DigiEduHack 2024 Main Stage Event Brought International Digital Education Innovators to Tallinn University
On November 20, Tallinn University hosted the main event of the international hackathon series "DigiEduHack 2024," focusing on digital education's development and future visions. The event, organized by Tallinn University, brought together leading experts from Europe and Estonia, including education innovators, technology specialists, and policymakers.
According to Tallinn University's Vice-Rector for Educational Innovation, Kristi Klaasmägi, the DigiEduHack hackathons highlighted results in three key categories: tangible solutions, new ideas, and interpersonal connections.
"Of course, our main focus is on the tangible outcomes of the hackathons – new initiatives and solutions that genuinely improve the education sector. However, the less tangible results are equally important – new ideas and concepts that participants return to their organizations and workplaces. I also greatly value the relationships, impressions, and inspiration gained from engaging with people from different fields or countries, as these are integral to our humanity," Klaasmägi said.
Janika Leoste, Tallinn University's project manager for the DigiEduHack consortium, emphasized that such international initiatives strengthen a shared understanding of the future of digital education in Europe, laying a foundation for developing cross-border solutions.
The event featured an inspiring agenda that included keynote speeches and engaging discussions on Estonia's journey toward digitalization and its impact on education. It focused on advancing digital education and innovation in Europe, highlighting Estonia's experiences alongside international perspectives.
Throughout the day, participants attended opening addresses, panel discussions, and hands-on ideation workshops where they shared experiences and generated new ideas to promote the digitalization of education. Particular attention was given to the DigiEduHack initiative and the role of artificial intelligence in education.
The discussions included representatives from the European Commission, Poland's Ministry of Education, and Estonian and international digital education platforms. A panel discussion explored how to create an innovative and sustainable digital education ecosystem. Additionally, participants presented experiences and ideas from previous hackathons.
The event aimed to foster collaborative solutions and showcase the progress.
The event was also accessible online via a live stream, which remains available for replay on the DigiEduHack YouTube channel.
DigiEduHack is an education movement supported by the European Commission to promote innovation, collaboration, and creativity while driving positive changes in digital education. The pan-European series of digital education hackathons in November included 52 hackathons involving over 1,000 participants from 27 countries. The "EdTech Hack 2024" took place in Estonia from November 15–17, organized by Tallinn University, Tallinn University of Technology, and EdTech Estonia.