Press corner
Endowed Professorship for f4i-Researcher in Residence – Digital Humanism
The University of Applied Sciences BFI Vienna is making a significant move towards the future: With a new endowed professorship in Digital Humanism, research will focus on the intersection of technology and human values. For f4i-Researcher in Residence, Mag. Dr. Alexander Schmölz, BA, a scientist and experienced expert, a human-centered digital future has long been an important research field. In this professorship, he will further explore this area, particularly with regard to ethical questions. This forward-looking project is supported by the Chamber of Labour and is part of efforts to establish Vienna as a center for digital innovation and ethics. More information is available at: New Endowed Professorship for Digital Humanism at the University of Applied Sciences BFI Vienna | University of Applied Sciences BFI Vienna, 19.09.2024 (ots.at) (24.09.2024, Text: fit4internet).
fit4internet presents results of the Digital Skills Barometer 2023
Since 2022, fit4internet's "Digital Skills Barometer Austria" has been a representative study that analyses the digital skills of Austrians in a unique way. Self-assessment, digital knowledge, technology affinity and questions on key digital topics are combined to identify the most important levers for promoting digitalisation in Austria. The "Digital Skills Barometer 2023" is the latest version of the renowned study. The online survey, conducted by bilendi, includes a sample of more than 3,600 people. The results show the actual level of knowledge of Austrians, which is significantly lower than their self-assessment. (first published in German on 30/11/2023, fit4internet/CONEDU)
Chance 1.000 - fit4internet promotes digital skills of young people
fit4internet is supporting Austria's digital sustainability in the "Year of Skills" 2023. Therefore, free certificates and trainings amounting to more than 100,000 euros are being offered within the scope of the initiative "Die Chance 1.000". The initiative provides 1,000 Dig-CERT online knowledge tests for A-level and apprenticeship graduates to prove professional connectivity in the field of digital knowledge. In cooperation with companies such as Microsoft, Cisco, bizExaminer, bizConsult and ETC-Enterprise Training Center, 200 training programmes and business certificates will also be raffled off. Thus fit4internet contributes to the implementation of the digital agenda at EU level and the Austrian Federal Government to make Austria #digitallyfit. The initiative runs from March 2023 to December 2023. Read more about the initiative (in German) as well as the Dig-CERT (in German). (first published in German on 14/04/2023, fit4internet/CONEDU)
Dig-CERT presents itself in new design
The Dig-CERT is the certification for general digital knowledge for everyday life and work. The certificate is based on the European Reference Framework for Digital Competences (DigComp) and is therefore adaptable across Europe. It maps digital skills that all employees should possess, regardless of industry, position or educational background. In addition, it provides information on the willingness to engage in lifelong learning and on digital sustainability. In line with the European Commission's Year of Skills, the Dig-CERT has now been given a new design and website. Here you will find all the information as well as learning paths to prepare for the online knowledge test. (first published in German on 07/03/2023, fit4internet/CONEDU)
Application for the European Digital Skills Award open until April 8, 2023
The European Digital Skills Award 2023 rewards the best projects and initiatives promoting digital skills in Europe and will be granted in five categories: Promoting digital skills among young people, digital upskilling in the workplace, digital skills in education, media literacy for disadvantaged people and promoting digital skills for women in the workplace. All organisations that are implementing or already have realised a project or initiative in one of these areas are invited to participate. Applications are open until April 8, 2023. Here you can find more information about the submission. (first published in German on 07/03/2023, fit4internet/CONEDU)
fit4internet in the New Working Worlds Council
With the presentation of the results of the Digital Skills Barometer, fit4internet has demonstrated the digital fitness of the Austrian population and was thereupon invited by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Economy to present the results of the Skills Barometer 2022 at the "Council for New Working Worlds" on 17 October. At the following press conference on the topic of "Digital Skills in the World of Work", f4i Secretary General Ulrike Domany-Funtan presented the most important findings on the Austrian labour market to interested media representatives together with Minister of Labour and Economic Affairs Dr. Martin Kocher and State Secretary for Digitalisation and Broadband Florian Tursky. (first published in German on 07/11/2022, fit4internet/CONEDU)
fit4internet presents results of the Digital Skills Barometer 2022
The digital fitness of Austrians is shown in the results of the Digital Skills Barometer, which fit4internet presented on 5 October 2022. In cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Finance and the consulting agency Accenture, fit4internet thus presents the first survey in Austria that provides a representative, well-founded overview of the state of digitalisation in the Austrian population. Read more about the main results of the Digital Skills Barometer here. (first published in German on 05/10/2022, fit4internet/CONEDU)
Austria in 10th place in the EU digitalisation index
Since 2015, the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) has surveyed the progress of EU member states in the area of digitalisation. From all 27 EU states, Austria is again in tenth place in 2022. According to the current DESI country reports, Austria is above the EU average with most indicators in the area of "human capital". Among other things, this concerns the basic digital skills of Austrians. In the area of "connectivity", Austria also shows presentable results as far as the expansion of 5G is concerned. State Secretary Florian Tursky, responsible for digitalisation and telecommunications, wants to bring Austria even further into the top field by 2025. (first published in German on 16/09/2022, fit4internet/CONEDU)
Contributions from fit4internet on the anniversary of the Digital Skills & Jobs Platform
About a year ago, the "Digital Skills & Jobs Platform" went online as a central access point for digital skills in Europe. Born out of the EU initiative Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition (DSJC), the platform is now celebrating its first anniversary with more than 4000 registered users and 1400 articles published. To mark the occasion, the platform inspires with a series of webinars and shares good practices from across the European region. fit4internet has provided two valuable good practice contributions to the anniversary from Austria with the presentation of its DigComp-CERT - Certificate for Digital Competences and the Cyber Security Quiz. Read more about the anniversary of the Digital Skills & Jobs Platform here. (first published in German on 13/06/2022, fit4internet/CONEDU)
fit4internet supports "Austrian Jobs for Ukraine"
Having a job means stability and community - also for people who have fled. The initiative "Austrian Jobs for Ukrainian Refugees" offers refugees from Ukraine the appropriate platform where companies can report job offers, and job seekers with the "Blue Card" work permit can easily find open positions, e.g. in the fields of technology or care work. In addition, newcomers are supported with German language courses. Apart from fit4internet, project partners include "Internetoffensive Österreich", "Hilfswerk Austria", "Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Freie Wohlfahrt", "Österreichischer Integrationsfonds", "Austrian Business Agency", "WKO Fachverband UBIT", "iab austria", "Data Intelligence Offensive", "Vereinigte Gastronomie Wien" and "Österreichischer Behindertensportverband" (Austrian Disabled Sports Association). (first published in German on 15/04/2022, fit4internet/CONEDU)
The fit4internet Dig-CERT can now be completed throughout Austria!
After about two years of development, the first certificate for the recognition of general digital knowledge in everyday life and work now exists in Austria: The Dig-CERT online knowledge test offers a psychometrically tested and valid assessment of digital competences. This is made possible thanks to a cooperation with the Enterprise Training Center (ETC), which implements the Dig-CERT online knowledge test via Test Center. This makes Austria the first country in the EU to be able to map people's digital skills precisely and in the context of the European and Austrian Digital Competence Framework. Anyone who would like to have their general digital knowledge certified or is looking for a certification option for their employees can find all the information about the fit4internet Dig-CERT here. (first published in German on 04/04/2022, fit4internet/CONEDU)
DIGISETS: Digital Competences in Tourism and Commerce
In the DIGISETS project (2020-1-AT01-KA202-078055), fit4internet has been working with national and international network partners since autumn 2020 to promote digital skills in the sectors of tourism and commerce. DIGISETS stands for "Digital Skills Evaluation Tool and Support" and is being implemented as part of an Erasmus+ grant. The projected outcomes are a competence framework for digital skills in the sectors of commerce and tourism, an evaluation tool for assessing digital skills and guidelines for vocational trainers. fit4internet and other partners from Austria, Bulgaria, Greece and Spain are part of the European project team. Please find further information on the project and its partners on the project website and in the project description. (first published in German on 26/01/2022, fit4internet/CONEDU)
fit4internet provides for child safety in the digital world
On the occasion of the International Day of Computer Safety, fit4internet presented its offers for child safety in the digital world on 30 November. A survey commissioned by fit4internet brought eye-opening results: the older the children, the more likely they are to have their own device, but the less their parents know about how they use the internet. Margarete Schramböck commented: “We want our children to be competent and safe in the digital world. This is exactly where the fit4internet association comes in. Children and young people learn in a playful way how to deal with different digital media.” Such a playful security training is made possible, for example, by the Cyber Security Quiz for Austria, a product of fit4internet and partners. For parents, fit4internet also offers its own QUIZzes for an overview of their “digital parenting skills” and thus supports them in digital education. (first published in German on 02/12/2021, fit4internet/CONEDU)
Cyber Security Quiz wins eAward 2021
On 18 October 2021, the Report Verlag jury presented the eAward in the category “Education and Human Resources Development” to the Cyber Security Quiz, which is available free of charge as a desktop application and mobile app. The Cyber Security Quiz allows interested users to learn in a playful and interactive way about how to protect themselves from fraud or attacks in the digital world. The app offers small learning units and is thus suited to be an efficient learning tool in companies. It teaches the most important things about technical threats, protection against fraud, data protection and cyberbullying. Further content is to follow from autumn 2021 thanks to support of the AK Digifonds. With the eAward 2021, a renowned prize of the IT industry has been awarded to fit4internet and its cooperation partners SBA Research, Cyber Security Austria, ovos and saferinternet.at/ÖIAT. Here you can get the app. (first published in German on 08/11/2021, fit4internet/CONEDU)
fit4internet honoured with BPM Award 2021
fit4internet has been awarded the Human Resources Management Award by the Federal Association of Human Resources Managers in Germany for the second time already. On 31 August 2021, the association awarded outstanding projects in HR work. After reaching the successful third place last year, fit4internet came second place in the category “Non-Profit Organisations and Public Sector” this year. In total, nine initiatives in the categories of large-scale enterprises, SMEs and non-profit organisations/public sector were chosen as finalists by the top-class jury. Fit4internet could convince the expert panel with the “GirlsDay2021 apprentice hackathon”. Read more about the Human Resources Management Award 2021 here. (first published in German on 31/08/2021, fit4internet)
Adolescents count on f4i-tools
The self-assessment and knowledge tests offered by fit4internet to measure digital competences are currently most frequently used by adolescents: In 2021, 15 to 24-year-olds accessed fit4internet’s CHECKs and QUIZzes more than ten thousand times. Ever since the first f4i-tools were made available in May 2019, the range has been continuously expanded and new f4i-tools on the topic of “Data Science” will follow soon. Read more about the usage of the f4i-tools here. Click here to access all f4i-tools. (first published in German on 23/08/2021, fit4internet)
fit4internet cooperates with Google for a successful Austrian economy
In order to improve the ability of small and medium-sized enterprises to act, Google Austria and fit4internet provide free courses for increasing digital competences as part of the “Zukunftswerkstatt Österreich” initiative. With most courses, participants can earn an internationally recognised certificate. Thus, the digital economy as well as Austria as a business location shall be strengthened. Click here for further information on the cooperation between fit4internet and Google and here you can find the courses. (first published in German on 16/07/2021, fit4internet/CONEDU)
Reinhard Gojer is the new f4i president
Reinhard Gojer, board general of DONAU Versicherung AG Vienna Insurance Group, took over the presidency of the association fit4internet on 26 March 2021. He succeeds Peter Oswald, CEO of Mayr-Melnhof Karton AG, who held office of the association’s president since the end of 2018 and contributed significantly to the role of fit4interent in Austria. In addition to the changes in the committee, two new board members were also appointed: Markus Gärtner, CEO Corrugated Packaging at Mondi Group, and Patricia Neumann, general director at IBM and president of the “Internetoffensive Österreich”. (first published in German on 30/03/21, fit4internet)
Microsoft and fit4internet intensify their cooperation
With the intention of making as many Austrians as possible digitally literate over the next four years, Microsoft and fit4internet provide free online courses for building basic digital skills. Initiatives like these are necessary to meet the demands of the economy. The online courses for building basic digital skills are listed in the fit4internet database. More information on the cooperation between Microsoft and fit4internet can be found here. (first published in German on 12/02/2021, fit4internet)
Austrian National Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition: second European event with fit4internet
On January 27th, another online event organised by the “Allianz für Digitale Skills und Berufe” (ADSB - Austrian National Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition) and the European Commission took place. The development of digital skills in Austria was the main focus. About 70 experts from the European Union discussed the future of digital competences at the invitation of federal minister Martin Kocher. Another key issue was the implementation of the Digital Competence Framework for Austria. Further information on the event can be found here. (first published in German on 02/02/2021, fit4internet/CONEDU)
Austrian National Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition – European launch event with fit4internet
The "Allianz für Digitale Skills und Berufe (ADSB - Austrian National Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition)" is the Austrian version of the European stakeholder coalition “Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition”. In 2020, fit4internet became the first Austrian member of the European coalition and is now efficiently committed to raising digital competences in Europe. On January 13th, 2021, federal minister Margarete Schramböck invited to the online launch event of the ADSB. More than 100 experts as well as representatives of the EU and other EU member states discussed the digital readiness and the future perspectives regarding digital competences in Austria. Further information on the event can be found here. (first published in German on 15/01/2021, fit4internet/CONEDU)
Presentation of the “Austrian National Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition“
Digital skills are crucial competences to strengthen the resilience of Austria as a business location and as a society - for all citizens in their respective living environments. By founding the "Allianz für Digitale Skills und Berufe (ADSB - Austrian National Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition)", Austria is laying the foundation for a competitive and future-oriented business location that will strongly benefit from digitalisation. On 29 October, the Austrian "Allianz für Digitale Skills und Berufe" was officially presented as member of the European Commission's "Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition (DSJC)” and an important measure in the Digitalisation Action Plan of the Austrian Federal Government. The Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs and the Federal Ministry of Labour, Family and Youth are the founding organisations in Austria. Please find further information on the alliance as well as the original press release in German. (first published in German on 30/10/2020, fit4internet/CONEDU)
fit4internet ensures digital competences in the Austrian Armed Forces
The Federal Ministry of Defence (BMLV), together with the Federal Ministry of Digital and Economic Affairs (BMDW) and fit4internet (an association initiated by the BMDW), started a pilot project in order to raise awareness for digital competences within the Austrian Armed Forces. One of the first measures is the inclusion of the self-assessment "CHECK Everyday life digital skills“ in the positioning process. Readers interested in the project can find further information here. (first published in German on 03/09/2020, fit4internet)
Welcome to the fit4internet press corner
Welcome to the press corner of the English fit4internet website, which was launched in November 2020. fit4internet (f4i) is an independent initiative supported by major industry players and the public administration geared towards the growth of digital competences in Austria. The ultimate goal is to enable the competent use of digital technologies and the broad participation of society in digitalisation developments. Press releases in English on important activities of fit4internet will be published continuously on this page. (05/01/2021, fit4internet/CONEDU)