Belgium

Q1. Have the Member States reviewed their legislation, policies and learning frameworks to ensure that they are aligned with the recommendations, principles and guidance?

The Digital Strategy for Education in Wallonia Brussels Federation for Compulsory education (2018) is part of the larger structural and systemic reform: Pacte pour un Enseignement d’Excellence. The Digital Strategy for Education includes 5 complementary and interlinked axes: define digital learning resources, support and train teachers, define equipment modalities of schools, share and communicate, develop a digital governance. Digital Strategies for longlife learning and higher education were created in 2021. Following the digital strategy for lifelong learning, The AGCF regulation (21/12/2022) supports digital lifelong learning by enabling distance, co-modal, and hybrid education. Monitoring funded projects has also incorporated digital citizenship, gender equality, and vulnerability reduction. The État des lieux de l’Enseignement de Promotion Sociale report (2023) outlines a vision to strengthen and optimise adult education. It aims to establish sector-wide objectives, including digital integration, and to adapt the digital services offered by the General Service for Digital Education for adult learners.
Digital Wallonia 2019-20224 Strategy includes a pillar on digital skills with the objectives to equip schools with modern digital equipment and ensure the development of digital skills of Walloon citizens. Intertwined with the 2019 Pact for Excellence in Education, the new reference frameworks drawn up as part of the reform of the core curriculum to include digital skills (FMTTN) have been introduced in September 2023.
Media Education Plan of the Wallonia Brussels Federation adopted in 2022 with 4 axes: education/training to students on media literacy, regular update of the decree on the Superior Council on Media Education, communication on projects and actions, and the development of new initiatives on media education related to digital media and social media. The Media Education Plan of the Wallonia Brussels Federation refers to the CoE DCE website.
Digisprong (Digital Jump) in Flanders adopted in 2020 with 4 pillars: (1) fostering ICT infrastructure in schools; (2) ICT competent teachers; (3) ICT policies; and (4) digital learning resources. Digisprong is also the name of a newly established knowledge centre for quality digital education, that was integrated in the structure of the Flemish Department of Education and Training
In addition, the Flemish authorities reported in the online survey that there were funding programmes for quality digital education and media literacy at different levels of education (school education, higher education, adult education) in the context of recovery from the Covid crisis (mainly co-financed by the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility).
Flemish Youth and children’s rights policy plan 2020-2024: includes a pillar on media literacy, including digital competences, cyberbullying, online rights. The Flemish Youth and children’s rights policy plan 2020-2024 refers to the CoE Recommendation CM/Rec(2018)7 on the rights of the child in the digital environment and other CoE recommendations on youth work and on young refugees but not to the DCE one.
Third Strategic Plan on Youth 2023-2027 of the German speaking community includes digitalisation as a focal point and includes actions to foster media literacy
Decree of the Walloon Region parliament, related to the initial digital training (20/07/2022). The new Common Core curricula (from nursery school to the 3rd year of secondary education) have been written to ensure that they are adapted to the requirements of a common education for the citizens of the 21st century. They are deployed progressively and reached the 5^th year of primary for this school year 2024-2025. The curriculum of Manual, Technical, Technological and Digital Training (Formation manuelle, technique, technologique et numérique) specifically sets out the expectations for learning in and through the digital environment in four dimensions: Information and data, Communication and collaboration, Content creation, Security. The Security dimension specifies that students must acquire the skills needed to use digital media in a social, civic and ethical manner with a minimum of risk.
Digital skills were integrated by law into the compulsory content of all the initial teacher education, whatever their discipline, and the implementation has started from the academic year 2023-2024.

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Q2. Have the Member States promoted the implementation of the Recommendation in formal, non-formal and informal education settings?

The Digital Strategy for Education in Wallonia Brussels Federation includes the development of a platform to provide resources and tools supporting the introduction of the new curriculum from 2019, enabling co-creation of content from 2023, and will, in the future, integrate e-learning modules, with the creation of an expert pool to develop and manage the platform. As part of the second axis of the Digital Strategy for Education on accompaniment of schools’ digital transition and support for teachers, 42 techno-pedagogical advisors FTE are deployed in the education networks (fully deployed by end of 2021) and school heads can appoint a mission of Délégué-référent au numérique (ICT coordinator) to a teacher by reducing his/her time in front of the classroom since the decree of the 14^th of march 2019¹. A decree on Continuous professional development (CPD), adopted on the 17^th of June 2021² highlights the need for teachers to master the integration of digital technologies into their teaching practices. From now on, every six years, the government sets the institutional CPD needs, including needs related to the challenge of new technologies and digitalisation of education based on propositions made by a council regrouping various stakeholders: the Conseil de la formation professionnelle continue (Council for CPD). Focus groups with teachers were organised to discuss the digital transition in 2021, as well as a forum on practices of digital education of 2022, to exchange about practices ahead of the introduction of the new digital reference frameworks in 2023. In adult education, the recommendation’s themes are included in the requirements and then as monitoring indicator for the funding programmes. This is particularly the case for the creation of shared e-learning module programme (Call for collaboration), where the regulation (AGCF.08/09/2022) enshrines these points of attention. In addition, 16 FTE techno-pedagogical advisors are being funded to support teaching teams and schools in implementing their digital strategy, including the dimensions of digital inclusion, education and citizenship.
The Digital Wallonia 2019-2024 strategy is promoted via the Digital Wallonia Platform that brings together the digital players of the region, disseminates information and provides services to the stakeholders implementing the strategy. The AI 4 Edu platform offers training to teachers to use AI in school contexts. Focus groups with teachers were organised to discuss the digital transition in 2021, as well as a forum on practices of digital education of 2022, to exchange about practices ahead of the introduction of the new digital reference frameworks in 2023.
Since 2023, the Superior Council on Media Education (CSEM) is organising a yearly media education week in schools. It is also involved in the Belgian Safer Internet Centre that organises the Safe Internet Day.
Mediawijs (Flemish Knowledge Centre for Digital and Media Literacy) participates in various campaigns such as the Safer Internet Day, Anti-bullying week, Literacy week, European Media Literacy Week, etc. Mediawijs has developed specific learning resources for primary school teachers. The overall purpose is to make children (age range 8 tot 12) more resilient towards disinformation from the media. Target groups are the children themselves but also journalists that write for a young audience. Examples include a podcast for teaching via story-telling, guidance for philosophical debate with children and specific resources for training children in critical news-checking.
Flemish Youth and children’s rights policy plan 2020-2024: Following the selection of the 5 priorities by the government of Flanders, the global framework was discussed by the Flemish Youth and Children’s Rights Policy Reflection Group XL in a meeting on 9 June 2020 with 70 people including contact points for youth and children’s rights policy within the various policy areas, representatives of the youth and children’s rights superstructure, Flemish and national children’s rightsactors, researchers, representatives of local authorities and youth work. Where possible and desirable, the input given was incorporated into the Plan.
The Media Centre of the German-speaking Community provides resources, workshops and networking activities to enhance media literacy.

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Q3. Have the Member States assessed the impact of the legislation and policies implementing the Recommendation at regular intervals?

education ensures the monitoring of the implementation of the Digital Strategy for Education of the Wallonia Brussels Federation. The strategy mentions that the progress of implementation of the Strategy will be published and that monitoring indicators will be integrated to the monitoring of the Pact for excellence in education. Internal reports on the implementation progress of the Digital Strategy for Education are realized yearly, using KPI’s. Monitoring and regulation mechanisms will be developed as part of the above-mentioned sector reform for adult education. Currently, the administration organises monitoring on the basis of annual reports for projects financed under the RRF.
Digital Wallonia 2019-2024 Strategy: the Conseil du Numérique ensures the monitoring and evaluation of the actions, with the support of the Digital Agency. A dashboard will show the progress of the actions with their objectives, budget allocated, beneficiaries etc. The dashboard of Digital Wallonia is operational since 2023. Indicators are also available on the open data portal of the Wallonia Brussels Federation.
The Media Education plan of the Wallonia Brussels Federation includes an axis on the evaluation of various actions and of the missions and resources of the Superior Council of Media Education (CSEM). A ten-year evaluation of the CSEM had been published in 2019.
The five yearly ICT Monitor or MICTIVO monitors progress of Digisprong with policy information on infrastructure, nature and frequency of use, computer literacy and perceptions through more than 20 indicators. A survey of schools will also be used to assess the impacts of the measures including qualitative insight. In addition, school inspections cover the ICT component based on the reference framework for digital education, and schools will be evaluated annually. The latest ICT Monitor study dates from 2023.
The Flemish Youth and children’s rights policy plan 2020-2024 is monitored through the annual reporting of actions of each minister concerned, and on this basis, the mid-term review and a final evaluation will be drawn, by the Minister for Youth. Indicators are linked to the different priorities and, as far as possible, aligned with the indicators included in the policy and budget explanatory notes. The monitoring of the priorities is currently being set up by the Youth Research Platform (Dutch: Jeugdonderzoeksplatform/JOP), whereby a cluster of general indicators is each time developed that shall allow the progress of the priorities to be monitored. This set of indicators is a mix of survey items and administrative data. One mid-term review of the Flemish Youth and children’s rights policy plan 2020-2024 was published in 2022
The evaluation of the 3rd Youth Plan of the German speaking community is based on a list of measures, indicators and targets. Through the support of the steering group, topics, actions and procedures can also be regularly evaluated and adapted if necessary. The third youth plan of the German speaking community was launched in 2023 and doesn’t seem to have been evaluated yet.

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Q4. Have the relevant stakeholders been involved in the design of DCE legislation and policies at the country level?

The Digital Strategy for Education of the Wallonia Brussels Federation was designed by the government administration on education, based on the report of the working group ‘digital transition’ including various stakeholders of education and of the orientations adopted in the context of the Pact of Excellence for Education. As part of the sector reform project, adult education stakeholders (i.e. representatives of the education networks, the administration and the social partners) were involved in the reflections and then in the definition of a strategic plan. The operational part will involve them again.
Digital Wallonia 2019-2024 Strategy: More than 200 persons representing 140 organisations, associations, private and public companies, were mobilised in 13 theme working groups at the Assises du Numérique (digital conference). Walloon citizens made concrete proposals and recommendations via the collaborative platform, printempsdunumérique.be. All this work was guided by the Conseil du Numérique (Digital Council), who submitted the Digital Plan Proposal on 18 September 2015 to the Minister for Digital Affairs. The Walloon Government defined and implemented its digital strategy abiding by the spirit of the proposal.
The Media Education Plan of the Wallonia Brussels Federation has been developed following the consultation of the CSEM through working groups and comments.
Digisprong started in the aftermath of the Covid crisis, partly in the context of the Flemish Recovery and Resilience Plan, as adopted by the Government of Flanders. According to the “legality principle” imposed by the Belgian Constitution all Governmental action on education has to be approved by Parliamentary Acts. The procedure of approval of a Parliamentary Act requires mandatory consultation of the two official stakeholder bodies: the Flemish Education Council- VLOR (stakeholders in education) and the Economic and Social Council for Flanders – SERV (all social and economic stakeholders).
The Flemish Youth and children’s rights policy plan 2020-2024 was drawn building on participatory sessions and debates. The Youth and Children’s Rights Policy Reflection Group XL acted as a sounding board group and was involved at various times. This group encompasses the contact points for youth and children’s rights policy within the various policy areas and representatives of the youth and children’s rights superstructure, Flemish and national children’s rights actors, researchers, local authorities and youth work. The output of the many participation sessions was processed and resulted in 13 major cross-policy area priorities. These priorities were further elaborated and ranked during the #Key Priorities Debate on 26 April 2019. With the start of the current term of office, the Minister for Youth organised a round table on the importance of the 13 proposed priority objectives as the final choice of the five priority objectives by the current Government of Flanders had to fit within the framework of the Flemish Coalition Agreement which led to the approval of the final choice of 5 priorities by the government of Flanders on 13 March 2020.
The German community government established the priorities of the Youth Plan based on various studies and data as well as the results of the annual effectiveness dialogues with the youth organisations and the results of the monitoring committees in open youth work, mobile youth work and youth information centres. The action plan for the third Youth Strategy Plan was drawn up with the involvement of young people, the supported youth facilities and the Youth Council, through an online questionnaire disseminated to young people via youth associations, and a co-creation workshop.

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Q5. Have the relevant stakeholders been involved in the implementation of DCE legislation and policies?

For the implementation of the Digital Strategy for Education in Wallonia Brussels Federation, an inter-network committee of digital education (CINE) supports the implementation of measures on the training of teachers, on digital equipment, to communication and sharing of resources. CINE is led by the general administration on education and includes experts in new technologies, trade unions and regional digital agencies. The Digital Strategy for education lists the players/stakeholders needed to be involved in implementing the various priority actions set out, not only on the matters comprised in the perimeter of the CINE. Since 2013 (D.20/06/2013; AGCF.23/01/2014), one of the tasks of the General Council for Social Promotion Education has been to advise and guide public policy in the field of adult education, as well as to carry out the necessary steering activities.
Digital Wallonia 2019-2024 Strategy: more than 180 stakeholders have been involved in the design, implementation and monitoring of the programmes of the strategy. The Digital Wallonia Champions are also involved in supporting and promoting the Strategy
The CSEM collaborates with various partners and operators including public media, trade unions, NGOs, universities, on various initiatives.
The Digisprong Knowledge Centre helps school leaders, teachers and ICT coordinators from all Flemish schools with educational technology. As noted by the Flemish authorities in the survey, the Flemish schools and other education institutions enjoy a large degree of autonomy in terms of curriculum and management and take the main responsibility in the daily implementation of measures taken. They are stakeholders that actually carry out the implementation (they are more than just “involved” in the implementation).
The Knowledge Centre on Media Literacy (Kenniscentrum Mediawijs) is the main actor promoting media literacy in Flanders with various resources, courses and activities
Stakeholders can apply for a grant for projects that address the objectives of the Youth Plan of the German speaking community.

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Q6. Have the relevant stakeholders been involved in the evaluation of DCE legislation and policies?

For the Digital Strategy for Education in Wallonia Brussels Federation, the monitoring is conducted only by the administration.
Digital Wallonia 2019-2024 Strategy: more than 180 stakeholders have been involved in the monitoring of the programmes of the strategy.
The evaluation of the media education plan are entrusted to the CSEM and Ministry in charge.
School inspectorate and schools are involved in the evaluation of the progress of the activities carried out by Digisprong and indicators for quality digital education. The Belgian Court of Audit has carried out an evaluation of the Digisprong Knowledge Centre and its policies. The report was published on 16/10/2024.
For the Flemish Youth and children’s rights policy plan 2020-2024, the final evaluation is preceded by a content-related discussion in the Youth and Children’s Rights Policy Reflection Group, in which the contact points for youth and children’s rights of the various policy areas involved are represented. The contact points coordinate with their competent ministers.
The steering group is composed of representatives of various Ministries, as well as the Youth Information East Belgium, the Youth Office of the German speaking community, the Council of German-speaking Youth (RDJ) for open youth work and youth organisations.

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Q7. Have the Member States supported the creation of frameworks for cooperation between public, private and civil society actors and education institutions?

The CSEM collaborates with various partners and operators including public media, trade unions, NGOs, universities, on various initiatives.
Mediawijs is a partner in various campaigns such as Safer Internet Day, the Anti-Bullying week, the European Media Literacy Week, etc, and is a member of various committees such as the Media Sector Council (with 14 representatives from civil society and 5 independent experts, that advise the Flemish government), the Youth Information Core Group (representing organisations approved or subsidised under the Flemish youth and children’s rights policy decree) and various EU and international associations on media literacy. Mediawijs developed ‘Scale of M’, a website that offers free teaching materials to get started with media wisdom in primary education during a game week.
The Media Centre of the German-speaking Community provides resources, workshops and networking activities to enhance media literacy.
The Flemish Institute for Arts (Meemoo), supported by the Flemish government Archive for Education, a comprehensive databank of audiovisual content designed to teachers and students in secondary education, and aiming to nurture search skills, media knowledge, media literacy and citizenship education.
The Belgian Safer Internet Centre is run by Child Focus, the CSEM and Mediawijs and provides resource and media literacy initiatives.
The Belgian Coalition for Digital Skills and Jobs involves the Ministry in charge of digital affairs, education and employment institutions, social partners, NGOs and startups. It has a digital hub (BeCEntral) where trainings in digital skills are organised, and it also organises a digital skills fair, and funds calls for projects.
The « Women in Digital » 2021-2026 cross-federal and cross-sector plan is part of the EU Digital Decade Policy Programme, which sets out the digital ambitions for the next decade. Particular emphasis is placed on the first axis, which aims to reach 20 million IT specialists in Europe, with improved gender parity (a target of 10% of the workforce), and to ensure that 80% of the European population has basic digital skills, in line with the DigCompCitizen 2.2 reference framework. In Belgium, this plan calls for the collaboration of all stakeholders in proposing initiatives to contribute to the national e-skills programme.
The Knowledge Centre Digisprong is one of the 11 partners in the European Schoolnet project EmpowerED (mapping of frameworks for cooperation of schools with EdTech companies), funded by the EU.

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Q8. Have the Member States ensured that the cooperation frameworks between stakeholders align with standards for equitable quality education?

The decree creating the CSEM refers to the respect of the standards of the Wallonia Brussels Federation
Mediawijs is funded by the Flemish government. The Youth Information Core Group that they are member of abides by the Flemish youth and children’s rights policy decree
No information found
No information found
No information found
The National Coalition for Digital Skills and Jobs is related to the EU Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition.
There is reference to the Vision text (April 2024) of the Government of Flanders “Responsible AI in Flemish education. A collaborative process from development to use”.

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Q9. Have the Member States been involved in cooperation between the Council of Europe and international organisations in designing and implementing strategies, policies, programmes and research on DCE?

Flanders is part of DCE promoter network. It shares good practices in the DCE webpage.
Member of EU Media literacy expert group
Member of Working Group on Digital Education: Learning, Teaching and Assessment (DELTA)
Member of Commission Expert group for Digital Education Content
Member of Commission Expert group on Safer Internet for Children.
Member of OECD Expert Group on Governance Responses to Mis- and Disinformation
Member of Global Education Network (GENE)
Member of BENEDMO – Belgium Netherlands Digital Media and Disinformation observatory.
Member of EDMO BELUX – Research Hub On Digital Media and Disinformation
The Flemish community is member and current chairman of European Schoolnet.
Member of Commission Working group on Schools

Additional questions on the DCE Recommendation

Training on DCE to teachers and other professionals:
According to the Wallonia Brussels Federation authorities in the survey, digital skills self-assessment and development pathways have been made available with the « Pix tool » to support the teaching staff in implementing the new competency framework. Digital skills were integrated by law into the compulsory content of all the initial teacher education, whatever their discipline, and the implementation has started from the academic year 2023-2024. As part of the support offered by the EU Recovery and Resilience plans, continued support for schools and teaching teams with projects was offered; as well as support and guidance for techno-pedagogical advisers in the education networks, with a view to co-constructing systems to strengthen the digital skills of teachers and the teaching staff. One of these projects is the development of the tool « Pix » to suggest appropriate training courses and online resources related to the results of the self-diagnosis on digital skills made by teachers from secondary school or non-compulsory and adult education. The tools created are available for all forms of education in French-speaking Belgium, providing a quick and effective response to the digital skills needs of teachers. Pix is implemented in compulsory, non-compulsory and adult education, for both teachers / lecturers and for pupils of the secondary schools and for learners in the adult education. Schools can create specific courses. Non-compulsory educational institutions can also develop their own learning or skill enhancement pathways in digital competencies, aligning with the specific expectations and needs of a socio-economic sector. In addition to being training activities, these pathways will also lead to skill certification and, ultimately, their recognition. The continuous mobilisation and active participation of stakeholders in the education system, such as school networks, the schools themselves, the unions, etc. represent an important lever for the implementation of digital strategies.

Translation and dissemination of DCE Recommendation:
Not applicable according to the regional authorities responding to the survey.

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