We are delighted to present European Schoolnet's Annual Report for the year of 2023. This comprehensive report highlights the pivotal initiatives and impactful collaborations that have shaped the landscape of education across Europe amidst the unprecedented rise of generative artificial intelligence. It summarises our performance during the course of 2023 and our commitment towards our 27-year-old purpose: to transform education across Europe, bringing innovation for public advantage.

At European Schoolnet, we believe the answer lies in the power of storytelling, collaboration, and innovation. With this vision in mind, we are thrilled to announce the launch of the European Schoolnet Podcast, a platform designed to ignite dialogue, foster collaboration, and drive innovation in education.

Discover Spain offers an in-depth look at the latest release from the National Institute of Digital Technologies and Teacher Training (INTEF). Their report, "Guidelines on the Use of Digital Tools in Education from a Data Protection Perspective," categorises 627 digital tools based on GDPR compliance.

Globally, a third of young people have reported being a victim of cyberbullying, being exposed to and participating in toxic, aggressive, disruptive or addictive behaviour.

In today's society, everyone plays a dual role as both a consumer and a producer of content. Social media platforms serve as vital channels for communication and information exchange, bombarding us with a myriad of content. We receive, process, and engage with this influx of information daily. However, amidst this abundance, how do we ensure the credibility of the content we encounter, whether it's online, in print, or within educational settings? This is where the concept of media literacy becomes crucial.

Although Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields are widely regarded as critical to national economies, so far most countries across the globe are struggling to reduce the current STEM skills shortage. This also applies to Europe, as according to the latest comparative report of the PISA 2022 study, published by the European Commission in February 2024 with a focus on the EU perspective, shockingly, 30% of EU students fail to reach minimum proficiency levels in mathematics, with similar trends observed in reading and science.

The European Schoolnet Academy recently hosted three webinars as part of its 4th Thematic Seminar on the topic of teacher professional development in the age of AI. The webinar series concluded with the launch of the report, " Professional Development for Teachers in the Age of AI." This report provides an overview of crucial considerations and actionable ideas regarding AI integration within teacher professional development.

The 24th of January is the International Day of Education, and UNESCO dedicates it this year to countering hate speech, a topic European Schoolnet knows very well, as Hacking Hate has been one of our lead motifs in response to the growing concerns across European governments, in particular among Ministries of Education, as well as schools, parents, and, of course, students.

A new year is unfolding, reinforcing the goals set by European Schoolnet and its stakeholders from over 30 countries. The year 2023, rich in projects and knowledge, has once again allowed us to fulfill our mission: empowering European education by providing comprehensive support and fostering collaboration among stakeholders.

From 1 January to 30 June 2024, Belgium will hold the presidency of the Council of the European Union. This presidency is important owing to the timing, with the European elections in June 2024 in view.

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