Inspiring practices in European classrooms

10/09/2026

European education is moving beyond traditional classroom models, towards learning environments that foster innovation, flexibility and inclusion.

The Advancing Digital Education for Every Learner- Innovative Practices from the EU report explores fifty-four practices that offer a source of inspiration for educators, policymakers, and researchers. This is the fourth report in the series dedicated to promoting inspiring practices in digital education from the 27 European Union Member States. Similar to the 2023, 2024 and 2025 reports, two inspiring practices were selected from each country.

This article pulls out the trends the report reveals and a few practices that bring them to life.
 

Trend 1: Digital competencies are the anchor, and AI is now part of the mix

Digital competencies remain the largest single focus across countries, but the emphasis has shifted from basic digital literacy to critical, ethical and creative use of technology, especially AI. Several countries are building AI directly into teacher training and school culture rather than treating it as a separate add-on.

Austria's AI in Austrian Schools initiative integrates AI into pedagogy and ethics across the curriculum and awards schools a dedicated "AI badge" for their efforts. In Estonia, the Technology kompass maps the technology trends most likely to shape education in the coming years, paired with a blog and expert webinars. And in Latvia, the national Stars platform lets learners assess their digital skills gaps before choosing from five structured learning pathways tied to labour-market needs.

Trend 2: Digital well-being is catching up fast

Where earlier editions of this series centred almost entirely on skills, this report shows digital well-being emerging as a priority, addressing online safety, screen time, and the social pressures that come with growing up online.

Italy's Patti Digitali di Comunità tackles a very concrete pressure point: parents giving children smartphones early because "everyone else has one." It gets whole classes or year groups to agree shared rules together, so no single family or child feels excluded. Greece's Kids Wallet combines parental controls, age verification and digital identity in one government-backed app. And Slovenia's DIGI.DR builds digital citizenship skills from kindergarten onward, with free resources for schools and families alike.

Trend 3: Classrooms are being redesigned around technology, not just equipped with it

A recurring theme is the gap between having digital hardware and actually using it purposefullyl. The strongest practices pair infrastructure with training, content and physical space designed for how learning happens now.

In the Netherlands, Gynzy responds to a common paradox: classrooms have interactive whiteboards, but teachers lack content to use them well. It pairs the hardware with over 2,000 ready-to-teach lessons and ongoing teacher training. Finland's Omnia Makerspace bridges vocational education, higher education and industry through hands-on prototyping. And Spain's Aula del Futuro network gives teachers free online courses and a nationwide community of ambassadors, coordinated with the wider European Schoolnet Future Classroom Lab project.

What this means for the education community

Digital transformation in education is no longer an emerging trend; it is a structural priority shaping the future of European learning systems. Digital competencies remain central everywhere, but well-being and future-ready classroom design are catching up as national priorities, often built by teachers, for teachers, and increasingly designed to be shared across borders. For schools and policymakers, the practices in this report offer a ready set of tested models, and a signal of where the next wave of European digital education policy is heading.

To go beyond this report and continue exploring innovative pedagogical approaches, schools, educators, and policymakers are invited to connect with the wider community via the European Digital Education Hub. By joining the Hub, you gain direct access to peer-learning activities, collaborative working groups, and a growing repository of cross-border best practices tailored to the evolving digital landscape.

Ready to take the next step? Register for the European Digital Education Hub to exchange insights and collaborate with peers across Europe.