“With the spread of the COVID-19 , countries are implementing emergency plans to slow down and limit the spread of the virus – and prepare for a possible longer term disruption of school and university attendance. Every week of school closure will imply a massive loss in the development of human capital with significant long-term economic and social implications. While this is a strong stress test for education systems, this is also an opportunity to develop alternative education opportunities. China, which was hit first by the corona virus, is already well advanced in providing a large share of its students with access to online learning opportunities.” [OECD Policy Responses to Coronavirus (COVID-19)]
EU macro-regional strategies (MRS/Strategy) address common societal and ecological challenges shared within a wider territory. They aim to change policies and mind-sets towards cooperation of people and organisations that make up a macro-region. Due to the proximity to regions and citizens, the role of the macro-regions becomes increasingly important in times of crisis when regions are looking for solutions to restore institutional cooperation, improve response mechanisms, but also look for ways to support employment and sustainable growth.
Cooperation is key to find best solutions, assure efficient use of resources, and know how. Macro-regional strategies lead the change and at the same time make sure that no region, city or citizen will be left behind.
We are all going through a demanding time that already shows consequences for our tomorrow. Therefore, it was crucial to build a cross-MRS dialogue among thematic coordinators responsible for skills, innovation and SMEs support on how to best use MRS framework and our cooperation networks to help the regions recover, in which way can we create/inspire MR response to today’s challenges.
The crises caused by COVID-19 is complex and these Strategies are designed to address complex societal challenges where different perspectives need to be considered and a wide range of stakeholders engaged in order to provide targeted solutions.
In this sense, PA7 coordination team with the strong support of PA9 took leadership within the newly established MRS Task Force on Digital Education with the aim to share and learn from good practices applied across macro-regions and to take joint initiatives on e.g. pedagogical measures; technical solutions; usage of different funding sources, etc.
The Task Force has prepared a Questionnaire on collecting the Good practice on Remote-schooling MRSs/Digital education in the context of the COVID-19 crisis. After the outbreak of the COVID-19 crisis, new and creative approaches in education systems had to be found to deal with the situation. Despite the negative consequences, this led to a variety of innovative educational measures useful also for the future.
In this context, we are looking for the best practices in the following areas:
- Equal access to education / disadvantaged groups
- Ensuring learning outcomes
- Teacher education and training
- Digital pedagogical resources and online learning platforms
- Funding processes / innovative solutions
The collected templates will be compiled into a common document and published on a subpage dedicated to the activities of our Task Force and further disseminated via available channels of priority areas and action groups, in order to share the good practice to the wider public, as well as to focus on possible joint initiatives in the future (studies, projects, policy recommendations, etc.).
We thank you in advance for your help with the dissemination of the Questionnaire to stakeholders dealing with digital education in your respective countries. Please do not hesitate to approach us ( and ), may you have any other related questions or suggestions.
We will appreciate receiving the filled-in questionnaires – best before 30 November 2020, 8 PM CET.
