The conference was opened by the Deputy Prime Minister of the Council of Ministers, Minister of Digitalisation Krzysztof Gawkowski, pointing to the need to improve skills. Without them, we are passive consumers of social media entertainment. This was followed by speeches by Prof. Marek Pawełczyk, PhD, Rector of the Silesian University of Technology, Katarzyna Kuczyńska-Budka, Mayor of Gliwice, Radosław Nielek, PhD, Director of NASK, and MEP Borys Budka. They all pointed to the need to raise digital competences in a rapidly changing world.
In the opening discussion "strategic challenges - what is the state doing to develop digital competencies?", the President of the Digital Poland Foundation, Dr Michał Boni, discussed with panellists the key projects and challenges related to raising digital skills in Poland.
The introduction to the debate was provided by Professor Grzegorz Mazurek, Rector of Kozminski University, indicating that the next decade for Poland is full of challenges. From unfavourable demographic changes through trade wars, the weakness of European leaders, the recent good EU funding, to possibly less ambitious young people who are no longer as hungry for success as previous generations.
Following the introduction, Dr Katarzyna Lubnauer, Secretary of State at the Ministry of National Education, pointed out that the Digital Transformation Policy for Education has already been adopted, which will be the basis for action in schools. In addition, changes to the core curriculum are planned. Prof. Marek Gzik, Ph.D., Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, pointed out that Poland is already spending PLN 150 million on High-Power Computers (HPC), which are the basis for building AI models. Dr Eng. Radosław Nielek, Director of NASK, talked about the report Teenagers 3.0 and the need for changes in social media policy. In turn, Paweł Olszewski, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Digitalisation, listed the actions that the Ministry is already undertaking today and the plans for the future.
At the Foundation, we have always known that education and the competences of the future are key to the development of our country. That is why we undertake a number of activities such as the Digital Festival, Digital Fitness Trest, SkillUp Academy or the Charter for Lifelong Learning.
A video recording of the entire event can be found on the organiser's website.