Regulation of the Federal Minister for Education, Science and Research, amending the Regulation on the Curricula of Middle Schools and the Regulation on the Curricula of General Secondary Schools: No information.  
4. Digital Austria Act: No information. 
5. Digital Austria 2050 Strategic Action Plan: Includes the Digital skills initiative Austria, that coordinates activities on the development of digital skills and DCE nationwide.  

Sources

1. https://www.digitalaustria.gv.at/WissensWert/Events-Digital-Austria/Digital-Austria-Summit.html  
2. https://www.fit4internet.at/view/verstehen-das-modell/&lang=EN#DigCompzweidreiAT  + https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s23WVrM9-9w   
3. https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/eli/bgbl/II/2022/267/20220706   
4. https://www.digitalaustria.gv.at/downloads.html  (Digital Austria Act)  
5. https://www.digitalaustria.gv.at/  (pdf file in the tab Roadmap Digital decade – name of the file National Roadmap Austria – Digital Decade) 
6. https://www.digitalaustria.gv.at/eng/strategy/Digital-Skills-Initiative-Austria.html 

1. National strategic roadmap for the Austrian Digital Decade. It includes targets and key performance indicators. It does not directly mention recommendations and the tracking of the recommendation. 
2. “Digital Competence Framework for Austria – DigComp AT”. Fit4internet conducted the first representative survey, the Digital Skills Barometer (DSB)39, to measure digital skills in Austria based on the DigComp 2.2 AT with self-assessment and knowledge-based questions. The survey was conducted in the months of April and May 2022 with a sample stratified by gender, age, and province among almost 4,000 people living in Austria. The results of the Digital Skills Barometer provide a detailed picture of the Austrian population’s digital knowledge for the first time.” The Digital Competence Framework for Austria – DigComp AT is regularly reviewed by the Digital Skills Initiative Austria. 
3. Regulation of the Federal Minister for Education, Science and Research, amending the Regulation on the Curricula of Middle Schools and the Regulation on the Curricula of General Secondary Schools. The document, which includes changes to the curriculum regulations for middle schools and general secondary schools in Austria, does not explicitly mention “assessment.” The main focus is on integrating digital literacy (Digitale Grundbildung) into the curriculum, specifying the number of instructional hours, and detailing the educational and teaching tasks associated with digital literacy.  
4. Digital Austria Act. No information. 
5. Digital Austria 2050 Strategic Action Plan. No information. 
6. Efforts are underway to monitor the new compulsory school subject “Basic Digital Education” 

Sources

1. https://www.digitalaustria.gv.at/WissensWert/Events-Digital-Austria/Digital-Austria-Summit.html   
2. https://www.fit4internet.at/view/verstehen-zahlendatenfakten/&lang=EN   
3. https://www.digitalaustria.gv.at/eng/strategy/Digital-Skills-Initiative-Austria.html 
4. https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/eli/bgbl/II/2022/267/20220706  .  
5. https://www.digitalaustria.gv.at/downloads.html  (Digital Austria Act)  
6. https://www.digitalaustria.gv.at/  (pdf file in the tab Roadmap Digital decade – name of the file National Roadmap Austria – Digital Decade) 
7. Online survey with national authorities 

1. National strategic roadmap for the Austrian Digital Decade. Variety of stakeholders from public and private organizations (Austrian social insurance funds, Austrian Economic Chamber, Start-up Council (committee of experts from the start-up ecosystem with the aim of improving the framework conditions for start-ups and innovative growth companies in Austria), Universities and colleges, Austrian Board of Midwives, Austrian Bar Association (judiciary in digitalisation), medical, health Ad AI , Digital Services citizens associations) were widely involved from the start of the development process to the finalisation of the roadmap. They were invited to comment on legislation during the parliamentary process.  
2.  E-Government Strategy 2023. A very broad range of around 80 stakeholders from all the fields of government – federal government, provinces, municipalities and local communities – have been working closely together for many years with the aim of establishing standardised, interlinked and coordinated procedures for digital government services or e-government. They were widely involved from the start of the development process to the finalisation of the roadmap.  
3. “Digital Competence Framework for Austria – DigComp AT”. Created in consultation with the Interdisciplinary Task Force for Digital Competences – task force of over 60 members from universities, national ministries, private and public institutions on digital skills, research and development specialists in different education levels). It was designed in collaboration with the scientific working group belonging to the implementation and research programme “DigComp-CERT goes next level” with around 20 individuals and experts from research institutes, digital association such as Austrian Institute of Technology, Raising digital competences in Austria (association), Federal Institute for Quality Assurance in the Austrian School Sector, Austrian Institute for Research on Vocational Training.  
4. Regulation of the Federal Minister for Education, Science and Research, amending the Regulation on the Curricula of Middle Schools and the Regulation on the Curricula of General Secondary Schools. No information. 
5. Digital Austria Act. Federal Ministry of Finance coordinates all of this work, while the respective specialist departments define the topic-specific content 
6. Digital Austria 2050 Strategic Action Plan. No information. 

Sources

1. https://www.digitalaustria.gv.at/WissensWert/Events-Digital-Austria/Digital-Austria-Summit.html
2. https://www.fit4internet.at/view/verstehen-zahlendatenfakten/&lang=EN
3. https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/eli/bgbl/II/2022/267/20220706  .  
4. https://www.digitalaustria.gv.at/downloads.html  (Digital Austria Act)  
5. https://www.digitalaustria.gv.at/  (pdf file in the tab Roadmap Digital decade – name of the file National Roadmap Austria – Digital Decade) 

1. National strategic roadmap for the Austrian Digital Decade. Different government institutions and federal agencies, ministries will be responsible for the implementation of each part of the roadmap (different institutions for different strategies) 
2. “Digital Competence Framework for Austria – DigComp AT”. The implementation takes place via an online platform, for which users must register. Bodies responsible for implementation are the Federal Ministry of Digital and Economic Affairs (BMDW) (until 2022) and the Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF) 
3. Regulation of the Federal Minister for Education, Science and Research, amending the Regulation on the Curricula of Middle Schools and the Regulation on the Curricula of General Secondary Schools. Compulsory subject in the 2022/23 school year in secondary school. As a mandatory exercise in the lower secondary level, the subject was taught in every school so all the teachers were involved in the implementation. 
4. Digital Austria Act. Federal Ministry of Finance coordinates all of this work, while the respective specialist departments define the topic-specific content and are subsequently also responsible for implementing the measures developed in each case 
5.  Digital Austria 2050 Strategic Action Plan. No information.

Sources

1. https://www.digitalaustria.gv.at/WissensWert/Events-Digital-Austria/Digital-Austria-Summit.html
2. https://www.fit4internet.at/view/verstehen-zahlendatenfakten/&lang=EN
3. https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/print/pdf/node/153857
4. https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/eli/bgbl/II/2022/267/20220706
5. https://www.digitalaustria.gv.at/downloads.html (Digital Austria Act)
6. https://www.digitalaustria.gv.at/ (pdf file in the tab Roadmap Digital decade – name of the file National Roadmap Austria – Digital Decade)

1. National strategic roadmap for the Austrian Digital Decade. No information found 
2. “Digital Competence Framework for Austria – DigComp AT”. No information found 
3. Regulation of the Federal Minister for Education, Science and Research, amending the Regulation on the Curricula of Middle Schools and the Regulation on the Curricula of General Secondary Schools.No information found
4. Digital Austria Act. No information. 
5. Digital Austria 2050 Strategic Action Plan. No information. 

Sources

1. https://www.digitalaustria.gv.at/WissensWert/Events-Digital-Austria/Digital-Austria-Summit.html
2. https://www.fit4internet.at/view/verstehen-zahlendatenfakten/&lang=EN
3. https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/print/pdf/node/153857
4. https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/eli/bgbl/II/2022/267/20220706
5. https://www.digitalaustria.gv.at/downloads.html (Digital Austria Act)
6. https://www.digitalaustria.gv.at/ (pdf file in the tab Roadmap Digital decade – name of the file National Roadmap Austria – Digital Decade)

1. Zentrum polis. Zentrum polis is the Austrian Centre for Citizenship Education in Schools which supports skills-oriented teaching. The Austrian Centre for Citizenship Education in Schools. The CoE DCE Recommendation is the operation framework of Zentrum polis, the Austrian Centre for Citizenship Education in Schools. The comprehensive Austrian online information platform for education for democratic citizenship, human rights, financial literacy and consumer rights. The centre helps teachers to bring citizenship and human rights education into the classroom, serves as an information platform and advisory centre, develops new materials for the classroom on a regular basis, plays a part in the European and Austrian discussions on citizenship education, has an influential role in teacher training and organizes events for students. It contains advice on events, teaching material, curricula and basic principles on citizenship education, information about the Austrian Citizenship Days etc. Publications for teachers: Zentrum polis offers a broad variety of material for teachers to download free of charge. Zentrum polis is a central education service institution that operates under the auspices of the Austrian government. It was established to help teachers integrate citizenship education and human rights education into their curricula. The Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research plays a significant role in funding and supporting Zentrum polis. Other stakeholders who Zentrum olis cooperates with are Universities and Research Institutions (University of Vienna: Collaborates on research projects related to citizenship education, such as studies on the effectiveness of educational programs; NGOs (Amnesty International, SOS Children’s Villages Austria), Teacher associations and education networks (Austrian teacher union, eTwinning Austria), local education authorities (Vienna School Board, lower Austrian education directorate).  Activities and beneficiaries. The Centre supports teachers, schools and non-school educational institutions in the implementation of citizenship education in all its facets, acts as an information hub and advice Centre, continuously creates new materials for teaching, gets involved in European and Austrian discussion processes on citizenship education, sets accents in teacher training and further education, and coordinates and organizes events. Best Practice Archive: In the online database of the best practice archive, users can find teaching suggestions, lesson plans and practical ideas for projects that can be carried out in the classroom. 
2. Digitale Grundbildung (Digital Basic Education). A government initiative aimed at embedding digital literacy into the school curriculum. Initiative is supported by a variety of stakeholders, including government bodies (Ministry of Education, Federal Ministry of Digital and Economic Affairs), educational institutions (Education Innovation Lab, eEducation Austria, Polis), and private sector partners (Saferinternet.at). It focuses on equipping students with essential digital skills, including digital citizenship. Activities: Curriculum development, teacher training programs, and integration of digital literacy into classroom activities.  
3. Austrian Institute for Applied Telecommunications (OIAT). Description: OIAT works on various projects to improve digital literacy and safety. It collaborates with the government, private sector, and civil society to create comprehensive educational programs. Activities: Public awareness campaigns, development of educational tools, and collaborative projects with schools. 
4. Education Austria. Description: A nationwide initiative that supports the integration of digital education in schools. It promotes digital competencies and responsible online behaviour. Activities: Training sessions for educators, digital projects in classrooms, and development of digital teaching materials. 

Sources

1. https://www.politik-lernen.at/
2. https://www.politik-lernen.at/politiklernen_en
3. https://www.politik-lernen.at/vwapreis_gleichstellung
4. https://www.bmbwf.gv.at/Themen/schule/zrp/dibi/dgb.html
5. https://oiat.at/
6. https://eeducation.at/

1. Zentrum polis. Zentrumpolis focus on violence against women in citizenship education is a contribution to the National Action Plan for the Protection of Women from Violence, which is being implemented with the Department of School Psychology of the Ministry of Education. The Zentrum polis package of materials on the protection of women from violence includes publications on: Gender – Equality – Gender justice – Women’s rights are human rights – School work – Gender-specific violence against children and young people with disabilities – Violence against women and children – War and armed conflicts, no peace without women?! – Bullying at school.

Sources

1. https://www.politik-lernen.at/vwapreis_gleichstellung

1. Member of DCE Promoters’ Network 
2. Member of GADMO – german/austrian digital media observatory 
3. Media literacy expert group (E02541)  
4. Working Group on Digital Education: Learning, Teaching and Assessment (DELTA) (E03787)   
5. Commission Expert group for Digital Education Content (E03942)  
6. Commission Expert Group – Expert group on Safer Internet for Children 
7. Networking European Citizenship Education platform  
8. Global Education Network Europe (GENE)  
9. The INHOPE network. Austria, through its hotline partners, actively participates in INHOPE’s initiatives to promote safer internet practices and digital citizenship education.  
10. 1Digital citizenship through language education project 
11. Member of Commission Working group on Schools 

Sources

1. https://www.coe.int/en/web/digital-citizenship-education/promoters#{%22245884893%22:[0]}
2. https://edmo.eu/about-us/edmo-hubs/
3. https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/expert-groups-register/screen/expert-groups/consult?lang=en&groupID=2541
4. https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/expert-groups-register/screen/expert-groups/consult?lang=en&groupID=3787
5. https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/expert-groups-register/screen/expert-groups/consult?lang=en&groupID=3942
6. https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/expert-groups-register/screen/expert-groups/consult?lang=en&groupID=3624
7. https://nece.eu/
8. https://www.gene.eu/members
9. https://inhope.org
10. https://www.ecml.at/ECML-Programme/Programme2020-2023/Digitalcitizenshipthroughlanguageeducation/tabid/4302/Default.aspx

Training on DCE to teachers and other professionals:
The government is offering a specific MOOC (massive open online course) on DCE:  

Digital Citizenship – Kompetent in Demokratie und Unterricht | iMooX 

In the area of initial teacher training for secondary education, the strengthening and expansion of digital competences (especially in ‘digital subject didactics’) was particularly given account in the further development of the curricula. This is based on the DigiKompP. model and the university colleges of teacher education’s own digitalisation strategies. Digital skills have also been anchored in the curricula of teacher training programmes in primary education.  These focus on media education and the reflective use of the internet as well as a playful approach to technology and problem solving. Education Innovation Studios have been set up at teacher training colleges in all federal states and at 100 primary schools. Here, students learn how to use robotics and coding in a playful way (e.g. Education Innovation Studio – University of Teacher Education Lower Austria). 

On behalf of the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research, university colleges of teacher education are offering a further education and training offensive on digitally inclusive subject didactics and digital skills for teachers. Teachers should have the skills of the digi.kompP competence model. They should be able to use digital devices in a didactically meaningful way in their respective subjects and thus support the achievement of (individual) learning objectives and skills. The core content of the training courses is the transformation of learning and teaching under the conditions of digitality. 

Translation and dissemination of DCE Recommendation:
The recommendation itself has not been translated into German, but has been made accessible to a broad educational public through various channels and a variety of measures. For example: 

1. “polis aktuell” on Digital Citizenship Education (in German language) 

Zentrum polis – the Austrian Centre for Citizenship Education in Schools has dedicated the first 2020 edition of its magazine for teachers to the topic of digital citizenship education. In the understanding of polis, digital citizenship education is located at the interface between citizenship education, critical media education and digital literacy. The 12-page booklet introduces the Council of Europe’s Digital Citizenship Education Concept and looks at the links between digital literacy and citizenship education in the Austrian school system (In Austria, basic digital education has been implemented as a compulsory subject in lower secondary education since 2018.). 

A separate chapter is devoted to the topic of digital games as a teaching tool for citizenship education. 

Short sections on topics such as digital self-defence or media education provide tips for classroom activities. 

The booklet is the kick-off for a series of publications dealing with the different aspects of digitalisation in the context of citizenship education and addresses teachers of all grades. It can also be used in teacher trainings. 

Free downloads: www.politik-lernen.at/pa_digitalcitizenshipeducation  

2. Creation of a page with basic information on DCE: https://www.politik-lernen.at/digitalcitizenshipeducation 

3. An article provides an overview of the intentions, planning status (summer 2024) and framework conditions for the European Year of Digital Citizenship Education 2025 [#DCEY2025] https://journals.univie.ac.at/index.php/mp/article/view/8850/9074 

Furthermore the recommendation was communicated through official channels to staff responsible for the CPD of teachers and are used in particular to evaluate and review whether submitted courses and programmes are up to standard.