European Digital Skills Certificate

Digital skills are indispensable – for learning, for working and in everyday life. A rapidly changing, technology-driven economy and society require everybody to have digital skills. 

Problems recognising digital skills

However, digital skills can often become ‘lost in translation’ and be hard for people to have recognised. This is part due to the existence of a large diversity of digital skills training and certification schemes produced by multiple organisations and governments. 

This is why the European Commission is exploring the development of a European Digital Skills Certificate (EDSC) to help people have their digital skills quickly and easily recognised by employers, training providers and more. 

The EDSC will be based on the European Digital Competence Framework (DigComp), which continues to be updated so that citizens can document the digital skills they have acquired in today’s fast-moving digital world.

Objectives 

The European Digital Skills Certificate, which will follow an agreed set of quality requirements, aims to enhance the transparency and mutual recognition of digital skills certifications by governments, employers and other stakeholders across Europe. 

It should allow people to indicate their level of digital competence corresponding to the DigComp proficiency levels and encourage individuals to acquire new digital skills. 

It should provide a scheme that is complementary to and does not replace existing (national or international) digital skills certification schemes.

The EDSC supports the ambitious objectives of the European Skills Agenda

• ensuring that 70% of 16-74 year olds have at least basic digital skills by 2025
• the Europe’s Digital Decade target of a minimum 80% of the population having basic digital skills by 2030

Key activities

A feasibility study will explore scenarios for the European Digital Skills Certificate. It will map existing digital skills certification schemes in Europe and carry out a gap analysis to understand the role and value of an EDSC and how it could support recognition of digital skills in Europe.

Expected results

The design and pilot of a European Digital Skills Certificate (EDSC), which is recognised and accepted by governments, employers and other stakeholders in Europe

Timeline 

• spring 2021 – launch of the Digital Skills and Jobs Platform with training opportunities for digital up- and reskilling 
• autumn 2021 – launch of the tool for the self-assessment of digital skills through the Europass portal
• spring 2022 – examining feasibility, consultation and developing the concept together with stakeholders 
• autumn 2023 – EDSC pilot prototyping 
• 2024 – EDSC launch and full operation 

More information on the Digital Competence Framework (DigComp) can be found in the brochure, video and the Joint Research Centre (JRC) website.

Further information on Digital Competence Certification can be found on the All Digital website.

Funding

This action is funded via the EU’s Erasmus+ programme.

Get in touch

If you are interested to know more about this action, get in touch with us by email at EC-EDSC@ec.europa.eu.

Follow EUDigitalEducation for latest news and developments on this action and the whole Digital Education Action Plan.