Pictured, from the back row, Meri Cvetkovska, NCI Cloud Competency Centre; Professor Horacio González-Vélez, Head of Cloud Competency Centre at NCI; Deborah Hayes, Microsoft; Professor Gina Quin, President of NCI; Dr Kevin Marshall, Microsoft; Neeve Hyland, Microsoft; Michael Barrett, Microsoft; Dr Adriana E Chis, NCI CCC; Jeff Sheridan, Matrix Internet; Minister Dara Calleary, TD; Brian Cochrane, Schuman Associates.
Last week, a number of staff from National College of Ireland, including President of NCI, Professor Gina Quin, and Head of NCI's Cloud Competency Centre, Professor Horacio González Vélez, were among those who met with Irish Minister for Digital Transformation, Dara Calleary TD, to celebrate EU Code Week, a project supported by the European Commission as part of its strategy for a Digital Single Market, and to discuss a new EU-funded research project: Code4Europe: Empowering the new generation of young Digital Europeans.
Minister Calleary noted at the event: “As we celebrate EU Code Week, an initiative dedicated to making coding and digital literacy accessible and enjoyable for everyone, I am delighted to meet with some of the Irish members of the Code4Europe Consortium who have taken stewardship of this grassroots initiative. I am greatly encouraged by their commitment and the role they play in fostering digital education across Europe. This aligns perfectly with my department’s priorities to enhance Ireland’s digital infrastructure and literacy, ensuring that digital skills are a cornerstone of both our economic and social strategies. The dedication of our educators and digital leaders, especially during EU Code Week, is vital as we strive to make digital skills accessible throughout the year. It is inspiring to see such enthusiasm for coding in Ireland, and I am fully supportive of these efforts to equip our citizens for a thriving digital future.”
Code4Europe directly contributes to the European Union's Digital Decade goal of developing 20 million ICT professionals across Europe by 2030, empowering and upskilling the next generation of digitally-savvy Europeans by reimagining, reenergising, and now relaunching EU Code Week, delivering real enhancements in digital education throughout Europe.
With four million participants annually, the average age being just eleven, EU Code Week is a key activity in working towards the EU Digital Decade goal. This year, the initiative is particularly focused on breaking down barriers to attract more young girls towards coding and digital careers, a critical step towards a more inclusive digital future.
"Not everyone will want to learn to code, but that should be by choice, there should be no other barrier to access. Technology is already impacting our daily lives and reshaping wider society. Leaving such important knowledge in the hands of a minority of the population can lead to an imbalance and inequity in the use and exploitation of technology. More people learning to code will help the majority of us navigate and shape for ourselves this rapidly evolving digital landscape, opening up pathways to innovation and future opportunities," observed Dr Horacio González Vélez, Professor of Computer Science at National College of Ireland and Head of NCI's Cloud Competency Centre.
This year’s EU Code Week saw coding workshops and events taking place in schools and communities right across Europe, led in Dublin by NCI Cloud Competency Centre's Dr Adriana E Chis and Meri Cvetkovska. The success of the week is demonstrated by:
1. The massive scaling of initiatives run across Europe as a part of this project, including underrepresented regions.
2. A collaboration with over 50 digital educators and skills stakeholders in co-creating innovative educational content and programmes.
3. Focused efforts on engaging girls and underrepresented groups in digital careers.
4. Extensive support for teachers and schools in digital transformation and upskilling.
5. Integration with European digital skills frameworks and promotion of digital careers.
President of NCI, Professor Gina Quin said: "The endorsement of Code4Europe by the European Commission echoes the recent success seen by the Cloud Competency Centre (CCC) at NCI with the Digital4Business and Digital4Sustainability initiatives, and further cements NCI's leadership in the realm of Digital Education, Advanced Digital Skills, and Sustainability.
"I am pleased that Code4Europe aligns seamlessly with NCI’s strategic vision, particularly fostering innovation and excellence in digital education. Moreover, it resonates deeply with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s), especially in promoting quality education which falls under SDG4 and gender equality under SDG5. Through focusing on inclusive digital education with initiatives such as Code 4 Europe, we are contributing to a more equitable and sustainable future, addressing the crucial need for diversity and inclusion in STEM fields."
Pictured below: Code4Europe Consortium with Minister Dara Calleary and President of NCI, Professor Gina Quin.
